As the understanding of disease processes at the molecular and cellular levels rapidly progresses, detecting, preventing, and successfully treating the disease will require increasingly novel approaches for discovering, designing, repurposing, and developing effective pharmacotherapies. The Bachelor of Science in Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences within the Harrison College of Pharmacy is in the unique position to educate the next generation of scientists and the associated workforce needed to support the growing needs.
The program was designed by faculty in the Department of Drug Discovery and Development, a unit that has grown into an innovative instructional and research-intensive academic environment with the capacity to meet the challenges of preparing undergraduate-level students for entering newly emerging pharmaceutical sciences career tracks.
Undergraduate students will experience an innovative instructional and research-intensive academic environment, providing a deeper understanding of drug development and pharmaceutical sciences.
Health care is the largest industry in the world and the United States is at the forefront of this global industry, leading the way in many fields of clinical research, training, and practice. To meet this current health care challenge, students seeking careers in the pharmaceutical industry and needing better preparation for professional and graduate education in pharmaceutical sciences will be exposed earlier in their pursuit of higher education to healthcare-related problems and solutions employing drug and biological therapies.
Once enrolled, students will pursue foundational coursework that includes the pharmaceutical science sub-disciplines of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, and biologics, and further their experiences through elective coursework and laboratory research that is of interest to them.
In the program, students will be initially exposed to, and build on, focused foundational sciences and obtain an understanding of how to apply foundational knowledge to the drug discovery field to improve health care. As medical and health services occupations are projected to grow at least three times faster than average in Alabama as the American population ages and demand for healthcare services rises, this degree will be very valuable to keep pace in meeting the needs for future pharmacotherapies.
The curriculum is designed to stimulate students' scientific curiosity via interaction with dedicated andproductive faculty and peers. Modern practical laboratory experiences will provide a platform for growth in research expertise and the application of appropriate scientific methods.
| Fall Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| ENGL 1100 | English Composition I | 3 |
| CHEM 1030 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 1031 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| MATH 1610 | Calculus | 4 |
| Core History | 3 | |
| DBPS 1010 | Introduction to Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences I | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| ENGL 1120 | English Composition II | 3 |
| CHEM 1040 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 1041 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 1020 | Principles of Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 1021 | Principles of Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| Core Social Science | 3 | |
| DBPS 1020 | Introduction to Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences II | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Fall Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| Core Literature | 3 | |
| Core Social Science | 3 | |
| DBPS 2010 | Fundamentals of Biomedicinal Chemistry I | 4 |
| DBPS 2030 | Drug Targets I | 4 |
| DBPS 2050 | Biopharmaceutical Data Analysis I | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| Core History or Literature (1) | 3 | |
| Core Fine Arts | 3 | |
| DBPS 2020 | Fundamentals of Biomedicinal Chemistry II | 4 |
| DBPS 2040 | Drug Targets II | 4 |
| DBPS 2060 | Biopharmaceutical Data Analysis I | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Fall Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| Core Humanities and Social Science (2) | 3 | |
| DBPS 3010 | Medicinal Chemistry I | 4 |
| DBPS 3030 | Drug Action I | 4 |
| DBPS 3050 | Drug Formulations I | 3 |
| DBPS 3070 | Research Seminar I | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| Core Humanities | 3 | |
| DBPS 3020 | Medicinal Chemistry II | 4 |
| DBPS 3040 | Drug Action II | 4 |
| DBPS 3060 | Drug Pharmacokinetics | 3 |
| DBPS 3080 | Research Seminar II | 1 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Fall Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| DBPS 4980 | Research | 5 |
| DBPS Electives | 5 | |
| Program Elective (departmental approval required) | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester (15 Hours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Title | Credit Hours |
| DBPS 4980 | Research | 5 |
| DBPS Electives | 5 | |
| Program Elective (departmental approval required) | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Active learning coupled with applied experiences allows the program to produce graduates with the abilities to fulfill roles in industry, regulatory, professional, and advanced degree programs. Industries recruiting in this area include those in education, health care, public administration, technical services, drug manufacturing, food sciences, social services, and others.
Career and job title examples include Associate Scientists, Clinical Project Managers, Clinical Research Associates, Clinical Scientists, Laboratory Researchers, Medical Writers, Oncology Research Scientists, Process Development Engineers, Project Managers, Quality Assurance Managers, Quality Assurance Specialists, Quality Assurance Supervisors, Research Associates, and Research Technicians.
Potential employers filling these positions include a variety of medical research organizations, drug manufacturers, universities, health care systems, regulatory agencies, and many more from across the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected change in job placement opportunities for bioengineers and biomedical engineers with bachelor's degrees over the next decade is expected to grow faster than the national average for other professional fields.
Applications to the university must be made online through the Auburn University admissions office.
For more information on admissions please visit:
Questions and information requests can be directed to faculty and staff within the Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences program, listed below.
To speak with someone in more detail about Auburn University, the Harrison College of Pharmacy, and the Bachelor of Science in Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences program, please contact Dr. Forrest Smith, undergraduate program director, at biopharmsci@auburn.edu.
