Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree with emphasis in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences for students interested in the diverse research areas of drug design and discovery, pharmaceutics, drug delivery, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacogenomics, and other related areas.
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: 153
- Quantitative: 146
- Analytical Writing: 4.0
3. Two letters of recommendation from a professor or employer who is familiar with an applicant’s academic abilities. If an applicant graduated within the 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.
7. English Proficiency Exam - the applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the CAE, TOEFL, IELTS, or PTEA.
Minimum accepted scores:
- CAE = 180
- TOEFL = 80
- IELTS = 6.5
- PTEA = 53
The 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 English Proficiency examination.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree with emphasis in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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:
- 21 credits of core courses
- 10 credits of elective courses
- 6 credits of seminar course
- 15 credits of research courses
- 12 credits of dissertation course
- Minimum grade of “C+” or “P” is required in all coursework
- Cumulative GPA 3.000 or above in the degree
- Demonstration of Mastery: passing the written and oral qualifying examinations
- Publication requirement: at least one first-author original research publication that includes results of the student’s dissertation projects
- 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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