School of Business

Undergraduate degree programs in the School of Business, which is part of West Chester University's (WCU) College of Business and Public Affairs, include accounting, economics and finance, management, and marketing. The school offers programs of study that give students the skills, knowledge, and values that prepare them to work in a dynamic, global community. Other programs within the college include criminal justice, geography and planning, political science, and social work.

College Highlights

• WCU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 30 percent of the business programs in the U.S. are currently accredited by AACSB.
• More than 400 students per year participate in internships with governmental agencies, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Over the past year, 92% of the graduates of the accounting program found employment shortly after graduation.
• The University is raising funds to build a new center for the College of Business and Public Affairs.
• Regional businesses and community organizations rely on the college as a resource using these services: Business Technology Center, Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, Internet Presentation Group (for Web site development), and Center for Social and Economic Research.

Accounting

The Department of Accounting offers a full program of accounting courses that will prepare students for entry–level positions in public, private, or government accounting. Successful completion of the curriculum should adequately prepare students to take the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) and Certified Management Accounting (CMA) examinations.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are trained to understand accounting mechanics, concepts, and theory as well as business administration. They have the education necessary to excel in the accounting field. Graduates have accepted positions with many different firms and organizations, including those below:

• PriceWaterhouseCoopers
• KPMG
• Kreischer Miller
• DeLoitte & Touche
• BDO Seidman
• Horty & Horty
• Gunnip & Company
• Fisher Cunnane & Associates
• McGladrey & Pullen
• Smart & Associates
• U.S. Defense Contract Audit Agency

Internship and Co–operative Education Opportunities

The department has an active internship program that allows students to earn up to six college credits for part–time or full–time employment with area CPA firms and businesses.

Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Selected evening courses are available.

A broad offering of summer courses allows students to participate in spring semester internships while taking summer courses to complete the degree in four years.

Minor

Accounting

Typical Courses

• Principles of Financial Accounting
• Principles of Managerial/Cost Accounting
• Intermediate Financial Accounting
• Intermediate Managerial/Cost Accounting
• Advanced Financial Accounting
• Not–for–Profit and Governmental Accounting
• Accounting Information Systems
• Fraud Examination for Managers
• Auditing
• Federal Taxation
• Internships & Co–ops

Related Student Activities

• WCU Accounting Society
• Student Chapter of Institute of Management Accountants
• National Association of Black Accountants

Advanced Degree

Master of Business Administration (concentrations: executive, general business).

Faculty

Students can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact person listed below, or on the department’s Web site, www.wcupa.edu/_academics/sch_sba/u-ac.html.

For More Information

A.J. Cataldo II, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, Chairperson
Department of Accounting
309B Anderson Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2812
E–mail: acataldo@wcupa.edu

School of Business

Undergraduate degree programs in the School of Business, which is part of West Chester University's (WCU) College of Business and Public Affairs, include accounting, economics and finance, management, and marketing. The school offers programs of study that give students the skills, knowledge, and values that prepare them to work in a dynamic, global community. Other programs within the college include criminal justice, geography and planning, political science, and social work.

College Highlights

• WCU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 30 percent of the business programs in the U.S. are currently accredited by AACSB.
• More than 400 students per year participate in internships with governmental agencies, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Over the past year, 92% of the graduates of the accounting program found employment shortly after graduation.
• The University is raising funds to build a new center for the College of Business and Public Affairs.
• Regional businesses and community organizations rely on the college as a resource using these services: Business Technology Center, Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, Internet Presentation Group (for Web site development), and Center for Social and Economic Research.

Economics and Finance

The primary objective of the Department of Economics and Finance is to provide a learning experience that will permit students to achieve their maximum intellectual development in a chosen field of study and to prepare them for a satisfying career in that field. Students will develop the capacity to analyze situations, relate and classify pertinent factors, and derive alternatives for solving problems. The department acquaints students with the economic challenges faced by the national and world economies, as well as the challenges posed by a rapidly changing financial environment.

The business programs at West Chester University are currently accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an international accrediting agency for business programs.

