Undergraduate students in STEM majors at West Virginia University now have a new way to build on their science training and apply it to healthcare through the WVU School of Pharmacy’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Minor.
Launching in fall 2026, the minor will expose students to the basic principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences and assist those who plan to pursue an advanced degree in healthcare or enter the pharmaceutical or biotech workforce. The minor is intended for students in majors such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, exercise physiology, forensics, biomedical engineering, and other health and science fields.
Upon completion of the program, students will understand how medications work in the body and how the body processes and eliminates them. They’ll also learn to make safety-focused decisions about medications and supplements, and formulate products through hands-on learning.
“Pharmaceutical sciences connects many areas of healthcare, from drug discovery and development to patient safety and medication use,” said Dr. Marina Galvez Peralta. “This minor gives students a meaningful way to build on their science major while connecting what they learn in the classroom to real-world questions about medicines, safety, and human health.”
Students begin taking courses for the 15-credit-hour minor during their sophomore year. The minor includes required courses in drug-induced diseases, pharmaceutical and cosmetic compounding, and herbs in medicine. Students will also select two electives. Admission and enrollment requirements can be found online in the University’s 2026-27 Academic Catalog.
For more information, contact Marie Pavlik, operations coordinator for the WVU School of Pharmacy, at 304-293-5211 or marie.pavlik@hsc.wvu.edu.