Department of Pharmaceutics

Driving tomorrow’s innovations in the pharmaceutical sciences

Pharmaceutics, a multidisciplinary field integrating pharmacy and the life sciences, focuses on converting chemical entities into dosage forms that deliver and maintain the right drug levels at target sites in the body for safe and effective treatment. Our department brings expertise in physical pharmacy, biopharmaceutics, clinical pharmacokinetics, formulation, bioanalysis, drug metabolism and drug transport together to educate future researchers and industry experts and support advancements in discovering and developing drugs. Along with the Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine and the Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, we are advancing the quality and safety of medications and pharmaceutical products that will allow for treatment or management of a variety of health conditions.

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Degree Offerings

Our M.S. and Ph.D. programs offer comprehensive training in advanced pharmaceutical sciences, robust research opportunities, and a collaborative learning environment.

Two researchers working with lab equipment wearing lab coats.

Research

Our department is a leader in drug discovery and development.

Three research students working with lab equipment.

Courses

Review a list of pharmaceutics courses on the VCU Bulletin site.

A researcher talks to students in a research lab.

Student Organizations

Explore our dynamic student organizations that offer opportunities for connection, professional development and leadership.

Student leaders, all wearing Pharmaceutics T-shirts, get together for a photo during Multicultural Potluck Day

Who We Are

Faculty and Staff

Meet our dedicated faculty and staff, whose expertise and commitment drive our mission and foster a dynamic learning environment.

Graduate Students

Meet our current students, who are actively contributing to cutting-edge research and advancing their fields within the department.

Alumni

Explore the achievements of our alumni, who exemplify the success and impact of our department's education and training.

Pharmaceutics News

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July 28, 2026

VCU fuels new and emerging research endeavors and cross-campus collaboration with 2026 Quest Fund awards

These competitive internal grants empower faculty to launch pilot studies, restart research programs and drive transdisciplinary discoveries.

Vamsi Yadavalli, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Engineering, has turned his expertise developing biosensors from biological materials toward cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. (Photo by John Battiston)

July 10, 2026

Rapid cortisol test, aerial vehicle tech and water tanks are among VCU faculty research projects receiving new awards

Six initiatives are selected in the Commercialization Fund’s latest round of funding that helps bring campus innovation to the marketplace.

A Class of 2026 graduating student in regalia looks off into the distance with pride and hope ahead of the Hooding and Diploma Ceremony in a large theater-style space.

May 22, 2026

Hooding and Diploma Ceremony speaker to VCU Pharmacy Class of 2026: 'Readiness is not a feeling. It's a decision.'

At Hooding & Diploma Ceremony, graduating Class of 2026 reflects on persistence, resilience and how vital it is to keep swimming.