Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences for students interested in the diverse research areas of drug design and discovery, pharmaceutics, drug delivery, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics or structural biology.
Continuous enrollment is required throughout the Ph.D. program. See
Continuous Enrollment for additional information. A minimum of 3-4 years of study will be required depending on prior academic experience. The maximum time allowed for completion of the Ph.D. is seven years.
Admission requirements
1. A master’s degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology or related areas from a regionally accredited university or college or international university, or a Pharm.D., an M.D., or D.V.M. from accredited Institutions in North America with a cumulative 3.000 GPA or higher.
Applicants without a master’s or equivalent degree, demonstrating a robust research experience in the Program’s areas are considered on a case-by-case basis.
2. GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Test scores for competitive applicants:
- Verbal: 500/153 (old vs. revised GRE scores)
- Quantitative: 550/146
- Analytical Writing: 4.0/4.0
3. Two letters of recommendation from a professor or employer who is familiar with your academic abilities. If applicant graduated within last three years, one letter must be from a professor with whom they studied.
4. Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
5. Resume or curriculum vitae with relevant experience.
6. A personal statement of approximately 1-2 pages, double-spaced, which includes your:
- Interest in the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chapman University.
- Research goals.
- Career goals.
- Academic and research achievements.
Additional requirements for international applicants
1. Transcripts - Applicants submitting transcripts from foreign universities must submit international transcript evaluation from one of the services below:
2. English Proficiency Exam - International applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the CAE, TOEFL, IELTS, or PTEA.
- CAE minimum score = 180
- TOEFL minimum score = 550 (paper-based) or 80 (internet-based)
- IELTS score = 6.5
- PTEA score = 53
International applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university in the United States or in another country where English is the language of instruction are not required to take the CAE, TOEFL, IELTS or PTEA examination.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree
Students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree are held to the University’s
Academic Policies and Procedures . In addition, these specific degree standards apply:
- Completion of a minimum of:
- 24 credits of core courses
- 10 credits of elective courses
- 6 credits of seminar course
- 12 credits of research
- 12 credits of dissertation course
- Minimum grade of “C+” or “P” or above is required in all coursework
- Cumulative GPA 3.000 or above in the degree
- Demonstration of Mastery: passing the written and oral qualifying examinations
- Completion and defending a culminating dissertation based on original research
The following courses make up the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences curriculum:
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