Career Opportunities

Both economists and financial analysts are concerned with the interrelated behavior of individual business firms, consumers, and units of government. Economists analyze patterns of production and prices, distribution, consumption of goods and services, and national problems, such as inflation and unemployment. Financial analysts study capital budgeting, the determinants of interest rates, the effects of taxation, and investment behavior.

The Department of Economics and Finance provides students with a sound background in economics and finance, and builds a foundation in the general business areas of accounting, management, and marketing. Additional fields of study available to economics majors are political science, geography, and public administration. Graduates of the economics and finance programs at West Chester University are prepared for entry-level positions in business and government, and for admission to graduate school.

Those with degrees in either economics or finance have been successful in securing positions with leading companies and organizations in the United States and abroad.

Companies where graduates have found employment include the following:

• Federal government
• First National Bank of Chester County
• ING Direct
• QVC
• SEI
• State Farm Insurance
• State governments
• Vanguard
• Wells Fargo
• Wilmington Trust

Graduates have continued their studies in business, economics, finance, and law at a number of prestigious institutions.

Undergraduate Degrees

As incoming freshmen, students must apply to the pre-business program. To apply for a major in economics and/or finance, pre-business students must 1) complete ACC 201, ECO 111, ECO 112, ECO 251, MAT 107 (or 105 or 110), and MGT 200 with a C or better; 2) complete MAT 108 (or 161); 3) have at least 45 credits; 4) have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5; and 5) pass an Excel proficiency test. The same requirements apply for internal and external transfers.

Bachelor of Science in Economics. This program focuses on a business orientation of economic analysis.

Bachelor of Science in Finance. This curriculum focuses on a financial analysis of business decision making.

Students may choose to major in either or both economics and finance, or they may combine either degree with one offered in another department for a double major.

Minors

The department also offers minors in economics and finance. These minors enable students to analyze in a different discipline from an economic or financial perspective.

Typical Courses

• Corporation Finance
• Economic Growth and Development
• Financial Markets and Institutions
• International Finance
• Investments
• Public Finance
• Regulation of Competition

Related Student Activities

• Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics honor society)
• Economics and Finance Society

Advanced Degree

Master of Business Administration (concentrations: executive; general business)

Faculty

A complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications is available from the department's Web site,www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_sba/EconomicsAndFinance/.

For More Information

Cynthia Benzing, Ph.D., CFA
Chairperson, Department of Economics and Finance
Anderson 309-A
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2217

School of Business

Undergraduate degree programs in the School of Business, which is part of West Chester University's (WCU) College of Business and Public Affairs, include accounting, economics and finance, management, and marketing. The school offers programs of study that give students the skills, knowledge, and values that prepare them to work in a dynamic, global community. Other programs within the college include criminal justice, geography and planning, political science, and social work.

College Highlights

• WCU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 30 percent of the business programs in the U.S. are currently accredited by AACSB.
• More than 400 students per year participate in internships with governmental agencies, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Over the past year, 92% of the graduates of the accounting program found employment shortly after graduation.
• The University is raising funds to build a new center for the College of Business and Public Affairs.
• Regional businesses and community organizations rely on the college as a resource using these services: Business Technology Center, Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, Internet Presentation Group (for Web site development), and Center for Social and Economic Research.

Management

The primary objective of the Department of Management is to provide students with the skills required to manage business and public organizations effectively. Management is a broad-based skill that becomes increasingly important as a person’s career advances. Management involves a set of skills that students can use in a variety of work settings, both public and private. Because management requires human relations and organizational skills more than conceptual knowledge, the curriculum is designed with a great deal of experiential learning included.

The business programs at West Chester University are currently accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an international accrediting agency for business programs.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the management program can have both a psychologically and monetarily rewarding career. Potential employers of management graduates include banks; consulting firms; credit agencies; entertainment companies; financial services firms; health services companies; health and regulatory agencies; hotels; local, state, and federal governments; insurance companies; and schools. Graduates of the department have found employment as bank officer trainees, buyers, compensation analysts, entrepreneurs, health and regulatory inspectors, health services administrators, production planners, purchasing agents, school administrators, and underwriters.

