Degree Structure
College
Pharmacy
Department
Level
Graduate Masters
Study System
Courses and Theses
Total Credit Hours
33 Cr. Hrs.
Duration
2-4 Years; 4-8 semesters
Intake
Fall and Spring
Language
English
Study Mode
Full Time and Part Time
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Degree Overview
The MPP program focuses on digital health and leadership, providing a comprehensive curriculum that meets the demands of the evolving healthcare industry. The program requires a total of 33 credit hours, including 15 compulsory courses, nine electives, and a thesis component (9 credit hours). Students will engage in a rigorous academic journey combining theory and practical application. The program collaborates closely with the College of Computing and Informatics at the University of Sharjah and draws expertise from renowned professionals in the healthcare industry, such as the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, to ensure a strong foundation in digital health technologies and strategic leadership principles. Throughout the program, students will read scholarly articles and write academic papers, participate in critical discussions, and develop their analytical skills to address contemporary challenges in pharmacy practice. Additionally, students will have opportunities to apply what they have learned in real-world settings through internships, research projects, and collaborative initiatives with industry partners. By combining academic rigor with practical experience, the program prepares graduates to become innovative leaders in the field of pharmacy. Graduates will have the skills and knowledge to drive positive change and address the complex healthcare needs of the future.
What You Will Learn
Pharmacy practice is evolving to meet the dynamic needs of modern healthcare, integrating digital innovations and evidence-based approaches to enhance patient care and optimize therapeutic decision-making. The Master of Science in Pharmacy Practice program equips students with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Through a comprehensive curriculum, students will learn to integrate emerging digital health technologies, including telehealth, mobile health applications, and electronic health records, to enhance pharmacy services and improve patient outcomes. This program promotes leadership and strategic thinking, empowering students to develop and implement change management strategies tailored to the UAE Health Sector. Emphasizing a culture of continuous innovation, students will explore methods to optimize pharmacy workflows, enhance collaboration with multidisciplinary healthcare teams, and drive improvements in patient-centered care. Graduates will be well-prepared to assume pivotal roles in pharmacy practice, healthcare leadership, and research, contributing to the advancement of pharmacy services in the UAE and beyond.
University Requirements
College Requirements
Degree Requirements
- Compulsory courses (15 credit hours)
- Elective Courses (9 credit hours)
- Thesis (9 credit hours)
Students are required to complete 15 credit hours in compulsory courses (5 compulsory courses) and a total of 9 credit hours in elective courses (5 elective courses). The elective courses are organized into three distinct groups. To fulfill the elective requirements, students must select and complete 3 credit hours from each group. This structure requires students to complete three courses from the first group, one course from the second group, and one course from the third group. The details of the study plan are outlined below:
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Pre-requisite |
Compulsory Courses |
|||
|
Pharmaceutical Health Services |
3 |
- |
|
Pharmacoepidemiology |
3 |
- |
|
Research Methods and Design in Pharmacy Practice |
3 |
- |
|
Digital health in Pharmacy Practice |
3 |
- |
|
Leadership and Management in Pharmacy Practice |
3 |
- |
Elective Courses:
Group I
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Pre-requisite |
|
Personal and Professional Development in Healthcare |
1 |
- |
|
Journal club in pharmacy practice |
1 |
- |
|
Research Seminar |
1 |
- |
|
Programming Fundamentals* |
1 |
- |
*This course will be taught by the college of computing and informatics
Group II
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Pre-requisite |
0306620 |
Leadership and Organizational Behavior** |
3 |
- |
0307520 |
Entrepreneurship and Organizational Change** |
3 |
- |
0307530 |
Project Management** |
3 |
- |
**These elective courses already exist and will be taught by the college of business administration
Group III
Course Code |
Course Title |
Credit Hours |
Pre-requisite |
|
Pharmacy informatics and automation |
3 |
- |
0302513 |
Healthcare Analytics** |
3 |
- |
Course Description
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: |
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. |
Career Path
The Master of Science in Pharmacy Practice program will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to pursue a variety of career paths. This program prepares students for roles in both clinical and non-clinical settings, including but not limited to:
1. Digital Health Pharmacist: Specializing in using digital technologies to improve patient care, manage electronic health records, and implement telehealth solutions.
2. Pharmacy Manager: Responsible for overseeing daily operations in pharmacy settings, including inventory management, staff supervision, and regulatory compliance, while incorporating digital tools for efficiency.
3. Clinical Informatics Specialist: Collaborating with healthcare teams to design, implement, and optimize clinical information systems, ensuring seamless integration of digital health solutions.
4. Pharmaceutical Technology Consultant: Advising healthcare organizations on selecting and utilizing digital pharmacy technologies, such as medication dispensing systems and software.
5. Pharmacy Business Analyst: Analyzing data trends to inform strategic decision-making in pharmacy operations, revenue management, and customer engagement, using digital analytics tools.
6. Tele pharmacy Coordinator: Managing remote pharmacy services through telecommunication platforms and virtual care technologies.
7. Pharmacy Entrepreneur: Establishing innovative ventures in the digital health sector, such as online pharmacy platforms or tele-pharmacy services.
8. Health System Administrator: Leading pharmacy departments in healthcare organizations, focusing on budgeting, staffing, and quality improvement, with a digital innovation focus.
9. Clinical Research Coordinator: Facilitating clinical trials and research studies within pharmacy settings, using digital research tools.
10. Pharmacy Policy Analyst: Advocating for legislative and regulatory changes to promote digital health solutions in pharmacy practice at local, national, and international levels
