The School of Pharmacy offers four dual degree programs to broaden students' expertise and career opportunities. These programs integrate pharmacy education with complementary disciplines, equipping graduates with skills to excel in new and diverse fields within the field of pharmacy and beyond.
Graduates earn a Pharm.D. and an additional degree or certificate.
The Pharm.D./Ph.D. program combines the highest degrees available in pharmacy and research education.
Graduates attain strong research and analysis capabilities in addition to their clinical skills. Students in this program pursue a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences in one of four concentrations along with their Pharm.D. degree.
Completion Time
Two to three years, in addition to the four-year Pharm.D. degree (six to seven years total)
What Sets This Program Apart
Become a true clinical scientist: Our students combine clinical knowledge (Pharm.D.) with research skills (Ph.D.) under the guidance of world-renowned faculty experts and practitioners.
Earn your degree on time: Our students graduate with their Pharm.D. class and take board exams on time while their Pharm.D. knowledge is still fresh.
Fast-track your doctorate: Our students benefit from a shortened time to earn their Ph.D. while still actively participating in our rigorous research training.
Career Opportunities
This dual degree program prepares individuals for opportunities as clinical scientists. Many high-level officials in government, academia, consulting and industry have combined doctoral degrees. The skills associated with this degree are highly sought by employers. Career opportunities span the globe.
The Pharm.D./M.B.A. program combines the Pharm.D. curriculum with training in finance, accounting, marketing, management and other fields of business.
Students in this program pursue a Master of Business Administration through the VCU School of Business along with their Pharm.D. degree.
Completion Time
No additional time to the four-year Pharm.D. degree (four years total)
What Sets This Program Apart
Earn your degrees for less: The reduced number of credits required lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees, when compared with earning each degree separately.
Join a top-ranked program: VCU's Executive MBA program, which you'll enroll in as part of this program, is consistently ranked in the Top 100 in the nation.
Explore expanded career paths: Completing both degrees can open up new career opportunities in health care delivery and business.
Career Opportunities
This program prepares individuals for managerial positions in any business including pharmacy and health care. Graduates pursue careers in health system management, corporate chain pharmacy management, entrepreneurial business and pharmaceutical industry management, as well as director of pharmacy and governmental positions.
Degree Details
For information on application, admissions, curriculum and more, visit the Pharm.D./M.B.A. page in VCU Bulletin, the official source for academic course and program information.
The Pharm.D./M.P.H. program combines the Pharm.D. curriculum with additional topics in public health and data analytics.
Students in this program pursue a Master of Public Health through the VCU School of Public Health along with their Pharm.D. degree.
Completion Time
One year, in addition to the four-year Pharm.D. degree (five years total)
What Sets This Program Apart
Count your experiential learning toward both degrees: Students meet the M.P.H. internship requirement with advanced community health practice experiences in their fifth year of the program.
Gain flexibility: Students can complete their M.P.H. courses in their fourth year at VCU or across their fourth and fifth years, in combination with their P4 rotations.
Pursue careers in a high-demand field: More than 90% of VCU's M.P.H. graduates in the last five years either were employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation.
Career Opportunities
This program prepares individuals for pharmacy careers with a public health focus and for leadership roles at the local, state and national levels. Graduates gain expertise in conducting research in hospital- and community-based settings.
Degree Details
For information on application, admissions, curriculum and more, visit the Pharm.D./M.P.H. page in VCU Bulletin, the official source for academic course and program information.
The Pharm.D./Certificate in Aging Studies program combines the Pharm.D. curriculum with coursework in social, cultural, psychological, cognitive and biological aspects of aging in an interdisciplinary environment.
Students in this program pursue a Certificate in Aging Studies through the VCU College of Health Professions along with their Pharm.D. degree.
Completion Time
No additional time to the four-year Pharm.D. degree (four years total)
What Sets This Program Apart
Geriatrics program of merit: VCU School of Pharmacy's program is the nation's first Pharm.D. program of merit in gerontology and geriatrics education, as designated by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education. Graduates of our Pharm.D./Certificate in Aging Studies program earn a certificate of completion from the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education.
History of serving older adults: Our Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Program is nationally recognized for education and practice innovation and for research advancing the field of geriatric pharmacotherapy, due in part to a more than 30-year partnership with VCU's Department of Gerontology.
Alumni satisfaction: In a 2021 survey, two-thirds of respondents reported using the dual degree program in their career, and 96% of alumni who responded said they would recommend the Certificate in Aging Studies to others.
Career Opportunities
This program prepares individuals to better care for an aging population in all health care settings. Diverse careers are available for those with a passion to serve older adults.
Degree Details
For information on application, admissions, curriculum and more, visit the Pharm.D./Certificate in Aging Studies page in VCU Bulletin, the official source for academic course and program information.
