Program Overview

Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmaceutics Department Concentrations)

The College of Pharmacy offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences with or without a concentration in Pharmacy, and the Master of Science in Pharmacy (M.S.P) in Pharmaceutical Sciences with or without a concentration in Pharmacy.

Overview

Pharmaceutics is the scientific endeavor concerned with the design, formulation, evaluation, and use of drug delivery systems. Its domain extends from studies of the physiochemical properties of drugs and related molecules to investigations of the mechanisms of physiological processes affecting drug delivery and therapeutic effectiveness.

Degrees Offered

• Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences with or without a concentration in Pharmacy
• Master of Science in Pharmacy (M.S.P) in Pharmaceutical Sciences with or without a concentration in Pharmacy

Requirements

The minimum requirements for these degrees are listed in the Graduate Degrees section of this Catalog. Applicants are required to have a foundation in physical chemistry, chemistry, mathematics, and in the life sciences. Please note that all students enter directly into the Ph.D. program as the department does not accept student applications for an M.S. degree.

Courses

Medicinal Chemistry Courses

• PHA 6354: Natural Medicinal Products (3 credits)
• PHA 6356: Structure Determination of Complex Natural Products (3 credits)
• PHA 6357: Herbal & Dietary Supplements (3 credits)
• PHA 6417: Pharmaceutical Analysis II (3 credits)
• PHA 6425: Drug Biotrans and Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity (3 credits)
• PHA 6432: Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (1 credit)
• PHA 6435: Biosynthetic Logic of Medicinal Natural Products (3 credits)
• PHA 6444: Pharmaceutical Chemistry I (3 credits)
• PHA 6447: Drug Design (3 credits)
• PHA 6471: Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry (3 credits)
• PHA 6472: Organic Synthesis of Drug Molecules (3 credits)
• PHA 6534: Toxicology of Chemical Weapons (3 credits)
• PHA 6535: Principles of Nucleotide Activity (2 credits)
• PHA 6543: Pharmaceutical Chemistry II (3 credits)
• PHA 6556: Introduction to Clinical Toxicology (3 credits)
• PHA 6557: Clinical Toxicology I (3 credits)
• PHA 6840: Medicinal Chemistry of Drugs of Abuse (3 credits)
• PHA 6850: Principles of Forensic Science (3 credits)
• PHA 6851: Forensic Analysis of DNA (3 credits)
• PHA 6852: Mammalian Molecular Biology (3 credits)
• PHA 6853: Biological Evidence and Serology (3 credits)
• PHA 6854: Forensic Immunology (3 credits)
• PHA 6855: Forensic Genetics (3 credits)
• PHA 6856: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (3 credits)
• PHA 6905: Research Procedures in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1-4 credits)
• PHA 6934: Seminar in Medicinal Chemistry (1 credit)
• VME 6602: General Toxicology (3 credits)
• VME 6605: Toxic Substances (3 credits)
• VME 6613: Forensic Toxicology I (3 credits)
• VME 6614: Forensic Toxicology II (3 credits)
• VME 6650: Principles of Mammalian Pharmacology (4 credits)
• VME 6766: Laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control (3 credits)

Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Courses

• PHA 5270: Health Care and Patient Safety (3 credits)
• PHA 5271: Health Care Risk Management (3 credits)
• PHA 6227: Institutional Pharmacy Leadership I (3 credits)
• PHA 6228: Institutional Pharmacy Leadership II (3 credits)
• PHA 6264: Pharmaceutical Health Technology Assessment (3 credits)
• PHA 6265: Introduction to Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy I (3 credits)
• PHA 6268: Phacoepidemiology and Patient Safety (3 credits)
• PHA 6269: Pharmaceutical Products and Public Policy (3 credits)
• PHA 6273: Structure, Process, and Outcomes of Regulation (3 credits)
• PHA 6274: Federal Regulations of Drugs and Pharmacy (3 credits)
• PHA 6275: Federal Regulations of Controlled Substances (3 credits)
• PHA 6276: Pharmacy Benefit Design & Management (3 credits)
• PHA 6277: Ethics in Drug Development Production and Use (3 credits)
• PHA 6278: State Regulation of Drugs and Pharmacy (3 credits)
• PHA 6279: Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Capstone (3 credits)
• PHA 6280: Medicare and Medicaid (3 credits)
• PHA 6283: Introduction to Pharmacoeconomics (3 credits)
• PHA 6286: Pharmaceutical Microeconomics (3 credits)
• PHA 6287: Pharmaceutical Health Economics (3 credits)
• PHA 6288: Critical Review of Research Methods (3 credits)
• PHA 6289: Regulating Clinical Research (3 credits)
• PHA 6472: Organic Synthesis of Drug Molecules (3 credits)
• PHA 6717: Measurement in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy Research (3 credits)
• PHA 6793: Evidentiary Basis of Pharmaceutical Use (3 credits)
• PHA 6796: Study Design in Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy Research (3 credits)
• PHA 6799: Medication Safety & Quality Program Evaluation (3 credits)
• PHA 6805: Applied Data Interpretation and Reporting of Findings in Pharmacy (3 credits)
• PHA 6891: Introduction to Phacoepidemiology (3 credits)
• PHA 6892: Practices and Procedures of the IRB (3 credits)
• PHA 6893: Research Ethics (3 credits)
• PHA 6937: Topics in Pharmaceutical Administration (2 credits)

