Dual PharmD/MBA Program

Joint PharmD/MBA programs are currently offered at 16 colleges of pharmacy in the United States and are under development at many others, helping to meet the need for pharmacists who understand general business principles as well as direct patient care activities. The joint degree is considered highly desirable for persons seeking careers in hospitals and health systems, the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy benefit management organizations, and academia. 
 
The joint degree program between the South Carolina College of Pharmacy and The Citadel allows students to achieve both degrees in the same four-year period, though there is substantial flexibility for students interested in taking additional courses. Students will take MBA courses during their second and third summers and no more than one MBA course each semester during their second and third years. All of The Citadel's courses are offered in the evening.

As constructed, this joint degree program conveys a significant savings of 26 credit hours over those required of students who might pursue both degrees concurrently outside of this program.

Admission Requirements and Prerequisites
SCCP students interested in the joint degree program must formally apply to The Citadel, and they will be required to take the GMAT for admission into The Citadel’s program before beginning classes there.

Although the MBA program has traditionally required a bachelor’s degree, they have agreed to accept PharmD students who have completed a total of 124 credit hours. Students can apply during the semester they are finishing up their 124 hours.

Curriculum and Course Transfers
The joint degree program will neither displace nor rearrange any of the core Pharm.D. courses. The College of Pharmacy has historically accepted a wide range of courses outside of the field of pharmacy for elective credit, and in this vein we have identified several MBA courses that may be accepted for Pharm.D. elective credit hours. They are all three credit hour courses and include the following:

Communications for Leadership (BADM 713 - required)
Information Technology Management (BADM 719 - required)
Financial Problems (BADM 734 - required)
Strategic Management (BADM 737 - required)
Leadership in Organizations (BADM 722 - required)
Global Business Strategy (BADM 740 - required)
Consumer Behavior (BADM 788 - elective)
Human Resource Management (BADM 768 - elective)

The following Pharm.D. core courses will be accepted in place of the relevant MBA courses:

Pharmacy Law and Ethics - PHMPR 711/SCCP 885 (in place of BADM 716 Legal and Ethical Environment for Decision Makers)
Outcomes Design and Assessment - SCCP 780 (in place of BADM 710 Quantitative Methods)
Pharmacy Practice Management – PHMPR 763 or Health Care Systems and Management – SCCP 850 may be accepted for elective credit
Grand Rounds - PHMPR 838/839 Grand Rounds or Clinical Seminar/Grand Rounds SCCP 999 may also be accepted for elective credit

The following Pharm.D. elective courses may be accepted for elective credit by the MBA program, which requires 6 elective hours.

Pharmacy Administration clerkship – PHMPR 849
Outcomes Management clerkship
Introduction to Health Services Research – PHMPR 762
Health System Pharmacy Practice: Policy and Practice – PHMPR 763
Health System Pharmacy Practice: Systems and Services – PHMPR 764
Personal Finance – PHMPR 754

Overview of The Citadel's MBA Program Requirements
The Citadel’s MBA program requires 48 credit hours based on the following courses.   The asterisk (*) indicates course requirements that may be satisfied by PharmD courses, as described in the previous section.

BADM 701 - Foundations of Accounting - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 704 - Foundations of Economics - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 707 - Foundations of Marketing and International Business - 3 Credit Hours
*BADM 710 - Quantitative Methods - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 713 - Communication for Leadership - 3 Credit Hours
*BADM 716 - Legal and Ethical Environment for Decision Makers - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 719 - Information Technology Management - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 722 - Leadership in Organizations - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 725 - Foundations of Finance - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 728 - Accounting for Executives - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 731 - Foundations of Management and Operations - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 734 - Financial Problems - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 737 - Strategic Marketing - 3 Credit Hours
BADM 740 - Global Business Strategy - 3 Credit Hours

Electives (6 credit hours)

A brief description of each of The Citadel’s required MBA courses follows:

MBA Skills Workshop - 0 Credit Hours
This weekend matriculation program is required of all entering MBA students. The objective is to acquaint the student with graduate program requirements, computer, library, and other services available at The Citadel.

BADM 701 - Foundations of Accounting - 3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the basic tools and concepts used in financial accounting.  It emphasizes identifying and interpreting relevant accounting information for decision-making by external users.  The focus is on the four financial statements: the income statement, the statement of changes in equity, the balance sheet, and the statement of cash flows. Prerequisite: None.

BADM 704 - Foundations of Economics - 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces students to microeconomics (the study of individual economic units, including product markets, individual consumers, and firms) and macroeconomics (the study of broad economic aggregates such as gross domestic product). Prerequisite: None.

BADM 707 - Foundations of Marketing and International Business - 3 Credit Hours
This course provides an introduction to the world of international business including the nature and fundamental concepts of international business, its environment, opportunities in the global marketplace as well as theoretical and applied examples. In addition, the course illustrates how concepts from international business are utilized in the marketing of products and services for the individual firm. Prerequisite: None.

