University of the Sciences
| File:Usp-logo-colour-full.png | |
| Motto | The first college of pharmacy in North America |
|---|---|
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1821 |
| President | Philip P. Gerbino, PharmD |
Academic staff | 163 |
| Undergraduates | 2,468 |
| Postgraduates | 340 |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Athletics | 11 varsity teams, 17 intramural clubs |
| Colors | Crimson and Gray |
| Affiliations | Division II NCAA, CACC, ECAC |
| Mascot | Devils, "Drake the Devil" |
| Website | http://www.usip.edu |
The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in a variety of health-related disciplines, including pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management, pharmacology, physical therapy, biology, chemistry, toxicology, cell biology, biochemistry, medical technology, and bioinformatics.
History
The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP) began in 1821, when 68 Philadelphia apothecaries met in Carpenters' Hall to establish improved scientific standards and to train more competent apprentices and students. A year later, they organized and incorporated the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP), the first college of pharmacy in the United States.
Although matriculation was originally limited to men, the college became co-educational in 1876. The college initially emphasized the biological and chemical sciences as mainstays of the curriculum in pharmacy, but later instituted separate curricula in three other areas: bacteriology, biology, and chemistry.
In 1921, the name of the institution was changed to Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, with State authorization to grant not only the baccalaureate degree but also the master's and doctorate in all four disciplines.
Primarily a commuter campus through its early days, the institution began to transform into one in which residential life and extracurricular activities played a larger role in student development.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania approved the institution's application for university status in February 1997. In recognition of the broad spectrum of new health and science programs introduced by the institution, the college changed its name to reflect the range of academic opportunities offered to its students. On July 1, 1998, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science officially became the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. USP now comprises four colleges:
- Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
- Misher College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Graduate Studies
Shaping the Profession of Pharmacy
William Procter, Jr., often described as "the father of American pharmacy," was a PCP professor from 1846-1874, as well as serving as an officer of the board. He was instrumental in the founding of the American Pharmaceutical Association, the national professional society of pharmacists, founded and organized in Philadelphia in 1852. It is now called the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the first established and largest professional association of pharmacists in the United States. The more than 50,000 members of APhA include practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacy students, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession
In 1868, John Maisch, PCP professor (1866-1893) and dean (1879-1893) proposed the creation of a pharmaceutical board to be appointed by the governor of each state and established the term “registered pharmacist.” He shared his proposal with each governor, and by 1878 nine states had adopted pharmacy laws that licensed pharmacists. Every state now, of course, has a Board of Pharmacy which regulates the practice of pharmacy.
Started in 1820, the U.S. Pharmacopeia laid down the standards for manufacturing drugs. For more than a hundred years, PCP faculty members were instrumental in its development, serving as editors throughout many editions.
In 1825, the first periodical in the United States devoted to the art and science of pharmacy, the American Journal of Pharmacy, was published by PCP.
PCP professors Franklin Bache and George B. Wood compiled a comprehensive commentary on drugs, the Dispensatory of the United States of America. First published in 1833, the Dispensatory was authored and edited for more than a hundred years by successive generations of faculty at the college.
In 1885, PCP professor Joseph P. Remington published the Practice of Pharmacy, which soon became established as the standard text in the field. Later renamed Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, this comprehensive reference work remains widely used throughout the world and is still compiled by the University. USP is in final preparation for the 21st edition, which is also published in Spanish.
Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy
The Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy is an integral part of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, originally the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America. The Center’s mission is to serve as an educational, cultural, and research resource for the University, pharmacy professionals, historians, and the general public through its collections of artifacts, objects, and records representative of all aspects of pharmacy, including the pharmacy college’s history. Through changing exhibitions, tours, and programs, the Center aims to deepen appreciation of the past, present, and future significance of the pharmacy industry in the broader social context and in the development of American life, especially in the City of Philadelphia and the region.
Campus Expansion Program
The university administers a campus expansion program, inspired by the acquisition of a vacant industrial site in 1998, home of the original Breyers Ice Cream factory, which closed its Philadelphia operation in the early 90s. This expansion, which doubled the size of the campus, kicked off with the opening of Athletic and Recreation Center (ARC) in August 2003. The state-of-the-art McNeil Science and Technology Center (McNeil STC) was officially dedicated September 2006.