Pharmacodynamics Courses

• PHA 6472: Organic Synthesis of Drug Molecules (3 credits)
• PHA 6508: Systems Physiology and Pathophysiology I (3 credits)
• PHA 6509: Systems Physiology and Pathophysiology II (3 credits)
• PHA 6512: Experiential Research Training in Pharmacodynamics (1-4 credits)
• PHA 6521: Research Techniques in Pharmacodynamics (1 credit)
• PHA 7939: Journal Club in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1 credit)

Pharmacology Courses

• GMS 6590: Trainee Seminar Series (1 credit)
• GMS 6592: Ion Channels Journal Club: Pharmacology, Biophysics, and Neuroscience of Excitable Membranes (1 credit)
• GMS 6847: Translational Research and Therapeutics: Bench, Bedside, Community, & Policy (3 credits)
• GMS 7593: Topics in Pharmacology and Toxicology (1-3 credits)

Pharmaceutics Departmental Courses

• PHA 5729: Intentional Living: Developing a Wellness Mindset (1 credit)
• PHA 6116: In Vivo and In Vitro Stability of Drugs (3 credits)
• PHA 6122: Population Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (3 credits)
• PHA 6123: Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) Modeling (3 credits)
• PHA 6125: Introduction to Quantitative Pharmacology (3 credits)
• PHA 6131: Physiologically-Based Modeling (3 credits)
• PHA 6133: Translational Clinical Pharmacology (3 credits)
• PHA 6170: Pharmaceutical Product Formulation (3 credits)
• PHA 6183: Pharmaceutical Gene Delivery (3 credits)
• PHA 6185: Life Cycle of a Drug (1 credit)
• PHA 6416: Pharmaceutical Analysis I (3 credits)
• PHA 6418: Model-Informed Drug Development (3 credits)
• PHA 6449: Pharmacogenomic and Genomic Data Analysis (3 credits)
• PHA 6630: Foundations of Medication Management: Pharmacotherapy of Chronic Disease (3 credits)
• PHA 6631: Foundations of Medication Management: Patient Care and Practice (3 credits)
• PHA 6632: Foundations of Medication Therapy Management II (3 credits)
• PHA 6633: Foundations of Medication Management: Individualized Pharmacotherapy I (3 credits)
• PHA 6634: Foundations of Medication Management: Individualized Pharmacotherapy II (3 credits)
• PHA 6635: Medication Therapy Management: A Renal Focus (3 credits)
• PHA 6636: Medication Therapy Management: A Gastrointestinal Focus (3 credits)
• PHA 6637: Medication Therapy Management: A Psychiatric Focus (3 credits)
• PHA 6638: Medication Therapy Management: A Neurologic Focus (3 credits)
• PHA 6639: Medication Therapy Management: A Respiratory Focus (3 credits)
• PHA 6740: Fundamentals of Grant Writing in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (2 credits)
• PHA 6830: Nanomedicine-based Immunotherapy (3 credits)
• PHA 6894: Introduction to Graduate Studies (1 credit)
• PHA 6910: Supervised Research (1-5 credits)
• PHA 6935: Selected Topics in Pharmacy (1-4 credits)
• PHA 6936: Advanced Topics in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1-2 credits)
• PHA 6938: Research Seminar (1 credit)
• PHA 6940: Supervised Teaching (1-5 credits)
• PHA 6971: Research for Master's Thesis (1-15 credits)
• PHA 7979: Advanced Research (1-12 credits)
• PHA 7980: Research for Doctoral Dissertation (1-15 credits)

Student Learning Outcomes

Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.)

1. Knowledge: Identify, interpret, and utilize core knowledge across the spectrum of Pharmaceutical Sciences as it relates to the student's research.
2. Problem Solving/Critical Thinking: Apply discipline- and research project-related knowledge to complete the student's dissertation research by formulating hypotheses, designing experiments, interpreting results, and forming conclusions from their experiments.
3. Skills: Discuss and defend the published literature of the Pharmaceutical Sciences field.
4. Research Skills: Utilize the scientific method to formulate hypotheses based on their ability to use the literature, their own experimental observations, and those of others; design a technically sound and up-to-date experimental plan with appropriate controls; execute the experimental plan in a technically proficient manner; interpret the data; reformulate the hypotheses.
5. Professional Behavior: Exhibit behaviors and values that are consistent with ethical standards in research appropriate to safety, administrative, and regulatory rules.
6. Professional Presentations: Deliver a formal scholarly presentation of their original research results in oral and written formats at an internal academic review.

Pharmaceutical Sciences - Pharmaceutics (M.S.P.)

1. Knowledge: Identify, interpret, and utilize core knowledge across the spectrum of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
2. Problem-Solving/Critical Thinking: Analyze and apply material from foundation courses in the curriculum, interpret data, and synthesize a response to a complex problem or case.
3. Professional Communication: Deliver a presentation of a discipline-specific topic related to Pharmaceutical Sciences for internal academic review.