(Updated December 2018)

Minimum requirements needed for the successful completion of the Ph.D. program in the Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences program established by the Graduate School, HSC Office of Research and Graduate Education, and the Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty, are as follows:

Course requirements

  1. Number of credit hrs.: fall and spring semesters: 9-17; summer: 3 hrs. Approval is needed if a graduate student takes more than 17 hours in a semester.
  2. Year 1, fall semester: completion of the undifferentiated biomedical sciences core curriculum as described on SOLE.
  3. Complete PPS pathway course requirements.
    Required courses
    PHAR 706: Biopharmaceutics (2 cr. hrs.)
    PHAR 805: Drug Chemistry (2 cr. hrs.)
    PHAR 809: Principles of Drug Action (2 cr. hrs.
    PHAR 816: Pharmacokinetics (2 cr. hrs.)
    PHAR 779: Drug Discovery (3 cr. hrs.)
    and at least one more advanced course of choice      
  4. Submit Plan of Study by the end of the Fall semester of Year 2. It should be designed with guidance from the student’s major advisor and graduate committee.
  5. Every semester attend two 1 credit hour required courses: PHAR 796: Graduate Seminar and a journal club.  Several different discipline-oriented journal club courses are available, such as:
    PHAR 782: Tumors of the Central Nervous System Journal Club
    PHAR 783: Pharmacy Cell Biology Seminar
    PHAR 784: Pharmacology Journal Club
    PHAR 787: Drug Discovery and Development. 
    Note: It is recommended that committee meetings to discuss student progress be held after the student’s seminar presentation. Mentor and committee members are encouraged to attend the seminar.
  6. Every semester register for PHAR 797: Research, for 1 or more credit hrs. as needed.  The mentor should evaluate the student’s progress during the semester using the Research Evaluation Form provided by the course coordinator (program director). 

Teaching requirements

Mentors are responsible for arranging teaching experiences to meet this requirement in consultation with the student’s dissertation committee and the PPS Program Director.

Dissertation requirements

  1. Identify a Ph.D. committee chair/mentor by the end of the Year 1 in the program.
  2. Appoint a Ph.D. Committee by the end of the fall semester of Year 2.

    Graduate committee: The committee should be comprised of 5 members and the major advisor must be a regular member of the Graduate Faculty.  NIOSH faculty may serve as a co-chair.  Majority of the graduate committee must be regular members of the graduate faculty.  At least two members must be from the program at least one member must be from outside of the program. Only one committee member with no graduate faculty status is permitted.

  3. Evaluate research progress annually, starting at the end of Year 2.  The Annual Student Evaluation Form and Progress Report is due June 15, following a graduate committee meeting.  The committee has to meet at least once a year to discuss the student’s progress, with additional meetings scheduled as needed.  These meetings should be held preferably after the student’s seminar presentations. The mentor should complete the Dissertation Committee Evaluation form after each meeting. 
  4. Submit Individual Development Plan required from all HSC students annually, by June 15, along with the Annual Evaluation Form (see above). The IDP should be reviewed with the mentor.
  5. Successfully pass the written part of the doctoral qualifying exam (Part I) by the end of the summer semester of Year 2.
  6. Successfully pass the oral part of the doctoral qualifying exam (Part II - dissertation proposal defense) within 6 months of passing Part I of the qualifying exam.
  7. After passing part II of the doctoral qualifying exam, candidates are allowed no more than 5 years to complete the remaining degree requirements.
  8. At least one accepted 1st author publication in a peer-reviewed journal from your research is required. 
  9. Write a doctoral dissertation at the conclusion of your research project.  The dissertation must be submitted to your dissertation committee 10 business days before the defense. Information on the graduation application process can be found at https://registrar.wvu.edu/graduation-diploma.
  10. Orally defend the dissertation (public defense). The defense must be posted/announced 2 weeks before your defense.
  11. Submit the final approved dissertation electronically as required by the University.

    The SOP forms are available under “Graduate Program Forms"