Clinical Research and Product Development, M.S.

Admission Requirements

Students desiring admission into the M.S. in Clinical Research and Product Development must seek admission to the UNCW Graduate School. All applicants must complete the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE-Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).  The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), Dental Admission Test (DAT), or Law School Admission Test (LSAT) will be considered by the program on a case-by-case basis and unofficial test scores should be forwarded to the Program Coordinator for consideration. Standardized test scores more than five years old at the time of application will not be considered. In addition, students who are taking, or have taken, graduate work elsewhere must be in good standing at that institution to be eligible to take graduate work at UNCW.

Additional admission requirements include:

• Eligible applicants for the MS program are individuals who possess a minimum of a B.A. or a B.S. degree, preferably in a life science or health care discipline from a regionally accredited program.
• Strong academic record with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better.
• Computer competency.
• Successful completion of a college-level statistics course.
• Six semester hours of graduate level transferred credit may be accepted upon approval.
• A comprehensive invited interview may be requested.
• Additional items as needed.

Applicants must have access to a computer capable of supporting electronic mail, a web browser, a word processing program and multi-media presentations. In addition, applicants must demonstrate ability to use these computer applications.

Admission to the UNCW Graduate School requires the following documents:

1. A completed UNCW Graduate School application
2. Official transcripts of all college work
3. Official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
4. A completed Written Narrative for the M.S. in Clinical Research and Product Development form, not to exceed two (2) pages, double spaced, with one-inch margins, and at least a 10 pitch font
5. A completed Demographic Form for the M.S. in Clinical Research and Product Development
6. Current resume or curriculum vitae
7. Three recommendations (one from a former faculty member and one form a current or former employer, preferred)

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master‘s curriculum, the new graduate will be able to:

1. Demonstrate competency in biopharmaceutical clinical trial research designs and regulatory affairs management to meet the health and medical needs of current and future biopharmaceutical product consumers.
2. Evaluate critical domestic and global regulatory and health care issues that challenge and influence biopharmaceutical product development.
3. Effectively assess and manage ethical clinical trial programs and biopharmaceutical development projects.
4. Forecast the resources necessary for developing and managing biopharmaceutical clinical research grants and trials as required and regulated by global regulatory agencies.
5. Demonstrate competencies in evaluating clinical research data and communicating results.
6. Manage innovative biopharmaceutical/biotechnology products through the discovery processes and into the clinical trial phases via identifying research questions and testable hypotheses.
7. Demonstrate advanced critical thinking skills necessary to enhance employment opportunities or advance within the biopharmaceutical industry.
8. Effectively communicate and collaborate with health care providers and regulatory agencies to develop culturally diverse domestic and global strategies for biopharmaceutical product approvals.

Degree Requirements

Students must choose and declare their area of concentration for the degree in either Clinical Research Management, or Regulatory Affairs and Compliance. The total number of credit hours for the M.S. in Clinical Research and Product Development is 36 hours. Students are required to complete 15 credit hours of core courses (i.e., 5 courses), 12 credit hours (i.e., 4 courses) within the students‘ chosen concentrations, 6 credit hours (i.e., 2 courses) of elective credits, and 3 to 6 credit hours for the master‘s project/thesis.