Online Pharmaceutical Science Courses and Classes Overview

Online courses in pharmaceutical sciences exposes students to the areas in pharmacy, medicine, biomedical research and health care administration related to drugs and medical devices. Courses are part of a certificate, undergraduate or graduate program majoring in pharmacy, regulatory affairs or pharmaceutical sciences.

Summary of Online Pharmaceutical Science Courses

Pharmaceutical sciences courses examine the various aspects of the prescription drug industry, including pharmacy administration, sales, drug research and production, pharmaceutical ethics and regulations. Students may obtain a certificate in regulatory affairs, a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences or a master's degree in pharmacy. The undergraduate degree programs also prepare students for medical or law school or for graduate studies. Individuals with pharmaceutical training work in the health care, business and sciences industries. They are employed as pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, researchers, product testers, administrators, product marketing and sales representatives and regulatory compliance officers.

Course Requirements

Courses may be delivered in real time via satellite, through streaming video online, securely via a virtual classroom or by downloading course podcasts. Students must have a computer with a high-speed Internet connection and possess basic computer skills. Instructors may require specific software programs. Full participation in online discussion boards, group projects and interactive lectures is required. Instructors communicate with students via e-mail, web conferencing or by telephone.

List of Online Pharmaceutical Science Courses

Mass Spectrometry for the Pharmaceutical Industry Course

Students learn about analytical techniques used to identify drugs and methods that are used to gauge their performance and to determine proper dosage amounts. The course covers the use and operation of mass spectrometers as well as the methods use to properly read the information provided. Students learn how to troubleshoot issues relating to the mass spectrometer.

Public Policy and Pharmaceutical Products Course

This course takes a global look at practices within the pharmaceutical industry and their impact on health care and research. Students examine the various ways drugs and medical devices are distributed. They explore the importance of intellectual property and review the comparative effectiveness of drugs.

Pharmaceutical Ethics Course

This online course explores the biomedical ethics surrounding the pharmaceutical industry. Students learn about industry ethics, including those involving clinical research, patient-provider relationships and end-of-life care. The course examines other ethical topics, such as the distribution of scarce resources, the use of stem cells, the role of genetic testing and the issues of human cloning.

Pharmaceutical Regulations Course

This online course reviews the drug approval process, from drug discovery to pharmaceutical use. Students learn about the vast regulatory requirements involved in screening, testing, pre-clinical and clinical trials of drugs. They discuss the rules of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) used when a drug goes into full-scale production. The course also covers the approval process for diagnostic and medical devices.

The Immune System and Drugs Course

Students examine the principles of immunology and their use to create pharmaceuticals to treat immune-based problems. This online course covers the design, creation, distribution and clinical use of drugs for infectious disease prevention, cancer treatment and allergy relief and prevention

Abuse and Fraud in the Pharmaceutical Industry Course

This course surveys the various laws, regulations and rules enacted to prevent abuse, fraud and waste in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly within the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Students learn about the methods of auditing and detecting fraud within health care plans. The use of data mapping and data mining tools in investigations is also discussed.