Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Product Development is a cutting-edge program that prepares students for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. One of the first PPD programs on the east coast, WCU has an outstanding curriculum that was developed with key industry leaders to meet the specific needs of students seeking careers in this dynamic industry. The PPD program at WCU is interdisciplinary with a solid foundation in the basic and pharmaceutical sciences, as well as experience in technical writing, oral communication, statistics (including SAS programming), economics, and biomedical ethics. While the primary focus of the curriculum is on drug development and discovery, the versatility of the program enables students to become proficient in numerous areas of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. This innovative curriculum is paired with up to two summers of employment in the industry. These paid internship assignments provide graduates with a level of understanding and experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. A majority of PPD graduates start careers in the pharmaceutical industry immediately upon graduation while a large percentage goes on to pursue advanced graduate degrees in related science and health areas.
Tracks
Pre-Pharmacy Concentration
Program Highlights
- Faculty experts
- Paid industry experience
- State-of-the-art facilities
- Collaborative faculty research opportunities
- Study abroad options
- Industry-informed Program
- Industry networking events
- Industry partners including:
- Merck
- AstraZeneca
- Pfizer
- ProMetrics
- GSK
- EndoPharmaceuticals
- ThermoScientific
- The Wistar Institute
What can I do with this degree?
Graduates from the PPD program are career ready. They can be found across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry in positions that include:
- Associate product manager
- Quality assurance associate
- Pharmaceutical sales representative
- Site management associate
- Project manager
- Senior clinical trial manager
- Clinical supplies project manager
- Payer account executive
- Research associate
- Talent acquisition specialist
- Clinical project scientist
- Immuno-Oncology marketing manager
- Regulatory affairs manager
Many of our graduates also choose to pursue advanced degrees in medicine, pharmaceuticals, business administration, public administration, and more. They have attended prestigious universities nationwide including:
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Villanova University
- Penn State
- Temple University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Thomas Jefferson University