Important Application Dates & Deadlines

• December 15 - Application deadline for Fall admission.  

Admission Decisions

• March 15 - Applicants will begin to be notified of an admission decision.

• •  

How to Apply

Apply through PharmGRAD.

Admission Requirements

Chapman University School of Pharmacy Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences program is open to students with an emphasis in Biomedical Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPS) or Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (PEP). Applicants must possess the following:

1. A master's degree from a regionally-accredited university or college or recognized international university with a major in:
   • BPS applicants: chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, or related areas
   • PEP applicants: business, general sciences, statstics, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, or related areas
   • An MD, DVM, or Pharm.D. from a U.S. institution will be considered in lieu of a master's degree.
   • Applicants without a master's or equivalent degree, demonstrating a robust research experience in the program's areas are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants without a master's degree must contact the Graduate Programs Office before applying. Please email: gradpharmsci@chapman.edu        
2. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale
   
3. Official Transcripts from the bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution(s)
   Your application requires official academic transcripts/mark sheets from the university you earned your degree in both the original language and English.
   •  If your university does not provide translations of your transcripts/mark sheets, you will need to have them translated. The translation must be exact line-by-line, word-for-word.
   • You must submit the official academic transcript/mark sheet and the official translation.
   • While unofficial copies of the academic transcripts/mark sheets can be used to evaluate and review an application, official documents will be required upon acceptance. (WES transcripts are accepted but not required)
4. Letters of Recommendation - Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic abilities.
   • If the last degree was awarded less than three years ago, at least one of the letters must be from a professor at the university that awarded the degree.
5. A resume or CV with any relevant experience
6. A personal statementapproximately 500 words (no more than two pages, double-spaced), which includes your:
   • Interest in the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chapman University
   • Research goals
   • Career goals
   • Academic goals

Additional Information for International Students

International students are welcome to apply! Requirements include:

• Official Transcripts from the bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution(s)
  Your application requires official academic transcripts/mark sheets from the university where you earned your degree in both the original language and English.
  •  If your university does not provide translations of your transcripts/mark sheets, you will need to have them translated. The translation must be exact line-by-line, word-for-word.
  • You must submit the official academic transcript/mark sheet and the official translation.
  • While unofficial copies of the academic transcripts/mark sheets can be used to evaluate and review an application, official documents will be required upon acceptance.

• English Proficiency Exam – International applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the CAE, TOEFL, IELTS, or PTEA.
  
  Minimum Score Requirements
  • • CAE = Level C1
    • IELTS = 7
    • PTEA = 76
    • TOEFL = 94 (internet–based)
      • Chapman University School of Pharmacy TOEFL school code is 4047
  
  Minimum score requirement must be met before an application will be considered. 
  
  
  • Unofficial English Proficiency exam results submitted with application must include Student Test ID Number.
  • Student must notify test agency to allow Chapman University access official score.

• •  
• An English proficiency examination is not required from international applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited university:
  • in the United States, or
  • in another country where English is the official language

Learn more about our International Application Requirements.

If you have any questions, please contact intladmit@chapman.edu 

The Ph.D. degree requires completion of at least 64 credits. For the BPS emphasis, this includes 21 credits of core courses, 6 credits of seminar, at least 10 credits of electives, and a minimum of 15 credits of research and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation course. For the PEP emphasis, this includes 16 credits of core courses, 6 credits of seminar, at least 15 credits of electives, and a minimum of 15 credits of research and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation course. The program culminates in a dissertation based on original research. This will give the student the opportunity, under the supervision of a faculty advisor, to tailor his or her academic program toward a chosen career path.

Core Courses

Core Courses (BPS 21 credits & PEP 16)*	Credits
PHS 601 Ethics, Regulations, and the Pharmaceutical Pipeline	1
PHS 602 Drug Discovery and Development (BPS) OR PHS 660 Biopharmaceutical Regulation, Economics and Policy (PEP)	4 3
PHS 611 Pharmacokinetics (BPS) OR PHS 661 Biomedical Market Access, Pricing and Reimbursement (PEP)	3   3
PHS 612 Advanced Principles of Drug Action (BPS)	4
PHS 618 Research and Design, Statistics, and Literature Evaluation (PEP)	3
PHS 620 Biostatistics OR CS 624 Biostatistics	3 3
CS  621 Bioinformatics & Computational Biology I (BPS) OR PHS 662 Economic Evaluation of Health Care Services and Products (PEP)	3 3
PHS 627, 627L, 628 & 628L Instrumental Analysis (BPS)	3
Seminar Course (6 credits)
PHS 793 Seminar in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (course must be repeated for a minimum of 6 credits)	6
Elective Courses (BPS minimum 10 credits and PEP minimum 15 credits)
PHS 614 Biologics	2
PHS 615 Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenetics	2
PHS 621 Introduction to Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Processes	3
PHS 622 Formulation and Manufacturing Laboratory	2
PHS 631 Medical Diagnostics	3
PHS 632 Medical Devices	3
PHS 651 Quality System for Development and Manufacturing Drugs	3
PHS 731 Advanced Pharmacokinetics	3
PHS 732 Advanced Pharmaceutics	3
PHS 733 Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Antibiotics	2
PHS 734 Proteomics	3
PHS 736 Advanced Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Agents	2
PHS 741 Structural Biology	3
PHS 742 Immunology and Microbiology	3
PHS 790 Summer Internship in Pharmaceutical Sciences	3
CS  622 Bioinformatics and Computational Biology II	3
Research (> 15 credits minimum of research or research and research rotations)
PHS 791 Research (15 credits required) OR PHS 791 Research (1- 12 credits required) PHS 792 Research Rotations (3 credits required)	15
Dissertation
PHS 798 Dissertation (12 credits required - course must be repeated)	12
Total Credits
	>64

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*Chapman M.S.P.S. and Pharm.D. graduates can be credited for 20 core and/or elective lecture course credits. M.S. graduates from other institutions can be credited up to 12 credits towards the core and/or elective lecture courses, based on the relevance of prior course work as determined by the department.

