Degrees Offered: College of Pharmacy

Combined Program - Pharmacy Doctorate/Doctorate in Pharmacology/Pharmaceutics (Pharm.D./Ph.D.)



Pharm.D./Ph.D. Program

The Pharm.D./Ph.D. program is an integrated program which allows a student to complete both degree requirements in a shorter duration of time as opposed to entering each degree program (Pharm.D. followed by Ph.D.) successively.  The Pharm.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Houston is designed for highly motivated and qualified individuals who are seeking an integrated program in the clinical and basic sciences preparing them for a career in academia or research. By carefully structuring the dual degree program, it is feasible to educate and train students to complete the requirements of both the Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in seven years. Students will select a research track in pharmacology or pharmaceutics, with emphasis in one of the following disciplines: pharmaceutics, basic pharmacology, medicinal chemistry or clinical pharmacology. All students admitted to the Pharm.D./Ph.D. program are eligible to receive stipends for years two and three in the Pharm.D. program, and teaching assistantships each year thereafter. Students must apply for stipends by filing the appropriate forms with the College's Finanical Aid Advisor.

The program's graduates will have the necessary knowledge of a basic science discipline and a full appreciation of the clinical sciences to excel in and act independently in research. The graduate will be able to assume a leadership role in and provide exemplary service to a wide spectrum of institutions concerned with health care and/or health delivery.


Application

All applicants must submit for admission:

  1. Copies of all application materials required for admission to the UH Doctor of Pharmacy program

All application materials and admission inquiries should be addressed to:

Dept. of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Graduate Programs Office Manager
University of Houston
521 Science & Research Building 2
Houston, TX 77204-5037
713.743.1222

Degree Requirements

All PharmD/PhD degree candidates are required to take core courses and courses specific to their chosen research track (clinical pharmacology, basic pharmacology, medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutics). It is anticipated that the total course of study (PharmD and PhD degrees) will be completed in a total of seven years upon entering the College of Pharmacy.

Required Core Courses:

Title

Hours

PHCA 6308:

Biostatistics & Experimental Design

3

PCOL 7370:

Scientific Writing

3

PCOL 7333:

Principles of Molecular Pharmacology

3

PCEU 6397:

Regulatory Affairs

3

PCOL 6141, 6142, 7141, 7142

Pharmacological Literature Review OR

 

PCEU 6142, 6143, 7142, 7143

Pharmaceutics Literature Review

4

PCEU 6180, 7181 or

Seminar

2

Total

18

 

Additional Courses

The students are also required to take an additional nine credits of graduate level elective courses in their area of emphasis. Further, students are given credit for an additional 18 credit hours of didactic courses in the Ph.D. program because they take equivalent courses in the PharmD program. Therefore, students will take a minimum of 46 credit hours of didactic and 24 hours of research courses prior to completion of their Ph.D. program. Special problems courses may account for no more than half of the research credits. The courses are to be selected in consultation with the student's Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee may make minor changes in the proportion of graduate-level didactic to research courses in the student's plan of study. The courses will be predominantly from the course offerings in the College of Pharmacy and the respective discipline. Some courses may be taken at other colleges in the University and/or from our sister institutions at the Texas Medical Center. PharmD/PhD candidates must participate in all the academic activities of the professional and graduate programs. Examples of these activities are: attending and presenting seminars; literature review classes, participation at state and national professional/scientific meetings.

Students are encouraged to select a major professor as soon as possible after admittance into the combined program. If the student has not selected a major professor by year three of the program, the Director of Graduate Studies will serve as major professor until a selection has been made. The dissertation committee shall consist of the major professor as Chair, two additional faculty members within the college, one UH faculty member outside the College and one faculty member or senior consultant from outside the University.

A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (A=4.00) must be maintained in all required Ph.D. courses. Students receiving a grade of C or lower in courses within a Ph.D. degree plan, totaling 8 credit hours or more, will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program. A grade less than C in a required course is unacceptable. In addition to coursework, the students must pass a qualifying examination, defend their research proposal, complete an original research project, write a doctoral dissertation and successfully defend the dissertation before their doctoral committee.

