Newswise — University of the Sciences in Philadelphia has announced the formation of the Department Of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business. The Department, under the auspices of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, is specifically geared towards training students for the pharmaceutical and health care industry through its graduate and undergraduate degree programs.
"The overall goal is to place students in industry or educate them for further advancement on the graduate level," said Dr. Glenn Rosenthal, department chair. "For undergraduates, it is to get them entry level sales and marketing positions."
The BS degree combines coursework in science, business, and the health care industry. Students learn to appreciate and understand the scientific, professional, economic, and practice-related factors that will lead to leadership positions in the industry.
Students from the program already have gone on to work at some of the top pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Merck, Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Novartis, National Comprehensive Cancer Network and ExcelleRx, as well in other fields such as IMS Data, a data collection company, and Colorcon, a chemical specialty company.
For the graduate level program, there are three main components: an evening MBA program, a weekend Executive MBA program, and an online degree program.
"¢ The evening MBA program can be either full-time or part-time, depending upon the needs of the individual student. "¢ The Executive program is for those who have a minimum of four years in the industry and want to broaden their basic knowledge to rise up the corporate ladder or to facilitate a move from one area of functional expertise to another. "¢ The online program was started in January 2006 and is entering its second cohort. With a similar curriculum to the Executive program, this option is attractive to students who want the convenience of controlling their schedule to meet family or travel obligations but still want to continue their education.
Joining Rosenthal in the Department administration is Dr. Bill Ashton, the Executive Director for Business Relations, who works with industry leaders to open up opportunities for internships, employment, and corporate involvement. Bruce Rosenthal, the Director of Graduate Programs, is overseeing the maintenance and development of the curricula and an international initiative to take students to the Far East and Europe. And Melanie Oates, Vice Chair for the Department, is continually evaluating the program, its courses, and the quality of the academic experience.
Since it was started six years ago in 2000, the pharmaceutical marketing and management BS degree program has grown tremendously. Combined with the addition of the graduate degree program the following year, it has since led to the establishment of the Department of Pharmaceutical And Healthcare Business. Expansion of the department is already in the works with another master's level degree program focusing on leadership skills being developed.
"We believe we are the place to come to if you are serious about your career in the pharmaceutical and health care industry," Rosenthal said.
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia is a private, coeducational institution founded in 1821 as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America. It is where the founders of six of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world launched their futures. Comprising four colleges across a broad range of majors, USP specializes in educating its 2,500 students for rewarding careers through its undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in pharmacy, science, and the health sciences.
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