Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Our admissions process is designed to identify candidates with the greatest potential for success. We evaluate a range of factors, including academic performance (undergraduate coursework, GPA, GRE scores), as well as research experience, extracurricular involvement, and professional background.

DEADLINE: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for fall, spring, and summer semesters.

All applicants are required to submit the following items by the deadline to make their application complete (incomplete applications are not considered for admission):

• Completed PharmGrad application including official transcripts sent to PharmGrad directly from the college or university for all college-level work completed to earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
• Recommendations from three Academic Professors who are able to judge the applicant’s accomplishments and academic ability. Information on how to submit your letter of recommendations will be sent upon submission of your PharmGrad application.
• Official GRE scores must be submitted using the correct institution code: Mercer U Coll of Pharmacy (5623) and department code (0613)
• International students or domestic students with credentials from institutions outside the United States are required to have those credentials evaluated by a professional evaluation service (World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates. This evaluation must include an analysis of courses, grades, grade point average and U.S. degree equivalency. An official evaluation report must be sent directly to PharmGrad.
• Applicants whose native language is not English must also demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in the English language as measured by the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores must be submitted using the correct institution code: Mercer U Coll of Pharmacy (5623) Dept Code (0613). Until this procedure has been accomplished, an application for admission cannot be considered.

Students entering the graduate program in Pharmaceutical Sciences are expected to have a background that includes the following minimum prerequisites:

• Integral and differential calculus
• Statistics
• One year of biochemistry
• One semester of mammalian physiology
• Expertise in at least one computer programming language

Students who have not completed these prerequisites prior to entering the program may be required to remove deficiencies during their course of study. When no suitable graduate-level course is available, deficiencies must be fulfilled using undergraduate courses for which the student will receive no graduate credit.

All applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program must submit all required application materials (see checklist below) and meet the following requirements prior to enrollment in the program:

• Completion of a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Biology, or an equivalent degree in a related area, or a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree.
• Minimum undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
• Minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 40 percentile in the verbal section and at least 60 percentile in the quantitative section.
• For applicants from a country where the primary language is other than English, a minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the internet-based test is required or a minimum IELTS score of 7.5 is required.
• Qualified applicants with complete files and who meet or exceed the admissions criteria listed above may be invited to campus for a personal interview.

Certain individuals may apply as special students in the PhD program. This classification allows students to enroll upon submission of an application and official transcripts and approval of the Director of Graduate Programs.

Applicants must have completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and must possess appropriate credentials for admission to the graduate program with the exclusion of the GRE. Special student classification does not assure admission to the graduate program, and these students must reapply for admission to the graduate program and satisfy all admission requirements to be considered. A special student may apply a maximum of nine (9) credit hours as transfer credit toward the PhD degree if the program of study can be completed within the stated time in residence. Special students must submit applications no later than thirty days before the beginning of the semester in which special student classification is sought.

Upon approval by the Director of Graduate Programs, up to 15 semester hours of graduate-level credit may be transferred from other approved institutions. The student must supply a transcript and the necessary descriptive materials from each course to the Director of Graduate Programs. The Director of Graduate Programs will determine the equivalent course and the number of credit hours accepted. Courses cannot be transferred for credit if: a) they have been taken more than six years before admission into the PhD Program; or b) a grade below B (or the equivalent) was earned.

Advanced Standing

A transfer applicant who desires advanced professional standing must comply with the appropriate policy and procedure outlined above. Ordinarily credits from an ACPE- accredited college or school of pharmacy, for which grades of C or better have been earned in equivalent courses, shall be accepted. All course requirements in the current four-year Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum must be satisfied prior to graduation. A minimum of eight semesters must be completed and 137 credits must be earned in residence at the College of Pharmacy.

In determining advanced standing, the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs will consult with the appropriate Department Chairperson(s) to determine course equivalence. Based upon this evaluation, the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs will make a decisionregarding transfer credit for advanced standing. All correspondence will be handled by the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Financial support for graduate students in the department is available through teaching assistantships and tuition waivers. Stipends will be provided on a competitive basis for participation in laboratories and other College activities. Additional financial aid may be available through grants and/or contracts as well as guaranteed student loans.

Students are required to upload immunization documentation to the College of Pharmacy’s secure, third-party immunization management vendor. Students are encouraged to keep a photocopy of this completed form for their personal records.

All students born after 1956 must provide documentation of two doses of Measles (Rubeola) vaccine, two doses of Mumps vaccine, and two doses of Rubella vaccine.  If a student is unable to provide dates of immunization to Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, he or she may document immunity by blood test, at the student’s expense. If this testing shows no immunity to Measles, Mumps, or Rubella, the student may register following documentation of the first dose of MMR, with the second to follow in thirty (30) days, if required.

All students are required to have a PPD skin test (Mantoux) as a means of tuberculosis screening.  The PPD screening must be within the 12 months prior to matriculation. The Tine tuberculosis test is not acceptable. Students should be tested regardless of prior BCG vaccination. Any student with a positive skin test will be required to provide a report of a normal chest x-ray (done after the positive PPD) to be eligible to register. A physician should evaluate individuals with a positive tuberculosis skin test.

Do not assume that childhood immunizations are adequate; requirements have changed during the past several years. Medical facilities in the U.S. and in other countries are required to keep records of vaccinations. Additional sources of immunization information include doctors’ offices, health departments, and schools.  Students should make copies of the completed health form for their own files, and then mail the original forms.  Do not rely on health care providers, family members, or other colleges to mail the forms.

Exemptions from compliance with the immunization policy include:

Some academic programs have additional immunization requirements. Students are advised to check with their college or school program for any additional requirements.