Graduates of the department have begun their careers with companies such as:

• Bell of Pennsylvania
• Boeing Vertol
• DuPont
• General Electric
• IBM
• Merrill Lynch
• Unisys
• Xerox

Also, graduates of the department have been accepted into the following graduate schools:

• Bucknell University
• Drexel University
• Pennsylvania State University
• Rutgers - The State University
• University of Delaware
• University of Pennsylvania

Undergraduate Degree

Incoming freshmen must apply to the pre-business program. After completing 45 credits with a GPA of 2.5 or better, students may apply for the management major. Transfer students also must have the 45 credits and 2.5 GPA to be admitted into the major.

Bachelor of Science in Business Management. This program focuses on functions required to make a group of people work effectively as a unit. These functions include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Students also can earn this degree through evening classes.

Minor

International Business

Typical Courses

• Business and Society
• Business Policy and Strategy
• Entrepreneurship
• Human Resource Administration
• Introduction to International Business
• Introduction to Management Information Systems
• Organization Theory and Behavior
• Production and Operations Management

Special Study Opportunities

In the junior year, students may participate in an internship program and earn from three to six credits. The program provides an opportunity to learn business and management skills while working for a company. Qualified seniors also will be provided with opportunities to work as consultants under the supervision of a faculty member to lend technical assistance to small businesses in the area.

Advanced Degree

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with concentrations in executive or general business

Faculty

Students can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact person listed below or through the department’s Web site,www.wcupa.edu/_academics/sch_sba/u-mg.html/.

For More Information
Dr. Charles McGee, Chairperson
Department of Management
312A Anderson Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2304

School of Business

Undergraduate degree programs in the School of Business, which is part of West Chester University's (WCU) College of Business and Public Affairs, include accounting, economics and finance, management, and marketing. The school offers programs of study that give students the skills, knowledge, and values that prepare them to work in a dynamic, global community. Other programs within the college include criminal justice, geography and planning, political science, and social work.

College Highlights

• WCU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 30 percent of the business programs in the U.S. are currently accredited by AACSB.
• More than 400 students per year participate in internships with governmental agencies, nonprofits, and businesses.
• Over the past year, 92% of the graduates of the accounting program found employment shortly after graduation.
• The University is raising funds to build a new center for the College of Business and Public Affairs.
• Regional businesses and community organizations rely on the college as a resource using these services: Business Technology Center, Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, Internet Presentation Group (for Web site development), and Center for Social and Economic Research.

Marketing

The primary focus of the Department of Marketing is to prepare students to compete successfully in today’s fast–paced, high–tech business environment.

To accomplish this, the faculty of the Department of Marketing will emphasize

1. Understanding the strategies related to the design, promotion, pricing, and distribution of goods and services that meet customer needs;
2. Teaching methods that allow students to assume the role of a marketing decision maker to develop an appreciation of the challenges that face today’s marketers;
3. Exposing students to the latest technological developments that are changing the way marketing is undertaken;
4. Both individual and teamwork approaches to prepare students for the realities of the work environment;
5. Creating an understanding of the legal and ethical framework of marketing, competition, and other business activity.

The business programs at West Chester University are currently accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an international accrediting agency for business programs and by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the marketing program may choose employment opportunities in a wide variety of organizations, such as consumer or industrial goods and services companies, distribution, financial services, retailing, health care, insurance, or public service. Entry–level positions might be in sales, administration, buying, or general management training programs. Graduates also may choose to seek advanced degrees in business, law, or other fields.

Graduates of the department electing to pursue advanced degrees have been accepted at a variety of universities including the following:

• Drexel University
• Pennsylvania State University
• Temple University
• University of Delaware

Graduates also hold positions at the following companies:

• Comcast
• ING Direct
• Johnson & Johnson
• Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals
• QVC
• Sovereign Bank
• Sungard SCT

Undergraduate Degree

Incoming freshmen must apply to the pre–business program. After completing 45 credits with a GPA of 2.5 or better, students may apply for the marketing major. Transfer students also must have the 45 credits and 2.5 GPA to be admitted into the major.

