WesternU and Keck Graduate Institute to Offer Dual Degrees

LOS ANGELES, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life
Sciences (KGI) and Western University of Health Sciences College of Pharmacy
are developing a dual degree program that will equip students with skills that
are highly regarded by the pharmaceutical industry and specialty health-care
organizations.

The dual degree program will build upon and complement WesternU's Doctor of
Pharmacy curriculum with KGI's highly successful Master of Bioscience (MBS)
degree. The objective is for pharmacy students to attain a common core of
knowledge in bioscience with emphasis on their ability to integrate knowledge
across disciplinary boundaries.

"I think this is an extraordinary opportunity for both institutions to
collaborate on a very innovative program," said WesternU President Philip
Pumerantz, PhD. "This shows what can be done when universities share their
talents and expertise."

KGI President Sheldon M. Schuster, PhD, concurred, adding, "This dual degree
will open up new opportunities for students interested in combining
pharmacology knowledge and business skills into a high-demand career."

Key industry leaders are excited by the news of the new PharmD/MBS degree.
Daniel M. Bradbury, president and CEO of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and a member
of the KGI Board of Trustees, said, "There is growing demand for pharmacists
who have clinical, business, and bioscience skills necessary to succeed in
industry, and this new graduate program will help produce the kinds of
qualified individuals needed by companies."

The dual PharmD/MBS will be the first of its kind. The programs will utilize
complementary courses and flexible scheduling to provide a five-year pathway
to achieving both degrees.

"We expect that graduates will have exciting leadership opportunities in the
pharmaceutical industry, in managed care and specialty health care
organizations," said WesternU College of Pharmacy Dean Daniel Robinson,
PharmD, FASHP. "Combining business, bioscience and doctor of pharmacy training
is a great formula for success in dealing with the rapid growth in
bioengineered pharmaceutical products."

Within the MBS program, students will be able to select from the following
tracks to personalize their educational experience:
-- Business of bioscience
-- Pharmaceutical discovery and development
-- Bioprocessing
-- Medical devices and diagnostics
-- Clinical and regulatory affairs

Students must be admitted to the College of Pharmacy and must have completed a
baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum
3.0 GPA to be considered for admission into the PharmD/MBS dual degree
program. Students in the second year of the PharmD curriculum may apply to the
PharmD/MBS program by satisfying the admission requirements for the MBS
program at Keck Graduate Institute. These include:
-- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
-- A strong record of academic achievement as demonstrated through
undergraduate transcripts, GPA in the PharmD program, and standardized
graduate enrollment test scores (GMAT, GRE, MCAT, PCAT).
-- Demonstrated interest as indicated by coursework, volunteer
activities,
work and research experience, and/or personal statement.

Second-year students in the College of Pharmacy will have an opportunity to
take sample coursework at KGI during the 2009-10 academic year while applying
for admission to KGI. Students admitted to the program will begin their
full-time KGI experience in fall 2010.

"It is exciting to witness WesternU's growth during these impactful economic
times for our nation," said WesternU Provost and COO Benjamin Cohen, DO. "The
College of Pharmacy has established itself nationally as a leading educator in
graduate pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice. Its graduates
continually perform with a 100 percent passing rate in the NAPLEX national
boards. This collaboration with Keck Graduate Institute will enhance the
college's existing academic programs and provide much-needed highly skilled
professionals for the pharmaceutical industry and biosciences."

James Sterling, PhD, KGI's interim vice president for academic affairs and
dean of faculty, said the PharmD/MBS degree represents the kind of
forward-thinking, team-oriented efforts that are so critical today in the
applied sciences and medicine. "Bringing together the best of both of our
institutions will create a win-win-win outcome -- for KGI, for WesternU, and
most importantly for the young men and women who want to make a difference in
the delivery of health care."

KGI Background
Educating the future leaders of the bioscience industry, Keck Graduate
Institute (KGI) offers an interdisciplinary graduate education through its
Master of Bioscience (MBS) degree program and its PhD program in Applied Life
Sciences. Using team-based learning and real-world projects, KGI's innovative
curriculum seamlessly combines applied life sciences, bioengineering,
bioethics and business management. KGI also has a robust research program
concentrating on the translation of basic discoveries in the life sciences
into applications that can benefit society. KGI is a member of The Claremont
Colleges, located in Claremont, California.

WesternU Background
Western University of Health Sciences (www.westernu.edu), located in Pomona,
Calif., is an independent nonprofit health professions university, conferring
degrees in health sciences, nursing, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical
therapy, physician assistant studies and veterinary medicine. In 2009, the
university will admit students to new degree programs in dentistry, optometry,
podiatry and biomedical sciences.

SOURCE Keck Graduate Institute; Western University of Health Sciences College
of Pharmacy

Noel Brinkerhoff, Director of Communications of Keck Graduate Institute of
Applied Life Sciences, +1-909-607-0135, nbrinker@kgi.edu; or Rodney Tanaka,
Senior Communications Writer of Western University of Health Sciences,
+1-909-469-5402, rtanaka@westernu.edu