The Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Download Our Guide to Earning Your Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
At the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, we are preparing the next generation of scientists, clinicians and practitioners to discover innovative solutions to the world’s most challenging health care issues. In this guide, you’ll learn about:
- Our four academic divisions, each of which corresponds to a stage in the drug-development and care delivery cycle
- Our highly collaborative approach to research and patient career
- Career information and opportunities for pharmaceutical scientists and clinicians
- Step-by-step guide to getting started on earning your PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Ph.D. Program Accreditation
An internal self-study of the School’s graduate program occurs every eight years, with the last self-study occurring in 2016. This information is used to inform the program review process within the University.
The graduate program in Pharmaceutical Sciences (M.S. and Ph.D.) is reviewed as part of the University’s accreditation process every ten years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The Program Review at UNC-Chapel Hill is outlined at The Graduate School.
The Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences offers you rigorous grounding in a broad range of disciplines that are critical to your success as a pharmaceutical scientist in academia and industry.
Ph.D. OVERVIEWPick Your Division
When you apply to our Ph.D. program, you must choose a concentration in one of four academic divisions, each of which corresponds to a stage in the drug-development cycle.
Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry
CBMC focuses on finding and characterizing new therapeutic agents and targets.
Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics
DPMP seeks to narrow the therapeutic agents discovered in the first stage down to the most successful compounds and therapies.
Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics
DPET focuses on discovering and evaluating the factors that influence how therapeutic agents exert their effects in humans by conducting bench-to-bedside research.
Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy
DPOP focuses on the economic and health outcomes of therapies and pharmaceutical policies.
Ph.D. with an emphasis in pharmacoengineering
The School offers an option for students to pursue a Ph.D. with an emphasis on pharmacoengineering.
Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program
The BBSP allows you to start your graduate studies in biological or biomedical sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill without initially committing to a specific Ph.D. program. Within the School, this option is available to students interested in the Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry or the Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics.
Our application information includes instructions on applying through the BBSP.