The 77,000-square-foot McNeil Science and Technology Center supports research and increase collaboration among faculty and students on campus and with other researchers and industry professionals. The facility increased USP's number of classrooms, computer research rooms, and teaching laboratories. It houses the undergraduate and graduate programs in biology, bioinformatics/computer science, and math/physics/statistics. The centerpiece is a 400-seat auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment.
Additional building projects are being planned for the years to come, catering to the expanding student body and providing supplemental facilities for the diverse programs offered at USP.
Academics
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia has 23 majors for students to choose from including two recently introduced programs, Humanities and Science and Fitness and Health Management. Students will engage in the study of both Humanities and Science, with courses directed to higher studies of their choice including medical school, law school, and biomedical writing.
In the Fitness and Health Management program, students will be provided a foundation for graduate degrees or careers in athletic training, sports administration, fitness/wellness, health education and other related fields that combine health sciences with exercise physiology, kinesiology, and sports psychology. Rather than focusing on illness and pathology, the curriculum focuses on the prevention of health problems.
USP also offers a Masters program in Biomedical Writing. This is the only graduate program in the United States that is geared towards preparing and training medical writers in preclinical and clinical research, medical communications, journalism, and medical publications.
Colleges & Majors
- Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Pharm.D.
- Pharmacology and Toxicology: B.S.
- Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management: B.S.
- Pharmaceutical Sciences: B.S.
- College of Health Sciences
- Fitness and Health Management: B.S.
- Health Science: B.S.
- Medical Technology: B.S.
- Occupational Therapy: M.O.T. (with B.S. in Health Science)
- Physical Therapy: D.P.T. (with B.S. in Health Science).
- Physician Assistant Studies: M.S. from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (with B.S. in Health Sciences from USP)
- Misher College of Arts & Sciences
- Biology: B.S.
- Biochemistry: B.S.
- Bioinformatics: B.S.
- Chemistry: B.S.
- Computer Science: B.S.
- Environmental Science: B.S.
- Health Psychology: M.S.
- Humanities and Science: B.S.
- Microbiology: B.S.
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry: B.S.
- Psychology: B.S.
- Science Teacher Certification
- Pre-Medicine, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Pre-Dentistry
- College of Graduate Studies
- Post-Baccalaureate programs
- Flexible Option Doctor of Pharmacy
- Science Teacher Certification
- Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT)
- Master's in Occupational Therapy (MOT)
- M.S. (non-thesis) programs
- Biochemistry
- Bioinformatics
- Biomedical Writing
- Cell Biology and Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Health Psychology
- Health Policy
- Pharmaceutics
- Pharmacy Administration
- M.S. programs
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology and Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Pharmaceutics
- Pharmacognosy
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Pharmacy Administration
- MBA program
- Pharmaceutical Business (Online, Executive, and Evening programs)
- MPH program (Master of Public Health)
- Health Policy Concentration
- Ph.D. programs
- Biochemistry
- Chemistry
- Health Policy
- Pharmaceutics
- Pharmacognosy
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Post-Baccalaureate programs
Mayes College of Healthcare Business & Policy
9/24/2007 - USP President Dr. Philip P. Gerbino announced that the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia’s Board of Trustees approved the launch of a new college—the Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy. The new college—USP’s fifth—will focus on preparing professionals to function in environments where legislative, regulatory, commercial, clinical and technological, and healthcare business issues converge.
The Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy will offer undergraduate and graduate students a unique integrated academic experience that will meet the evolving business, policy, and healthcare needs of the nation. Students in the new college will benefit from the region’s rich life sciences economy, including the extensive network of healthcare, regulatory, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries.
Full Press Release: http://www.usip.edu/calendar/news.asp?nid=853
Minors
Minors are offered in the following: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer Science, Forensic Science, Humanities, Literature, Mathematics, Microbiology, Music, Physics, Social Sciences (Communications, Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Social Sciences), Spanish, Statistics, Writing, Labor Worker.
USP and University of the Arts
University of the Arts and University of the Sciences in Philadelphia have an exchange agreement, effective Spring Semester, 2007. This agreement allows ten students from each university to take one course a semester at the other for no additional tuition.
For students, these courses will count in all regards as USP courses. In addition, up to five students each semester may enroll in applied music courses for an additional fee. Students from USP will now have the opportunity to take courses in fields as varied as e-publishing and strategic advertising, multimedia and game design. USP students will also be able to take private lessons in woodwinds and strings, percussion and brass. At the same time, UArts students will have open to them the many exciting courses that USP offers. Students at both schools will now have the resources of two universities for the price of one.
