Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D.


Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree for students interested in the diverse research areas of drug design and discovery, pharmaceutics, drug delivery, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacogenomics, social and administrative pharmacy, pharmacoeconomics, healthcare delivery, and healthcare outcome.
 
Continuous enrollment is required throughout the Ph.D. program. Students who have completed their 12 credits of dissertation work (PHS 798 ) but have not yet successfully defended their dissertation must register for PHS 798A  for one credit each semester to fill the continuous enrollment requirement. Students who have completed the maximum 2-credit limit of PHS 798A  must enroll in PHS 798B  for 1 credit until the dissertation is successfully defended. See Continuous Enrollment  for additional information. A minimum of 3-4 years of study are required depending on prior academic experience. The maximum time allowed for completion of the Ph.D. program 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, college or international university, or a Pharm.D., an M.D., or a 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 applicant’s 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 500 words, which includes the applicant’s:

  • 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 official academic transcripts/mark sheets from the degree-granted university in both the original language and English.
  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 = 80
  • 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 official language 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:

seminar course (6 credits)


electives (minimum 10 credits)


Minimum of 6 credits must be at the 600-700 level, minimum 3 credits should be the graduate courses in pharmaceutical sciences (PHS); graduate level courses in Economics (ECON), Business (BUS), Communication Studies (COM), and Health Communications (HCOM) could be considered on case-by-case basis.

research and dissertation (≥24 credits)


total credits ≥64


*Chapman M.S.P.S. and Pharm.D. graduates can be credited for 20 core and/or elective lecture course credits. M.S. graduates from other institutions can be credited up to 12 credits towards the core and/or elective lecture courses, based on the relevance of prior course work as determined by the department.