Academic Affairs

Dual Degree Programs

PharmD/JD

The University of Maryland Schools of Pharmacy and Law offer a dual Doctor of Pharmacy/Juris Doctor degree program. Graduates of the PharmD/JD program will be prepared for careers in a diverse range of health care and legal areas, such as consulting on health law issues and regulatory policy for government agencies, trade associations and pharmaceutical companies. Areas that may be of interest to PharmD/JD dual degree program students include Biotechnology and Patent Law, Food and Drug Law, Health Care for the Elderly and Poor, Legal Issues in Managed Care, Law and Mental Health, Biodiversity Protection, and Criminal Enforcement of Environmental Law.  Dual degree students typically complete both programs in less time, and therefore with less cost, than if both degrees are pursued separately.  The JD accepts 9 credits of pharmacy coursework as elective substitutions, and the PharmD accepts up to 20 credits of law coursework as elective substitutions.  PharmD students must have completed a bachelors degree to be eligible for admission to the 85-credit JD program.  PharmD students must meet all admissions criteria, including submitting results of the LSAT, and adhere to the School of Law’s procedures and deadlines.  For more information about the dual degree program, please contact Lisa Lebovitz, J.D., School of Pharmacy Director of Academic Accountability at  llebovit@rx.umaryland.edu. For more information about the JD program or law school admissions requirements, see the School of Law website at http://www.law.umaryland.edu/. 

For faculty advising, contact Dr. Palumbo

Here is an article about PharmD/JD career options

Sample plan of study for PharmD/JD student

PharmD/MBA

In conjunction with the University of Baltimore and Towson University, the dual PharmD/MBA program provides Doctor of Pharmacy students with management and entrepreneurial skills for a career in pharmacy or health care leadership.  The UB/Towson MBA Program is fully accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.  The MBA program is 51 credits, but because several pharmacy courses contain significant management components, the dual degree student will benefit from a generous substitution policy that enables the student to complete both degrees in less time and for less money than if separately pursued.  The MBA accepts up to 21 credits of pharmacy coursework as substitutions, and the PharmD accepts up to 20 credits of MBA coursework as elective substitutions.  PharmD students must have completed a bachelors degree or 120 undergraduate credits to be eligible for admission to the MBA program. Students do not begin the MBA until their first year in the pharmacy program is completed. Applicants may substitute PCAT scores for the GMAT.  For more information about the MBA Program or the admissions process, contact Margaret Hayes, M.S., School of Pharmacy Director of Student Educational Services and Outreach at mhayes@rx.umaryland.edu  or 410-706-6586.  Also see the MBA web site http://mba.ubalt.towson.edu/. Students may also choose to informally explore pharmacy management through courses offered as part of the management area of concentration.

Sample plan of study for PharmD/MBA student

PharmD/MPH

Many pharmacy students benefit from knowledge of public health issues to better prepare them for health care careers.  The MPH program is based in the School of Medicine's Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine.  The MPH degree requires 42 credit hours including a capstone experience:  students will spend three to six months (minimum of 240 contact hours) on a supervised project related to their area of specialization.  It may be possible to combine the capstone experience with an advanced practice rotation, provided that the student has finished all required core and required concentration courses in the MPH.  PharmD students interested in participating in the PharmD/MPH dual degree program may apply for entrance to the MPH program during any one of their four professional years of their PharmD program. Eligibility for application to the MPH degree requires concurrent enrollment in a professional school of the University of Maryland Baltimore. If PharmD students leave the PharmD program due to academic, disciplinary, or personal reasons, they will not be allowed to continue in the PharmD/MPH program. 

For detailed information about the MPH program, click here. 

For procedures and contact information, click here. 

View the MPH website at http://medschool.umaryland.edu/epidemiology/masters_mph.asp.

PharmD/PhD

While the School does not offer a combined PharmD/PhD program, PharmD students interested in pursuing a PhD may choose to expedite their training by choosing elective courses from the graduate curriculum and by using the research area of concentration to explore potential topics for dissertation and research.

The School of Pharmacy offers two PhD programs: 

PhD in Pharmaceutical Health Services Research (PHSR)

The primary mission of the Pharmaceutical Health Services Research program at the University of Maryland is to train strong researchers in the theory, practical experience, and decision-making skills needed to address a wide range of pharmacy related problems.  The dynamic health care environment has created a number of critical factors that are constantly shaping and reshaping the health policies of the United States and countries around the world. Areas of concentration in the program include Behavioral Science, Pharmaceutical Policy, Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmacoepidemiology.  In this program students can:

• Develop research and analytical skills regarding the use of medicines in society
• Explore the role of Federal and State governments in health care policy
• Assess the cost effectiveness of pharmaceuticals
• Design effective interventions to improve medicine use in high risk populations
• Become a leader in academia, health care, government and the pharmaceutical industry

For additional information, see the website http://www2.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/graduate/phsr/programs/.

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSC)

Graduates of the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program will be educated with the knowledge and skills to direct the discovery of novel biological pathways in human disease and the development and delivery of medications for safe and effective therapy.  Faculty and graduate students in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences are organized into Research Pathways. The mission of each Research Pathway is to foster individual and collaborative research, faculty growth, and a graduate student education which provides a strong, broad background in the drug development process along with intensive expertise in a focal research area of the pharmaceutical sciences. The diversity of the program increases the opportunity for interdisciplinary research and collaboration among faculty and students. The Research Pathways are:

• Biopharmaceutics & Drug Delivery Technology:  Research involves the design and development of drug delivery systems as well as the evaluation of transport, and disposition of pharmaceuticals, and industrial pharmaceutical research.
• Cellular & Biological Chemistry:  Research interests emphasize studies to obtain molecular understanding of the function of biological pathways and to apply that understanding to the rational design of novel drug molecules.
• Pharmacology & Neuroscience:  Using molecular, biochemical, and behavioral approaches to explore pharmacological questions in carcinogenesis, respiratory biology, drug addiction, Parkinson's Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
• Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences:  Research involves drug therapy outcomes in patients, and the factors and mechanisms determining those outcomes with emphasis on neurosciences, nephrology, oncology and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics.

For more information, visit the website at http://www2.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/graduate/psc/.