GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

The School of Pharmacy faculty is composed of three divisions: Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice. This Handbook describes the activities of the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences in directing education leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.

The M.S. program is administered by the Graduate Programs Committee of the School of Pharmacy and the graduate faculty of the division of pharmaceutical sciences.

Conferral of the M.S. degree with an emphasis in pharmaceutical sciences requires a minimum of 32 credit hours of which 6 credit hours are obtained in thesis research, PHAR 599, and two credits are obtained in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar, PHAR 580A.

Requirements for admission to the M.S. degree program are identical with those for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program. The M.S. degree is not a requirement for study towards the Ph.D. degree, and prospective doctoral students are advised to apply for admission to the Ph.D. program directly.

Study towards the Ph.D. at UMKC is governed and administered through the School of Graduate Studies. The Ph.D. program at UMKC is interdisciplinary. It enables a graduate student to design a unique program of didactic and laboratory coursework and dissertation research. The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. student must select on application a coordinating discipline and one or more co-disciplines. Such a student must satisfy the admission requirements of all the disciplines selected. Pharmaceutical Sciences is recognized as one of the Disciplines which may be selected by a prospective graduate student as coordinating discipline (i.e. major) or a co-discipline. (i.e. minor) This Handbook provides a supplement to the information on requirements for graduate degrees in the University of Missouri-Kansas City General Catalog and the School of Graduate Studies handbook, titled "Academic Regulations and Information for Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City" and any amendments thereof. Students must adhere to all stipulations of the University for the degrees sought. Nothing in this description shall be construed to be in conflict with policies of the University.

All applications to graduate programs in the School of Pharmacy must be made through the UMKC Admissions Office. An applicant must meet the general requirements of the University to be considered by the School of Pharmacy.

All applications are reviewed and must be approved by the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences and by the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants to the UMKC Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program must be accepted by the Primary Discipline and the Co-discipline(s) selected. Admission to the graduate programs in Pharmaceutical Sciences is contingent on the ability of the graduate faculty to accept additional graduate students and the availability of both space and funding. Thus, worthy candidates may not be accepted for lack of a match in student and faculty interests and faculty availability or logistic considerations. Applicants must submit the following documentation:

1. A professional degree in pharmacy or a baccalaureate degree in a related field such as chemistry, biology, chemical engineering.

2. An aggregate minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for students graded on a 4.0 basis or equivalent undergraduate achievement for others. (A prospective faculty adviser may require more stringent standards in an emphasis area.)

4. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Generally, a minimum aggregate of 1800 points is required for the three sections of the examination.

5. For students whose primary language is not English, submission of scores obtained in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 580 on the TOEFL is required.

6. Foreign students must meet financial independence criteria established by the University.

Full and Provisional Admission. Graduate students in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program will be admitted provisionally until they have completed satisfactorily two semesters of graduate study. Graduate students who hold a M.S. degree in pharmaceutical sciences usually receive full admission.

Faculty Advisers. On admission, all students are assigned Interim Faculty Advisers as stated in the letter of admission. By the end of the first year, each student should have selected a permanent adviser. If the permanent adviser sought is not same as the interim adviser, the student must confirm acceptance in writing by the desired permanent adviser. Each student must have a faculty adviser throughout his/her graduate studies.

If the student changes to a faculty member not in the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, then such student will immediately lose any financial support from Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences resources.

If the student changes to another faculty member in the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences then any support from Division or School e.g. GTA, resources will transfer with the student. Resources from individual professors are at the discretion of such professors.

The adviser from whom the student is transferring has the rights to all previous project(s) worked on by the student, and all research ideas, grant proposals etc. originating from that work. That adviser must grant permission in writing for the student to use any such material for meeting presentation, publication, patent, thesis or dissertation.

If a student wishes to change permanent advisors, a meeting will be held to discuss this between the student and the two advisors, mediated by the chairman. If the chairman is one of the two advisors, then a third party will mediate.

Students who have baccalaureate degrees in an appropriate field may enroll for as many as 12 credits in graduate courses without having been admitted to the graduate programs in the School of Pharmacy. It is recognized by the Faculty that some students may not have achieved the grade point average as undergraduates or GRE scores necessary for full admission into graduate study. Some students, through work experience and maturity, may have more ability than is demonstrated in their undergraduate records. Students who have achieved a minimum of a B-grade in not fewer than 6 credits of graduate study in this School may apply for provisional admission to the graduate programs in pharmaceutical sciences. Provisional admission requires that the student must have obtained the agreement of a member of the Graduate Faculty to serve as Adviser and the approval of the Graduate Programs Committee. In no case will graduate credit of more than 12 credit hours be transferable to a degree program.

Enrollment in any School of Pharmacy course requires approval of the Graduate Programs Committee of the School of Pharmacy.

Scientists who are employed in the Kansas City area may complete graduate study for the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees on a part-time basis. They must satisfy all requirements for admission to these programs. Research towards the M.S. thesis or the Ph.D. dissertation must be independent of the projects ongoing at the student’s place of employment. The student must satisfy residency requirements of the University and the School (or its disciplines) before a degree is conferred.

The School of Pharmacy cannot guarantee financial aid on admission; however, the Faculty makes every effort to provide some form of aid to graduate students making satisfactory progress. This may include:

1. University of Missouri-Kansas City Chancellor's Nonresident Fellowship which provide remission of out-of-state tuition.

2. Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) and Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) which depend on the needs of the Faculty. University of Missouri policy dictates that foreign students whose primary language is not English cannot be considered for GTAs during their first semester of enrollment in graduate study.

3. Fellowships sponsored by industry, government or non-profit organizations such as the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education or the United States Pharmacopeial Convention. These usually confer a stipend and remission of tuition.

Refer to the Graduate Studies section of the General UMKC catalog for other sources of support.

All graduate students must satisfy requirements which include credits in Statistics and Seminar (Pharmacy 580A) as well as Pharmaceutical Sciences Thesis (PHAR 599A) or Dissertation (PHAR 699A or 699B) credits. Those students without a degree in pharmacy are advised to elect introductory graduate courses in medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutics and pharmacology/toxicology.

Several courses offered by the Division of Pharmacology/Toxicology may be appropriate electives. These are listed below:

Generally, graduate students electing pharmaceutical sciences as coordinating discipline are required to elect five graduate courses from Pharmaceutical Sciences. Graduate students electing pharmaceutical sciences as co-discipline are required to take at least three of the courses listed above.

Other graduate courses appropriate are available in the Department of Chemistry, the School of Biological Sciences and other schools and departments of the university.

Graduate students in Pharmaceutics, Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacokinetics will have completed coursework in calculus, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, where appropriate to their interests. These courses may be taken in University Departments and Schools outside the School of Pharmacy. Because many courses have prerequisites, the sequence of recommended core courses is determined by the academic background of each student and requires the concurrence of the faculty adviser.

Graduate students in the pharmaceutical sciences may be required to take examinations based on undergraduate courses to determine if additional courses are necessary.

A student enrolled as a full-time student may elect 9-12 credit hours each semester. Credit more than seven years old at the time of graduation that is included on the program of study and has not been applied to a previous degree may not be counted toward the fulfillment of a graduate degree program unless validated to the satisfaction of the department or school and the School of Graduate Studies. Petitions and affidavits for this purpose may be obtained from the School of Graduate Studies.

The M.S. degree offers advanced education in pharmaceutical sciences to students with undergraduate degrees in pharmacy and education in pharmacy disciplines to students with baccalaureate degrees in other fields, such as chemistry, chemical engineering or biology. An M.S. degree is often a requisite for management positions in industrial pharmaceutical production, quality assurance, regulatory affairs and other areas. It is thus an appropriate goal for part-time graduate students who are employed in industry or government. It is sometimes desired as a milestone for full-time graduate students who are pursuing Ph.D. degrees, but, as noted above, the M.S. is not a prerequisite for the Ph.D. degree. Admissions criteria for new graduate students are the same for applicants to the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Full-time students applying for admission to the graduate programs in the School of Pharmacy are urged to apply to the Ph.D. program!

M.S. Supervisory Committee: The Committee comprises the faculty adviser and two other faculty members recommended by the faculty adviser and approved by the Graduate School. The faculty adviser serves as Chair of the Committee and must hold current appointment to the Graduate Faculty of the University. Members of the supervisory committee must hold appointment to the graduate or adjunct graduate faculty. The Supervisory Committee must approve the research protocol and the program of study submitted by the student.

