Program: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) In Pharmaceutical Sciences
Program goal
Students will acquire advanced level competencies in pharmaceutical research, training and service through successful completion of the program transferable skills, specialist courses and advanced original research undertaking. With the guidance from promoters, students will be knowledgeable in planning and evaluating pharmaceutical programs at nation, regional and grass roots level. Graduates will obtain hands-on experience in pharmaceutical research by analyzing data at an advanced level, writing scientific articles, preparing posters and disseminating research through publication of high standard Journals results by producing and defending their dissertation.
Program objectives
The objectives of PhD program in pharmaceutical sciences are:
•To provide a high-quality graduate program culminating in the award of a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, including the areas of Pharmaceutics, Pharmacognosy, Medicinal Chemistry, and Pharmacology.
•To foster the development of students as critical thinkers, team players, self-directed interdisciplinary scholars, and communicators.
•To train students by utilizing the extraordinary intellectual, biological, physical, and cultural assets available in Ethiopia.
•To educate individuals to be capable of conducting independent research and to be able to apply in- depth specialized knowledge to provide a solid educational, technical and experiential foundation in the industrial, academic, governmental or other arenas.
•To prepare students to meet the expectations of different professional endeavors, including careers in the pharmaceutical industry (big pharma and CROs), academia, regulatory agencies
•To produce Graduates of Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences with systematic understanding of their research discipline and the methods employed by research in this field.
•To produce graduates who are equipped with advanced theoretical knowledge and practical skills in pharmaceutical sciences that will primarily enable them to play expertise, leadership and management roles in the field of pharmaceutical sciences both at national and international levels in the context of developing countries.
•To produce graduates of this doctoral program who are able to independently work on and present issues of the pharmaceutical sciences and who have communicative competences required from successful professional scientists in leading positions in an academic, industrial or public environment.
•To produce graduates who are able to advice policy makers and shape policies and strategies of government that improves the health of populations by improving the pharmaceutical sector.
•To enhance and strengthen the country’s capacity related to advanced, basic and applied research on various problems of the pharmaceutical sectors.
•To strengthen local, regional as well as international collaborations in graduate level study and acquire the knowledge of pharmaceutical research and development.
•To train pharmaceutical scientists who are capable of giving graduate level pharmacy training to other pharmacists and related professionals working in higher learning institutions & other training or research centers.
Entry requirement
In addition to the general admission requirements of Jimma University, prospective candidates for the PhD program in pharmaceutical sciences are expected to meet the following requirements:
•Applicants should have at least Master degree from a known accredited University in any of the pharmaceutical sciences (pharmaceutical quality assurance and regulatory affairs, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical analysis, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, and other related fields).
•Applicants must have an acceptable cumulative grade point average in previous graduate studies
•As the medium of instruction is English, applicants whose medium of instructions is not English for their first degree and master degree would be required to produce a valid English language test.
•It is strongly recommended to contact a potential PhD supervisor before the start of the application.
•Each foreign master degree will be evaluated individually with regard to the academic background and competences necessary to carry out scientific research.
•Official transcript
•Copies of the master’s degree.
•Two recommendations from former professors and employer.
•PhD synopsis /Concept note.
•Proof that there is a budget for conducting the PhD research.
•Willingness to participate in the University’s teaching and research activities.
•As the case may be, candidates need to pass an entrance examination, consisting of oral exam, as well as presentation of research proposal.
Duration of the study
The program takes a maximum of four academic years (eight semesters), and may be extended to fully complete the requirements.
Graduate profile
Upon completion of the PhD program in pharmaceutical sciences at Jimma University, the graduates should be able to:
•Develop state of the art skills in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.
•Perform scientific research that will advance knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
•Present research findings at local, national and international forums.
•Prepare scientific publications and proposals.
•Interpret and critique professional scientific literature.
•Identify the major types of pharmaceutical problems in the country’s contexts and the factors that cause them.
•Develop innovative approaches to solving pharmaceutical problems, plan and evaluate pharmaceutical programs in Ethiopia and serve as consultants.
•Develop, lead, and direct independent research in industrial, academic, educational and government settings, locally, nationally and internationally.
•Develop high level skills in communication, scientific writing, team work, and problem solving
Graduation requirements
•Three; (2) original articles published on A1 journal (2 published/accepted and the other one submitted).
•Research degree (highest academic degree) concluded with a doctoral dissertation based on published articles and public defense.
•A candidate who successfully completed the prescribed coursework according to Jimma University legislation, and has successfully defended the doctoral dissertation and accepted by the examining board has passing grade as per the Jimma University senate legislation will be recommended by graduate committee through School of pharmacy academic commission and the Graduate Council to the University Senate for the approval of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD).
•Official language of instruction of the doctorate is English.
Degree nomenclature
•Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD)
•በፋርማሲዩቲካል ሳይንስ የዶክትሬት ዲግሪ
Course profile
Transferable skills
Doctoral students need to take all or some of the following crosscutting transferable skills to enhance their research capacity.
Grant proposal Writing
Design of Experiments (DoE)/Statistics/biostatistics relevant to his/her research (factorial/Plackett-Burman designs, Logistic regression, linear regression, mixed effects models, …)
Statistical software (SPSS/SAS/Stata/Epi info, Epidata, or any related software)
Systematic review/Meta-analysis
Advanced research Methodology
Scientific communication (Manuscript writing, Oral Presentations, Poster Presentations)
Specialist Courses
A PhD student can take a course that is in the area of his specialty to broaden and deepen the scope of his/her knowledge and skill on the areas he/she is doing the dissertation research.
Foundation (core courses)
At a minimum, students must complete the following core courses to graduate.
Course CodeCourse TitleCr.hrs
Phar 801Chemometrics in Pharmaceutical Sciences2
Phar 810Principles of Drug Discovery3
Phar 811Principles of Drug Development3
Phar 812Pharmaceutical Formulation Development and Process Analytical Technology4
Phar 828Analytical and Bioanalytical Methods3
Phar 829Molecular Spectroscopy and Imaging3
Total18