The PharmD/MS Dual Degree program is for students aspiring to be both pharmacists and informaticians. Through this unique program, students earning a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) College of Pharmacy also study at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston and earn a Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics during their four years of pharmacy school.
Dual Degree students will learn important skills focused on medication-related patient care and improved health outcomes. Students will discover the importance of informatics practices while managing medication-related information in electronic health records, pharmacy information systems, and other automated systems. The program will explore the benefits and limitations to information systems in a pharmacy practice, standards and regulation in the design and use of information systems in pharmacy practice, health information systems and automation technologies and their impact on the medication-use process, and evaluation of patient safety, clinician satisfaction, workflow and outcomes in pharmacy informatics practice.
Students in the dual degree program must satisfy admission requirements and be admitted separately to each program. Students must meet the requirements of each program for its respective degree. Admission to one program does not ensure admission to the other. Students in the dual degree program will receive a diploma from each degree program after meeting the individual requirements of each program. Admission does not have to be done at the same semester for each school but must be done before reaching the maximum hours set by each School.
Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics Admission Process – PharmD/MS Program
The applicant should present a completed application and official documentation of the following:
Applicant materials will be reviewed by McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Admissions, Progression and Graduation (APG) Committee. The committee will consider such areas as:
The applicant should present a completed application and official documentation of the following:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Testing System (IELTS). For admissions consideration a minimum acceptable score of 94 on the internet-based TOEFL is required or a minimum acceptable overall score of 7.0 on the IELTS is required. Test scores are valid for two years from the test date. The official scores must be submitted directly to GradCAS from the applicable test center. Submit official TOEFL scores by using the reporting code B886; no department code is required. Submit official IELTS scores by sending them to GradCAS; no code is needed. Testing is at the applicant’s expense.
International applicants who have received a diploma from a university at which English is the language of instruction are not required to submit an English Language exam. If this school is outside of an English-speaking country, evidence that indicates the language of instruction will need to be provided with your application such as a letter from the University on official letterhead.
International applicants must submit official transcripts and a course-by-course education evaluation of all transcripts from all universities attended outside the United States. The application forms for such an evaluation may be obtained online from the service providers; Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., www.ece.org and World Education Services, www.wes.org. Only evaluations from ECE or WES will be accepted. The results of the evaluation must be submitted directly to the UTHealth Houston Office of the Registrar by the agency. The evaluation report is at the applicant’s expense.
F-1 sponsorship is available for students in the Master of Science Biomedical Informatics, Research Track program. Students on a F-1 student visa are not eligible to enroll in the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics, Applied Track program.
The I-20 form, required by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is prepared by UTHealth Houston and issued to qualified non-immigrant applicants who have been admitted and who have demonstrated financial ability to support their education. Upon acceptance, the non-immigrant student will be asked to provide financial and visa information so that the I-20 form may be completed. The student must submit the completed form to the American Embassy in his/her country of origin in order to receive a student visa or must otherwise be eligible for F-1 status in the U.S. Please contact the UTHealth Houston Office of International Affairs for information (713-500-3176, utoiahouston@uth.tmc.edu).
*International applicants seeking F-1 sponsorship are not eligible for summer admission to the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics.
PharmD/MS Dual Degree Program - Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics application deadlines:
Fall admission July 1
Spring admission November 1
Summer admission* March 1
The application process for the Doctor of Pharmacy is determined by the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. The application process for the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics is determined by McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit is not accepted for students enrolled in the dual degree program due to the amount of shared credit hours between McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston and the participating institution.
Shared Credit Hours
Academic Requirements
Each student follows a degree plan developed with the guidance of McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Office of Academic Affairs. A signed degree plan will be filed each academic year that includes the required and/or elective courses as specified for the student’s dual degree program. A total of 39 semester credit hours must be completed prior to graduation.
A student in the PharmD/MS Program in Biomedical Informatics has up to eight years (24 semesters) from the time of entry to complete the required course work. A student who has not enrolled in two consecutive registration periods (including the summer session) must submit to McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics Office of Academic Affairs a Reentry Form and new goal statement signed by the student’s advisor indicating approval for reentry to the program. A student who has not enrolled for three or more consecutive registration periods will be dismissed and must reapply for admission to the program and the School.
Each course with a BMI prefix in the Biomedical Informatics degree plan is a graduate level, professional course and must be passed with a grade of “B” or better. Students must earn a grade of “B” or higher in all dual degree program courses, unless the course is graded on a Pass or Fail basis in which a grade of “Pass” must be earned. If a dual degree student earns less than a “B” in any required course, it must be retaken to continue in the program. A grade of “B” or higher must be earned on the second attempt to prevent dismissal from the program. The minimum grade point average (GPA) required for graduation is 3.0 on all BMI courses.
Computer Requirement
Every student is required to have reliable access to a computer that meets the minimum requirements. Students are encouraged to purchase a laptop that meets the minimum UTHealth Houston requirements. Computer requirements are listed on the website and are subject to change.
Curriculum for the PharmD/MS Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics Program
The PharmD/MS program requires a minimum of 39 semester credit hours to earn the MS, including the completion of a practicum experience in the field of biomedical informatics. Students must complete 27 semester credit hours of McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics coursework and 12 semester credit hours from the student’s PharmD program are accepted by McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics for the Dual Degree. Courses marked with a ** have a $50 Course Fee.
The program curriculum for the MS degree includes:
Practicum
Students in the Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics must select an area of interest in which to apply the knowledge and skill gained during the didactic courses while participating in the required practicum course. Students in the PharmD/MS program must complete at least 24 credit hours in their master’s program before participating in the practicum requirement. Students should work with the Practicum Coordinator for any necessary affiliation or program agreements with the practicum site, if agreements are not already in place. A practicum proposal must be submitted to the Practicum Coordinator by week three of the semester of enrollment in the practicum course and it must be approved, in writing, by the student’s Faculty Practicum Advisor. Students can complete all required practicum credit hours during one semester or the course can be repeated for a maximum of 3 semester credit hours (for BMI 6000) to meet degree requirements. During the course of the semester(s), student must create weekly logs to chronicle their hours, tasks, and reflections on how the duties of the practicum relate to Biomedical Informatics courses taken. Once the student has logged all 135 contact hours and concluded all practicum projects, she or he must create an 18-page, double spaced capstone report that details the major project they completed during their practicum. This report, along with other deliverables, will be submitted in completion of the practicum. If students have any questions regarding the practicum, they can contact the Practicum Coordinator or the Office of Academic Affairs.
For further curriculum information, contact:
McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston
Office of Academic Affairs
7000 Fannin Street Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77030
Telephone: (713) 500-3591
Email: SBMIAcademics@uth.tmc.edu