DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMS

Studies leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree are available in medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and pharmacy administration.

To be assured of consideration for admission in the fall semester, applications must be received in full (application form, transcripts, letters of recommendation, official GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL test scores) in the Graduate School by April 1 of the same calendar year. All applicants will be considered for financial aid; no specific application is required. Admission requirements peculiar to each department are listed below.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY

Admission
Two letters of recommendation, including at least one from a faculty member in the major department, are required.

Undergraduate Requirements
Although the majority of the students admitted to the program have degrees in pharmacy and/or chemistry, there is no specific undergraduate degree required for admission. Undergraduate requirements that may need to be satisfied during graduate study (or can be completed prior to graduate study), depending on the student's selected research problem and area of interest, can include biochemistry, instrumental analysis, pharmacology, and physical chemistry.

Graduate Course Requirements
Medicinal chemistry is a multidisciplinary chemistry-centered science involved in applying both chemical and biological principles to a study of chemical substances capable of exerting specific effects on a biological system. In practice, the medicinal chemist is involved in designing, synthesizing and characterizing medicinal agents intended for the management and/or therapy of disease states. The graduate course requirements for a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry consists of a minimum of 16 graduate course hours in medicinal chemistry, 9 hours of chemistry courses, and 6 hours in a minor emphasis area. These requirements can be satisfied in the following way:

1. Students entering the program lacking a background in medicinal chemistry will take Advanced Medicinal Chemistry I, II (MEDC 501 and 502). These courses will not satisfy the departmental graduate requirement for the Ph.D. degree.
2. Medicinal Chemistry Research Methodology (MEDC 503) (3 hours);
3. Three of the five drug action and design courses offered (9 hours);
4. Either Heterocyclic Compounds (MEDC 609), a Selected Topics course (MEDC 610), or Pharmaceutical Protein Design and Development (MEDC 630) (3 hours);
5. Seminar on Current Medicinal Chemistry Topics (1 hour).
   

At least 9 hours of chemistry courses are required. Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM 527, 528) may comprise 6 of these hours. Analysis of Natural Products Drugs (PHCG 632 or 633, 3 hours) may substitute for 3 of the remaining hours. A minor emphasis is required and consists of at least 6 graduate credit hours in pharmacology, biochemistry, biology, pharmaceutics, toxicology, an approved area of chemistry, or any other approved area. Combinations of the above areas may constitute the minor area with the approval of the student's advisor.

Foreign Language Requirement
None.

Examinations
To successfully complete the cumulative examination sequence, each student must demonstrate a broad competency in each of five medicinal chemistry topic areas and prove a greater proficiency in one or more areas.

Within four months of completion of all cumulative examinations, a student must present a written research proposal on Public Health Service Research Grant forms and orally defend the proposal before the faculty of the department.

Three departmental seminars are required of doctoral degree candidates. Students are required to attend seminars each semester irrespective of whether they present a seminar that semester of whether they are enrolled in seminar.

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DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHARMACEUTICS

Admission
A minimum score of 600 on TOEFL is required for international students.

Undergraduate Requirements
Students should have completed the requirements for an undergraduate degree in pharmacy or related area. In addition, if not previously taken, the following undergraduate courses will be required: Calculus through Differential Equations (equivalent to MATH 261-264, and MATH 353); and six semester hours of Physical Chemistry (equivalent to CHEM 331, 332).

Graduate Course Requirements
The following graduate courses are considered to comprise the core of the doctoral curriculum:

1. Seminar in Current Pharmaceutical Topics (PHAR 543, 544).
2. Biometry and Experimental Design (BISC 504).
3. Analytical Pharmaceutics (PHAR 535).
4. Advanced Pharmacokinetics (PHAR 660).
5. Product Development (PHAR 649).
6. Advanced Pharmaceutics I (PHAR 641).
7. Advanced Pharmaceutics II (PHAR 642).
8. Special Problems in the Stability of Pharmaceutical Systems (PHAR 644).
9. Colloid and Surface Chemistry (CHE 545).
10. Intermediate Organic Chemistry (CHEM 524).
    

Additional courses may be required by the student's graduate advisor and/or advisory committee. If a required course is unavailable, the Pharmaceutics Department graduate faculty may approve an alternative course for a particular student.

Comprehensive Examination
For admission to candidacy, the student must successfully complete both written and oral comprehensive examinations administered by the graduate faculty of the department.

Dissertation
A dissertation based upon an independent research project followed by an oral defense of this project is also required.

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DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHARMACOGNOSY

Admission
Applicants with undergraduate degrees in pharmacy, chemistry, or some other program which provides a sound background in chemistry, i.e., biology, chemical engineering, or chemical technology, will be considered for admission. Training in the biological sciences is desirable but not essential for admission. Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a faculty member in the major department, are required.

The core curriculum for the Ph.D. degree in pharmacognosy is as follows:

1. Seminar on Current Topics of Interest in Natural Product Chemistry (PHCG 543, 544, 643, 644)
2. Natural Product Chemistry (PHCG 627, 628);
3. Analysis of Natural Product Drugs (PHCG 631, 632, 633)
   

Ordinarily, Ph.D. students will present a minimum of 36 hours of credit in course work beyond the baccalaureate in addition to 18 hours of credit in dissertation.

Seminars
Each semester a seminar program will be arranged. Each student will present a minimum of four seminars during the period of graduate study.

