Earn a Master of Science: UC Online Adds 4 Online Pharmacy Programs

The UC James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy employs collaborative research opportunities and real-world experience to enable students to graduate as leaders in the pharmacy field.

With a mission to develop progressive pharmacy practitioners and researchers to lead the evolution of healthcare, online pharmacy programs include four masters of science educational tracks for those interested in the pharmaceutical sciences and the pharmacy profession.

Students can choose from cosmetic science, pharmacy leadership, drug development, or pharmacogenomics.

COSMETIC SCIENCE

Do you have an interest in creating personal care and beauty products? Then cosmetic science may be for you, as it is the study of the science and business behind the cosmetics industry. The industry includes the formulating of cosmetics as well as personal care products. Pharmacists in this field learn how to take raw materials to make new products and then develop, formulate, and assess the safety and quality of the products for human use.

The Master in Science in Cosmetic Science program trains future leaders in the cosmetic science industry by offering both a graduate certificate and a master of science degree to both part- and full-time students. UC’s online course in cosmetic science is the most comprehensive program in the field and is led by faculty with corporate and academic experience, expertise, and practical application.

What are the courses of study in Cosmetic Science?

UC Online added the cosmetic science programs to provide students with the know-how to develop cosmetic and personal care products that delight consumers and improve their quality of life. Courses in this branch of pharmacy include physiology, pharmacology of pertinent therapeutic or benefit systems of the skin and hair, as well as those associated with approved OTC drug categories. Course offerings also cover the underlying physical, biophysical, colloidal, and interfacial chemistry and formulation science of skin and hair cosmetic products and OTC drug products.

Students will also learn about experimental design and statistical evaluation, product evaluation techniques, cosmetic microbiology, consumer research, U.S. FDA cosmetic and drug regulations, and product development approaches.

Students may also choose to attend a concentrated, one-week, hands-on laboratory formulation session at the University of Cincinnati.

Growing Careers & Average Salaries in Cosmetic Science

Cosmetic science careers include personal care, formulation, and fragrance science; product development; production; manufacturing; packaging; product testing; research; technical sales; regulatory affairs; and more.

Employment in this field is expected to grow 4% through 2028, though there will be more opportunities for those with advanced degrees. Cosmetic and material scientists can expect to earn an average salary of $78,790 a year with a bachelor’s degree, and will go up from there with a master’s degree.

PHARMACY LEADERSHIP

The pharmacy leadership graduate program combines content in the areas of both leadership and professional development within the healthcare industry. This program is designed for a working or student pharmacist who wants to move into a leadership role within the pharmacy profession by taking convenient and flexible classes online.

This program offers pharmacy students the opportunity to earn either a graduate certificate in pharmacy leadership or a Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership degree online to advance their careers. This rare program is similar to that of an MBA but taught in a pharmacy practice setting to build management skills.

What are the courses of study in Pharmacy Leadership?

The Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership program was added by UC Online to combine leadership and professional development content in a series of healthcare business and management courses. This curriculum results in a customized learning and growth experience that prepares the pharmacist professional for an advanced career in healthcare leadership roles.

Courses include communications, leadership, conflict management, team building and leading, collaboration, strategic planning and success measurement, implementation, and cultural awareness.

The pharmacy leadership programs are taught by seasoned faculty adjuncts with experience and case study work to share. The program is 100% online and is flexible enough to fit into any student’s schedule.

Growing Careers & Average Salaries in Pharmacy Leadership

UC Online added a pharmacy leadership program to make sure its students could compete with all the available careers in this growing field. Successful completion of either program prepares graduates for leadership positions in numerous health care settings, including independent and chain community pharmacies; health-system inpatient, outpatient, and clinical pharmacies; clinical coordinator roles; managed care; industry; long-term care; and more!

The pharmacy field is expected to remain steady through 2028, with the highest demand for pharmacy leadership to be at healthcare settings like hospitals and clinics. The average salary for a pharmacist is $128,090 and is expected to be greater on average for those in a leadership role.

DRUG DEVELOPMENT

The Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis on Pharmaceutics/Drug Development (MSDD) is a two-year, hybrid degree program with both an online and in-class component.

The MSDD degree is great for students who already have some drug development experience and are looking to take their career to the next level, such as pharmacy and med school graduates, or nursing and business grads. The degree provides cross-disciplinary training in the scientific and regulatory and business aspects of drug development. Graduates will be prepared to participate in the multidisciplinary process to translate a therapeutic concept from lab bench to bedside.

This degree provides individuals with a formal opportunity to learn about drug development as a whole. Students studying in this program can earn two graduate certificates (Clinical Trials Design and Research: New Drug and Device Development and Global Regulatory Affairs in Drug Development) and a master’s degree by the end of the program if they so choose.

What are the courses of study in Drug Development?

The drug development masters program provides curriculum around global regulatory affairs and development strategies of drugs and devices, therapeutic biologicals, pre- and non-clinical studies, development and manufacturing, clinical trials design and clinical research, economics, management, and a drug development capstone project.

Classes are taught by a renowned group of full-time faculty members from the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and adjunct faculty from regional and national pharmaceutical industries and contract research organizations.

Growing Careers & Average Salaries in Drug Development

Drug Development careers include design and discovery, testing, development, research, and manufacturing of new medications and/or devices.

The drug development field is continuously growing. Individuals working in the drug development industry can make an average of $85,000 at the start, more with a master’s degree and/or graduate certificates. Some jobs even pay bonuses throughout the drug development process.

PHARMACOGENOMICS

The Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Healthcare involves the study of personalized medicine as it applies to the use of diagnostic services, concepts, and medical interventions to pinpoint specific medical treatments that help each individual patient.

When diagnostic data is combined with an individual’s specific medical history, health care providers can better understand how that person’s genes will respond to certain drugs/treatments and can thus develop a targeted treatment plan.

The MS Pharm Sci degree in Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Healthcare is good for students who already have a background in allied health, biology, chemistry, nursing, genetic research, or a similar field.

What are the courses of study in Pharmacogenomics?

The Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Healthcare program requires 30 semester credit hours to satisfy degree requirements. Students can customize their own curriculum, choosing from courses such as pharmaceutical biotechnology; biostatistics and research methods; drug development;

metabolism, molecular biology, and pharmacogenomics; and clinical trials in research and design.

Classes are taught by full-time faculty members who are nationally recognized in their fields and who combine innovation with freedom of intellectual inquiry to create an inclusive environment tailored toward the needs of UC Online students.

Growing Careers & Average Salaries in Pharmacogenomics

The Pharmacogenomics program provides ample opportunities for employment in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and direct clinical care. A Pharmacogenomics degree and Personalized Healthcare Degree cover a gamut of positions that require a high skill level; therefore a Masters of Pharmaceutical Sciences is nearly essential for a career in this field.

From geneticist to research technologist and from data scientist to clinical pharmacist, an MPS degree online can help you earn an above-average salary. For example, a geneticist can expect to earn around $81,880 per year and a data scientist working on scientific research and development can earn as much as $106,720 per year.

Are you ready to join UC Online’s College of Pharmacy? Discover more about your new career today!