Bachelor of Science in Marketing. This program focuses on a broad understanding of the policies and practices required to function effectively in the business environment. The department places particular emphasis on the activities required to identify and understand customer needs and to design strategies that create and deliver goods and services which meet those requirements, while maintaining a balance among consumer, organizational, and societal demands. Students also can earn this degree through evening classes.

Typical Courses

• Advertising and Sales Promotion
• Consumer Behavior
• Internship in Marketing
• Marketing Management
• Marketing Research
• Marketing Strategy and Planning
• Personal Selling
• Senior Seminar in Marketing

Special Study Opportunities

At the junior and senior levels, students may acquire practical experience in an organization through an internship and earn three to six credits. Students interested in international business may be able to schedule a semester abroad and receive transfer credit.

Faculty

Students can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact person listed below or on the department Web site,www.wcupa.edu/_academics/sch_sba/u-mk.html.

Related Student Activities

Collegiate Chapter, American Marketing Association

For More Information

Paul Arsenault, Ph.D., Chairperson and Professor
Department of Marketing
312C Anderson Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2208

Chemistry

Mission

The Department of Chemistry at West Chester University is a first–tier, full–service department offering American Chemical Society (ACS) approved programs. All classes and laboratories are taught by highly motivated faculty, with doctorates, who emphasize teaching and learning through small classes, hands–on laboratory experiences, and student–faculty research. Faculty are selected and rewarded largely on the basis of their teaching performance. The mission is to prepare students to understand the physical world, serve as chemical professionals (including teachers), and undertake advanced study in chemistry and other subjects where chemical insight is central to basic understanding.

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. This ACS–approved program prepares students for careers in industry or government and for graduate study. In addition, this program can serve as a platform for such diverse interests as patent law and research management. Graduates of this program are certified to the ACS.

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. This ACS–approved program provides a comprehensive background in the major areas of chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. Those awarded this degree are certified to the ACS and will be qualified for employment opportunities in chemistry and biochemistry. The program also prepares students for graduate study in chemistry and in biochemistry.

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry – Biology. This pre–professional major prepares students for entry into schools of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine, and for careers in biomedical research. Many of those in this program are also in the pre–medical program, which has an exceptional acceptance rate over the last quarter century. It is affiliated with Drexel University College of Medicine, Penn State University College of Medicine, and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Bachelor of Science in Education – Chemistry. This program prepares students for secondary school teaching in chemistry. Those graduating are eligible to earn a Pennsylvania Instructional Level I Certificate. Students have the option of additional certification in general science.

Bachelor of Science in Forensic and Toxicological Chemistry. This program is accredited by the Forensic Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) and is one of the oldest in the country. It prepares students for positions in toxicological and crime laboratories and includes a one–semester internship in a working forensic or toxicology laboratory.

Facilities

The department has a variety of modern scientific instruments, all of which are used in teaching and undergraduate student research. Students will learn to operate and interpret results from many state–of–the–art instruments, such as gas and liquid chromatographs including a number of chromatographs interfaced with other equipment (e.g., mass spec), Fourier–transform infrared spectrometers, 300 and 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, ultraviolet–visible spectrometers, atomic absorption spectrometers, a differential scanning calorimeter, an X–ray powder diffractometer, and a mass spectrometer.

In addition, many will have the opportunity to use the department’s other specialized instruments (thermogravimetric analyzer, catalyst evaluation facility, cyclic voltammeter, particle size analyzer, atmospheric sampler, titration microcalorimeter, etc.), as well as instruments housed in other departments and available for student use, such as transmission and scanning electron microscopes, laser scanning confocal microscope, analytical ultracentrifuge, scintillation counter, and X–ray fluorescence spectrometer.

Computers

Students will have the opportunity to become proficient with the use of computers for general and technical applications. All University buildings are connected by the fiber optic links of the Information Services Network. The network provides faculty and student computers with access to general–purpose software like Word for Windows, Excel, Power Point, and Access, and to the Internet and World Wide Web. In addition, each student and faculty member is issued a personal mailbox on the network/Internet. Computers for student use are located in the computer center, the residence halls, and in the Department of Chemistry’s own student computer laboratory, where computers are equipped with specialized software for chemical computations and graphics.