Required Credits: Conferral of the M.S. Degree requires a minimum of 32 credits in coursework and research and thesis. This is summarized as follows:

Graduate credit requires that courses be at least in the 300 sequence. Courses in the 300 or 400 sequence require a grade of "B" or better. A maximum of 6 credit hours of graduate courses taken previously at another University may be allowed by the Supervisory Committee, including credit conferred from courses passed in other universities in the MASUA agreement (see UMKC General Catalog).

Students enroll in courses with the approval of their faculty adviser. When the student has advanced to the point where a Supervisory Committee is appointed, the planned program of study must receive the approval of that Committee and the Graduate Programs Committee.

Students may be required to complete written placement examinations based on the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum in areas of pharmacy, biology and chemistry, usually during their first year.

The student is required to pass written and oral examinations on questions provided by the Supervisory Committee. Generally, the written examination covers knowledge which should have been obtained in coursework; the oral examination encompasses knowledge which should have been obtained in performance of research as well as coursework. The oral examination may be incorporated with the thesis defense, described below. Grading on these examinations is "pass-fail". A judgment of "pass" must be obtained from at least two of the three examiners.

The final requirement for conferral of the M.S. Degree is defense of the thesis, where the Supervisory Committee is the examining body. The defense is scheduled during normal School hours, Monday through Friday, and the event is announced with an abstract at least two weeks in advance. The thesis work is presented as an open seminar (40-45 minutes) followed by a 15-20 minute question period. The candidate follows the open session by defending the work in a closed session with the Thesis Supervisory Committee.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is the highest academic degree offered in any American university. The Ph.D. is a research degree. Merely attaining high grades in didactic coursework and passing examinations is insufficient demonstration of worth for this degree. Achievement of it requires demonstration of the highest order of scholarship, diligent and inventive pursuit of a research program and defense of a dissertation based on this original research.

The Ph.D. usually is a requirement for obtaining appointment to University faculties or to senior-level appointments in research and development in pharmaceutical and related industry, research institutes and in government.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree: Ph.D. programs at UMKC are interdisciplinary. Students desiring to study at the doctoral level in pharmaceutical sciences must apply to the School of Graduate Studies. Detailed information on the general and discipline-specific admission requirements may be found in the School of Graduate Studies handbook titled "Academic Regulations and Information for Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City" and any amendments thereof.

Ph.D. Supervisory Committee: The Committee comprises the faculty adviser and four other faculty members who hold appointments to the UMKC Doctoral Faculty. At least one of the members of the Ph.D. Supervisory Committee, in addition to the faculty adviser who serves as Chair, is a member of the pharmaceutical sciences faculty and at least one member represents the co-discipline(s) selected. The Committee is recommended by the faculty adviser and approved by the Graduate Programs Committee and the School of Graduate Studies. The Supervisory Committee must approve the research protocol and program of study submitted by the student.

Students may be required to complete written placement tests based on the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum in areas of pharmacy, biology and chemistry, usually during their first year. Students are required to complete a written examination based on the graduate and undergraduate curriculum administered by the Division faculty. The Co-discipline may require an additional written examination. Students are required to pass the divisional exams before appearing for their comprehensive exams administered by the Supervisory Committee. A total of eight exams will be administered, four in the general area of pharmaceutics (i.e. pharmacokinetics, formulations etc.) and four in the general area of medicinal chemistry (i.e. biochemistry, organic chemistry etc.) of which a student may take six to eight. Four of these exams must receive a passing grade for the student to pass the overall exam. Of the four passes, at least one has to be from the group outside the students main focus (i.e. pharmaceutics or medicinal chemistry). If a student does not pass the first round, they may retake as many exams as they choose the second round, to attempt to pass. If they do not succeed after a second attempt, the student will have to leave the program with a M.S. degree.

A research proposal must be submitted to the Supervisory Committee and the School of Graduate Studies within three years after a student has attained full admission to the program. Passing comprehensive oral and written examinations given by the Supervisory Committee by the end of the third year is necessary before a student can be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. A report of the results of the examination is provided to the Graduate Programs Committee and the School of Graduate Studies. Grading on these examinations is "pass-fail". A judgment of "pass" must be obtained from all or all but one member of the Supervisory Committee.

