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Program Overview
Introduction to the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics
The Ph.D. program in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in Pharmaceutics offers unparalleled research opportunities in the science of developing safe and effective medications. Pharmaceutics plays a crucial role in dosage form design, transforming new chemical entities into pharmaceutical products that can be safely used by patients. This dynamic field spans everything from understanding the physical and chemical properties of drug substances to formulating them into various dosage forms, evaluating their performance in both laboratory and clinical settings, and developing efficient manufacturing processes.
About the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics
In the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, students work alongside renowned faculty with expertise in a wide range of drug delivery systems, including solid and liquid oral forms, topical applications, and advanced techniques like transdermal, ocular, intranasal, and targeted delivery systems. One of the key research strengths is hot melt extrusion technology, which is at the forefront of optimizing drug delivery and advancing manufacturing methods.
Program Information
Degree
- Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Emphases
- Pharmaceutics
Required Credit Hours
- 54 Hours
Program Type
- Doctorate Program
Program Location
- Oxford
School
- School of Pharmacy
Duration
- 4 - 6 Years
Pharmaceutics Program Details
Degree Requirements
The Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in Pharmaceutics requires students to complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of coursework and 18 hours of dissertation.
Core Courses
- Product Development (Phar 749)
- Statistics and Experimental Design (Bisc 504 or PH 626)
- Advanced Pharmaceutics (Phar 741)
- Stability of Pharmaceutical Systems (Phar 744)
- Applied Pharmacokinetics (Phar 760)
- Graduate Student Survival Strategies (BMS 601) or Research Ethics (GRAD 600)
- Applied Pharmaceutics (Phar 750)
- Formulation Development (Phar 650)
Elective Courses
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Phar 658)
- Problems in Pharmaceutics (Phar 541)
- Regulatory Science I (Phar 651)
- Regulatory Science II (Phar 652)
- Analytical Pharmaceutics (Phar 735)
- Surfactant Science and Applications (Ch E 547)
- Introduction to Polymer Science (Ch E 543)
- Colloid and Surface Science (Ch E 545)
- Coating Materials Processing and Applications (Ch E 597)
- Principals of Physical Chemistry I (Chem 535)
- Physical Biochemistry (Chem 534)
Additional courses may be required by the students graduate adviser and/or advisory committee. If a required course is unavailable, the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery graduate faculty may approve an alternative course for a particular student.
Other Academic Requirements
Seminar Requirement
Students are required to register for Seminar in Current Pharmaceutical Topics (PHAR 543 or PHAR 544) every semester.
Comprehensive Examination
After completion of all required coursework, including any additional coursework required by the research director and/or dissertation committee, a student must successfully pass a comprehensive examination. If a student fails one of the sections of the examination, he or she will be allowed to retake a second examination from the relevant faculty member. If a student fails more than one section of the examination, he or she will not be allowed to enter the Ph.D. candidacy stage but will be allowed to enter the masters program. After passing the examination, a student will be entered into the Ph.D. candidacy stage.
Dissertation Prospectus and Dissertation
A minimum of 18 hours of dissertation research must be taken to meet degree requirements. Doctoral students must prepare and orally defend a dissertation prospectus before their dissertation committee. Doctoral students must prepare and orally defend their dissertation, based on original and independent research, before the same committee. The general procedures and composition of the committee are governed by Graduate School policy. Prior to the student's dissertation defense, the student must have a minimum of two completed manuscript ready for submission to a referred journal for publication.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the graduate program in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery is open to superior students with a bachelor of science degree or a masters degree in pharmacy, chemistry, biology, chemical engineering, biotechnology, or a related area. A B average or better in undergraduate and graduate coursework is required for consideration for admission. Admission is competitive, so it is unlikely that all students who meet the minimum requirements will be admitted.
Application Deadline
The deadline for application submission is April 1 (rolling) for Fall admission and October 1 (rolling) for Spring admission.
English Proficiency Test
International applicants also must submit an English Proficiency Test score. To be considered for full-standing admission, the applicant needs to submit scores of at least 79 on the TOEFL (ibt) or six on the IELTS.
Letters of Recommendation and Statement of Purpose
Two letters of recommendation, a resume, and a statement of purpose are used to evaluate candidates.
GRE Score
A GRE score is NOT required for admission.
Pharmaceutics Research
As a graduate student in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, you'll engage in groundbreaking research on drug delivery systems. With access to cutting-edge tools and faculty expertise, you'll be prepared to contribute to the future of pharmaceutical sciences.
Did You Know?
- 5 internationally-recognized research centers are housed in the School of Pharmacy and located on the Oxford campus.
- 307 publications authored by School of Pharmacy researchers in 2023.
Meet the Program Coordinator
If you have any questions about the Pharmaceutics emphasis, don't hesitate to reach out to the program coordinator.
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