Major in Pharmacy (Four-year Doctoral Program)

This program aims to cultivate pharmacists with a high level of expertise who can assume leadership roles, those who can serve as team leaders in the clinical development and regulatory review of new drugs in pharmaceutical companies and government agencies and researchers in clinical pharmaceutical research.

The curriculum for this major requires a minimum of 30 credits for completion. Required subjects include: introduction to clinical research (1 credit), graduate school special lectures (3 credits), seminars (6 credits) and research projects (16 credits) In addition, students will take courses and training programs matched to their individual aptitudes and needs.

A distinctive lecture in this curriculum is the introduction to clinical research lecture. This lecture is required for all students enrolled in this major. It provides practical learning on the fundamentals of clinical research planning and management, ethical aspects, and handling of clinical specimens; enabling students to practically acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the proper conduct of clinical trials.

The research guidance system aims to cultivate instruction grounded in Keio University’s spirit of independence and self-respect as well as “learning while teaching, teaching while learning.” Students can advance their research through repeated discussion with multiple faculty members and students in their own departments and, as needed, with faculty members and students in other departments.

A new program linking study in the Graduate School of Health Management and the Major in Pharmacy of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences will be launched, with the 2021 intake of master’s students in Health Management as the first students. This program will enable students to earn two degrees within four years - a Master of Public Health from the Graduate School of Health Management and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This program shortens the duration of the Master of Public Health (MPH) course in the Graduate School of Health Management to one year, from the standard two years, for outstanding students in the Department of Pharmacy who meet the screening criteria. This will allow students to go on to the three-year Ph.D. program in the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences’ Major in Pharmaceutical Sciences course after gaining a Master of Public Health.

It will therefore be possible to earn two degrees - a Master of Public Health and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences within four years after completing undergraduate studies.
This program aims to provide Department of Pharmacy graduates with new career development opportunities and choices, further enhancing the cultivation of highly skilled professionals capable of leading the future.