Chapman University School of Pharmacy provides students with a personalized, interdisciplinary approach to education and research that combines a comprehensive education in the foundations of pharmaceutical sciences, ethics, and regulatory issues related to research trials from bench work to translational science with experience in leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Students will focus on areas of critical need for current and future pharmaceutical products, including:

• New Biological Entities
• New Chemical Entities
• New Processes for Delivery
• Formulation and Manufacturing
• Ethics and Regulatory Aspects of Drug Development

Drug Design and Discovery/Medicinal Chemistry

• Dr. Aftab Ahmed
• Dr. Sherif Elshahawi
• Dr. Kamaljit Kaur
• Dr. Keykavous Parang

Microbiology/Immunology

• Dr. Sherif Elshahawi
• Dr. Jennifer Totonchy
• Dr. Jason Yamaki

Molecular Endocrinology

• Dr. Cintia Citterio

Pathophysiology

• Dr. Cintia Citterio
• Dr. Khaled Elsaid
• Dr. Surya Nauli
• Dr. Rennolds Ostrom
• Dr. Ajay Sharma
• Dr. Jennifer Totonchy
• Dr. Sun Yang

Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

• Dr. Lawrence Brown
• Dr. Marc Fleming
• Dr. Enrique Seoane-Vazquez
• Dr. Sherry Wang

Pharmaceutics, Drug Delivery, and Pharmacokinetics

• Dr. Kamaljit Kaur
• Dr. Reza Mehvar
• Dr. Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi
• Dr. Keykavous Parang

Pharmacology

• Dr. Marco Bisoffi
• Dr. Khaled Elsaid
• Dr. Surya Nauli
• Dr. Rennolds Ostrom
• Dr. Ajay Sharma
• Dr. Rachita Sumbria
• Dr. Sun Yang
• Dr. Miao Zhang

Structural Biology

• Dr. Innokentiy Maslennikov
• Dr. Simin Rahighi
• Dr. Miao Zhang

What are the career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sciences?

Over the years, pharmaceutical scientists have been instrumental in discovering and developing innovative drugs that save thousands of lives and improve the lives of countless others. Pharmaceutical scientists can pursue a variety of career opportunities/jobs. For example, they may be employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; work as researchers, scientists, and professors at universities; or work for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), and national laboratories, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) publishes annual salary data for pharmaceutical scientists.

Source: AAPS

Is the Ph.D. program accredited?

The Ph.D. program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.

What are the admission requirements?

• Please see Admissions Information section above, on this page. 

I do not have a master's degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or biotechnology, but I have a master's degree in another field. Can I still apply for this program?

Please contact the Graduate Programs Office before applying. Please email gradpharmsci@chapman.edu. 

When can I expect to receive an admission decision? 

• The program accepts applications until the December 15 deadline.
• Only complete applications are reviewed by our Graduate Admission Team.  
• Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by March 15. 

Can I transfer from another program into the Chapman’s Ph.D. program?

Transfers will be considered on a case-by-case basis if the curriculum requirements are met. Please contact the Graduate Programs Office gradpharmsci@chapman.edu.

What is the cost of the program?

A minimum of 3-4 years of study will be required depending upon prior academic experience. For detailed tuition information, please visit the Chapman University Tuition & Fee Information page.  Competitive Fellowships that cover tuition and a stipend are offered to qualified candidates.

Are there any financial assistance or tuition waiver plans?

Qualified domestic and international students in the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences are eligible to receive a tuition scholarship and research or teaching assistantships. The University’s financial aid office can provide more comprehensive information on other forms of federal, state, or private funding: (714) 997-6741 or gradfinaid@chapman.edu. Students should also explore the National Health Service financial aid site.

Other links to Fellowship or Scholarship programs:

American Chemical Society Awards

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Opportunities

American Association of University Women Awards

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

PhRMA Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowships

U.S. Pharmacopeia Global Fellowship Program

Is the School of Pharmacy on the Chapman University Campus in Orange, CA?

No. CUSP is located on the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, CA. The campus is 15 miles south of the Chapman Campus at 9401 Jeronimo Rd. CUSP is conveniently located 1.5 miles east of the I-5 Freeway, off of Alton Parkway, and within 2 miles of the Irvine Spectrum.

Is there student housing near the School of Pharmacy?

Currently, there is no official Chapman student housing near CUSP. However, there are several apartment complexes within a few miles of the Rinker Health Science Irvine campus. A list of local apartment complexes, housing options, and other related resources is available on the CUSP Housing page.