 

Typical Academic Schedule for PharmD/Ph.D in Pharmacology

First Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 4270:

Pharmacy Practice I

2

PHAR 4400:

Cellular Life Sciences I

4*

 

PHAR 4320:

Organ Systems Life Science I

3§

PHAR 4330:

Pharmaceutics I

3

PHAR 4250:

Pharmacy Skills I

2

Total

14

*Accepted in lieu of PCOL 7330 Biochemical Pharmacology.
§Equivalent to PCOL 6350 Neurophysiology in PhD program.

 

FirstYear/Spring

Title

PharmD

 PhD

PHAR 4260:

Pharmacy Management I

    2

 

PHAR 4271:

Pharmacy Practice II

2

 

PHAR 4421:

Organ System Life Sciences II

4*

 

PHAR 4301:

Cellular Life Sciences II

3

 

PHAR 4331:

Pharmaceutics II

3

 

PHAR 4251:

Pharmacy Skills II

2

 

Total

16

 


*Equivalent to PCOL 6451 Organ Physiology in PhD program.

FirstYear/Summer

Title

PharmD

PhD

Graduate level special problems OR courses/deficiences*

 

6 

Total 

 

6 

*If conditionally accepted into PhD program due to deficiencies in coursework, these deficiencies can be corrected during this summer semester (e.g. Calculus II or physics). This semester could also be used to expedite choice of research lab by doing laboratory rotations.

 

Second Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 5402:

Pharmacology I

            4*

 

PHAR 5302:

Medicinal Chemistry I

3*

 

PHAR 5332:

Pharmacokinetics

3

 

PHAR 5254:

IPPE I and Professional Development

2

 

PCOL 6180:

Pharmacology Seminar

 

1 

PHAR 5261

Management II - exempt

 

 

Total

12

 4

*Accepted in lieu of PCOL 6470 Advanced Pharmacology I in PhD program; formerly combined as a single, 7-credit hr course, PHAR 5702 Pharmacodynamics I.

 

Second Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 5373: 

 Pharmacy Practice IV

3 

PHAR 5255:

Skills IV

2

PHAR 5403:

Pharmacology II

4*

PHAR 5203:

Medicinal Chemistry II

2

PCEU 6397:

Regulatory Affairs

 

3

PCOL 7181:

Pharmacology Seminar

 

1

PHAR 5362:

Management III - exempt

 

0

PHAR 5280:

Therapeutics I

1

 

Total

13

4

*Accepted in lieu of PCOL 6371 Advanced Pharmacology II in PhD program; formerly combined as a single, 7-credit hr course PHAR 5703 Pharmacodynamics II.

 

Second Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

PhD

PCOL 6498

Special Problems - Research rotation

 

4

PCOL 6298

Special Problems - Research rotation

 

2

Pharmacy electives (6 credit hr – exempt*)

 

PHAR 5493

Introductory Community Pharmacy Rotation

4

Total

4 

6

*Waived in lieu of PCEU 6397 Regulatory Affairs and PCOL 7441 Experimental Design and Analysis; these courses may fill requirements for pharmacy electives.

 

Third Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PCOL 7333:

Molecular Pharmacology (or PHAR    5222 Toxicology)

 

3

PHAR 5480:

Physical Assessment/Anatomy

4

PHAR 5581:

Adv. Therapeutics I

5

PHAR 5274:

Pharmacy Practice V

2

PHAR 5256:

Pharmacy Skills Program V

2

Total

13

3

 

Third Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5374:

Pharmacy Law and Ethics

3

 

PHAR 5275:

Pharmacy Practice VI

2

 

PCOL Elective (#1)

 

 

3-4

PHAR 5582:

Adv. Therapeutics II

5

PHAR 5257:

Pharmacy Skills Program VI

2

Total

12

3-4

 

Third Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5692:

Advanced Hospital Pharmacy (Clinical rotation 1)

6

 

PHAR 5693:

Advanced Community Pharmacy (Clinical rotation 2)

6

 

Total

12

 

Fourth Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCOL elective (#2)

 

3

 

PCOL 6141 :

Pharmacological Literature Review

1

 

PCOL 6498:

Special Problems

4

 

PCOL 6180:

Seminar

1

 

Total

9

 

 

Fourth Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCOL 7370:

Scientific Writing

3

 

PCOL 6142:

Pharmacological Literature Review

1

 

PCOL 7181:

Seminar

1

 

PCOL 6498:

Special Problems

4

 

Total

9

 

 

Fourth Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5690:

Institutional Medicine Clinical rotation

6

 

PHAR 56XX:

Clinical rotation 4 (Choose from the list below)

6

 

Total

12

 

 

Fifth Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCOL elective (#3)

 

 

3

PCOL 7141:

Pharmacological Literature Review

 

1

PCOL 8498:

Doctoral Research

 

4

PHAR 5181:

Clinical Seminar

1

 

Total

1

8

 

Fifth Year/Spring

                                                                                 Title

PharmD

Phd

PCOL 7142:

Pharmacological Literature Review

 

1

PCOL 8798:

Doctoral Research*

 

7

PCOL 7181 :

Seminar

 

1

Total

 

9

*Doctoral Research will fulfill the requirement for PHAR 5672 Clinical Pharmaceutical Research other Rotation #5.

