Pharmaceutical Chemistry Ph.D. Programs
Pharmaceutical Chemistry is an interdisciplinary field that integrates diverse areas of science ranging from biological to chemical sciences. Students in the program will become familiar with aspects of physical, organic and analytical chemistry, chemical kinetics, biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics, and biotechnology including vaccines. To address these needs, the department offers a series of core courses designed to hone the student’s skills in these topical areas, which are considered essential in understanding problems at the molecular level.
Currently, the department has 14 faculty members, about 35 graduate students, and a similar number of postdoctoral fellows and research scientists. The department is recognized nationally and internationally, with most graduates and researchers going on to successful careers in the pharmaceutical industry, government positions and academia.
On-Site Ph.D. Program
Students entering the program are expected to complete the core courses during the first three semesters of graduate study. Students can choose from a variety of elective courses that allow them to gain knowledge and skills in areas specific to individual research project interests. The department places emphasis on excellence in research making every effort to ensure that students can maximize efforts on their research projects toward earning the targeted degree in a timely fashion.
Admitted students receive a competitive stipend, tuition, and basic health insurance. Students also can be selected to participate in the Takeru Higuchi and Nigel Manning Ph.D. Intersearch Program, allowing them to conduct a portion of their research at the Victorian College of Pharmacy (
http://www.vcp.monash.edu.au) at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in other industrial and/or academic internship programs the department offers.
Distance Ph.D. Program
The department also offers a distance Ph.D. program. Admittance is offered to a limited number of highly qualified students who excelled while completing the Distance M.S. degree program. Interested students should inquire with their M.S. advisor, onsite employer advisor and the graduate director for details. This program features the same didactic coursework and research requirements as in the onsite Ph.D. program but allows students to complete the degree while working at a remote location. For questions, contact the graduate director, John Stobaugh, 785-864-3996, stobaugh@ku.edu.
Graduate Admission
Students with a bachelor level degree or a master’s degree in chemistry, pharmacy, the biological sciences, material sciences, chemical engineering or related disciplines are encouraged to seek admission to our program. Except under unusual circumstances, we review and accept candidates for admission into the fall semester only. All information must be delivered to us before we can begin to consider your application. Entering students are expected to be competent in basic principles of organic chemistry, physical chemistry and two semesters of calculus equivalent to KU MATH 121/122. Students entering the program with any deficiencies in any of these areas will take suitable KU courses to address such an issue
While the department does not have a formal application deadline, the faculty begins evaluations of applications around January 15 each year. To ensure full consideration, it is highly recommended that complete applications be in the department in advance of January 15. Admitted students receive a competitive stipend, tuition, and basic health insurance. Students also can be selected to participate in the Takeru Higuchi and Nigel Manning Ph.D. Intersearch Program, allowing them to conduct a portion of their research at the Victorian College of Pharmacy (http://www.vcp.monash.edu.au) at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in other industrial and/or academic internship programs the department offers.
Several fellowship awards are offered to recognize academic superiority and to assist meritorious students in the timely completion of their degree programs. The number of fellowships awarded each year depends upon available funds. For a description of funding opportunities for KU graduate students, visit the Graduate Studies website (https://graduate.ku.edu/funding). Students with particularly outstanding undergraduate records may be eligible for special awards. The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry is a Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship Program (http://selfgraduate.ku.edu) partner at KU. The program provides a generous stipend and tuition to outstanding students for 4 years of graduate study. At the department level, the Higuchi, Lindenbaum, Rytting, Stella, and Waugh Fellowships are awarded each year to incoming graduate students with high promise.
Any materials sent directly to the department should be directed to:
The University of Kansas
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Attn: Michelle Huslig
Simons Labs
2095 Constant Ave., Room 182
Lawrence, KS 66047
Telephone: 785-864-4822, fax: 785-864-5736, mrhuslig@ku.edu
Ph.D. Degree On-Site Program
Progression through the on-site Ph.D. degree involves successfully undertaken a prescribed group of required courses, completing an internal milestone examination (Foundation Exam), satisfying the University of Kansas Doctoral Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship requirements, the departmental elective requirement, pass the Oral Comprehensive Examination, and conducting research of quality to support a Doctoral Dissertation and ultimately successfully defending the written Doctoral Dissertation.
Foundation Exam
The foundation exam is given after the completion after three fall and spring semesters in the graduate program. The exam is conducted by the faculty selecting a publication from the department’s areas of emphasis (1, Biotechnology, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics; 2, Physical and Analytical Chemistry; 3, and Chemical Kinetics and Drug Stability) for students to answers questions about over a one-week period. The written component is followed by an oral examination.
Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship
Students must complete is requirement prior to undertaking the Oral Comprehensive Examination. To fulfill this requirement the student must take PHCH 801 Issues in Scientific Integrity, and either PHCH 715 or MDCM 710. One of these courses cannot serve as both the research skills and responsible scholarship requirement and the elective requirement.
