Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.) Program Details
Degree Requirements
❱ Required coursework
❱ Qualifying or comprehensive examination
❱ Graduate School writing proficiency requirement
❱ Graduate School Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement
❱ Dissertation
❱ Final oral examination/Dissertation defense
Research Specializations
❱ Pharmacy Administration
❱ Health Outcomes Track
❱ Regulatory Affairs Track
❱ Medicinal Chemistry
❱ Pharmaceutics
❱ Pharmacokinetics
Research Areas & Interests
Faculty Research Interests
A sampling of research interests
- Computer-aided drug design and AI in drug discovery
- Use of pharmacogenomics to improve clinical decision support in comorbid depression and diabetes, asthma management, opioid use disorder
- Design and development of conventional and novel drug products/drug delivery systems, including buccal and sublingual delivery
- Nanotechnology platform for the treatment of cancer and HIV/AIDS
- Design and development of stimuli-sensitive polymers for the fabrication of drug delivery systems
- Concurrent and sequential active targeting of tumors to achieve improved therapeutic efficacy and reduction in side-effects
- Characterization of biomarkers and developing an epigenetic profile of African Americans as related to hypertension, cancer, and other chronic diseases
- Analyzing outpatient pharmaceutical business models and value-based inpatient clinical pharmacy services
- Community pharmacy and ambulatory care
- Pharmacogenomics and its intersection with health policy and clinical decision support
- Chronic disease management in HIV-infected patients
- Drug dosing in acute kidney injury patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy
- Utilization of oral oncolytic in older adults
- Outcomes of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) among end-stage renal disease patients
- Pharmaceutical law, policy, and regulatory affairs
Program of Study*
PHARMACY ADMINISTRATION (HEALTH OUTCOMES) TRACK
CORE COURSES (43 CR)
PHSC 511 Biostatistics
PHSC 631 Research Design and Methods
PHSC 434 Pharm Care Organizational Management
PHSC 537 Pharmacoepidemiology
PHSC 535 Pharmacoeconomics I
PHSC 430 Advanced Pharmacy Administration I
PHSC 703 Proposal Writing
PHSC 601 Seminar
PHSC 602 Seminar
PHSC 611 Advanced Pharmacy Administration II
PHSC 612 Pharmacoeconomics II
PUBH 6247 Advanced Epidemiological Methods
PHSC 701 Research
ELECTIVE COURSES (17 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
CHFP 202 Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
PUHE 500 Public Health Policy and Management
PUHE 502 Health Disparities, Inequities & Inequalities
PUHE 504 Applied Biostatistics
PUHE 506 Principles of Public Health Practice
PUHE 512 Global Health
PUHE 513 Public Health Planning and Evaluation
RAFF 6203 Regulatory Strategy in the Development of Devices & Diagnostics
RAFF 6204 Clinical Research for Regulatory Affairs
RAFF 6205 Regulatory Compliance
PHSC 319 Making Medicines
Courses with Subject Codes PUBH and RAFF offered in partnership with the George Washington University
DISSERTATION (12 CR)
PHSC 801 Dissertation (9 CR)
PHSC 604 Dissertation Writing (3 CR)
PHARMACY ADMINISTRATION (REGULATORY AFFAIRS & POLICY) TRACK
CORE COURSES (49 CR)
PHSC 511 Biostatistics
PHSC 631 Research Design and Methods
PHSC 434 Pharm Care Organizational Management
PHSC 537 Pharmacoepidemiology
PHSC 535 Pharmacoeconomics I
PHSC 430 Advanced Pharmacy Administration I
PHSC 703 Proposal Writing
PHSC 601 Seminar
PHSC 602 Seminar
PHSC 401 Research Rotation
PUBH 6390 Prescription Drugs: Policy and Public Health
RAFF 6201 Introduction to Global Regulatory Affairs
RAFF 6275 Leadership & Change in Regulatory Affairs
RAFF 6202 Regulatory Drug Biologics
PHSC 701 Research
ELECTIVE COURSES (12 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
CHFP 202 Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
PUHE 500 Public Health Policy and Management
PUHE 502 Health Disparities, Inequities & Inequalities
PUHE 504 Applied Biostatistics
PUHE 506 Principles of Public Health Practice
PUHE 512 Global Health
PUHE 513 Public Health Planning and Evaluation
RAFF 6202 Regulatory Strategy in the Development of Drugs & Biologics
RAFF 6203 Regulatory Strategy in the Development of Devices & Diagnostics
RAFF 6204 Clinical Research for Regulatory Affairs
RAFF 6205 Regulatory Compliance
PUBH 6390 Pharmaceutical Policy
PHSC 319 Making Medicines
PHSC 632 Advanced Statistics
Courses with Subject Codes PUBH and RAFF offered in partnership with the George Washington University
DISSERTATION (12 CR)
PHSC 801 Dissertation (9 CR)
PHSC 604 Dissertation Writing (3 CR)
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY TRACK
