Doctor of Philosophy

Programs of study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree are offered through the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (in the area of Pharmacology and in the general areas of Pharmacokinetics, Biopharmaceutics, and Biopharmaceutical Analysis) and through the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences (in the area of Administration). Although a prescribed curriculum of course work is required, the Ph.D. degree is primarily a research degree to be conferred upon the completion and report of original work.

Admission Requirements

1. Professional degree in pharmacy or a baccalaureate degree in a related field with a GPA of not less than 3.0 for the final two years.
2. Achieve at least the 50th percentile in two of the aptitude sections of the Graduate Record Examination (Verbal, Quantitative or Analytical).
3. Three letters of recommendation. Applications for admission will be reviewed by the appropriate department (Pharmaceutical Sciences or Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences) and forwarded to the Graduate Education and Faculty Research Affairs Committee for recommendation to the Chair of the department in which the student will pursue the degree. Applications approved by the department Chair will be transmitted to the Dean of the College, who will in turn send them to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. A preliminary examination (within two weeks of registration) may be necessary for students who wish to demonstrate proficiencies which are required for admission but not clearly documented in the application materials. Such deficiencies should be removed during the first two semesters of residence.

   Program of Study and Degree Requirements

   Each beginning student will have a graduate advisor assigned from the graduate faculty upon entry into the program. The graduate advisor will assist the student in selecting an appropriate program of course work for the first year. With the assistance of the graduate advisor, the student will be expected to select a major advisor from the graduate faculty no later than the end of the third semester in residence. The Chair will be notified of this selection in writing by the student and the major advisor prior to the end of the semester. During the semester following the selection of the major advisor, an advisory committee will be appointed. This committee, chaired by the major advisor, will consist of four graduate faculty members, one of whom is from outside the student's department. The committee must be approved by the department Chair and the Graduate Education and Faculty Research Affairs Committee prior to the end of the semester.

   Within one semester of the committee's appointment, the student's degree plan will be formulated. The overall plan will include at least 72 semester hours of graduate course work, not less than 18 semester hours of which must include PSCI 698 (Dissertation Research) and PSCI 699 (Dissertation), and will be completed after admission to candidacy. The degree plan must also include six semester hours of PSCI 601 (Graduate Seminar in Pharmaceutical Sciences), one hour of which will require the preparation and defense of a grant proposal.

   A grade below B is unsatisfactory and will not be counted toward fulfilling the minimum requirements for the degree. Upon recommendation of the student's advisory committee and with the approval of the department Chair, a student may be required to withdraw at any time for failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree.

   Comprehensive Examination

   After completion of not less than 48 semester hours and upon the recommendation of the advisory committee, the student may be examined for admission to candidacy. A written comprehensive examination will be administered by each committee member. Upon satisfactory completion of each written examination, an oral comprehensive examination will be administered during a meeting of the committee. The oral examination may include the proposal and defense of the student's dissertation research plan, supported by sufficient preliminary data.

   All comprehensive examinations for an individual student will be completed within a two-week period. Admission to candidacy requires a majority vote of the advisory committee. A student failing to receive a majority vote may petition to the advisory committee and the department Chair to take a second examination, no sooner than three months after the first comprehensive examination. Successful completion of the second examination requires the vote of all committee members. Failure on the second examination will render the student ineligible to continue in the Ph.D. program.

   Admission to Candidacy

   Upon written notification that the student has successfully passed all comprehensive examinations, the Chair will recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies that the student be admitted to candidacy and the Graduate Faculty Representative appointed.

   Dissertation

   Upon completion of all proposed research, the student's findings will be reported in the form of a dissertation to be prepared in accordance with department and graduate school guidelines. While the dissertation must be defended to the graduate faculty of the College, acceptability only requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the student's committee members.