Mar 18, 2019

2018-2019 University Catalog

Pharmaceutical Sciences – Major

The pharmaceutical sciences program provides a strong basic sciences foundation in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and pharmaceutics; integrates the essential contributions of the humanities, social sciences, and communications; and utilizes laboratory-based courses to develop and refine research skills. The graduate will have the background to understand how physicochemical and pharmaceutical principles are applied in formulation development, manufacturing, and animal and human testing of different types of drug delivery systems.

Learning outcomes:

Students should have the ability to integrate concepts taught in basic courses into their professional courses.
Students should be proficient in basic laboratory skills required by departments of pharmaceutics in the pharmaceutical industry.
Students should be able to electronically retrieve relevant literature from scientific databases.
Students should be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.

The demand for graduates with a degree in the pharmaceutical sciences is presently very high and growing; excellent entry-level positions are available in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, government, specialty dosage form development laboratories, and biotechnology companies. Areas include research, product development, manufacturing, quality control, and regulatory affairs.

Students who excel academically will find the pharmaceutical sciences major to be a unique pre-professional degree for programs in pharmacy, medicine, and law. Alternatively, for these students, pursuit of MS and PhD programs in the pharmaceutical sciences is another rewarding postgraduate option. See the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences section for information about the PhD and MS degree programs in pharmaceutics.

Highly qualified prospective students may also seek admission to the combined BS in pharmaceutical sciences/MS in pharmaceutics degree program. Successful students will receive the BS degree at the completion of the fourth year and the MS degree at the end of the fifth year.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy is one of the few colleges in the United States that offers a BS in pharmaceutical sciences degree.

Degree Requirements

To qualify for graduation, a minimum of 129 credit hours of approved courses is required in the curriculum. The curriculum encourages students to take multiple elective courses that allow them to pursue a minor or to develop an area of specialization.

To qualify for entry into the third year, a student must have attained a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or greater at the end of the summer semester of their second year.

Residency Requirements for the BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences Program

Completing the BS in pharmaceutical sciences program requires that students enroll at the University for at least half of the total number of credits required for graduation OR that students enroll at the University for a minimum of four fall and/or spring semesters of full-time (at least 12 credits per semester) study.

BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Students entering in Catalog Years 2018 and beyond (graduating classes of 2022 and beyond) - with general education

General Education

General Education Humanities Discipline Requirement Credits: 6
General Education Social Science Discipline Requirement Credits: 6
Multidisciplinary Inquiry Requirement Credits: 6

CO 101 - Introduction to Communication Credits: 3
PE 101 - Physical Education I Credits: 0
PE 102 - Physical Education II Credits: 1
WR 101 - Writing and Rhetoric I Credits: 3
WR 102 - Writing and Rhetoric II Credits: 3

Science and Math

BS 109 - General Biology I Credits: 3
BS 110 - General Biology I Laboratory Credits: 1
BS 119 - General Biology II Credits: 3
BS 120 - General Biology II Laboratory Credits: 1
BS 205 - Human Structure and Function I Credits: 3
BS 206 - Human Structure and Function II Credits: 3
CH 101 - General Chemistry I Credits: 3
CH 102 - General Chemistry II Credits: 3
CH 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I Credits: 1
CH 104 - General Chemistry Laboratory II Credits: 1
CH 201 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 3
CH 202 - Organic Chemistry II Credits: 3
CH 203 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I Credits: 1
CH 204 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II Credits: 1
CH 346 - Biochemistry Credits: 4
CH 356 - Molecular Biology and Genetics Credits: 3
CH 361 - Analytical Chemistry Credits: 3
CH 363 - Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1
MA 107 - Precalculus Credits: 3
MA 110 - General Calculus Credits: 3
PY 201 - Introductory Physics I Credits: 4
PY 202 - Introductory Physics II Credits: 4
ST 310 - Introduction to Biostatistics Credits: 3

Pharmaceutical Sciences

PH 330 - Research Techniques in Pharmaceutical Sciences Credits: 3

PB 452 - Legal Aspects of Drug Development, Production, and Marketing Credits: 2
PC 305 - Fundamentals of Pharmacology Credits: 3
PH 103 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Orientation I Credits: 1
PH 203 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Orientation II Credits: 1
PH 316 - Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I Credits: 3
PH 317 - Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics II Credits: 4
PH 318 - Pharmaceutics Laboratory Credits: 1
PH 391 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar I Credits: 1
PH 400 - Cosmetic Science Credits: 2
PH 401 - Cosmetics Laboratory Credits: 2
PH 402 - Controlled-Release Dosage Forms Credits: 2
PH 450 - Manufacturing Pharmacy Credits: 2
PH 451 - Manufacturing Pharmacy Laboratory Credits: 1
PH 491 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar II Credits: 1