CORE COURSES (37 CR)
PHSC 511 Biostatistics
PHSC 631 Research Design and Methods
CHEM 243 Advanced Organic Chemistry
PHSC 703 Proposal Writing
PHSC 601 Seminar
PHSC 602 Seminar
PHSC 421 Drug Design in Pharmaceutical Sciences
PHSC 425 Organometallic Chemistry in Drug Synthesis
PHSC 523 Molecular Modeling
PHSC 747 Nano Therapeutics
PHSC 701 Research
ELECTIVE COURSES (23 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
BIOC 208 Protein Structure and Function
BIOC 532 Molecular Biology of the Cell
BIOG 420 Cancer Biology
CHEM 244 Physical Organic Chemistry
CHEM 246 Organic Spectroscopy
CHEM 275 Quantum Chemistry
CHEM 284 Computational Methods
CHFP 202 Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
PHSC 315 Pharmaceutical Chemistry I
PHSC 309 Pharmaceutical Chemistry II
PHSC 398 Advanced Biopharmaceutics
PHSC 609 Statistical Experimental Design and Optimization
PHSC 647 Advanced Physical Pharmacy
PHSC 702 Foundations of Cancer Targeting
PHSC 707 Cancer Targeting Approaches for Drug Delivery Applications
DISSERTATION (12 CR)
PHSC 801 Dissertation (9 CR)
PHSC 604 Dissertation Writing (3 CR)
PHARMACEUTICS TRACK
CORE COURSES (40 CR)
PHSC 511 Biostatistics
PHSC 631 Research Design and Methods
PHSC 509 Principles of Drug Formulation
PHSC 703 Proposal Writing
PHSC 601 Seminar
PHSC 602 Seminar
PHSC 410 Applied Pharmacokinetics
PHSC 423 Novel Drug Delivery Systems
PHSC 714 Drug Stability & Packaging
PHSC 747 Nano Therapeutics
PHSC 647 Advanced Physical Pharmacy
PHSC 701 Research
ELECTIVE COURSES (21 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
BIOC 208 Protein Structure and Function
BIOC 532 Molecular Biology of the Cell
BIOG 420 Cancer Biology
CHEM 244 Physical Organic Chemistry
CHEM 246 Organic Spectroscopy
CHEM 275 Quantum Chemistry
CHEM 284 Computational Methods
PHSC 398 Advanced Biopharmaceutics
PHSC 609 Statistical Experimental Design and Optimization
PHSC 647 Advanced Physical Pharmacy
PHSC 702 Foundations of Cancer Targeting
PHSC 707 Cancer Targeting Approaches for Drug Delivery Applications
DISSERTATION (12 CR)
PHSC 801 Dissertation (9 CR)
PHSC 604 Dissertation Writing (3 CR)
PHARMACOKINETICS TRACK
CORE COURSES (40 CR)
PHSC 511 Biostatistics
PHSC 631 Research Design and Methods
PHSC 509 Principles of Drug Formulation
PHSC 703 Proposal Writing
PHSC 601 Seminar
PHSC 602 Seminar
PHSC 410 Applied Pharmacokinetics
PHSC 423 Novel Drug Delivery Systems
PHSC 714 Drug Stability & Packaging
PHSC 747 Nano Therapeutics
PHSC 647 Advanced Physical Pharmacy
PHSC 701 Research
ELECTIVE COURSES (20 CR)
A sampling of elective courses
BIOC 208 Protein Structure and Function
BIOC 532 Molecular Biology of the Cell
BIOG 420 Cancer Biology
CHEM 244 Physical Organic Chemistry
CHEM 246 Organic Spectroscopy
CHEM 275 Quantum Chemistry
CHEM 284 Computational Methods
PHSC 398 Advanced Biopharmaceutics
PHSC 609 Statistical Experimental Design and Optimization
PHSC 702 Foundations of Cancer Targeting
PHSC 707 Cancer Targeting Approaches for Drug Delivery Applications
DISSERTATION (12 CR)
PHSC 801 Dissertation (9 CR)
PHSC 604 Dissertation Writing (3 CR)
*Courses included in the sample program of study are subject to change. Students should consult with their programs regarding their required program of study.
Admission to Candidacy
Students are admitted to formal candidacy by the Graduate School when they have completed the required coursework, passed the qualifying or comprehensive examination, submitted an approved topic for research, and been recommended by the Department. Candidates must also have satisfied the Graduate School writing proficiency requirement and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) requirement.
Graduate Funding
Admitted students may be eligible to compete for Graduate School competitive awards, which provide tuition remission and a stipend during the academic year. Additionally, graduate research or teaching assistantships may be available at the department level. Research assistants and teaching assistants work no more than 20 hours a week under the program's direction, usually in support of faculty research (research assistants) or in support of assigned courses (teaching assistants). Please see the Funding website for more detailed information.
AFPE External Fellowships
For applicants who will hold a Pharm.D., the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) offers several fellowship awards to encourage outstanding pharmacy students to pursue a Ph.D. in the Pharmaceutical Sciences in a pharmacy graduate program:
❱ Phi Lambda Sigma AFPE First Year Graduate School Fellowship
❱ Rho Chi AFPE First Year Graduate School Fellowship
❱ Kappa Epsilon AFPE First Year Graduate School Fellowship (The Nellie Wakeman Fellowship)