USP and New York University
USP and New York University Study Abroad Program signed an articulation agreement that will allow USP students to study at NYU campuses in Asia, Africa, and Europe for a semester or a year.
This program has several advantages for USP students. It will:
- charge the same tuition as USP charges.
- offer courses (such as Art History or Spanish) that will count in all regards as USP courses in the same disciplines.
- not delay our students' graduation since the London campus offers appropriate courses in science for our second-year students.
The J.W. England Library
The Library of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia was formed in 1821 at the second meeting of the Board of Trustees. Since its beginnings the Library has been considered one of the premier collections of pharmaceutical science in the country. In 1973, the Library moved into its present quarters, the free-standing Joseph W. England Library.
Small but specialized, the collection is particularly strong in pharmacy, pharmacognosy,pharmaceutics, and foreign drug compendia. Other areas of specialization include toxicology, pharmacology, and physical therapy.
Contained in the Leopold Helfand Rare Book and Archives Room is a collection of seventeenth and eighteenth century botanicals, including a book once owned by Isaac Newton. Since the University and its graduates were fundamental to the building of the United States pharmaceutical industry, the University Archives are of interest to anyone researching the origins of the pharmaceutical industry. [3]
Campus Life
Athletic & Recreation Center (ARC)
In August 2003, USP opened a brand new 78,000 square-foot athletic and recreation center that provides fitness, wellness, and recreational opportunities for the University population and practice space for varsity and intramural sports.
The Athletic Recreation Center, nicknamed the “ARC”, also provides participants with a first-class environment for fitness conditioning, strength training, indoor jogging, multipurpose courts, aerobics studio and 3 lane 25-yard pool and Jacuzzi with an outside deck area.
There are men’s & women’s locker rooms, a vending & television lounge area, classroom, conference rooms as well as equipment check-out areas.
Residence Life
The university requires that all non-commuting (outside a 30-mile radius from campus to permanent residence), unmarried, first- and second-year students, under the age of 21, live in university housing. Summer housing is also available while classes are in session.
USP's residential living community comprises six residence halls listed below. Staffing of these residence halls is done by dedicated Resident Advisors and Desk Attendants.
- Alexandria Hall, located next to Osol Hall provides second-year students and above with the opportunity to live in apartment style housing. These three-bedroom apartments are fully furnished with bedroom, living room, and dining room furniture. Each resident has their own bedroom and shares the living, kitchen, and dining areas. Alexandria residents can either prepare their own meals or purchase a University meal plan.
- Chester Hall, located at 46th and Chester Avenues, is an apartment complex. These units offer students a more independent lifestyle as they prepare to move off campus. Residents share a bedroom and have access to a full kitchen and bathroom. Each student is supplied with a new bed, dresser, and desk with chair. Residents who reside in Chester Hall are permitted to either prepare meals on their own or purchase a University meal plan.
- Goodman Hall, located next to Wilson Student Center, houses 376 students. The rooms are equipped with smoke detectors and have their own separate air conditioning and heating units. There are also triple rooms available at a reduced cost and single rooms for resident advisors, students with disabilities and a limited number for upper class students.
- Gunter Hall, located at 41st and Baltimore Avenues, is an apartment building. These one, two, or three person furnished apartments have a bedroom, living room, and common room. Residents each have their own bedroom, but share living, kitchen, and dining areas. Each student is supplied with a bed, dresser, and desk with chair. Residents who reside in Gunter Hall are permitted to either prepare meals on their own or purchase a University meal plan.
- Osol Hall, located one block north of the University, has separate suites for 197 students. Nine students can be accommodated in each suite composed of four bedrooms, a study and living room, and a kitchenette unit equipped with a standard-sized refrigerator-freezer, sink, microwave, and electric stove top. Provided also are a TV lounge, two study rooms, a recreation area, laundry facilities, vending machines, and a parking lot. The Residence Life Administrator lives on the first floor.
- Wilson Hall, located on the top floors of Wilson Student Center, houses 86 students. It is an Honors Hall and is designed for upper-class students who are serious about maximizing their college experience and wishes to have an atmosphere conducive to learning, their personal growth, and development.
Dining Services
Dining Services provides four different locations throughout the campus and as of May 2007 is managed by Parkhurst Dining Services. Parkhurst "is proud of their reputation for serving fresh, high-quality food . . . prepared from scratch . . . using authentic ingredients."