Research/Internship Opportunities

Students will have the opportunity to perform scientific research with faculty, or to take part in research as an intern, in a variety of industrial and academic laboratories. Of those students who have participated in research with faculty, 75 have been co–authors of papers published in scientific literature or presented at scientific meetings in the last ten years. Students have performed internships at Argonne National Laboratories, the Linus Pauling Institute, Oxford University, the Philadelphia Crime Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, Pennsylvania Health Laboratory, and many others. In particular, the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology Laboratory is located nearby and has provided many students with internship opportunities.

Graduate Placement

Graduates have an outstanding record of placement in chemistry–related fields or in graduate or professional schools at the time of graduation. WCU chemists have been successful in chemical, drug, scientific instrument, and environmental companies such as Astra–Zeneca, Atochem, Merck, Pfizer, Perkin–Elmer, P&G, Centocor Corp., Purdue Pharma, Cephalon, The PQ Corporation, E.I. DuPont, DEA, FBI, and various state and local crime labs. In addition, many have successfully completed advanced study in chemistry or medical programs at prestigious graduate schools, such as the Jefferson Medical School, John Jay University, Ohio State University, Texas A&M, University of Delaware, and University of Pennsylvania.

Related Student Activities

The American Chemical Society student affiliate chapter, the Alchemist Club, has been awarded the Outstanding Honor by the ACS. This award is based on the club’s high level of student participation in field trips, voluntary tutoring, and related activities.

Faculty

You can obtain a complete listing of chemistry faculty and their academic qualifications from the contact person listed below or from the Web site,www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas.che/.

For More Information

Dr. Blaise Frost, Chairperson
Department of Chemistry
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2631
Fax: 610–436–2890
E–mail: bfrost@wcupa.edu

Computer Science

Degree Program:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science offers a program leading to the bachelor of science degree in computer science. The department has been recognized by the National Security Agency as a Center for Excellence in Information Assurance Education, and this degree has a pending accreditation approval by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

The bachelor of science in computer science prepares students for a career in the field of computer science and its applications, and for additional study in computer science at the graduate level. The program introduces students to the art and science of computing, and includes a study of object–oriented programming languages (such as Java), data structures, foundations of computer science, computer organization, and software engineering. This core is followed by courses covering the major areas of computer science, such as visual programming, database management systems, operating systems, compiler construction, programming language concepts and paradigms, user interfaces, and artificial intelligence. Courses pertaining to new technologies are added to the curriculum as needed to keep the degree program as current as possible. For course descriptions and more details on degree requirements, see the department's Web page at www.cs.wcupa.edu.

Computer science majors can gain valuable, on–the–job experience through a full– or part–time internship (the majority of which are paid positions) with local businesses. Some major companies that have provided internships hire these students after graduation, including the following:

• Anderson Consulting
• Dupont
• General Electric
• Lockheed Martin
• Merck
• QVC
• Siemens Health Services
• Smith Kline Beecham
• SUN Systems
• UNISYS

Graduates also have entered advanced study programs at the following universities:

• Brown University
• Cornell University
• Temple University
• University of Delaware
• University of Pittsburgh
• Villanova University

Facilities

The West Chester University Academic Computing Center maintains a network of Microsoft Windows–based PC computers. Available through these computers are the standard Microsoft packages offering word processing, spreadsheets, database, electronic mail, and World Wide Web browsing. Additional programming packages (such as Java, C++, and Visual Basic) are used to teach computer science courses.

The Department of Computer Science has three labs that are used only by its majors: a computer security lab, a Linux lab, and a Windows lab. These are located in a modern building, which just opened in 2008, that offers one gigabit and wireless access. Also, students can access the Linux servers from home.

Students also have the opportunity to create their own World Wide Web home page.

Courses taught in the computer science curriculum will provide students with exposure to both UNIX–based and Windows–based platforms. Much of the software used runs on both platforms, offering students the convenience of working on projects at home as well as at school.

