Program Overview

University of Nebraska Medical Center Graduate Programs

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) offers a range of graduate programs designed to advance health science education and research. These programs are led by a diverse group of faculty and staff dedicated to fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

Programs Overview

UNMC's graduate programs include:

• Certificate Programs
  • Business for Bioscientists: Provides a fundamental background in business to enhance employment opportunities and success.
  • Health Professions Teaching and Technology: Offers a foundation in health science education, teaching skills, and the science of teaching.
  • Applied Health Informatics: Prepares healthcare professionals with the skills necessary to effectively apply health informatics in practice.
  • Healthcare Quality Improvement: Engages healthcare professionals in the application and utility of quality improvement to optimize healthcare service delivery.
• Master's Programs
  • The Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area Program (MSIA): Designed for those who wish to pursue individually designed programs of an interdisciplinary nature within the medical sciences.
  • MS Degree Timeline: Outlines the timeline for completing a Master's degree at UNMC.
  • Individual Programs: Offers a range of Master's degree programs to help students gain additional skills and advance their health sciences careers.
• Doctoral Programs
  • The Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area Program (MSIA): Intended for those who wish to pursue individually designed programs of an interdisciplinary nature within the medical sciences.
  • Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS): Consists of seven interdisciplinary doctoral programs with over 200 participating research faculty from 32 basic science and clinical departments.
  • Individual Programs: Allows doctoral students to work with faculty members who are global leaders in health science innovation.
  • PhD Degree Timeline: Outlines the timeline for completing a Doctoral degree at UNMC.
• Institutional Training Grant Programs
  • Institutional Training Grant Programs for Doctoral Students: Offers enhanced, specialized experience on top of doctoral program coursework.
  • Institutional Training Grants Definition: Defines what institutional training grants are and the types available at UNMC for doctoral students.
  • Benefits of Participating: Highlights how working on one of UNMC's training grants can advance a student's career and set them up for success.

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

The PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program at UNMC is designed to make impactful scientific discoveries and develop research skills. The program is internationally recognized, with faculty who pride themselves on mentoring students for outstanding careers.

Why Study Pharmaceutical Sciences?

Pharmaceutical science is at an exciting point in history, with new technology allowing for a better understanding of human physiology and disease. Advances in the identification, synthesis, formulation, delivery, and administration of pharmaceutical agents are opening the door to treatments for many diseases that have resisted drug therapy to date.

Why Study Pharmaceutical Sciences at UNMC?

As a doctoral student in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, students will be part of a highly collegial and collaborative atmosphere with state-of-the-art equipment, working with some of the most well-regarded experts in their discipline in the world. A common core curriculum provides a solid grounding in the basic pharmaceutical sciences, and PhD students can then tailor their studies to complement their chosen research track.

Program Tracks

The PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program offers several research tracks, including:

• Medicinal Chemistry Track: Uses medicinal and organic chemistry, chemical biology, and molecular pharmacology to design, synthesize, and evaluate novel compounds.
• Drug Delivery and Biopharmaceutics Track: Focuses on the design and development of novel pharmaceutical formulation and delivery technologies.
• Biophysics Track: Involves research of single-molecule and standard spectroscopy and calorimetric techniques to investigate fundamental cellular processes at the molecular level.
• Clinical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Track: Incorporates clinical and translational research to improve patient therapeutic outcomes.

Program Snapshot

• Course Load: Full-time
• Duration: Four to five years
• Location: Omaha
• Start Date: Fall

Careers & Outcomes

Graduates of the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program are highly competitive in the job market, with alumni employed across every major sector of the pharmaceutical sciences. Many students pursue postdoctoral research training at universities across the world. Job opportunities include:

• Biopharmaceutical startups
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Academia
• Regulatory agencies
• Research institutions
• Patent law Representative employers include Pfizer, Platelet BioGenesis, Ensign Pharmaceuticals, Manchester University, Biocon Research Limited, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, and BioMedical Research and University of the Sciences.