Writing

WR 302 - Scientific Writing Credits: 3

Free Electives (11 credits)

BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences Curriculum Plan

Students entering in Catalog Years 2018 and beyond (graduating classes of 2022 and beyond) - with general education

First Year

Fall Semester

BS 109 - General Biology I Credits: 3
BS 110 - General Biology I Laboratory Credits: 1
CH 101 - General Chemistry I Credits: 3
CH 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I Credits: 1
MA 107 - Precalculus Credits: 3
PE 101 - Physical Education I Credits: 0
PH 103 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Orientation I Credits: 1
WR 101 - Writing and Rhetoric I Credits: 3

Credits/Semester: 15

Spring Semester

General Education Social Science Discipline Requirement Credits: 3

BS 119 - General Biology II Credits: 3
BS 120 - General Biology II Laboratory Credits: 1
CH 102 - General Chemistry II Credits: 3
CH 104 - General Chemistry Laboratory II Credits: 1
MA 110 - General Calculus Credits: 3
PE 102 - Physical Education II Credits: 1
WR 102 - Writing and Rhetoric II Credits: 3

Credits/Semester: 18

Second Year

Fall Semester

General Education Social Science Discipline Requirement Credits: 3
Multidisciplinary Inquiry Requirement Credits: 3

BS 205 - Human Structure and Function I Credits: 3
CH 201 - Organic Chemistry I Credits: 3
CH 203 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I Credits: 1
PY 201 - Introductory Physics I Credits: 4

Credits/Semester: 17

Spring Semester

Multidisciplinary Inquiry Requirement Credits: 3

BS 206 - Human Structure and Function II Credits: 3
CH 202 - Organic Chemistry II Credits: 3
CH 204 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II Credits: 1
PH 203 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Orientation II Credits: 1
PY 202 - Introductory Physics II Credits: 4

Credits/Semester: 15

Third Year

Fall Semester

Free Elective Credits: 6

CH 346 - Biochemistry Credits: 4
PH 316 - Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I Credits: 3
PH 318 - Pharmaceutics Laboratory Credits: 1
WR 302 - Scientific Writing Credits: 3

Credits/Semester: 17

Spring Semester

PH 330 - Research Techniques in Pharmaceutical Sciences Credits: 3

CH 356 - Molecular Biology and Genetics Credits: 3
CO 101 - Introduction to Communication Credits: 3
PH 317 - Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics II Credits: 4
PH 391 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar I Credits: 1

Credits/Semester: 14

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

Free Elective Credits: 3
General Education Humanities Discipline Requirement Credits: 3

PB 452 - Legal Aspects of Drug Development, Production, and Marketing Credits: 2
PH 402 - Controlled-Release Dosage Forms Credits: 2
PH 450 - Manufacturing Pharmacy Credits: 2
PH 451 - Manufacturing Pharmacy Laboratory Credits: 1
ST 310 - Introduction to Biostatistics Credits: 3

Credits/Semester: 16

Spring Semester

Free Elective Credits: 2

CH 361 - Analytical Chemistry Credits: 3
CH 363 - Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1
PC 305 - Fundamentals of Pharmacology Credits: 3
PH 400 - Cosmetic Science Credits: 2
PH 401 - Cosmetics Laboratory Credits: 2
PH 491 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar II Credits: 1

Credits/Semester: 17

Total Minimum Credits: 129

Notes:

a. General Education Social Sciences Discipline Requirement: SO 101 recommended; SO 111 recommended for Medical School track

b. ONE of these Multidisciplinary Inquiry courses should meet the General Education Ethics skills requirement.

BS/MS Program

A BS/MS (in pharmaceutics) program is available for students who complete the requirements of the BS degree in pharmaceutical sciences. Students may finish a non-thesis MS degree with an additional calendar year of full-time study. In order to apply, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 and have a “B-” or better grades in all PH courses that are being used to fulfill the requirements for graduation.

This challenging program may require more than one additional year if course conflicts occur.

For information about the master of science in pharmaceutics (non-thesis), contact the pharmaceutics program director.

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