Master of Science in Pharmacy Practice

Course No:

Course Title:

Pharmaceutical Health Services

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course provides an in-depth exploration of healthcare systems, pharmacy service models, and the role of pharmacists in public health promotion and chronic disease management. Students will examine social determinants of health, preventive care pharmacy services, and apply intervention mapping to develop evidence-based health interventions. Emphasizing interprofessional collaboration, quality improvement, and performance metrics, the course equips students with the tools to critically assess healthcare programs using the Logic Model of Change. Through topics like healthcare policy, pharmacy service design, implementation, and health services research, students will apply theoretical knowledge to practical examples.

Course No:

Course Title:

Research Methods and Design in Pharmacy Practice

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course introduces students to the scientific approaches to research design and methodology within modern pharmacy practice, with a focus on digital health innovations such as telemedicine, telepharmacy, mobile health applications, and electronic health records. Students will learn to formulate research hypotheses, develop evidence-based strategies using digital tools, and conduct quantitative data analysis using statistical software like SPSS. Emphasizing reliability, validity, and ethical principles, the course prepares students to conduct research that adheres to high standards, particularly in the context of digital health. Through comprehensive literature searches using library services and online databases, students will support evidence-based decision-making and critically evaluate the impact of emerging digital technologies on pharmacy practice and patient care. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to develop and present well-structured research proposals, ready for advanced research and thesis work in the evolving field of pharmacy.

Course No:

Course Title:

Digital health in Pharmacy Practice

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course is designed to impart interdisciplinary knowledge and skills necessary for fostering innovation in the rapidly growing field of digital health, covering areas such as digital therapeutics, telehealth, telepharmacy, artificial intelligence applications, and pharmacy automation in pharmacy practice. Additionally, recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of digital health, the MSc leverages the expertise of faculty across the University, including pharmacy and computing sciences. No pre-existing knowledge is assumed. Given the increasing complexity of smartphone apps, app-connected sensors, and other technological advancements, it is essential to develop the competencies of the health workforce accordingly. This course aims to prepare graduates for evolving health systems in the context of digital health and the use of information technology in pharmacy and healthcare more broadly. Learners will acquire expertise to serve as facilitators for telepharmacy services within interdisciplinary teams and apply these skills in their own institutions.

Course No:

Course Title:

Research seminar

Credit hours:

1

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This seminar course provides students with a comprehensive exploration of research methodologies, problem-solving, data analysis, and current research trends and contemporary research issues in pharmacy practice. Students will engage in literature reviews, proposal development, and presentations while acquiring practical skills in research design and ethics. Students will develop the skills necessary to conduct and evaluate research in the field of pharmacy and train them in critical thinking, research, writing, and documentation. Students will give a presentation about a certain topic followed by a discussion in which all students are evaluated based on participation. Students are given a short essay assignment based on each presentation. The student presentations and short essays count toward the final grade. A research paper also is assigned.

Course No:

Course Title:

Pharmacoepidemiology

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course offers a foundational understanding of pharmacoepidemiology, focusing on study designs, including case reports, cohort studies, and more. Students will learn to interpret measures of effect and impact, address bias and confounding, and utilize data sources for drug utilization research. Key topics include pharmacovigilance, drug safety, and effectiveness. Assessment will include a midterm exam and a final presentation, equipping students with essential skills for research and practice in the field.

Course No:

Course Title:

Leadership and Management in Pharmacy Practice

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

The course aims to equip students with crucial pharmacy clinical and professional leadership knowledge and skills vital for influential roles in healthcare settings. Emphasis will be placed on enhancing effective communication, strategic thinking, and decision-making abilities. Additionally, the course focuses on integrating knowledge of global healthcare trends and policy implications into innovative, forward-thinking strategies, utilizing advanced technologies to drive the evolution of pharmacy practice. This approach is complemented by a solid understanding of healthcare management principles, encompassing organizational structure, financial management, and quality improvement. Strategies for promoting interdisciplinary teamwork, and conflict resolution are integral components, underscoring their pivotal role in optimizing patient care outcomes. Additionally, the students will explore regulatory frameworks governing pharmacy practice and ethical considerations in leadership roles. Furthermore, the students will gain insight into the practical application of pharmacy leadership components for successful management of change.

Course No:

Course Title:

Journal club in pharmacy practice

Credit hours:

1

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course is designed to equip graduate students with the skills to critically evaluate and present peer-reviewed scientific articles related to pharmacy practice. It emphasizes the application of evidence-based practices rooted in the UAE Health Sector's guidelines, utilizing digital tools to enhance therapeutic decision-making and advance pharmacy services. Students will critically assess emerging technologies such as telehealth, mobile health applications, and electronic health records. They will develop leadership skills for managing pharmacy services, promoting innovation, and ethical practice. The course will also foster collaboration with healthcare professionals using digital communication tools to facilitate patient-centered care. Throughout the course, students will present and discuss research articles, demonstrating professional communication and teamwork

Course No:

Course Title:

Pharmacy informatics and automation

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course is designed to introduce the theory and concepts of pharmacy informatics and automation in various pharmacy settings such as hospitals and clinics. It explores the intersection of pharmacy practice and information technology, focusing on the utilization of digital tools to enhance medication management and patient care. Students will investigate various informatics solutions and their applications in pharmacy practice extending such as electronic order entry systems, telepharmacy services, etc. This course provides an in-depth examination of various roles within pharmacy informatics, key technologies employed in medication use, and strategies to improve performance in this dynamic field. Students will gain insights into the role of information technology within organizations, through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical case studies for key topics such as medication reconciliation, sterile compounding practices, and pain management protocols.