Pharmaceutical Product Development

The bachelor of science in pharmaceutical product development prepares students for careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. The curriculum was developed through extensive dialog with key industry leaders and is designed to meet the specific needs of students seeking careers in this dynamic industry. The curriculum for the degree is interdisciplinary in nature; students will acquire a solid foundation in the basic and pharmaceutical sciences, as well as experience in technical writing, oral communication, statistics (including SAS programming), economics, and biomedical ethics. While the primary focus of the curriculum is on drug development and discovery, the versatility of the program enables students to become proficient in numerous areas of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. This innovative curriculum is coupled with up to two summers of employment in the industry following the sophomore and junior years. These paid internship assignments are performed within the industry and provide graduates with a level of understanding and experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. Graduates of this program are poised to enter the industry with a breadth of understanding that previously took several years of industry experience to acquire. Furthermore, because of the diversity of the program, PPD graduates are also well prepared to enter either graduate or medical schools in order to further their careers.

Admission Requirements

This program is for academically talented and highly motivated students and requires a heavy math and science course load. Admission standards include an SAT score of 1200 and a high school class rank in the top 25%. Students must also complete courses in high school mathematics, science, and English. Transfer students must meet the admissions standards of this program. In order for college–level science course work to transfer into this program, the student must have earned a grade of C or better. Relationships are being established with area community colleges to enable students in biotechnology programs to transfer into the PPD program smoothly.

Degree Completion Requirements

The internship experiences in the second and third summers will require a GPA at WCU of 2.75 and no grade less than C- in the required science courses. For graduation, students must complete all the required courses in chemistry and biology, including the internship employment assignments and the capstone interdisciplinary courses with a grade of C- or better.

Capstone Courses

The capstone courses in pharmaceutical product development are a unique aspect of the program. These three in-depth courses, taken between the sophomore and senior years, incorporate all aspects of the pharmaceutical industry. More importantly, these courses are taught by individuals who are experts in their fields and who are currently employed in the industry. Currently, representatives from large pharmaceutical firms and small biotech companies are participating in the program, including individuals from Absorption Systems, AstraZeneca, Centocor, Cephalon, Cytokine PharmaSciences, Endo Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Icon Clinical Research, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, PPD, Inc, : change to Progenra, ProMetrics, Shire, ThermoFisher Scientific, and Wyeth: change to Viro Pharma, to name a few. As a result, students can obtain the most up-to-date information possible about this dynamic industry. The course content ranges from an introductory overview of the industry to more specific lectures in clinical studies, preclinical drug discovery and design, drug manufacture and formulation, and drug marketing and sales. By using industry experts as lecturers, the students receive not only basic information about pharmaceutical science, but also up-to-the-minute advances in this rapidly changing industry.

Internship Opportunities

Each student in the program is required to participate in at least one paid summer internship at an area pharmaceutical or biotechnology firm. Previous internships have been concerned with drug formulation, medicinal chemistry, preclinical studies, medical and regulatory affairs, drug safety, data analysis, statistics, and medical writing, as well as marketing and sales. Numerous area industries have employed WCU student interns including:

• Absorption Systems
• AstraZeneca
• Centocor
• Cephalon
• Cytokine PharmaSciences
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Icon Clinical Research
• Progenra
• ProMetrics
• Reaction Biology
• ThermoFisher
• ViroPharma

Facilities

The courses in this curriculum are housed in the renovated Schmucker Science Center and the Merion Science Center, which opened in 1996. The participating science departments have a variety of modern equipment, all of which are used in teaching and student research. This equipment includes a P3-level tissue culture facility, a cold room, a new ultracentrifuge, scintillation counting system, gas and liquid chromatographs, Fourier transform infrared spectrometers, ultraviolet-visible spectrometers, atomic absorption spectrometer, differential scanning calorimeter, x-ray power diffractometer, electroanalyzer, transmission and scanning electron microscopes, single-side band microscope (the world’s second), fluorescence microscopes, apparatus for video microscopy, cryostat, gamma ray counter, computerized DNA sequencing analyzer, recombinant DNA equipment, isothermal titration calorimeter, electrophoresis equipment, anaerobic bacterial culture chamber and incubator, and patch clamping equipment. Several of the participating pharmaceutical companies also have maintained labs on campus in the Schmucker Science Center: Absorption Systems, Cytokine PharmaSciences, and ThermoFisher Scientific. This close interaction with the industry allows students to take full advantage of the opportunities for internships, industry research, and interaction with industry professionals.

