Program: Pharmacy Leadership and Administration, MS - University of Houston

Apr 10, 2025

2022-2023 Graduate Catalog

College of Pharmacy > Pharmacy Leadership and Administration, MS

Taking full advantage of the resources of the world’s largest medical center, Texas Medical Center, the 24-month Houston Program with MS in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration offers unique learning, teaching and collaboration opportunities to train the next generation of pharmacy leaders.

The University of Houston College of Pharmacy offers a Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration, with PGY1 and PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration (HSPA) residency programs from seven leading Texas Medical Center institutions.

Texas Medical Center institutions with HSPA residencies participating in the Houston Program:

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center
Harris Health System
Houston Methodist Hospital
Memorial Hermann Health System
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Texas Children’s Hospital
The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center

For more information, please visit the Pharmacy Leadership and Administration website.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a PharmD and a license to practice pharmacy in the U.S. Applicants apply for PGY1/PGY2 residency via the PhORCAS application and enroll in ASHP Residency Matching process, then apply to the MS Pharmacy Leadership and Administration degree program at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. For all applicants, and especially for applicants from outside of the Houston area, we provide a coordinated interview schedule in order to optimize candidates’ time and learn more about the Houston Program, the Texas Medical Center, and the city of Houston. Letters of recommendation, transcripts, CV, and personal statement are required, but not the Graduate Record Examination.

See the application website for all of the details.

Degree Requirements

Credit hours required for this degree: 36.0

The MS program is offered by the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research (PPTR). The curriculum focuses on Pharmacy Leadership and Administration in Health-System Pharmacies. The student must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours (Cr Hr) for the MS degree including a major thesis/project. In accordance with the University of Houston guidelines, the department may approve a maximum of 9 Cr Hr of transfer credits from another institution.

Required Coursework

13 Credit Hours

PHLA 6100 - Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 1 (Taken 4 times)
PHLA 6221 - Advanced Health System Management Credit Hours: 2
PHLA 7320 - Capstone Credit Hours: 3
PHCA 7199 - Master Thesis Credit Hours: 1 (Taken 3 times)

Prescribes Electives

20 Credit Hours

ACCT 6331 - Financial Accounting Credit Hours: 3.0
PHCA 6198 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 1.0 (Taken 2 times)
Topics:
- Leadership Concepts I
- Leadership Transitions
PHCA 6298 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 2.0 (Taken 3 times)
Topics:
- Outcomes Research
- EBM
- Leadership Concepts II
PHCA 7306 - Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Quality Credit Hours: 3
PHCA 7308 - Biostatistics and Experimental Design Credit Hours: 3.0
PHLA 6213 - Workforce Competency Credit Hours: 2

Open Elective

3 Credit Hours

Elective can be selected from any available options for the student.

Suggested Degree Plan

Fall I

PHCA 6298 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 2.0
Topic: Outcomes Research
PHCA 7308 - Biostatistics and Experimental Design Credit Hours: 3.0
PHLA 6100 - Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 1
ACCT 6331 - Financial Accounting Credit Hours: 3.0
PHLA 6221 - Advanced Health System Management Credit Hours: 2

Spring I

PHCA 6198 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 1.0
Topic: Leadership Concepts I
PHCA 6298 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 2.0
Topic: EBM
PHCA 7199 - Master Thesis Credit Hours: 1
PHLA 6100 - Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 1
PHCA 6306

Summer I

PHLA 7320 - Capstone Credit Hours: 3

Fall II

PHLA 6100 - Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 1
PHCA 6298 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 2.0
Topic: Leadership Concepts II
PHCA 7199 - Master Thesis Credit Hours: 1
Elective Credit Hours: 3.0

Spring II

PHLA 6100 - Leadership Seminar Credit Hours: 1
PHLA 6213 - Workforce Competency Credit Hours: 2
PHCA 7199 - Master Thesis Credit Hours: 1
PHCA 6198 - Special Problems Credit Hours: 1.0
Topic: Leadership Transitions

Academic Policies

Department/Program Academic Policies

Every graduate student must maintain a ‘B’ average or 3.00 GPA throughout the MS program curriculum. Failure to do so will automatically place the student on probation for the following semester. Once on probation, the student has one semester (Fall or Spring) to improve their grades. If the student is not able to improve their performance and if their GPA is still below 3.00 the student may have to withdraw from the program. Students who have their GPA below 3.00, but have shown dramatic improvement in course grades, may petition for an extension to the MS Program Advisory Committee.
Graduate students are allowed only 2 ‘C’ grades throughout the MS program. Students will be automatically put on probation upon receipt of their second ‘C’ grade and will be withdrawn from the program upon receipt of their third ‘C’ grade.
In addition, the student will be automatically put on probation if they receive a grade below a ‘C’ in any one course. Individuals who receive a grade below ‘C’ have one semester to improve their grades. Students who are on probation and who show dramatic improvement in course grades may petition for an extension to the MS Program Advisory Committee.
Additionally, students receiving a grade below ‘C’ in any core course is required to repeat the course during its next offering. In addition, a student with a D, F, or I as the most recent grade in a graduate level course for a degree plan will not be eligible for graduation.

Master of Science in Pharmacy Leadership and Administration: Graduate Student Policies and Procedures Handbook