Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology Graduate Studies

While there are no specific required course prerequisites for admission to the program, admitted applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree program, and typically this will have been within a scientific discipline (e.g. pharmacy, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, etc.). A majority of admitted applicants also have Master’s degrees in a scientific discipline.

Required of all students:

• Fundamentals of Drug Disposition (PHR 8005, 3 credit hours)
• Biostatistics (e.g. STAT 5301, MOLGEN 5650 or equivalent, 2 credit hours minimum).
• Pharmaceutical Sciences Research and Communication (Pharmacy 8008, 1 credit hour).
• Research Ethics (PHR 8520; 1 credit hour).
• Journal Club (Pharmacy 8730, 1 credit hour) is required for pre-candidacy students. Post-candidacy students may enroll as an elective. Journal club will be offered one semester per academic year.
• Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology Seminar (either Pharmacy 8882.01 (presentation) or 8882.02 (participation), 0.5 credit hour). Enrollment in Pharmacy 8882.01 (student presentation) is required twice in years 3-5; enrollment in Pharmacy 8882.02 (student participation) is required for all other semesters except Summer.
• Individual Study in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (pre-candidacy: Pharmacy 8993) or Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences (post-candidacy: Pharmacy 8999) is required every semester.

A minimum of 3 graduate level courses are required as electives for each student. Any graduate level course relevant to the student’s research focus area may be acceptable as an elective. However, the student must obtain the advisor’s approval for all elective courses that are taken to ensure both the student and advisor are in agreement about the coursework relevant to the student’s training. Students should confer with their advisors to evaluate prior coursework relative to the student’s focus area of research and determine if there are any gaps in basic knowledge that could be filled with courses inside or outside the College of Pharmacy. 

Prior to passing the candidacy exam, full‐time students supported as Graduate Teaching Associates and Graduate Research Associates are required by the college to enroll for a minimum of 8 and no more than 18 credits per semester; Graduate Fellows are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 and no more than 18 credits per semester. Prior to passing the candidacy exam, students typically enroll for 12 to 18 credit hours per autumn and spring semesters using the variable unit Pre-Candidacy Research credit (PHR 8993) to make up the difference between credit hours obtained for required/elective courses and the remainder of the course credits. After passing the candidacy exam, all full‐time students should enroll in 3 credits per semester, and this will typically be done using the Post-candidacy Research credit (PHR 8999).

The first candidacy committee meeting must be held before the end of the Spring semester of the second year in the program. Students failing to complete the candidacy exam by the end of their second year will receive an unsatisfactory (“U”) grade for their research credit in the last semester of their second year (typically this will be the Summer semester). Note that two “U” grades will lead to dismissal from the program.

If for any reason the candidacy examination cannot be completed on time, students should petition the reason(s) for their delay with an anticipated examination date to the Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology Graduate Program Committee (PGPC) for approval. This petition must be received by the PGPC before the end of the Spring semester of the second year. The graduate committee will evaluate the petition and may offer an extension time of one, or under extreme circumstances, two semesters to complete the candidacy examination. On any account, students must complete their candidacy exam before the end of the Spring semester of 3rd year. Failure to complete the candidacy exam by the end of the third year Spring semester may result in denial of further registration in the program.

More information can be found in the student handbook.

1. Students holding half‐time associateship appointments are expected to complete an average of eight (8) credits of course work (excluding S/U graded courses) per semester during the first two years of enrollment (i.e. until the candidacy exam is completed). Grades of B or better are expected in required courses. Information on graduate standing and academic standards can be found at https://gradsch.osu.edu for academic standards.
    
2. Students are expected to complete the candidacy examination according to the schedule outlined in the ‘Candidacy Examination’ section of this handbook.
    
3. Students are expected to make progress on their dissertation research. Evidence of such progress includes publication of papers and abstracts, written research reports, and presentations at local, regional and national scientific meetings. Students are required to publish at least one first-author research (non-review) publication prior to graduation.
    
4. Students are expected to complete all requirements for the PhD degree within 15 semesters.
    
5. Students not making normal progress will be considered by Division faculty for reassessment of status in the graduate program. Possible changes in status include enrollment in the M.S. degree program and conclusion of graduate studies with a MS with or without Thesis Curriculum and/or discontinuation of enrollment. If the student is supported by division funds (GTA or Fellowship), determination will be made of whether support will be continued.