After a student has completed a body of research satisfactory to the Supervisory Committee, a dissertation is written describing the work performed. When this has been read by the Supervisory Committee and approved by them, a Dissertation Defense is conducted. Generally, the work is presented as a public seminar, an announcement and abstract of which is provided not less than two weeks before, and it is presented during a regular semester or summer session during school hours. After questions from the audience, further examination and recommendations by the Supervisory Committee are provided in camera. The dissertation must be approved in form and content by the School of Graduate Studies as well as the Supervisory Committee. In general, a dissertation in pharmaceutical sciences should be the basis of at least two publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Pharmaceutical Sciences as Co-Discipline -- Students choosing pharmaceutical sciences as a co-discipline will elect graduate courses in pharmaceutical sciences compatible with their research objectives as recommended by the supervisory committee. Generally, 3 courses will be required. Students will not be allowed to attain more than one C or lower grade in co-discipline courses.

The following list is current as of October 1, 2006. Changes in the faculty list after that time will be listed in subsequent catalogs. Titles indicate the academic ranks and the discipline area in which the faculty member has his/her major teaching responsibility.

Associate Professor (Bioorganic Chemistry); B.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Ph.D. University of California, San Francisco

Associate Professor (Biochemistry); B.S. California Polytechnic State University; Ph.D. University of Southern California

Associate Professor (Pharmaceutics); B.S. Seoul National University; M.S. University of Washington; Ph.D. Rutgers University

Professor and Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmaceutics, Drug Delivery); B.S., M.S. Jadavpur University, India; M.S., Ph.D. University of Kansas

Associate Professor (Pharmaceutics); Pharm.D. University of Cote d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; M.Sc., Ph.D. School of Pharmacy, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; M.B.A. United Business Institutes, Brussels, Belgium

Information on the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program may be obtained by contacting the UMKC School of Graduate Studies at (816) 235-1611 or 235-1301.

For additional information about programs or about the admissions process, contact the following persons:

Applications should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions/ University of Missouri-Kansas City / 5115 Oak Street/ Kansas City, MO 64110. Reference letters and supplemental application should be sent to one of the coordinators at the above address. International students should request special application packets from: International Student Adviser / 5235 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110 816-235-5355 816-235-6502 (Fax).

[1] Courses offered “on demand” generally require a minimum number of students enrolled; the number determined by the professor who offers them.

[2] Graduate students in the M.S. program or with pharmaceutical sciences as coordinating discipline in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program are required to attend all seminars. Two credits of Pharmacy 580A are required for M.S. students and three for Ph.D. students

[3] Special Topics may be elected by a graduate student desiring specialized knowledge or competence in a limited area. The project selected must be agreed on by the student and faculty member. Graduate Credit is awarded only on approval by the Division.

XXX	Course Title	Credits Hours	Semester
501	Introduction to Research	1.0	On demand[[1]]
521	Advanced Organic Medicinal Chemistry	3.0	Fall, odd
524	Cancer Biotechnology I	3.0	Fall even
525	Cancer Biotechnology II	3.0	Winter odd
527	Analysis of Drugs & Toxic Substances I	3.0	Fall, odd
528	Analysis of Drugs & Toxic Substances II	3.0	Winter, even
531	Physical Pharmacy Equilibria	3.0	Winter, even
533	Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics	4.0	Fall, even
550	Stability of Pharmaceutical Systems	3.0	Winter, even
580A	Seminar in Pharmaceutical Sciences[[2]]	1.0	Fall, Winter, all
590A	Special Topics in Pharmaceutical Sciences[[3]]	1-3	All
599	Research and Thesis	1-6	All
625	Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry	3.0	On demand
632	Advanced Drug Delivery	3.0	Winter, odd
699	Research and Dissertation	1-6	All

YYY	Course Title	Credits Hours	Semester
507	Basic Pharmacology	3.0	Fall, Winter, all
509	Basic Toxicology	3.0	Fall, Winter, all
510	Drug Biotransformation	3.0	Winter, even
515	Drug Absorption, Distribution, Excretion	3.0	Fall, all
519	Pharmacology I	4.0	Fall, all
520	Pharmacology II	5.0	Winter, all
606	Biochemical Toxicology	3.0	Winter, odd
616	Molecular Toxicology	3.0	Winter, even

Courses	Credit Hours
Pharmaceutical Sciences Courses	10
Other Coursework	11
Statistics	3
PHAR 580A, Seminar	2
PHAR 599A, Research and Thesis	6
Total Credits	32

Courses	Credit Hours
Pharmaceutical Sciences Courses	15
Other Coursework	22
Statistics	3
PHAR 580A, Seminar	3
PHAR 699, Research and Dissertation	20
Total Credits	63