 

Fifth Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 56XX Clinical rotation 6

 

6

 

PHAR 56XX Clinical rotation 7

 

6

 

Total

12

 


This fulfills the requirements for the PharmD degree. Students should graduate from PharmD program at the end of this summer semester, and can officially enter into PhD program if admittance was conditional.

 

Sixth Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Title

Hours

Doctoral Research/Doctoral Dissertation

24 hours/ year

 

Seventh Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Title

Hours

Doctoral Research/Doctoral Dissertation

24 hours/ year

Typical Academic Schedule for PharmD/Ph.D in Pharmaceutics

First Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 4270:

Pharmacy Practice I

2

PHAR 4400:

Cellular Life Sciences I

4

 

PHAR 4320:

Organ Systems Life Science I

3

PHAR 4330:

Pharmaceutics I

3

PHAR 4250:

Pharmacy Skills I

2

Total

14

 

FirstYear/Spring

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 4271:

Pharmacy Practice II

2

PHAR 4421:

Organ System Life Sciences II

4

PHAR 4260:

Pharmacy Management I

2

PHAR 4301:

Cellular Life Sciences II

3

 

PHAR 4331:

Pharmaceutics II

3

PHAR 4251:

Pharmacy Skills II

2

Total

16

First Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

      Phd

Graduate level special problems courses/deficiencies*

 

6

Total

 

6


*If conditionally accepted into PhD program due to deficiencies in coursework, these deficiencies can be corrected during this summer semester (e.g. Calculus II or physics). This semester could also be used to expedite choice of research lab by doing laboratory rotations.

 

Second Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 5402:

Pharmacology I

4

PHAR 5302:

Medicinal Chemistry I

3

PHAR 5332:

Pharmacokinetics

3*

PHAR 5254:

IPPE 1 and Professional Development

2

PCOL 7341:

Experimental Design and Analysis

 

3

PCEU 6180:

Pharmaceutics Seminar

 

1

PHAR 5261

Management II - exempt

 

 

Total

12

4

*Accepted in lieu of PCEU 6341 Advanced Pharmacokinetics in PhD program.

Second Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

PhD

PHAR 5373:

Pharmacy Practice IV

3

PHAR 5255:

Skills IV

2

PHAR 5403:

Pharmacology II

4

PHAR 5203:

Medicinal Chemistry II

2

PCEU 6397:

Regulatory Affairs

 

3

PCOL 7181:

Pharmaceutics Seminar

 

1

PHAR 5256:

Management III - exempt

 

 

PHAR 5280:

Therapeutics

2

 

Total

13

4

Second Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCEU 6498

Special Problems - Research rotation

 

4

PCEU 6298

Special Problems - Research rotation

 

2

Pharmacy electives (6 credit hr – exempt*

 

PHAR 5493

Introdcutory Community Pharmacy Rotation

      4

Total

4 

 6

*Waived in lieu of PCEU 6397 Regulatory Affairs and PCOL 7441 Experimental Design and Analysis; these courses may fill requirements for pharmacy electives.

Third Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

PhD

PCOL 7333:

Molecular Pharmacology (or PHAR 5222 Toxicology

 

3

PHAR 5480:

Physical Assessment/Anatomy

4

PHAR 5581:

Adv. Therapeutics I

5

PHAR 5274:

Pharmacy Practice V

2

PHAR 5257:

Pharmacy Skills Program V

2

Total

13

3

Third Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5374:

Pharmacy Law and Ethics

3

 

PHAR 5275:

Pharmacy Practice VI

2

 

PCEU 6345:

Advanced Pharmaceutics II

 

3

PCEU Elective (#1)

 

 

    3

PHAR 5582:

Adv. Therapeutics II

5

PHAR 5255:

Pharmacy Skills Program VI

2

Total

12

6

Third Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5692:

Advanced Hospital Pharmacy (Clinical rotation 1)

6

 

PHAR 5693:

Advanced Community Pharmacy (Clinical rotation 2)

6

 

Total

12

 

Fourth Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCEU 6198:

Special Problems in Advanced Pharmacokinetics

 

1

PCEU elective (#2)

 

 

3

PCEU 6142:

Pharmaceutics Literature Review

 

1

PCEU 6342 :

Advanced Pharmaceutics I

 

3

PCEU 6180:

Seminar

 

1

Total

 

9

Fourth Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCOL 7370:

Scientific Writing

 

3

PCEU 6143:

Pharmaceutics Literature Review

 

1

PCEU 7181:

Seminar

 

1

PCEU 6498:

Special Problems

 

4

Total

 

9

Fourth Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 5690:

Institutional Medicine Rotation (Clinical rotation 3)

6

 

PHAR 56XX

Clinical rotation 4 (Choose from list below)

6

 

Total

12

 

Fifth Year/Fall

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCEU elective (#3)

 

 

3

PCEU 7142:

Pharmaceutics Literature Review

 

1

PCEU 8498:

Doctoral Research

 

4

PHAR 5181:

Clinical Seminar

1

 

Total

1

8

Fifth Year/Spring

Title

PharmD

Phd

PCEU 7143:

Pharmaceutics Literature Review

 

1

PCEU 8798:

Doctoral Research*

 

7

PCEU 7181 :

Seminar

 

1

Total

 

9

*Doctoral Research will fulfill the requirement for PHAR 5672 Clinical Pharmaceutical Research other Rotation #5.

Fifth Year/Summer

Title

PharmD

Phd

PHAR 56XX Clinical rotation 6

 

6

 

PHAR 56XX Clinical rotation 7

 

6

 

Total

12

 

This fulfills the requirements for the PharmD degree. Student should graduates from PharmD program at the end of this summer semester, and can officially enter into PhD program if admittance was conditional.

Sixth Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Title

Hours

Doctoral Research/Doctoral Dissertation

24 hours/ year

Seventh Year (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Title

Hours

Doctoral Research/Doctoral Dissertation

24 hours/ year

Students are required to take 9 credit hours of electives. The courses below are are electives offered by the Department of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences. Students are also encouraged to take courses in other departments or at other institutions to fulfill elective credits if those courses are more appropriate to their course of study.

Elective Courses in Pharmaceutics or Pharmacology

Semester Offered

PCOL 6462 Cardiovascular and Renal Pharmacology

Spring, even years

PCOL 7362 Neuropharmacology

Spring, odd years

PCOL 7350 Cellular Pharmacology

Fall, even years

PCEU 7397 Selected Topics in Pharmaceutics

 

PCEU 7350 Fundamental Laboratory Methods

Summer, even years

PCEU 7340 Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

Fall, even years

Clinical Rotations

Required Rotation

Hours

PHAR 5493 Introductory Community Pharmacy Rotation

4


Required Clinical Rotations

Hours

PHAR 5692 Advanced Hospital Pharmacy

6

PHAR 5690 Institutional Medicine

6

PHAR 5693 Advanced Community Pharmacy

6

 

Choose three Clinical Specialty Elective Rotations from the following list to satisfy PharmD requirements:

PHAR 5642 Emergency Medicine

6

PHAR 5643 Neurology

6

PHAR 5669 Renal Therapeutics

6

PHAR 5674 Nutritional Support

6

PHAR 5675 Disease State Management

6

PHAR 5676 Cell & Gene Therapeutics

6

PHAR 5677 Pharmacokinectics

6

PHAR 5678 Transplant Therapeutics

6

PHAR 5679 Women's Health Therapeutics

6

PHAR 5680 Oncology

6

PHAR 5681 Infectious Diseases

6

PHAR 5682 Surgery

6

PHAR 5683 Cardiology

6

PHAR 5684 Family Medicine

6

PHAR 5685 Critical Care

6

PHAR 5686 Psychiatry

6

PHAR 5691 Drug Information

6

PHAR 5694 Pediatrics

6

PHAR 5695 Geriatrics

6

PHAR 5696 Primary Care

6

PHAR 5675 Disease State Management

6

Catalog Publish Date: January 14, 2013
This Page Last Updated: December 19, 2012