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MBA / Pharm.D Graduate Program

I. SUMMARY
The joint program in business administration and pharmacy will allow students to complete two separate degrees, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), in a shorter period of time than would be required if the degrees were taken consecutively without the joint program. The program will allow students to take advantage of the need in the pharmacy profession and the pharmaceutical industry for a combination of business skills and training as a professional pharmacist. The heart of the program is reciprocity and coordination between The School of Business Administration’s On-Campus and Off-Campus MBA programs and College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences’ pharmacy program.

This agreement between the two schools is for a joint program, not for a new degree. A graduate from the joint program will earn two degrees, a MBA and a Pharm.D.

II. OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the joint program in business and pharmacy is to allow highly qualified students to pursue the studies needed to understand and address issues that require knowledge of both disciplines. Each year pharmacy students inquire about the possibility of obtaining their MBA concurrently with their Pharm.D. degree.

A related objective is to strengthen the business aspect of the pharmacy program. Currently, pharmacy students enroll in only one compulsory pharmacy course related to business and management, and only two pharmacy elective courses related to these topics are available. The MBA program does not offer business and management courses in its curriculum from the perspective of pharmacy practice or the pharmaceutical industry.

An additional objective is to enhance the employment opportunities for the students. In the recent past, pharmacy students earning both a business-related master’s degree and a Pharm.D. obtained management-level pharmacy positions soon after graduation without significant additional experience. One student opened her own pharmacy business in a unique market niche, and this new business has already gained a national reputation. It is apparent that employers and society see value in this combination of degrees.

Another benefit of this joint program is to further distinguish The University of Montana. Not only will UM be the only unit in the Montana University System to offer an MBA degree and a pharmacy degree, but UM will indeed be the only university in the northwest to do so. Currently, Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and The University of Southern California in Los Angeles are the closest universities to Montana that offer a joint MBA/Pharm.D.

III. STRUCTURE OF THE JOINT PROGRAM

A. Curriculum/Course of Study
Students completing the program will receive two separate degrees, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.). Both of these degree programs are already established and successful. Both are accredited at the highest levels attainable. Currently, the MBA can be earned in two semesters and a summer, if the first year of prerequisites has been completed; the Pharm.D. can be earned in four years. Under the joint program, a student could complete both degrees in a five-year period if the MBA and Pharm.D. prerequisites are done before the joint program begins. During the first three years the student will be enrolled full-time in the School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences; however, elective time is available in each year of the Pharm.D. program and students could complete some MBA courses during these times. During the fourth (final) year of the Pharm.D. program, students may arrange their clinical rotations in such a way as to free up an entire semester during which they could take additional MBA courses. After completing the last year of the pharmacy program a student would then complete any remaining requirements for the MBA.

B. Scheduling Issues
The two schools’ graduate advisors will consider scheduling issues before each year begins. But, due to the unique nature of the MBA program, conflicts should be minimal or nonexistent. The University of Montana has been charged with providing an MBA program across the entire state. Consequently, all MBA core classes are offered during the day, as well as on Tuesday and Thursday nights; the day classes accommodate the On-Campus students; the evening classes accommodate the part time, Off-Campus MBA students. Therefore, in almost all cases, if there is a class conflict, the students in the joint program would be allowed to take the course in the evening rather than the day.

Also, it is probable that a number of students will not have completed the prerequisite courses to the MBA program. They have a choice. They can take these prerequisites Fall, Spring or Summer sessions by attending ten undergraduate day courses. Alternatively, they may take five graduate prerequisite courses that are prepared and taught by School of Business Administration’s faculty over the Internet. Students may mix and match these alternatives. Therefore, the prerequisite MBA classes should not hinder scheduling between the two programs.

C. Reciprocity
The heart of the joint program is the reciprocity between The School of Business Administration and The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences. The School of Business Administration will accept nine semester credits from the Pharm.D. program to complete the MBA degree; three credits may come from 500-level UG designated courses, while the remaining six credits must come from 600-level graduate courses. The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences will accept nine semester credits from the MBA program to complete the Pharm.D. degree. Only courses for which grades of A or B are earned will be accepted by one program from the other.

Due to the transfer of credits between departments, students are able to graduate on a more timely basis than would be possible if both programs were taken separately. Indeed, this is the attraction of a joint program. (See Appendix I for a sample MBA/Pharm.D. curriculum schedule.)

D. Degree Requirements
Except for the reciprocity described above, the requirements for the MBA and Pharm.D. degrees will not be affected by the joint program. Students will be required to fulfill the MBA degree requirements of The School of Business Administration and the Pharm.D. requirements of The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences.

IV. ADMISSIONS/ENROLLMENT
Students who wish to participate in the joint program must satisfy the normal admission requirements for both The School of Business Administration’s MBA program and The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences’ Pharm.D. program. Thus, students cannot enter the joint program until they have been accepted separately by both schools. Students who are admitted to the MBA program must have been admitted to the Graduate School as well, which means that they must have completed an undergraduate degree. If accepted by both programs, permission to participate in the joint program must be obtained from both the Director of the MBA Program and the Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences. This will facilitate coordinating, advising, and controlling the number of students matriculating through the joint program.

