Program Description | Admission Requirements | Program Requirements | Financial Arrangements

Program Description

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)/Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree Program enables highly qualified students to obtain both degrees in a shortened period of time. This Pharm.D./Ph.D. Degree program is designed primarily for students who are strongly motivated toward an academic/ research career in the pharmaceutical sciences. The Program is flexible enough to accommodate individuals of varied educational backgrounds. The actual time required for completion of the Program depends on the individual qualifications and interests of the student.

Admission Requirements

Please view the admissions page for more information.

Program Requirements

Upon acceptance into the Pharm.D./Ph.D. Degree Program, an advisor from the faculty of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences will be assigned to the student. The advisor will schedule the program of study until the student selects a major professor. The specific program selected will be determined by the student's previous academic history as well as by the Departmental requirements of the Ph.D. program.

The structure of the Pharm.D./Ph.D. Degree Program differs from that of the Pharm.D. Program in several respects.

1. The following Pharm.D. courses are not taken by the Dual Degree students.

   • Pharmacy Management 305 - 4 hrs.

   • Two elective Advanced Practice Experiences - 10 hrs.

2. The graduate courses Quantitative Aspects of Drug Action I and II (6 hours) will substitute for General Principles of Pharmacotherapy 440.
3. Ph.D. core courses are teken in place of professional electives.
4. Required Advanced Practice Experiences are completed during the summers of years three and four.
5. The student is expected to participate in Graduate Seminar throughout their matriculation and to enroll for credit in the Spring Semester beginning with Year 3.
   

Following completion of the third year, the student embarks on the research component of the curriculum. With the exception of the Advanced Practice Experiences, the student should have completed all prerequisite and core courses by this time.

Students admitted to the Pharm.D./Ph.D. Degree Program are expected to compete all program requirements. Should a student decide to withdraw from the Program, they must reapply for admission to the Pharm.D. program and, if accepted, they must fulfill all requirements of the Pharm.D. program.

Financial Arrangements

Students who are enrolled in the Pharm.D./Ph.D. Degree Program will pay full tuition for the first three years. Tuition waiver will be granted for the remainder of the program, normally the fourth through seventh years. Students will be encouraged to apply for extramural funding of their educational program. Departmental stipends will be awarded on a competitive basis for years 4-7, subject to availability. Stipend support beyond this time will be based on extramural funding. Financial support through tuition waiver or stipends is provided based on contribution to the teaching program as described in departmental policies.

Admission to this program is granted with the expectation that students will complete requirements of both the Pharm.D. and Ph.D. degrees. Should a student decide to withdraw from the Program, they must reapply for admission to the Pharm.D. program and, if accepted, they must fulfill all requirements of the Pharm.D. program.

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For more information, contact:

Martin J. D'Souza, Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Programs
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
3001 Mercer University Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-4155
telephone (678) 547-6237 or e-mail to dsouza_mj@mercer.edu

or

Ajay K. Banga, Ph.D., Chair
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
3001 Mercer University Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-4155
telephone (678) 547-6243 or e-mail to banga_ak@mercer.edu