A Pharmaceutics PhD from Saint Joseph’s University will provide you the experience necessary to improve how drugs are administered and pave the way for new administration methods.
Pharmaceutics MS
Saint Joseph’s University's accredited Master of Science in Pharmaceutics program provides you with the experience necessary to improve how drugs are administered, helping you pave the way for new administration methods. Working one-on-one with expert faculty, you’ll gain insight and foresight as you uncover new areas of research in our state-of-the-art labs. This STEM-designated, thesis-based pharmaceutics program is offered full-time and part-time from our University City location. For those interested in our non-thesis option, we invite you to explore our Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy MS.
If you're a current undergraduate student in the pharmaceutics program at Saint Joseph's University, we invite you to explore our accelerated 4+1 program that allows you to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in only five years. You can begin earning credit toward a master's degree during your senior year and graduate with a bachelor's and master's in only five years instead of the traditional six or seven, saving you time and money. Students from all majors are welcome to apply, but those majoring in areas outside of pharmaceutics may be required to complete prerequisite coursework. Students interested in this program should apply to the graduate program in their junior year and be conditionally accepted before completing a bachelor's degree.
What Sets Our Program Apart
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Obtaining a master’s in pharmaceutics from Saint Joseph’s University offers the opportunity to work in our recently renovated Industrial Pharmacy Laboratory, a full-scale, GLP-compliant pharmaceutical research facility fully equipped to support analysis, preformulation and formulation research of drugs.
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Our thesis-based program invites you to work closely with faculty to explore and investigate a pharmaceutics-related topic you're interested in. Writing a thesis offers the opportunity to submit the final product to an academic journal, helping you gain a competitive edge in the job market.
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Our small class sizes promote personal attention as you collaborate and work with pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical sciences faculty who are experts in areas including drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, precision medicine and more.
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Long-standing relationships with healthcare companies and pharmaceutical organizations present you with many internship and job opportunities in pharmaceutics. These companies include:
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Merck
- MossRehab
- Johnson & Johnson
- Penn Medicine
What Can I Do with a Master’s in Pharmaceutics?
A master’s in pharmaceutics primes you for career in:
- Pharmaceutical research
- Teaching
- Regulatory affairs
- Government research
- Drug delivery
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Drug product development
- Formulation
- Process optimization and stability
- Molecular pharmaceutics
If you take your pharmaceutics degree to the lab as a biochemist, you’ll join a field that’s projected to grow by 15%, much faster than the average for all occupations. Pharmaceutics also provides excellent preparation for a medical career or any other health profession.
Program Details
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View required courses for this program in the academic catalog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the program curriculum.
This thesis-based program requires*:
- At least 20 non-research credits in courses acceptable to the degree
- At least 10 research credits
- An approved written thesis and successful oral defense of that thesis
*Only 6 credits at the 300-400 level can be applied toward the degree and require the pursuit of 700- or 800-level courses
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Affordable tuition options start at $936 per credit.*
*Pricing does not include room and board, health insurance or any professional, clinical or transportation fees. Visit our Tuition & Fees page for a detailed cost breakdown.
Financial aid in the form of scholarships, student loans and graduate assistantships may be available to you to help offset the cost of your degree. Explore your options on our Financial Aid page.
Why Study Pharmaceutics in Philadelphia?
Here in Philadelphia, you’re in the heart of the biotechnology and health science industry, surrounded by 250 medical facilities and within two hours of 75% of all U.S. pharmaceutical firms. The city's diverse population and variety of health science employers offers the unique opportunity to gain experience in pharmaceutical research.
Admission Information
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You must meet the following prerequisites to be considered for admission to the master’s in pharmaceutics program (thesis and non-thesis):
- Have a bachelor’s degree in science or health from an accredited university or college
- Complete the following prerequisite courses*
- Pre-Calculus, Calculus I-II (10 credits)
- Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I-II, Pharmaceutics lab (8 credits)
- Introduction to Biostatistics or equivalent (3 credits)
- Physical Chemistry I or equivalent (3 credits)
- Analytical Chemistry and lab (4 credits)
- Cell Biology Methods with lab or equivalent (5 credits)
- Research Methods in Pharmaceutics or equivalent (2 credits)
- GRE scores are optional. You can submit them if you think they’ll strengthen your application.
*Credit hours are listed to aid determination of equivalent prerequisite courses and to plan course loads for the full time status. Please contact the program director if you have any questions.
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- Apply online.
- Submit official college transcripts from all colleges attended. If you attended Saint Joseph’s, we will obtain this transcript for you.
- Submit a 1000-word personal statement explaining your short and long term study and career goals. The personal statement may be submitted as part of application via the application portal. You must also identify at least two of the program’s faculty whose research interests align most closely with yours.
- Submit resume or CV.
- Submit three letters of recommendation.
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The application deadlines for admission to Saint Joseph’s Pharmaceutics MS program are:
- Priority Review for ALL applicants: March 1
- International Student Deadline: March 1
- Domestic Student Deadline: July 15
A submitted application and all required documents must be received by the application deadline to be considered for admission.
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International applicants must show proof of English language proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS scores. Check the Graduate Admission page for additional requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A Doctor of Pharmacy degree is required to become a pharmacist; however, students who pursue our master’s in pharmaceutics program will be prepared for careers in government, research, teaching, drug development/delivery, molecular pharmaceutics and much more. Students interested in becoming a pharmacist are encouraged to apply to our Doctor of Pharmacy program.
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Pharmaceutical scientists earn an annual salary of $105,002 and biochemists earn a median salary of $102,270 per year.
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Top employers of graduates from the School of Health Professions include:
- GlaxoSmithKline
- MossRehab
- Johnson & Johnson
- Penn Medicine
Explore Other Degree Programs
Build your mastery of how drugs and chemicals work with a Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Saint Joseph’s. Our program combines theory with experiment and features a thesis-based curriculum, faculty-supervised laboratory research and small class sizes.
Saint Joseph’s Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy MS prepares students to learn the science and practice of how drug delivery systems are developed. Working one-on-one with expert faculty, students will gain insight and foresight as they uncover new areas of research in our state-of-the-art laboratories.