Course No:

Course Title:
Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course focuses on the leadership dimension of managers by dealing with the dynamics of human interactions in organizations. It addresses issues related to the influence of leadership on the behavior of individuals, teams, and networks in the context of organizational culture. In addition, it shows how to build productive relationships and manage performance for the organization's long-term success. Overall, the course equips students with a balance of theory and practice on the major theories and research on leadership and managerial effectiveness in formal organizations. The topics covered in the course include: the nature of managerial work; leadership traits and skills; effective leadership behavior; power and influence; leading change and innovation; leadership in groups and teams; developing leadership skills; and a broad range of leadership theories encompassing contingency theories and adaptive leadership, participative leadership, strategic leadership, charismatic and transformational leadership, servant and authentic leadership. The course also covers cross-cultural leadership and diversity and deals with some contemporary issues in leadership.

Course No:

Course Title:

Programming Fundamentals

Credit hours:

1

Prerequisite: None4

Catalog description:

This Lab-based course provides a beginner-friendly introduction to Python programming, focusing on its applications in pharmacy and life sciences. Designed for students and professionals in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, this course will cover the basics of Python, data manipulation, analysis, and visualization relevant to pharmacy-related topics, such as drug development, clinical data analysis, and bioinformatics.

Course No:

Course Title:

Project Management

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course comprehensively covers the major concepts in project management from a managerial and practical perspective. It focuses on advanced concepts in contemporary project management, including project planning, project scheduling, project budgeting, and cost management, project risk management, and project quality management, as well as the impact of new projects on organizational strategic goals. Through practical cases and readings, students will develop critical awareness of, and appreciation for the issues involved and recent developments in modern project management. Project management software, such as Microsoft Project and MS Excel, will help students learn to organize, integrate, and present project information to facilitate project evaluation and management.

Course No:

Course Title:

Entrepreneurship and Organizational Change

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

The course will expose students to the current thinking in entrepreneurship in order to develop new knowledge and enhance their capabilities in terms of entrepreneurial thinking needed for identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities. The course presents a blended approach and evaluates the notion of entrepreneurship both in terms of corporate entrepreneurship and change initiative in contemporary organizations. Firms need to grow due to contemporary pressures and drivers. Under these circumstances, organizational change becomes inevitable. The course integrates the knowledge of entrepreneurship and organizational change and also analyzes the main drivers of change, suggest approaches to diagnose change, plan, implement, communicate, and sustain change.

Course No:

0302513

Course Title:

HealthCare Analytics

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course will present students with an introduction to the field of health informatics and advanced healthcare analytics through the use of core technologies and data analytics (computational and analytical methods) and the use of health information technology to improve decision making in healthcare. Specific topics will include: overview of the healthcare analytics concept and related terminologies, data standards; security and confidentiality, health information exchanges, population health management and health data analytics, consumer health informatics, emerging health informatics innovations, and other topics related to health informatics. The course starts by examining how healthcare data is collected and stored. It then goes on to explore how information management methods, machine learning and data visualization are used in data analysis.

Course No:

Course Title:

Personal and Professional Development in Healthcare

Credit hours:

1

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course will present students with an introduction to the field of health informatics and advanced healthcare analytics through the use of core technologies and data analytics (computational and analytical methods) and the use of health information technology to improve decision making in healthcare. Specific topics will include: overview of the healthcare analytics concept and related terminologies, data standards; security and confidentiality, health information exchanges, population health management and health data analytics, consumer health informatics, emerging health informatics innovations, and other topics related to health informatics. The course starts by examining how healthcare data is collected and stored. It then goes on to explore how information management methods, machine learning and data visualization are used in data analysis.

Course No:

Course Title:

Thesis proposal

Credit hours:

3

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

This course requires students to prepare and defend a thesis research proposal under the supervision of a faculty member. Writing a research proposal serves as a critical "roadmap," where students articulate the methodological steps they will follow to conduct their research. In this process, students critically examine existing research, evaluating claims, data, strengths, weaknesses, and identify gaps within the literature. They then formulate a focused research question and hypothesis that addresses an unexplored aspect of the field. The proposal signifies the student’s commitment to an original research perspective that has the potential to advance knowledge in their field and is, therefore, worthy of deeper exploration. Upon completion, students are expected to publicly present and defend their proposal.

Course No:

Course Title:

Thesis

Credit hours:

6

Prerequisite: None

Catalog description:

In this course, students will commence work on their approved thesis proposal under the continuous mentorship of faculty supervisor(s). In cases where multiple supervisors are involved, the principal supervisor must belong to the academic department overseeing the chosen stream. This course integrates a range of essential research skills, including hypothesis development, research methodology, literature review, academic writing for proposals and theses, as well as oral presentation and critical discussion. Students will present their findings in a departmental seminar at each research stage.