BADM 710 - Quantitative Methods - 3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of analytical tools and concepts used in making optimal decisions in the pursuit of organizational goals including cost efficiency, service delivery, and profit. Analytical concepts include probability theory, statistics, regression analysis, forecasting, and utility theory. In addition to the theory covered above, the students will also work on projects employing techniques, particularly regression and forecasting. Prerequisite: None.

BADM 713 - Communication for Leadership - 3 Credit Hours
This course provides insight on the role of organizations as communication systems in which effective writing and speaking are crucial. Emphasis is on developing awareness of verbal and written styles, interpersonal skills, and creating a repertoire of writing and speaking strategies. Prerequisites: None.

BADM 716 - Legal and Ethical Environment for Decision Makers - 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the framework of law and ethics within which businesses operate and provides the student with a broad understanding of common law (contract, tort, and property) as well as statutory, administrative, and Constitutional law. Prerequisites: None.

BADM 719 - Information Technology Management - 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the student to the vocabulary of Management Information Systems (MIS) and explores how organizations are using information technology for a competitive advantage and redefining the way in which they interact with their stakeholders. Prerequisites: Basic word processing, spreadsheet, and database skills.

BADM 722 - Leadership in Organizations - 3 Credit Hours
This required, core MBA course is a seminar that focuses on the understanding and application of organizational theory and leadership principles. In addition, the course will include components on developing individual leadership skills and different theories of organizations. The applications component of the course will include a variety of approaches such as cases, films, guest speakers, individual self-assessment, role play, team building exercises, and a leadership portfolio. Prerequisites: None.

BADM 725 - Foundations of Finance - 3 Credit Hours
This introductory course in finance provides students with the financial management tools necessary to analyze complex business financial problems, and offer reasoned alternative solutions. The course builds on principles presented in basic financial and managerial accounting courses, and introduces the student to new financial principles. Prerequisite: Foundations of Accounting (BADM 701).

BADM 728 - Accounting for Executives - 3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the basic tools and concepts used in managerial accounting and to provide an opportunity for students to employ their knowledge of financial and managerial accounting through case studies and projects.  It emphasizes identifying and interpreting relevant accounting information for decision-making by internal and external users.  The focus is on the use of accounting information for decision-making, including behavioral and ethical aspects. Prerequisite: Foundations of Accounting (BADM 701).

BADM 731 - Foundations of Management and Operations - 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces students to the classical management functions: planning, organizing, leading, and the exercise of control. It provides an overview of management theory and practice, with application to the role of operations in service and manufacturing organizations. Students explore the role of operations in building the competitive strength of the firm and in fulfilling the firm's goal of creating value and delivering customer satisfaction. The course integrates classical and modern management concepts with an array of real-world cases, including a survey of the concepts and techniques involved in designing and managing operations. Prerequisite: Quantitative Methods (BADM 710).

BADM 734 - Financial Problems - 3 Credit Hours
This course provides students with a venue for applying the concepts and techniques from the Foundations of Finance course to complex business problems. The course content will be delivered primarily using the case method of analysis. Emphasis will be on teamwork and group analysis of directed and non-directed business finance cases. Students will be responsible for identifying relevant financial issues, offering alternative solutions, and making, justifying and critiquing recommended courses of action. A portion of the course will be devoted to analyzing cases with a significant international component. The course may also utilize simulation as a part of the course content. Prerequisites: Foundations of Accounting (BADM 701); Quantitative Methods (BADM 710); Foundations of Finance (BADM 725); and Accounting for Executives (BADM 728).

BADM 737 - Strategic Marketing - 3 Credit Hours
This course examines how organizations gain and maintain a competitive advantage in a dynamic era. The course emphasizes the analysis of marketing decisions involving product, price, promotion, and distribution variables. Global opportunities are investigated. Prerequisites: Foundations of Accounting (BADM 701); Foundations of Economics (BADM 704); Foundations of Marketing and International Business (BADM 707); and Accounting for Executives BADM 728).

BADM 740 - Global Business Strategy - 3 Credit Hours
This comprehensive and integrative MBA capstone course pulls together the concepts, tools, and approaches taught in all the required courses. Through cases which place students in diverse managerial situations, the course emphasizes the application, execution, and resolution of multi-dimensional problems. The course emphasizes the strategic management of the business unit and the development of a paradigm for strategic analysis, as well as matching internal processes with the implementation of diverse objectives. The focus is on corporate strategy and the role of leadership in improving performance. Prerequisites: BADM 701, BADM 704, BADM 707, BADM 710, BADM 725, BADM 728, BADM 731, BADM 734, and BADM 737.

For more information, contact the Director, Dr. Paul Bush, Pharm.D., or go to http://www.citadel.edu/csba/index.shtml