Drug Development Programs (DESS)

Are you looking to specialize in drug development?

The Faculty’s Drug Development Programs adopt a vocational approach to enable students to acquire a specialization in drug development that will supplement their training or experience in a related field. The Faculty offers a Diploma of Higher Specialized Studies (DESS) in Drug Development, which can be followed by a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an internship or directed study.

Admission is limited, competitive, and restricted to the Fall semester only.

The program is available for part-time and full-time students.

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Program Overview
Admission and Requirements
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Program Overview

DESS in Drug Development

The DESS program in Drug Development is a specialization and professional development program that offers students training for a career in the pharmaceutical field, whether in the biopharmaceutical industry, government agencies, or university hospital settings.

The DESS consists of a minimum of 30 credits including compulsory courses. Academic upgrading courses can be added as necessary. The minimum period of study required is one full academic year (two terms). Part-time students must complete the program within four years.

Several concentrations are available:

Clinical research
Pharmacoeconomics and market access
Regulation, manufacturing, and compliance
Pharmacovigilance and risk management

For more information, please see the program description, structure and course listing in the prospective students’ website. (In French only)

Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences with internship or directed study

An extension of the DESS in Drug Development, the Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an internship or directed study is intended to train specialists to contribute to the conduction and evaluation of scientific studies and in procedures related to drug development and drug monitoring in various environments.

An internship or directed study worth 15 credits is added to the DESS in Pharmaceutical Sciences for a minimum total of 45 credits.
The minimal length of study for the internship option is two part-time terms, with the internship covering a period of eight months.
The minimal length of study for the directed study option is two part-time terms.

For more information, please see the program description, structure and course listing in the prospective students’ website. (In French only)

Short Graduate Program in Drug Research, Development and Evaluation

With this additional training in research-type graduate programs you will gain a global view of the drug development. You will expand your horizons by addressing different aspects such as regulation or marketing of new therapies.

The academic progress within the Short Graduate Program in Drug Research, Development and Evaluation is personalized. Optional courses must be approved by the program committee and take you out of your specialized area of research. This training must be done in parallel with your graduate studies in research with writing of thesis or dissertation or in the context of a postdoctoral internship.

The minimum duration is one full-time semester (15 credits). However, you can not assume that you can complete this program in 4 months. You will have to verify the courses availability as one course may be prerequisite to another. However, you have a maximum of three years from your initial registration to complete this Short Graduate Program.

Admission and Requirements

To be admitted to the DESS in Drug Development, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Hold a bachelor’s (undergraduate) degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
Have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 2.7/4.3 or higher or the equivalent, depending on the standard set by the educational institutions they previously attended.
Have an excellent command of French and a good working knowledge of English.
Possess a basic understanding of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and biostatistics. Failing this, applicants will be required to complete additional courses before joining the program.

Applicants must attach a current resume and letter of motivation (merci de respecter ces critères) to their application form for the DESS program. Preselected applicants may be contacted for a selection interview.

To expedite processing, applicants are encouraged to submit their application online.

To be admitted to the Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences with internship program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Have completed the DESS in Drug Development.
Have maintained a grade point average of 3.0/4.3 or higher.

The admissions committee will conduct a pre-screening. Final selection will depend on the results of the applicant’s interview with representatives from the internship sites.

Important:

The internship is open to applicants with no expertise in the pharmaceutical industry in Canada unless they are preparing to make a career change through the internship.
This component of the program is limited, and admissions vary with the availability of internship sites.

To be admitted to the Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences with directed study program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Have completed the DESS in Drug Development.
Have maintained a grade point average of 3.0/4.3 or higher.
Be employed in the pharmaceutical sector.
Have their project approved by the Drug Development Graduate Programs Committee.
Have the support of their employer expressed by:
- Strong commitment to provide applicants with at least one free day per week to devote time to their project;
- Full commitment to participate in the co-supervision of the project.