Department website: https://pharmacy.hsc.wvu.edu/pharmaceutical-sciences/phd-program-in-pharmaceutical-and-pharmacological-sciences/
Degree Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy
The Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Graduate Program is housed in the School of Pharmacy and associated with the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The program is one of the Ph.D. degree-granting programs in Biomedical Sciences at the WVU Health Sciences Center (HSC).
The Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Graduate Program at West Virginia University is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for a future in a variety of employment settings, ranging from academic research and industry to federal positions. Our students have a unique and rich training environment, which gives them a basis in such pharmaceutical sciences disciplines as drug development and discovery, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, toxicology, therapeutic development and regulatory affairs. Students can take additional graduate courses in drug delivery systems, drug metabolism, molecular modeling, bench to bedside and biotechnology.
The core areas of Ph.D. training in Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences are:
- pharmacology and therapeutic development,
- drug delivery, and,
- drug discovery and biotechnology.
The students are mentored by experts with an international reputation and publish in prestigious journals. They also have opportunities to present their research at national and international scientific meetings and to enroll in internships with pharmaceutical or biotech companies.
Upon completion of the second year of study, students must submit a formal plan of study and a research plan that is approved by their Ph.D. committee. Progress is expected to continue with guidance from the student’s research committee. Final admission to candidacy requires satisfactory performance on written and oral qualifying examinations, including a dissertation proposal defense. Subsequent to admission to candidacy, a substantial part of the program is devoted to an original research project which culminates in a first-authored publication and dissertation. To be recommended for a Ph.D., the dissertation must be satisfactorily completed and defended at an oral examination. Typically, four to five years are needed to graduate.
Academic Standards
No credits are acceptable toward a graduate degree with a grade lower than a C. A graduate student is expected to have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in all graduate courses to continue in the program and to qualify for a Ph.D. degree.
Introduction
The WVU School of Pharmacy offers graduate programs in the pharmaceutical and pharmacological sciences for the Ph.D. degree. The school is advantageously located in the Health Sciences Center complex which also houses all departments of the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry, as well as a comprehensive medical library, audio-visual and computer-based learning center, research core facilities, and laboratory animal quarters. State-of-the-art research laboratories are located throughout the Health Sciences Center complex to facilitate interactions with the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Center for Neuroscience, and Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences. In addition, the Health Sciences Center has easy access to the Evansdale and Downtown campuses of WVU through a personal rapid transit (PRT) system. The scientific community, which is especially well-developed, draws on area scientists throughout WVU, the Centers of Disease Control/National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and a variety of research centers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE). A CDC/NIOSH research facility is two blocks away, and Mylan Pharmaceuticals, a leading generic drug producer in the world, is located across the street from the Health Sciences Center. In addition, the school has long-standing collaborations with several state agencies and multinational pharmaceutical companies.
Administration
Chair
- Werner Geldenhuys - PhD
Graduate Program Directors
- Benoit Driesschaert - PhD
- Ahmad Hanif - PhD
Admissions for 2027-2028
Applicants for admission into the graduate program must satisfy the WVU and Health Sciences Center general requirements for admission as a graduate student. Applicants interested in this program must apply through a common admissions portal. Choice of this graduate program occurs during the first year of graduate study after selection of an advisor for your dissertation research. Applications include a personal statement, unofficial transcripts from all Colleges or Universities attended, and 3 letters of recommendation. Admitted applicants must arrange to have official copies of transcripts sent directly to the WVU Office of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment. Competitive applicants have a STEM GPA of 3.5 or higher and possess a baccalaureate degree that provides sufficient scientific background the basic sciences. Note that the graduate record exam (GRE) is not required and will not be considered in evaluating applications. International applicants must satisfy English Language Proficiency requirements as established by WVU International Admissions.
To review the application process, please visit: https://health.wvu.edu/research-and-graduate-education/graduate-education/phd-programs/biomedical-sciences/admissions/
To obtain specific information related to the school’s graduate programs, graduate faculty research interests, and availability of graduate assistantships or fellowships, applicants may contact program directors.
Graduate Directors:
Werner J. Geldenhuys, B.Pharm., Ph.D.
Phone: 304-581-1683
Email: werner.geldenhuys@hsc.wvu.edu
Ahmad Hanif, B.Pharm., Ph.D.