Important Examinations
The following series of examinations will be used to follow the progress of students in the doctoral program:

1. CUMULATIVE EXAMINATIONS.
   a. Eight examinations will be given each academic year, four in the fall semester and four in the spring semester.
   b. A student in the Ph.D. program will be required to pass six of no more than 16 examinations. At least three examinations must be passed by the end of the second year.
   c. Once a student begins taking cumulative examinations, he/she must attempt each successive examination until the required six have been passed.
2. COMPREHENSIVE ORAL EXAMINATION. A comprehensive oral examination, administered by the faculty of the department, must be passed subsequent to completion of the cumulative examinations. The oral comprehensive examination will be given within 60 days of the completion of the cumulative examination requirement. Failure to pass required examinations: Students who fail to pass 6 of 16 cumulative examinations or the oral comprehensive examination will be terminated from the doctoral program.
3. ORIGINAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL. Within two semesters of passing the oral comprehensive examination, doctoral students will submit and orally defend an original research proposal.
4. DISSERTATION DEFENSE. After completing all other requirements, a doctoral candidate must present and defend his/her dissertation.
   

Foreign Language Requirement
None.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHARMACOLOGY

The graduate faculty of the department offers advanced areas of study and research leading to the Ph.D. degree with emphasis in pharmacology or environmental toxicology. There is a close association between the graduate programs in the school and programs in the departments of Biology, Psychology, Medicinal Chemistry, Physics, and the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The multidisciplinary nature of the graduate program leads to cooperative and rewarding research efforts and provides excellent educational opportunities for graduate students enrolled in these programs. Students are prepared for careers in academics, industry, or government service.

Admission
Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy, toxicology, chemistry, biological science, or psychology are eligible to apply for admission to the graduate program. New students will not be officially admitted in the summer or spring terms. All admission decisions will be made after February 1 and communicated to the applicant by March 15.

Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in pharmacology requires the core courses listed below, as well as at least 18 dissertation hours. In addition, student are expected to enroll in the Pharmacology Seminar (PHCL 643) each semester.

Fall Semester Year I: Physiological Chemistry (PHCL 669); Introduction to Pharmacology (PHCL 563); Research Methodology (PHCL 503).

Spring Semester Year I: General Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology I (PHCL 675); Advanced Physiology (PHCL 661); and an approved elective.

Fall Semester Year II: General Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology II (PHCL 676); Pathologic Foundations of Disease (PHCL 678); Statistics I (PSY 501 or equivalent).

Spring Semester Year II: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology (PHCL 679); 7 hours of approved electives.

Approved electives include BISC 611, BISC 631, BISC 632, BISC 649, BISC 678, CHEM 580, CHEM 581, CHEM 513, CHEM 524, MEDC 501, MEDC 502, MEDC 611, PHCL 541, PSY 502, and PSY 528. Other selections must be approved by the advisor, who also should assist in course selection. Written and oral comprehensive exams precede admission to the dissertation stage. The dissertation represents the results of independent and original research. A manuscript describing the research and suitable for publication in a refereed journal should be presented simultaneously with the dissertation. Degree requirements also include a final oral examination, mainly in defense of the dissertation.

Research Interest
Research facilities available to departmental graduate students include but are not limited to laboratory areas and analytical equipment shared with the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, one of which has received EPA certification for tissue analysis of heavy metals and organic compounds. State-of-the-art analytical equipment is available to conduct tissue, water, or blood analyses of a wide range of xenobiotics. In addition, the department has laboratory space for conducting mammalian and aquatic pharmacological and toxicological studies. The vast majority of the mammalian studies utilize rodent species. A department contains laboratories for studying the unconditional behavior of rodent and aquatic species, as well as conditioned behavior of rodents. Data acquisition and environmental control for these studies are computerized. Equipment is available for in vitro and in vivo testing of various physiological parameters in mammalian species, as well as for biochemical experimentation. A molecular modeling laboratory and other support facilities are available in the School of Pharmacy to enhance the activities of the department. In addition, the Department of Biology Field Station is available to conduct aquatic toxicological studies in a field setting. The department has a close working relationship with the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Arkansas. Formal arrangements can be made for selected students to gain valuable research experience at NCTR or at other external governmental or private research facilities. The Thad Cochran National Center for Natural Products Research, a $29 million research facility that is part of the School of Pharmacy, was completed in 1995. This structure will contain laboratories, animal housing areas, and a chemistry/pharmacy/biology library, as well as state-of-the-art teaching facilities.

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DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHARMACY ADMINISTRATION

Admission
Admission is limited to students with a master's or Pharm.D. degree or higher, and a minimum B+ (3.2 on a 4.0 scale) average on their prior degree program(s). A score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is acceptable in lieu of GRE. A minimum score of 600 on TOEFL is required of international students. In addition to test scores, the faculty will review other supporting application materials before making its final decision. Three or more recommendations addressing the student's potential for academic work as well as his/her future potential are required. It is helpful if the recommendations go beyond the information required by the University's standard recommendation form that accompanies the application package.

Applicants to the doctoral program with a master's degree which required a thesis must submit the thesis for review by the department. Applicants with a master's or Pharm.D. degree which did not require a thesis will, if accepted, be required to demonstrate their ability to undertake and successfully complete individual research to the satisfaction of the departmental faculty. This demonstration is satisfied by the completion of a problems course in which the student initiates and completes an original research project which shall be of thesis quality. Pharm.D. applicants to the doctoral program may be asked to take preparatory courses prior to taking core courses for the degree but will not be required to complete the master's program.

The core curriculum required of all doctoral students in Pharmacy Administration is as follows:

1. Independent Study: Research in Pharmacy Administration (PHAD 674);
2. Advanced Quantitative Analysis I (PHAD 680);
3. Advanced Drug Marketing (PHAD 683);
4. Health Systems Management (PHAD 689);
5. Drug Development and Marketing (PHAD 692);
6. Advanced Quantitative Analysis II (PHAD 681);
7. Secondary Data Techniques (PHAD 687).
   

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