In the 18^th century, Empress Maria Theresa created a new state education system. Pharmacists were no longer trained only within the guilds, but had to attend newly established courses at university medical faculties. They graduated with the title Magister pharmaciae (Master of Pharmacy).

Franz Hruschauer, a student of Liebig, was the first chairman of the newly established Institute of Chemistry (1850-1858) at the Old University of Graz. Under his direction, the first pharmacy course was held in 1853. Pharmacy education took place in close cooperation with the Joanneum, which had been founded by Archduke Johann in 1811. The Joanneum was a teaching institution and museum that housed large natural science collections that were used for teaching at the university.

By the end of the 19^th century, the pharmacy curriculum included courses in zoology, botany, chemistry, physics, mineralogy and pharmacognosy. In 1855, a laboratory for pharmacy students was opened to shift the focus of education from theoretical lectures to practical exercises. From 1858 to 1861, Johann Gottlieb taught students pharmaceutical chemistry. In 1878, a new Chemical Institute was built under the direction of Leopold von Pebal, a student of Bunsen. Pebal also provided modern equipment for the laboratories. His successors were Zdenko Hans Skraup (1887-1906) and Roland Scholl (1907-1914). In the era of Anton Skrabal (1917-1943), the Institute of Chemistry was divided into three institutes. One of them was the Institute of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The chairman of the Institute of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry was Alois Zinke (1943-1963), followed by Erich Ziegler (1963-1978). In 1964, Pharmaceutical Chemistry became an independent institute with Gustav Zigeuner as head (1964-1990), followed by Werner Korsatko (1991-1995) and Ernst Haslinger (1995-2004).

In 1919, Otto Loewi established the first course for Pharmaceutical Technology at the Medical Faculty, which was supported by the Styrian government. Fritz Wischos, head of the hospital pharmacy, lectured this course from 1921 to 1932, followed by Ludwig Zechner from 1933 to 1938, and Norbert Schniderschitsch from 1938 onwards. During his period, education in pharmaceutical technology was shifted from the hospital pharmacy to the university, where a Institute for Applied Pharmacy was established within the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Between 1959 and 1969, L. Zechner was again chairman of the Institute of Galenics. Christian Knopp (1969-1989), Werner Korsatko (1989-2000), and Ernst Haslinger (2000-2004) headed the Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology. From 1995 to 2001 the Institute was an independent institute.

In 1973, the Institute of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology split off from the Institute of Experimental and Clinical
Pharmacology of the Medical Faculty. From 1973 to 1997, Walter Kukovetz was head of this new Institute of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, which was established within the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and renamed into Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology in 1992. From 1998 to 2004, Bernd-Michael Mayer was head of the institute.

In April 2004, today’s Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences was established as a result of merging the previously separate pharmaceutical institutes, in order to synergize administration, research and teaching. Rudolf Bauer was appointed head of this institute, which became one of the biggest in the university. The Institute has been structured
into four sections: Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy.

Andreas Zimmer took over as Head of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science in 2022.