The Department of Pharmacy Administration at The University of Mississippi has provided the highest quality graduate education for more than 40 years. From its beginning in 1961, the department has maintained a graduate program with a primary interest in the marketing and economics of pharmaceuticals and the role of pharmacists in the delivery and management of health care. A published history of the discipline of Pharmacy Administration states that The University of Mississippi is one of only two schools in the nation to have doctoral students enrolled every year for the past 25 years. The report also shows The University of Mississippi to have the highest cumulative enrollment of M.S. and Ph.D. students of any school since its inception. The graduate program offers a warm, friendly, and yet academically challenging atmosphere for aspiring graduate students to gain a strong understanding of the role of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy in our health care environment.

For more background on graduate education in pharmacy and specifically pharmacy administration follow this link

Program Objectives

To prepare highly qualified graduate students for careers in academia, industry, and other appropriate settings with an emphasis on management, marketing, and economics of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy practice

To maintain highly productive teaching and research programs that allow the faculty and graduate students the freedom and opportunity to pursue their own research interests To maintain a leadership role in state and national organizations relevant to the discipline

To provide consultative services to pharmacists, the pharmaceutical industry, and other interested entities in the areas of faculty and graduate student expertise

Career Opportunities

The graduate program in Pharmacy Administration affords excellent career opportunities in a variety of settings and has maintained an exceptional track record in placing graduates. Graduates of the program have obtained positions in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, managed care organizations, professional associations, consulting and marketing research firms, government agencies, hospitals, and health care journal publication agencies. In academia, the program has produced several chairs of Pharmacy Administration Departments and deans of pharmacy schools nationwide. In the pharmaceutical industry, many alumni have quickly risen to senior management positions in marketing, health/pharmaceutical economics, and pharmacy affairs. Other graduates of the program have secured key positions in the federal and state governments and professional associations in pharmacy.

Research and Publication Opportunities

The Department of Pharmacy Administration has developed a reputation for high quality research in the area of health care. The department faculty routinely employ national mail surveys, focus groups, telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews, and secondary data sets in their research. Students in the program gain expertise in the use of these research methods. The faculty and graduate students of the department also work closely with the School of Business faculty and graduate students on various research projects critical to understanding health care issues. The synergies generated through such collaborative efforts have been perceived as being extremely beneficial. The faculty and graduate students in the department also have a reputation for high quality research publications and professional presentations in national and international settings. The areas of research of the faculty and students include (but are not limited to) the following:

Requirements for Admission

Applicants considered for admission must meet the following minimum requirements.

Criteria for entering the Master's of Science program:

Either a B.S. degree in Pharmacy, a B.S. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, or higher. A degree in a discipline related to marketing, management, or economics may also be considered for admission upon demonstration of a commitment to pursuing a career in the field of pharmacy or the pharmaceutical industry

College transcript with a minimum of a B average (3.0 on a 4.0 scale); GRE score of at least 1000 or GMAT score of at least 550 (international applicants must also take the TOEFL examination and score at least 600 (PBT) or 100 (iBT))

Letters of recommendation, interviews, and the preparation of a statement of purpose

Criteria for entering the Doctor of Philosophy program:

Either a masters degree, Pharm. D. degree, or higher

Criteria suitable for entry into the masters program as listed above

Application forms are available from The University of Mississippi Website:
http://www.olemiss.edu/admissions/online_apps.html