Faculty

The core curriculum is taught by faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences of West Chester University. In addition, regional professionals from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry participate in the three capstone interdisciplinary courses.

Several of these industry professionals have been named as adjunct professors at West Chester University because of their continued involvement with the program. The list of adjunct professors ranges from research scientists to presidents and CEO’s of corporations.

For More Information

A current list of the participating faculty and further information about the program can be obtained from the contact person below or the department’s Web site, www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas/pharm/.

Dr. Stephen Zimniski, Director
Pharmaceutical Product Development Program
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2939
E–mail: ppd@wcupa.edu
http://www.wcupa.edu/ppd

Pre–Medical Program

The pre–medical program prepares students for application to the health professional schools of medicine (allopathic or osteopathic), dentistry, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary medicine; physician assistant programs; and careers in biomedical research. Supervised by a Pre–Medical Committee composed of faculty members from various relevant departments and chaired by the pre–medical director, the program consists of an individualized selection of course work, personal counseling and academic support, and optional junior/senior year biomedical research internship (for students who academically qualify) at a medical school or research institute.

Those in the program, regardless of academic major, are expected to maintain the high standards of performance necessary for health professional school admission.

Why Pre–Medical Studies at West Chester University?

1. Thirty–three–Year Placement Record – The goal is to place every student who meets the standards of this program into health professional schools. West Chester’s 1977–2010 placement record for students who have been recommended by the Pre–Medical Committee is over 95%. The program has successfully placed students in medical, dental, and veterinary school, at over 50 locations in the U.S. and abroad (a complete list is available from the Pre–Medical Office), including
   • Boston University School of Medicine
   • Cornell University Medical College and College of Veterinary Medicine
   • Dartmouth College Medical School
   • Drexel University College of Medicine
   • Duke University School of Medicine
   • Harvard School of Dental Medicine
   • Jefferson Medical College
   • The Mayo Clinic
   • Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine
   • Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
   • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
   • Temple University School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine
   • Tufts University School of Medicine
   • University of Maryland School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine
   • University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine
   • University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
   • University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine
   • University of Virginia School of Medicine
   • Vanderbilt University
   • Washington University
2. Total Cost (current numbers are available on the www.wcupa.edu): WCU’s moderate undergraduate costs allow students to save and invest more funds in their undergraduate years to help reduce the amount of borrowing necessary to finance their professional school education.
3. Philosophy of the Program: The pre-medical program selects for admission those applicants who exhibit strong potential for achieving success in a health professional career. Consequently, evidence of experience in a relevant health care setting is expected. From the very beginning, students will receive individual guidance and support to help them realize that potential. Under these supportive conditions, students are removed from the destructive competition that they may experience in a pre–medical program where students must compete for the committee’s recommendation to medical school. Instead, at WCU students can focus their energy and talents on working toward the positive goal of maintaining high standards of academic performance and engaging in meaningful extracurricular activities, in an atmosphere conducive to friendship and cooperation among other students.
4. Individual Attention: As a medium–sized school with small classes in almost all courses, West Chester University works to foster a close relationship between students and faculty. University faculty, rather than graduate students, teach all classes, whether they be lectures, labs, or recitations, which allows those faculty to be acquainted with students in and out of the classroom. This small pre–medical program is structured with seminars and information sessions so that faculty get to know each student well; Consequently, the program can offer each student the highly personalized academic assistance and career guidance needed to achieve his or her goal of medical (or other health professional) school admission.
5. Research Internship: Science majors (typically biology or chemistry) who are formally affiliated with the pre–medical program may qualify for a full–time, full–credit biomedical research internship at a medical school or research institute in the United States or Europe because students get internships starting in the summer of their sophomore year. Those participating in the internship program acquire significant research experience that can represent a valuable credential in the professional school application process. WCU students have participated in biomedical research internships at more than 40 prestigious facilities (a complete list is available from the Pre–Medical Office) that include the following:
   • Alfred I. DuPont Institute
   • Bellevue Hospital
   • Cambridge University School of Medicine (U.K.)
   • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
   • The Cleveland Clinic
   • Fox Chase Cancer Center
   • Harvard Medical School
   • Jefferson Medical College
   • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
   • Linus Pauling Institute of Medicine and Science (California)
   • The Mayo Clinic
   • Memorial–Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
   • National Cancer Institute
   • New Bolton Center
   • Oxford University Institute of Molecular Medicine (U.K.)
   • Princeton University Department of Molecular Biology
   • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
   • University of Glasgow
   • University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
   • The Wistar Institute
6. Early Assurance Programs: WCU offers several early assurance programs with Arcadia University’s M.S. in physician assistant studies program, and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Temple University School of Dental Medicine; for highly qualified post–baccalaureates, early assurance programs exist with Drexel University College of Medicine and Temple University School of Medicine. Supplemental applications must be completed early in the admission process for programs as indicated.

