Important Application Dates & Deadlines

• December 15 - Application deadline for Fall admission.  

Admission Decisions

• March 15 - Applicants will begin to be notified of an admission decision.

• •  

How to Apply

Apply through PharmGRAD.

Admission Requirements

Chapman University School of Pharmacy Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences program is open to students with an emphasis in Biomedical Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPS) or Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (PEP). Applicants must possess the following:

1. A master's degree from a regionally-accredited university or college or recognized international university with a major in:
   • BPS applicants: chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, or related areas
   • PEP applicants: business, general sciences, statistics, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, or related areas
   • An MD, DVM, or Pharm.D. from a U.S. institution will be considered in lieu of a master's degree.
   • Applicants without a master's or equivalent degree, demonstrating a robust research experience in the program's areas are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants without a master's degree must contact the Graduate Programs Office before applying. Please email: gradpharmsci@chapman.edu        
2. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale
   
3. Official Transcripts from the bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution(s)
   Your application requires official academic transcripts/mark sheets from the university you earned your degree in both the original language and English.
   •  If your university does not provide translations of your transcripts/mark sheets, you will need to have them translated. The translation must be exact line-by-line, word-for-word.
   • You must submit the official academic transcript/mark sheet and the official translation.
   • While unofficial copies of the academic transcripts/mark sheets can be used to evaluate and review an application, official documents will be required upon acceptance. (WES transcripts are accepted but not required)
4. Letters of Recommendation - Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic abilities.
   • If the last degree was awarded less than three years ago, at least one of the letters must be from a professor at the university that awarded the degree.
5. A resume or CV with any relevant experience
6. A personal statementapproximately 500 words (no more than two pages, double-spaced), which includes your:
   • Interest in the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Chapman University
   • Research goals
   • Career goals
   • Academic goals

Additional Information for International Students

International students are welcome to apply! Requirements include:

• 1. Official Transcripts from the bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution(s)
     Your application requires official academic transcripts/mark sheets from the university where you earned your degree in both the original language and English.
     • If your university does not provide translations of your transcripts/mark sheets, you will need to have them translated.  Transcripts must be translated exactly line-by-line, word-for-word.
     • You must submit the official academic transcript/mark sheet and the official translation.
     • While unofficial copies of academic transcripts/mark sheets can be used to evaluate and review an application, official documents will be required upon acceptance.
  2. English Proficiency Exam – International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting official scores from an English language exam.
     
     Minimum score requirement must be met before an application will be considered. Applicants with low English proficiency score must retake exam to reach minimum requirement before submitting application. Proficiency scores are found here: International Application Requirements
     
     
     • Unofficial English Proficiency exam results submitted with the application must include a Student Test ID Number.
     • Students must notify the test agency to allow Chapman University access to the official score.
       
       
     •  An English proficiency examination is not required from international applicants with a bachelor's degree from a university:
       • regionally accredited in the United States, or
       • where the sole language of instruction is English

• International Application Requirements: https://www.chapman.edu/admission/graduate/international-students/how-to-apply.aspx
• International FAQs: https://www.chapman.edu/admission/graduate/international-students/frequently-asked-questions.aspx

If you are an international applicant and have any questions, please contact:gradadmit@chapman.edu. 

Want to Learn More about admission? Please contact the program office: gradpharmsci@chapman.edu.

The Ph.D. degree requires completion of at least 64 credits. For the BPS emphasis, this includes 21 credits of core courses, 6 credits of seminar, at least 10 credits of electives, and a minimum of 15 credits of research and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation course. The PEP emphasis includes 16 credits for core courses, 6 credits for seminars, at least 15 credits for electives, a minimum of 15 credits for research, and a minimum of 12 credits for dissertation courses. The program culminates in a dissertation based on original research. This will give the student the opportunity, under the supervision of a faculty advisor, to tailor his or her academic program toward a chosen career path.

A full list of classes and credit requirements are available below using the academic course catalogs. 

Course catalog: Ph.D. Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Emphasis

Course catalog: Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy Emphasis

*Chapman MSPS and Pharm.D. graduates can be credited for 20 core and/or elective lecture course credits. MS graduates from other institutions can be credited up to 12 credits towards the core and/or elective lecture courses, based on the relevance of prior coursework as determined by the department.

