Drug Discovery and Development (DDD) is the process by which new drugs are discovered, developed and approved for clinical use. It also encompasses the knowledge, skills and techniques required for pursing the process. Many types of job function are involved in the DDD process including, but are not limited to, biologists and chemists (both broadly defined), scientific writer, IP lawyer and project manager (all requiring additional training and credentials), etc.

This Master of Science in Drug Discovery & Development (MS-DDD) is a degree program with eleven courses (total 30 semester credit hours) offered by the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth College of Pharmacy (HSCCP). It is built on our Certificate Program in DDD and is designed for recent college graduates, current PharmD students, and other full-time or part-time students including working professionals to gain a solid knowledge foundation about how drugs and medicines are discovered and developed, to increase student’s understanding of clinical, medical, legal and regulatory affairs of the DDD process, and to enhance student’s managerial and communication skills for real-world applications. The curriculum will prepare students with the appropriate knowledge and skills necessary for working in a variety of bio-pharmaceutical industry and non-industry settings and provide students with a real-world environment for learning, practice and networking. The program is delivered through 80% online didactic courses and 20% on-site training; it can be completed from one to three years, depending on individual student’s schedule and engagement level.

Admission Requirements

• Preferred education:
  • BA/BS degree in chemistry or a discipline of life sciences from an accredited U.S. institution or an internationally comparable institution
  • Currently enrolled in a PharmD program

• At least 6 semester credit hours (SCHs) of Biology, 3 SCHs of Calculus, 6 SCHs of Chemistry, and 3 SCHs of Statistics.
• GPA 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• English proficiency. Language Exam Scores are required for applicants who are not U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents unless you have completed a degree program from within the US.  IELTS and TOEFL accepted. An overall score of 92 or greater or an IELTS overall score of 6.5 or greater is preferred. TOEFL PharmGrad Code: 8246.
• Applicants who don’t meet all of these criteria may provide appropriate justification(s) for being considered on a case-by-case basis.

Application Procedures

2022-2023 Application Deadline - June 30, 2022 *Please see the Admissions Webpage for updated 2022-2023 Application Requriements*

Application via GradCAS requires the following:

• Required one-page personal statement of interest in the program (maximum 400 words)
• Required two letters of recommendation from academic or professional references
• Other optional supporting documents, such as CV or resume
• Submit official transcript(s) from all institutions attended.*
  *Please note the following:
  • Transcripts must be official, sent directly to GradCAS from your institution(s).
  • A course-by-course WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) is required from any international institutions attended.
• $74 application processing fee required

Program Contacts

• For questions about the admissions process, email admissions@unthsc.edu
• For questions about the program, contact: Dr. Eric Cheng, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Director of Drug Discovery & Development Programs, at Eric.Cheng@unthsc.edu, or call (817) 735-0165.
• Program Office: University of North Texas Health Science Center, HSC College of Pharmacy, RES-340K, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, USA.

Curriculum

Course sequence for the inaugural class of students to matriculate in Fall 2021: