UNT System Board of Regents approves fall 2026 Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at UNTHSC
A new Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, the first degree of its kind offered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, will tentatively be offered starting in fall 2026 at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
The new doctoral degree in UNTHSC’s College of Pharmacy was approved Thursday by the UNT System Board of Regents. Now that the degree has been approved by the Board of Regents, it will go to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for final approvals.
The degree was designed to address the growing job market and workforce in the pharmaceutical sciences by building on the strengths of the College of Pharmacy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently estimated that the job market in pharmaceutical sciences will grow 19% between 2019 and 2029, with more than 2,700 pharmaceutical sciences-related positions advertised in the southwest United States as of 2022.
The program will provide a path for students already in the workforce with a master’s-level degree in pharmaceutical sciences or a related field to enhance their marketable skills and advance their careers. It also will allow them to become innovators in the discovery and development of drug products and therapeutics, and in the health outcomes of therapies and services.
“We are thrilled to add this degree to the College of Pharmacy’s portfolio of offerings,” said Evan Robinson, the college’s dean. “The research has shown us where the need is in the industry, and we are going to address that by increasing the number of innovative professionals.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas comptroller and federal government completed a supply chain review and found significant vulnerabilities in the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain that hindered the ability to respond to public health emergencies. These vulnerabilities were deemed critical to national security and competitiveness. The addition of the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences will allow UNTHSC to train highly qualified, innovative pharmaceutical scientists to help address the shortage.
The degree will require 60 semester credit hours and a dissertation in one of the following areas: medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacology and toxicology, or applied outcomes research.
“Two unique aspects of our program include one year of teaching experience or three months of an industry internship to provide our students with real-world applications in potential areas of practice,” said Rebecca Cunningham, professor and associate dean for research in the College of Pharmacy. “In addition, our clinical faculty members will be actively involved in this Ph.D. program, which will foster tangible improvements in patient health and well-being.”
Since its founding in 2012, the College of Pharmacy has reached several milestones. In May 2024, the college secured a 95% residency match rate for its students graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy. In 2023, the FlexPharmD program was launched, focusing on increasing flexibility, accessibility and affordability for students getting their Doctor of Pharmacy.
“Our College of Pharmacy is young, but time and time again it proves itself,” said Christopher Ray, UNTHSC senior vice president and provost. “The faculty, staff and students never fail to impress me, and I can’t wait to see what they can do with the addition of this degree.”
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