For More Information

A current list of the participating faculty and further information about the program can be obtained from the contact person below or the department’s Web site,www.wcupa.edu/_academics/sch_cas/med/.

Dr. Stephen Zimniski, Director
Pre–Medical Program
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2939
E–mail:pmed@wcupa.edu

Applied Statistics Program

Master’s Degree and Certificate

The master of science degree and certificate in applied statistics bring together statistics, computer science, scientific research, and communication skills using the most current technologies.

The mission of West Chester’s program in applied statistics is to give students the skills necessary for immediate employment and/or provide coursework that would make further (doctoral) study in statistics, biostatistics, biomathematics, or other related fields feasible. The program provides strong training in statistical analysis and programming, design of scientific studies, and the ability to communicate statistical concepts.

Vital to a wide variety of disciplines, applied statisticians have found employment in pharmaceutical research and development, government public policy, economic forecasting and analysis, psychometrics, public health research, and many other areas. West Chester’s program emphasizes a flexible curriculum that allows a wide variety of concentrations of application, including biology, mathematics, computer science, psychology, health sciences, business, pharmaceutical product development, and other self-designed multi-disciplinary concentrations.

The certificate program requires only 19 credit hours and offers a broader overview and introduction to application of statistical concepts to various research settings. This program emphasizes hands-on course work, rather than the mathematical/statistical background required for independent research in the master’s program.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, various undergraduate majors and interests are eligible for admissions.

Research and Internships

"At WCU, we are committed to excellence and innovation in education," says Dr. Randall H. Rieger, professor of statistics, director of the graduate program in applied statistics and co–director of the West Chester Statistics Institute.

"In applied statistics, this allows us to constantly offer new courses on important topics, to teach our courses in interactive and innovative ways, and to commit our time and resources to training our students through both coursework and involvement in projects. For instance, the West Chester Statistics Institute offers graduate students a chance to work as statisticians under faculty supervision, thus enhancing the methods that they have learned in the classroom."

The program also offers paid internship opportunities and flexible class offerings allowing for both full–time and part–time students.

Admission to the Degree Program

In addition to meeting the basic admission requirements of the University, applicants must have knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. Deficiencies, as determined by the program director, may be removed by successfully completing appropriate course(s). Borderline candidates for admission may be required to present GRE scores at the discretion of the program director.

Admission to the Certificate Option

In addition to meeting the basic admission requirements of the University, applicants must have at least one undergraduate level (or higher) course in statistics. Deficiencies, as determined by the program director, may be removed by successfully completing an appropriate course.

Faculty

Study with qualified instructors who are full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty, possessing doctoral degrees in statistics or biostatistics. They have experience in many areas of applied statistics research, including consulting in medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, government organizations, and many branches of academia. They have also published theoretical statistical research papers in preeminent journals.

For more information
Dr. Randall Rieger, Program Director
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610–436–2440
E–mail: rrieger@wcupa.edu