Pharmaceutical Sciences & Drug Development Major

Saint Joseph’s is one of the few universities in the US to offer a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences program. This unique undergraduate program provides students with the theoretical understanding and laboratory-based skills to develop, formulate, manufacture and test drugs and cosmetics. Students sharpen their technical skills through laboratory-based courses and faculty-directed undergraduate research projects.

Students will sharpen their skills in the discipline of pharmaceutics that specializes at determining feasible dosage form, route and time of administration (formulation and delivery). This discipline is often referred to as Drug Development branch of the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharmaceutical Scientists are masters of design and leverage their creativity to get just the right amount of therapeutic at just the right place for the right amount of time. Many new inventions are linked to such creativity of design and our discipline of Pharmaceutics has proven very successful in the issuance of patents. Students with a BS in pharmaceutical sciences join careers in medicine, health-related fields, pharmaceutical companies (scientists or pharmaceutical representative), and regulatory affairs (drug approvals) to name a few. 

Goal 1: Students demonstrate ability to plan and conduct experiments according to a designated protocol or to modify a procedure if necessary.

Goal 2: Students demonstrate ability to analyze and interpret data, formulate and execute Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), apply appropriate Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), and demonstrate strong familiarity with computer programs or software for data analysis.

Goal 3: Student apply scientific theory and methodology, demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills to solve scientific questions and demonstrate the ability to perform online literature searches.

Goal 4: Students demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills in order to present scientific findings and knowledge to individuals and groups, demonstrate proficiency in electronic communications, and competency in the use of office software used in research. 

Goal 5: Students Identify strengths and weaknesses, demonstrate professional behavior by exhibiting initiative, accountability and timeliness for action, demonstrate ethical behavior, set goals and develop plans including steps to achieve these goals and demonstrate ability to work independently and as a team.

The traditional undergraduate programs includes a minimum of 120 credits distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas1:

  1. Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
  2. Ethics Intensive
  3. Writing Intensive, and
  4. Diversity
1

Overlay requirements are part of the 120 credit requirements

General Education Signature Courses

See this page about Signature courses

General Education Variable Courses

See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses

MAT 155Fundamentals of Calculus3
or MAT 161 Calculus I
BIO 101
101L
Bio I: Cells
and Bio I: Cells Lab
4

General Education Overlays

See this page about Overlays.

General Education Integrative Learning Component

See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:

BIO 102
102L
Bio II: Genetics
and Bio II: Genetics Lab
4
CHM 120
120L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Lab I
4
PHY 101
101L
General Physics I
and General Physics Laboratory I
4

Major Requirements

CHM 125
125L
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Lab II
4
CHM 210
210L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Lab I
4
CHM 215
215L
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Lab II
4
PHY 102
102L
General Physics II
and General Physics Laboratory II
4
PHS 200Biopharmaceutical Foundation I3
PHS 300Biopharmaceutical Foundatn II2
PHS 302Intro Lab Tech in Biomedicine3
PHS 303Pharma & Biopharmaceutics I3
PHS 304Intro Drug Discovery & Dev3
PHT 305Fundamentals of Pharmacology3
PHT 306Biomethods in Pharmac & Tox3
PHS 309Pharm-Biopharmaceutics II3
PHS 404Seminar Pharmaceutical Scncs1
PHS 411
411L
Drug Development I
and Drug Development I Lab
3
PHS 413Drug Development II3
PHS 414Advanced Pharma Analysis3
Total Hours49
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
FallHours
CHM 120
120L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Lab I
4
MAT 120
Precalculus
or Fundamentals of Calculus
3
BIO 101
101L
Bio I: Cells
and Bio I: Cells Lab
4
ENG 101 Craft of Language 3
PHS 150 First Year Seminar 3
 Hours17
Spring
CHM 125
125L
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Lab II
4
MAT 155
Fundamentals of Calculus
or Moral Foundations
3
BIO 102
102L
Bio II: Genetics
and Bio II: Genetics Lab
4
ENG 102 Texts & Contexts 3
HIS 154 Forging the Modern World 3
INT 151 Inequality in American Society 1
 Hours18
Sophomore
Fall
CHM 210
210L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Lab I
4
PHY 101
101L
General Physics I
and General Physics Laboratory I
4
Non-Native Language I based on placement 3-4
Social/Behavioral Science 3
THE 153
Encountering the New Testament
or Catholic Theological Tradition
or Catholic Social Tradition
3
 Hours17-18
Spring
CHM 215
215L
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Lab II
4
PHY 102
102L
General Physics II
and General Physics Laboratory II
4
Non-Native Language II based on placement 3-4
PHS 151 Science Talk Seminar 0
PHS 200 Biopharmaceutical Foundation I 3
PHL 154 Moral Foundations 3
 Hours17-18
Junior
Fall
PHS 300 Biopharmaceutical Foundatn II 2
PHS 302
302L
Intro Lab Tech in Biomedicine
and Intro Lab Tech in Biomed Lab
3
PHS 303
303L
Pharma & Biopharmaceutics I
and Pharma & Biopharmac I Lab
4
Philosophical Anthropology 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
PHS 304 Intro Drug Discovery & Dev 3
PHS 306
306L
Advanced Biomedical Methods
and Adv Biomedical Methods Lab
3
PHS 309 Pharm-Biopharmaceutics II 3
Faith and Reason Course 3
Elective (overlay, if needed) 3
 Hours15
Senior
Fall
PHS 404 Seminar Pharmaceutical Scncs 1
PHS 411
411L
Drug Development I
and Drug Development I Lab
3
PHS 413 Drug Development II (Drug Development II: Formulation) 3
Religious Difference 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours16
Spring
PHT 305 Fundamentals of Pharmacology 3
PHS 414
414L
Advanced Pharma Analysis
and Advanced Pharma Analysis Lab
3
Art/Lit 3
Elective 3
Elective (overlay, if needed)
 Hours12
 Total Hours127-129