A student may request enrollment in the joint program at any time. However, these programs are simultaneous; thus, the best benefit is achieved by early entrance into both programs.

V. ADVISING
Because of the specific needs and interests of each student in the joint program, every effort will be made by The School of Business Administration and The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences to tailor the program to the individual student’s requirements and interests. The Dean of The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences will appoint a Department of Pharmacy Practice faculty member to serve as a faculty advisor; he/she and the Director of the MBA Program will serve as advisors to students enrolled in the joint program.

VI. TUITION/FINANCIAL AID
Students enrolled in the joint program will pay tuition rates and apply for and receive financial aid in accordance with university policies, with one exception from current practice. Students will pay The School of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences’ super tuition for the 127 credits taken for the Pharm.D. degree, as well as The School of Business Administration’s On-Campus super tuition for the 23 credits taken for the MBA degree. Students opting to take Off-Campus MBA credits are exempted from the School of Business Administration’s super tuition, but will have to pay the higher fees assessed by Continuing Education.
 

APPENDIX I  

Sample MBA/Pharm. D. Curriculum

Year One
School of Pharmacy
FALL
 Chem 380   Elementary Biochemistry         4
 Micb 302      Medical Microbiology                3
 Bio 107        Elementary Microbiology Lab  1
 Phar 309     Pharmacy Practice                     3
 Phar 341     App. Anatomy & Physiology I    4
 Phar 361     Pharmaceutical Sci. Lab I         1
 Phar 371     Integrated Studies                      1

 SPRING
 Phar 310     Pharmacy Practice II                 3
 Phar 328     Antimicrobial Agents                 3
 Phar 331     Pharmaceutics                           4
 Phar 342     App. Anatomy & Physiology II   4
 Phar 362     Pharmaceutical Sci. Lab 2       1
 Phar 372     Integrated Studies II                   1
TOTAL CREDITS                                             17 TOTAL CREDITS                                           16
SUMMER   Pharm 480      Community Pharmacy Externship       4
No MBA classes taken in Year One
 

Year Two

School of Pharmacy
FALL
 Phar 421     Medicinal Chemistry I                3
 Phar 432     Pharmacokinetics/
                            Biopharmaceutics       3
 Phar 443     Pharmacology & Toxicology      4
 Phar 451     Therapeutics I                              3
 Phar 471     Integrated Studies                       1

 SPRING
 Phar 412     Pharmacy Practice III                  3
 Phar 422     Medicinal Chemistry II                3
 Phar 444     Pharmacology & Toxicology II   4
 Phar 452     Therapeutics II                             3
 Phar 472     Integrated Studies II                    1
 
TOTAL CREDITS                                            14 TOTAL CREDITS                                           14
SUMMER Pharm 481      Hospital Pharmacy Externship       4
No MBA classes taken in Year Two
 

Year Three

School of Pharmacy
FALL
Phar 505     Pharmacy Practice IV                  4
 Phar 514     Pharmacy Ethics                         3
 Phar 553     Therapeutics III                            4
 Phar 557     Public Health in Pharmacy        2
 Phar 571     Integrated Studies                       1

 SPRING
 Phar 506     Pharmacy Practice V                 4
 Phar 550     Drug Literature Evaluation       3
 Phar 554     Therapeutics IV                          4
 Phar 572     Integrated Studies                     1
 
TOTAL CREDITS                                            14 TOTAL CREDITS                                           14
No MBA classes taken in Year Three
 

Year Four

School of Pharmacy
FALL
Phar 581     Inpatient Clerkship                     8
 Phar XXX     Elective Clerkship                       8

 SPRING
 Phar 582     Ambulatory Care Clerkship       8
 Phar XXX     Elective Clerkship                       8
TOTAL CREDITS                                            16 TOTAL CREDITS                                           16
No MBA classes taken in Year Four
 

Year Five

School of Business Administration
FALL
MBA 601      Career & Leadership Skills      1
IS 574           Mgmt of Information Systems  2
 MBA 640      Organizational Behavior            2
 MBA 660      Marketing Management             2
 FIN   681      Financial Management              2
MBA 694      Competitive Strategy                  1
 MBA 645 or 655, Perspectives                       2

 SPRING
 ACCT 605    Administrative Controls          2
 IS 650           Quantitative Analysis               2
 MBA 685      International Business            2
 MBA 665      Strategic Management            2
 MBA 645 or 655, Perspectives                     2
 MBA 694      Elective                                        1
TOTAL CREDITS.                                         12 TOTAL CREDITS                                          11
No Pharm.D. classes taken in Year Five
 

Notes:    23 MBA credits taken (plus 9 transferred in from Pharm.D. program = 32 credits

                127 Pharm.D. program credits taken (plus 9 to be transferred in from MBA) = 136 total credits

                Pharm.D. program elective credits or some clinical training credits may be taken during summer and winter sessions to reduce per semester loads noted above.
 

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