The USC School of Pharmacy, in response to the growing demand for pharmacists knowledgeable in both pharmacy and business administration, helped to pioneer an exciting innovation in pharmaceutical education by developing a dual degree that combined a Pharm.D. education with an M.B.A.

As the field of health care becomes more complex and more concerned with cost-effectiveness, the knowledge gained by students in the areas of accounting, communication, finance, decision-making, personnel, strategic planning and related areas is crucial.

This exciting five-year Pharm.D./M.B.A. dual degree program, established in 1988, is offered cooperatively by the School of Pharmacy and the Marshall School of Business; one of the first programs of its kind. The program permits participants to complete all pharmacy and business school requirements in a total of five years—one year less than would be required if a student were to complete each degree independent of the other.

Graduates of the Pharm.D./M.B.A. dual degree program are in high demand in today's era of cost-conscious health care. This includes highly rewarding jobs such as:

• Director of hospital pharmacy operations
• Departmental director in state and federal health care agencies
• Department head in pharmaceutical manufacturing corporations
• Administrator in research and managed care departments
• Leadership position in pharmaceutical distribution organizations

Admission Requirements and Application Process
Students must be admitted to the USC School of Pharmacy and must have completed a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA to be considered for admission into the Pharm.D./M.B.A. dual degree program. Dual degree applicants must also fulfill all requirements for admission to the regular M.B.A. program in order to be considered for admission into the Marshall School of Business. Admission is based on:

• A Baccalaureate degree
• Grade point average
• GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score
• Recommendation letters
• Work experience
• Personal essays

Students should contact the Pharm.D./M.B.A. office and begin the application process for the dual Pharm.D./M.B.A. program during the summer before their first Pharm.D. classes. The completed Pharm.D./M.B.A. application materials, including GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) scores and recommendation letters, must be submitted to the School of Pharmacy no later than November 15 for initial screening and forwarding to the Marshall School of Business for admission consideration. Early submission is recommended for timely consideration.

Contact Information
For more information please call the Office of Admission and Student Affairs at (323) 442-1469 or the Marshall School of Business at (213) 740-6548.