Phone: 304-293-0706
Email: ahanif@hsc.wvu.edu
Major Code: 8975
Doctor of Philosophy
The School of Pharmacy offers a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in pharmaceutical and pharmacological sciences aimed at training competent researchers and educators.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 700 | Scientific Integrity | 1 |
| BMS 701 | Scientific Rigor and Ethics | 1 |
| BMS 702 | Biomedical Lab Experience | 2 |
| BMS 703 | Professional Development for Scientists 1 | 1 |
| BMS 704 | Professional Development for Scientists 2 | 1 |
| BMS 707 | Experiential Learning for Biomedical Trainees | 1 |
| BMS 720 | Scientific Writing | 2 |
| Intro to Disciplines in the Biomedical Sciences | 3 | |
| Introduction to Disciplines in the Biomedical Sciences | ||
| BMS 797 | Research | 1 |
| PHAR 779 | Drug Discovery | 3 |
| PHAR 706 | Biopharmaceutics | 2 |
| PHAR 805 | Drug Chemistry | 2 |
| PHAR 809 | Principles of Drug Action | 2 |
| PHAR 816 | Pharmacokinetics | 2 |
| Graduate Seminar | 7 | |
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| Research | 42-44 | |
| Research | ||
| Journal Clubs (Select from the following) | 7 | |
| Recent Research Advancement in Cardiology Journal Club | ||
| Tumors of the Central Nervous System Journal Club | ||
| Pharmacology Journal Club | ||
| Drug Discovery and Development | ||
| Advanced Courses/Electives* | 4-8 | |
| Introduction to Molecular Modeling | ||
| Drug Metabolism | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Physical Pharmacy | ||
| Drug Delivery Systems | ||
| Pharmacogenomics | ||
| Qualifying Exams | ||
| Dissertation Proposal Defense | ||
| Dissertation Defense | ||
| *Note: Other graduate courses at WVU may be taken as an elective with the permission of the student's advisory committee. | ||
| Total Hours | 86-88 | |
Degree Progress
The Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences Ph.D. program requires the following milestones for all students. According to the graduate catalog, students will receive a yearly evaluation provided by their dissertation committee and approved by the Program Director. Students who are either not making adequate degree progress or who are failing to uphold professional standards may receive notice of probation, suspension or dismissal. Students may be notified of academic consequences outside of routine evaluation processes if an issue must be addressed immediately.
Each year, no later than the first day of classes of the Fall semester, the department will distribute an updated version of the graduate handbook via email to each student and primary mentor.
Benchmarks
- Year One: Complete the Biomedical Sciences courses and program-specific courses according to the student handbook.
- Year Two: Complete program-specific coursework, form dissertation advisory committee, and finalize Plan of Study.
- Year Three: Have successfully completed all milestone exams including the proposal defense by June 1st.
- Year Four - Five: Achieve proficiency in all program-established core competencies, complete dissertation research, and defend dissertation.
Satisfactory Progress
- Show continued improvement in applicable areas on the Core Competencies for Development Committee Evaluation form.
- Publish at least 1 first-author paper resulting from dissertation research.
Major Learning Outcomes
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD)
Student Learning Outcomes of the Pharmaceutical & Pharmacological Sciences graduate education program are focused on preparing students to become independent researchers. To be successful in our program pathways, students will need to develop competencies in the scientific research process through didactic studies in an area of emphasis and then conceptualizing, designing, conducting, and reporting original research.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate competency in the 6 content areas of pharmaceutical and pharmacological sciences:
- Drug Chemistry
- Pharmacokinetics
- Principles of Drug Action
- Approaches to Drug Discovery
- Biopharmaceutics
- Pharmacology
- Independently design experimental protocols that include the principles of rigor and reproducibility, conduct the experiments, analyze the results, and defend the experimental approach to other scientists.
- Develop and plan the test of hypotheses regarding significant problems in the student’s chosen area of specialization
- Demonstrate critical thinking/problem solving ability by effectively criticizing the relevant literature and by asking relevant questions in seminars.
- Ability to effectively reference the relevant literature in support of the student's research project. Ability to identify significant gaps in knowledge on this scientific topic.
- Effectively communicate scientific information in written abstracts for research presentations, manuscripts for publication, research grant proposals, and the dissertation.
- Effectively communicate scientific information in both formal and informal oral presentations.