Elective requirement
The one-course elective requirement can be satisfied by taking either PHCH 715 or MDCM 710. One of these courses cannot serve as both the RS2 requirement and the elective requirement. Should the students desire to undertake other KU course offerings this should be communicated to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval.
Comprehensive Examination
All coursework and the RS2 requirement must be satisfied to be eligible to undertake the Comprehensive examination. A component of the oral comprehensive exam is the student preparing an original research proposal for presentation to the oral examination committee. The committee consists of a committee per general requirements related to the comprehensive oral examination, as listed in the Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs section of the online catalog. Students who successfully complete the Oral Comprehensive Examination and have also completed at least 30 hours of graduate credit will receive an M.S. degree.
Enrollment Requirements Post-Comprehensive Exam
Upon passing the comprehensive examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Ph.D. degree and is approved to proceed with their dissertation research and project. Starting the semester following successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam, students must enroll in accordance with the Office of Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs’ Doctoral Candidacy Policy. This enrollment includes, but is not limited to, at least 1 dissertation hour every semester until graduation and enrollment in at least 6 hours each fall & spring until meeting 18 hours post-comprehensive exam, after which, with the approval of the department, the student may reduce to a minimum of 1 dissertation hour each semester. See the Doctoral Candidacy policy for more information about this University level requirement.
Please visit with the Director of Graduate Studies and/or your advisor if you have questions.
Dissertation
The final requirement for the Ph.D. is the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on original laboratory research conducted by the candidate. General requirements, such as those related to the dissertation, and the dissertation defense, are listed in the Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs section of the online catalog.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CHEM 740 | Principles of Organic Reactions | 3 |
| CHEM 840 | Physical Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| PHCH 730 | Biopharmaceutics&Pharmacokinetics | 3 |
| PHCH 801 | Issues in Scientific Integrity | 1 |
| PHCH 862 | Physical Chemistry of Solutions, Solids and Surfaces | 3 |
| PHCH 864 | Pharmaceutical Analysis | 4 |
| PHCH 870 | Advanced Pharmaceutical Biotechnology | 4 |
| PHCH 920 | Chemical Kinetics | 2 |
| PHCH 972 | Mechanisms of Drug Deterioration and Stabilization | 3 |
| MDCM 710 | Chemistry of Drug Action I | 4 |
| PHCH 715 | Drug Delivery | 4 |
| |
| Total Hours | 34 |
Ph.D. Degree Distance Program
To be eligible for the distance Ph.D. program, the student must have completed the M.S. distance program in exemplarity fashion, both in didactic course work and research. The distance Ph.D. student will need to complete the following aspects generally required for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Ph.D. degree, plus take coursework that was not undertaken during the M.S. distance program.
These bridging distance M.S. to distance Ph.D. bridging requirements include taking the internal milestone examination (Foundation Exam), satisfying the University of Kansas Doctoral Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship requirements, passing the Oral Comprehensive Examination, and conducting research of quality to support a Doctoral Dissertation and ultimately successfully defending the written Doctoral Dissertation.
Foundation Exam
The foundation exam is given after the completion after three fall and spring semesters in the graduate program. The exam is conducted by the faculty selecting a publication from the department’s areas of emphasis (1, Biotechnology, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics; 2, Physical and Analytical Chemistry; 3, and Chemical Kinetics and Drug Stability) for students to answers questions about over a one-week period. The written component is followed by an oral examination.
Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship
Students must complete this requirement prior to undertaking the Oral Comprehensive Examination. To fulfill this requirement, the student must take PHCH 802 Issues in Scientific Integrity, and PHCH 716.
Comprehensive Examination
All coursework and the Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship requirement must be satisfied to be eligible to undertake the Comprehensive examination. A component of the oral comprehensive exam is the student preparing an original research proposal for presentation to the oral examination committee. The committee consists of a committee per general requirements related to the comprehensive oral examination, as listed in the Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs section of the online catalog.
Enrollment Requirements Post-Comprehensive Exam
Upon passing the comprehensive examination, the student becomes a candidate for the Ph.D. degree and is approved to proceed with their dissertation research and project. Starting the semester following successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam, students must enroll in accordance with the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs’ Doctoral Candidacy Policy. This enrollment includes, but is not limited to, at least 1 dissertation hour every semester until graduation and enrollment in at least 6 hours each fall & spring until meeting 18 hours post-comprehensive exam, after which, with the approval of the department, the student may reduce to a minimum of 1 dissertation hour each semester. See the Doctoral Candidacy policy for more information about this University level requirement.
Please visit with the Director of Graduate Studies and/or your advisor if you have questions.
Dissertation
The final requirement for the Ph.D. is the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on original laboratory research conducted by the candidate. General requirements, such as those related to the dissertation, and the dissertation defense, are listed in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Acquire & Demonstrate Core Knowledge.
- Demonstrate Background Knowledge.
- Demonstrate Writing Skills.
- Demonstrate Oral Communication Skills.
- Execute Data Analysis Skills.
- Exhibit Critical Thinking.
