(488c) Pharmaceutical Engineering Programs and Courses for the Working Pharmaceutical Professionals

In recent years, a number of graduate level programs related to pharmaceutical engineering have been developed at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The reason for this is multifaceted. The pharmaceutical/medical technology industry is the largest manufacturing industry in New Jersey since New Jersey is home to the headquarters of more global pharmaceutical and medical technology companies than any other state in the country, or any single country throughout the world. NJIT is located at this national epicenter of industrial pharmaceutical research and development. In addition, the engineering aspects of pharmaceutical process development are becoming more challenging and important within the industry as a result of new initiative such as the FDA's Process Analytical Technologies (PAT's), increasing pharmaceutical manufacturing costs, a renewed emphasis on better understanding of processes and their control issues, and the complexities of new drug manufacturing.

To better address the industry need for qualified engineers, and especially the needs of the many pharmaceutical companies located in its vicinity, in December 2001 NJIT established the first official Master of Science (MS) Degree Program in Pharmaceutical Engineering (PhEn) in the State of New Jersey. The program has grown substantially in a very short period of time, rapidly attracting a much larger number of students than initially anticipated, including a large number of students currently working at local pharmaceutical companies. In addition to the MS PhEn degree, two graduate-level “Certificates”, each requiring taking four prescribed PhEn courses, have also been established. The Certificate program yields a stand-alone credential, which is a milestone in its own right, and it is also a springboard to the PhEn Master's degree.

These programs have experience substantial student enrollment. Especially significant, and challenging, has been the enrollment of many full-time employees of local pharmaceutical companies who take courses part-time and who have specific scheduling needs and time constraints. In addition to practical issues, their enrollment has created opportunities for stronger interaction with pharmaceutical companies, and the requirement to make the course contents relevant to the industry's need, while still maintaining the rigorousness and intellectual challenges associated with graduate level courses.

This paper describes the approach that was used at NJIT to develop pharmaceutical engineering programs, courses, and tools, which make the learning experience of pharmaceutical professionals as well as “regular” students more relevant to the field and more intellectually stimulating, while taking advantages of the resulting new opportunities, and overcoming the associated challenges.