Mission & History
Mission of The College of Graduate Studies
The mission of the College of Graduate Studies is to provide high quality graduate education in health related and natural science disciplines.
USP's students and faculty conduct research at a level of excellence that prepares students for advanced positions in academia, industry, and government.
Our philosophy is to offer graduate level courses in a flexible, convenient manner, characterized by close, personalized interaction between the student and the faculty.
Mission of The College of Graduate Studies Enrollment and Admissions Staff
The College of Graduate Studies Enrollment and Admissions staff members support the mission of the University and the College of Graduate Studies by offering high quality student services to past, current, and prospective graduate students to ensure efficiency in their academic pursuits.
As the University and College of Graduate Studies aim to produce leaders and innovators within the sciences, health professions, and related disciplines, the College of Graduate Studies Enrollment and Admissions Staff foster an atmosphere of respect, diversity, and integrity, to ensure that the people they serve both feel a sense of belonging with the institution and can keep their primary focus on academic pursuits.
We offer services which include but are not limited to processing of student inquiries, applications, and enrollments, new student orientation, data and record maintenance, internal College of Graduate Studies reporting assistance, and administrative advisement. Working closely with other university departments, we also work to effectively communicate a message that resonates with prospective students about the benefits available to them through our broad range of programs and the flexible delivery formats in which those programs are offered. We are committed to offering all of these services in a manner which reflects the importance we place on student satisfaction and which helps students to feel a part of both the COGS and USP families.
A Brief History of USP
The proud legacy of University of the Sciences in Philadelphia began when 68 Philadelphia apothecaries met in Carpenters' Hall in 1821 to establish improved scientific standards and to train more competent apprentices and students. These visionaries sought to enhance their vocation as well as protect public welfare. A year later, they organized and incorporated the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP), the first college of pharmacy in the nation. Thus, education in the profession of pharmacy in the U.S. was born.
Now University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, the institution 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 Pharmaceuticals
- William R. Warner (Class of 1856), founder of Warner-Lambert Company, Inc., which merged with Pfizer Inc.
- 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
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). Learn more about USP's exciting and prestigious history by visiting the University's website.
Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy
USP is proud to be the home of the Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy, celebrating the remarkable and prominent history of pharmacy in the United States and overseas.
The Center was established in 1995 to showcase the collection of over 10,000 pharmaceutical artifacts that have been donated to USP since its founding in 1821. The collection includes pharmaceutical and medical objects and artifacts interpreting five centuries of health sciences history. A visit to the Center is a true learning experience for even the most knowledgeable history buff.
For hours and additional information about the Center, visit our website at www.usip.edu/museum.