Campus Dining Locations:
- Main Dining Hall in the Wilson Student Center
- Pepperazzi’s in the Wilson Student Center (featuring: brick-oven style pizza, pasta specialties, grab-and-go items, and a made-to-order sub station)
- McNeil Science and Technology Center's Coffee Bar (featuring: Seattle's Best Coffee, grab-and-go salads and sandwiches)
- Cappuccino's in Whitecar Hall (featuring: Starbucks coffee, smoothies, grab-and-go salads and sandwiches)
Transportation Services
Campus Bus Service (PennBUS)
USP has contracted with the University of Pennsylvania, PennBUS to provide service to USP students, staff and faculty at no charge. Present a valid USP ID card to the driver when boarding.
Campus Shuttle Service (Penn Shuttle)
USP has contracted with the University of Pennsylvania to provided "off-campus to door" transportation to and from Penn Campus Transit Stops and Pick-Up Points, West Philadelphia, Center City and Powelton Village, within defined boundaries. Call 215-898-RIDE (7433) for this service.
Walking Escort Service
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Department of Public Safety is available to provide walking escorts to all USP students, faculty and staff, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, upon request.
Walking escorts are provided for the purpose of safety and security to all locations within the Department of Public Safety patrol area (41st to 47th Street, Baltimore to Woodland). The primary goal of the walking escort service is to allow safe travel from one location to another with a greater sense of security.
Call 215-895-1117 to arrange for a Walking Escort or request additional information. In the event of an emergency, call 215-596-7000.
Medical Escort Service
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Department of Public Safety provides medical escorts for non-life-threatening emergencies to University of the Sciences in Philadelphia approved hospitals, emergency rooms, and healthcare centers.
Call 215-895-1117 to arrange for a Medical Escort or request additional information. In the event of an emergency, call 215-596-7000.
SEPTA
For information regarding the SEPTA transportation system, which provides transportation services throughout the Philadelphia area, contact the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority at 215-580-7800 or http://www.septa.org. [6]
Student Organizations
Student Activities
The Student Activities Administrator works closely with members of the Student Life Staff, student organizations, the Student Government Association (SGA), Campus Activities Board (CAB), Student Community Involvement Program (SCIP), resident advisors, and other student leaders to provide social, cultural, and educational activities that promote interaction and development among the USP student body. Programs and services that are provided include:
- Major student activities: New Student Orientation, Welcome Week, Student Appreciation Day, Multicultural Week, Women’s Week
- Weekly SGA-sponsored activities
- Weekend activities
- Bus trips
- Information on campus events through the Campus Update (electronic weekly calendar of events), campus bulletin boards, and on USP-TV
Over 60 Student Organizations are recognized by the Office of Student Life including Religious Groups, Student Chapters of Scientific Organizations, Honor Societies, Student Publications, Musical Groups (Instrumental Music and Vocal Groups), and there are also opportunites to volunteer in the West Philadelphia community.
Student Government Association
The Student Government Association continually strives to improve the quality of student life here at the University. Our goal is to provide an environment of academic, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well being for the students of this institution. The Student Government Association is responsible for many large events on campus, including Freshman Orientation, Student Appreciation Day, and Multicultural Week. [7]
Greek Life
USP has 14 Greek organizations that include Academic, Social, Service, and Professional groups. These organizations offer friendship and camaraderie through brotherhood and sisterhood, leadership opportunities, philanthropic work, scholastic support, and encouragement.
The recruitment process for Greek organizations, referred to as “new member recruitment,” is open to all students. USP has a deferred new member recruitment policy, which means that first-year students are eligible to join these organizations in the Spring semester only. Dates for activities related to new member recruitment are posted by the individual organizations.
Inter-Greek Council
Representatives of the 14 Greek organizations form a council to coordinate fraternity activities on campus; foster cooperation and good will among the fraternities and sororities, the University, and area neighborhoods; and to enforce the IGC constitution and by-laws governing all Greek organizations.
Student Publications & Media
The Elixir
The Elixir is this University’s literary magazine. The magazine includes various forms of art, all submitted by students, alumni and faculty. These submissions consist of poems, short stories, black and white photography, as well as various drawings and doodles. It is then edited and published by a student staff and distributed throughout the campus.
The Graduate
This is the yearbook of the graduating class and has been issued each year since 1899. Interested student members from all classes and majors are encouraged to be on the staff.