Chapman University School of Pharmacy provides students with a personalized, interdisciplinary approach to education and research that combines a comprehensive education in the foundations of pharmaceutical sciences, ethics, and regulatory issues related to research trials from bench work to translational science with experience in leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Students will focus on areas of critical need for current and future pharmaceutical products, including:

• New Biological Entities
• New Chemical Entities
• New Processes for Delivery
• Formulation and Manufacturing
• Ethics and Regulatory Aspects of Drug Development

Drug Design and Discovery/Medicinal Chemistry

• Aftab Ahmed, Ph.D.
• Sherif Elshahawi, Ph.D.
• Kamaljit Kaur, Ph.D.
• Keykavous Parang, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Microbiology/Immunology

• Dr. Sherif Elshahawi, Ph.D.
• Dr. Jennifer Totonchy, Ph.D.
• Dr. Jason Yamaki, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Molecular Endocrinology

• Cintia Citterio, Ph.D.

Pathophysiology

• Cintia Citterio, Ph.D.
• Khaled Elsaid, M.B.A., Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Surya Nauli, Ph.D.
• Rennolds Ostrom, Ph.D.
• Ajay Sharma, Ph.D.
• Jennifer Totonchy, Ph.D.
• Sun Yang, Ph.D.

Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

• Lawrence Brown, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Marc Fleming, Ph.D.
• Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, Ph.D.
• Sherry Wang, Ph.D.

Pharmaceutics, Drug Delivery, and Pharmacokinetics

• Kamaljit Kaur, Ph.D.
• Reza Mehvar, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Keykavous Parang, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Pharmacology

• Marco Bisoffi, Ph.D.
• Khaled Elsaid, M.B.A., Pharm.D., Ph.D.
• Surya Nauli, Ph.D.
• Rennolds Ostrom, Ph.D.
• Ajay Sharma, Ph.D.
• Rachita Sumbria, Ph.D.
• Sun Yang, Ph.D.
• Miao Zhang, Ph.D.

Structural Biology

• Innokentiy Maslennikov, Ph.D.
• Miao Zhang, Ph.D.

What are the career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sciences?

Over the years, pharmaceutical scientists have been instrumental in discovering and developing innovative drugs that save thousands of lives and improve the lives of countless others. Pharmaceutical scientists can pursue a variety of career opportunities/jobs. For example, they may be employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; work as researchers, scientists, and professors at universities; or work for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), and national laboratories, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) publishes annual salary data for pharmaceutical scientists.

Source: AAPS

Is the Ph.D. program accredited?

The Ph.D. program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.

What are the admission requirements?

• Please see the Admissions Information section above, on this page. 

I do not have a master's degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or biotechnology, but I have a master's degree in another field. Can I still apply for this program?

Please contact the Graduate Programs Office before applying. Please email gradpharmsci@chapman.edu. 

When can I expect to receive an admission decision? 

• The program accepts applications until the December 15 deadline.
• Only complete applications are reviewed by our Graduate Admission Team.  
• Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by March 15. 

Can I transfer from another program into the Chapman’s Ph.D. program?

Transfers will be considered on a case-by-case basis if the curriculum requirements are met. Please contact the Graduate Programs Office gradpharmsci@chapman.edu.

What is the cost of the program?

A minimum of 3-4 years of study will be required depending upon prior academic experience. For detailed tuition information, please visit the Chapman University Tuition & Fee Information page.  Competitive Fellowships that cover tuition and a stipend are offered to qualified candidates.

Are there any financial assistance or tuition waiver plans?

Qualified domestic and international students in the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences are eligible to receive a tuition scholarship and research or teaching assistantships. The University’s financial aid office can provide more comprehensive information on other forms of federal, state, or private funding: (714) 997-6741 or gradfinaid@chapman.edu. Students should also explore the National Health Service financial aid site.

Other links to Fellowship or Scholarship programs:

American Chemical Society Awards

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Opportunities

American Association of University Women Awards

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

PhRMA Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowships

U.S. Pharmacopeia Global Fellowship Program

Is the School of Pharmacy on the Chapman University Campus in Orange, CA?

No. CUSP is located on the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, CA. The campus is 15 miles south of the Chapman Campus at 9401 Jeronimo Rd. CUSP is conveniently located 1.5 miles east of the I-5 Freeway, off of Alton Parkway, and within 2 miles of the Irvine Spectrum.

Is there student housing near the School of Pharmacy?

Currently, there is no official Chapman student housing near CUSP. However, there are several apartment complexes within a few miles of the Rinker Health Science Irvine campus. A list of local apartment complexes, housing options, and other related resources is available on the CUSP Housing page.