The Advocate
This is the student newspaper, edited by a student staff, and published periodically. The paper provides an outlet for the University community to voice concerns and find information about campus and community events.
USP TV
USP TV Club members create digital video productions around campus and at our USP TV studio. Most productions are just lots of fun; others record special campus events for USP faculty and staff. Channel 71 plays USP TV productions throughout our campus cable TV network. USP TV is a great place to learn digital video editing, sound mixing, studio lighting, storyboard creation, and just plain fun, as well as serious acting out in front of the camera.
Athletics
Intercollegiate Varsity Sports
The Athletic Department offers 12 intercollegiate varsity sports teams. These teams complete against many Philadelphia area colleges as well as colleges from New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Connecticut.
The University is an active Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). USP teams currently compete in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The Rifle team holds membership in the Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Rifle Conference (MAC) and National Rifle Association (NRA).
USP offers the following sports:
- FALL SPORTS
- Men's Cross Country
- Women's Cross Country
- Women's Tennis
- Women's Volleyball
- WINTER SPORTS
- Men's Basketball
- Women's Basketball
- Mixed Rifle
- Women's Rifle
- SPRING SPORTS
- Men's Baseball
- Coed Golf
- Women's Softball
- Men's Tennis
Intramural Activities
The intramural sports and activities program at the University welcomes all students, faculty and staff. The following league competitions are offered: Basketball, Darts, and Volleyball. Tournament Competitions may be offered in a variety of events such as Pool, Archery, and Frisbee.
Alumni
USP has launched the careers of many innovative and pioneering individuals in the field of health care, including the founders of six of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies:
- Dr. Eli Lilly (Class of 1907) and his father, Josiah K. Lilly (Class of 1882) - Eli Lilly and Company
- Gerald F. Rorer (Class of 1931) - founder of Rorer Pharmaceuticals, which is now Aventis
- William R. Warner (Class of 1856), founder of Warner-Lambert Company, Inc., which merged with Pfizer
- Robert L. McNeil, Jr. (Class of 1938) and his grandfather, Robert McNeil (Class of 1876) - founder of McNeil Laboratories Inc., which was split into two separate corporations: McNeil Consumer Products Company (now McNeil Nutritionals) and McNeil Pharmaceutical (now part of Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc.).
- John Wyeth (Class of 1854), founder of John Wyeth & Brother, which is now part of Wyeth
- Silas M. Burroughs (Class of 1877) and Sir Henry S. Wellcome (Class of 1874), founders in England of Burroughs Wellcome and Company, which is now part of GlaxoSmithKline
Alumni Contributions
USP alumni have made significant contributions in fields beyond pharmacy, from pioneering the use of X-rays (Martin Wilbert, Pharmacy - 1890) to motor oil additives (Vincent J. Cease, Pharmacy - 1956) to rechargeable batteries (Paul J. Nigrey, Chemistry -1970). USP alumni have also contributed to the inventions of well-known products, including:
- Hires Root Beer extract
- Photocopy toner and electrographic inks
- Polyurethanes
- Silicone-based adhesives
- Water repellency treatments
- Gas discharge laser development
- Plant growth regulators
Numerous modern-era alumni have made contributions in nearly every aspect of pharmacy, science, and health sciences. Some of our alumni’s remarkable discoveries that have had a global impact include:
- Invention of medical ultrasound gels that allow expectant parents to get their first glimpse of their unborn child (Martin Buchalter, Pharmacy - 1955)
- Development of advanced time-release formula, found in many over-the-counter and prescription medications (Dr. Gerald P. Polli, Pharmacy - 1956)
- An arthritis drug that may hold the key to preventing and possibly curing cancer (Dr. Philip Needleman, Pharmacy 1960, M.S. Pharmacology - 1962)
- Design of a portable infusion pump that delivers antibiotics, chemotherapy, and other medication solutions intravenously (Glenn Herskowitz, Pharmacy -1983)
- Discovery of an inherited adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) mutation in individuals predisposed to colon cancer that can be detected by a simple blood test (Dr. Kenneth Kinzler, Pharmacology/Toxicology - 1983).
- Invention of a machine that helps patients regain range of motion after a knee injury (Michelle Fontana, Master of Physical Therapy - 1990).
- Pioneering clinical research which led to ephedra containing dietary supplements being declared adulterated and removed from sale in the United States (Dr. Brian F. McBride - 2002).