About the UF Online Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy Program
The University of Florida’s Online Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy (Online POP) program prepares healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals to improve medication access, affordability, safety and value at a population level. With two decades of online education experience, Online POP delivers a curriculum rooted in real-world application, not academic theory alone.
Students gain the skills to interpret evidence, evaluate drug value, shape policy, influence payer decision-making and address today’s most pressing healthcare challenges, including affordability, misinformation, transparency and fragmented care delivery.
Enhance Your Education in Health Outcomes
Explore paths to improving pharmaceutical outcomes in populations. Students are offered a choice of specializations and educational paths to complete their studies in a flexible, online environment. Graduates leverage their Online POP education and experience to develop distinguished careers in the biopharmaceutical industry, managed care organizations, health systems and government agencies.
Expert Faculty Who Teach What They Practice
Online POP’s faculty include nationally recognized experts in health economics, managed care, value assessment, pharmaceutical law, clinical pharmacology, regulatory science and medical communications. Faculty leadership includes:
- Program Director Dr. Laura Happe, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Managed Care + Specialty Pharmacy and former Chief Pharmacy Officer at Humana
- Dr. Randy Hatton, nationally recognized clinical pharmacist and instructor for the foundational courses
- Dr. Karen Rascati, author of the leading pharmacoeconomics textbook and a founding International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) member
- Dr. Foluso Agboola, Senior Vice President of Research at the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER)
- Dr. Mitch Higashi, Associate Chief Science Officer, ISPOR
Their blend of real-world experience and instructional excellence is a hallmark of the Online POP program and a key differentiator from many online graduate options.
What Makes Online POP Unique
- Applied curriculum focused on real-world problem-solving
- Weekly live sessions that build community and deepen learning
- Students from diverse healthcare backgrounds
- Accelerated, one-course-at-a-time structure
- Strong career advancement outcomes
- Flexible enrollment options: single course, graduate certificate, M.S. or M.S.+MBA
- 100% online with high-touch faculty engagement
Why Online POP?
Flexible, Part-Time Program
Online POP is tailored to help fellows, residents and working professionals enhance their careers while balancing work, life and school.
Degrees Tailored to You
Choose a 5-course certificate, a 33-credit masters or take individual courses on a non-degree seeking basis from 1 of our 4 concentrations.
Live & Interactive
Live, real-time lectures are held on weekends and after hours to fit busy schedules. Use discussion boards and watch pre-recorded videos anytime.
Concurrent Degrees Option
Add on an MBA degree from Stetson University, in conjunction with the M.S.Pharm. from UF. These concurrent degrees can be completed in as little as 3 years.
Our Mission
To equip healthcare professionals with the policy, economic, regulatory and communication skills needed to improve medication outcomes for populations and to meet the rapidly evolving needs of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
About Online POP
The Online Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (Online POP) was established in 2006 by Dr. David Brushwood, R.Ph., JD, Professor Emeritus, and more than 650 students have completed the program. Since its inception, the program has been delivered online, enabling working professionals across the country and internationally to enroll. The program was initially focused on pharmaceutical policy and regulation – an area that remains a key focus today.
Most students in the Online POP program complete a Master’s of Science (M.S.) in Pharmacy degree in combination with a graduate certificate in their specialization of choice; however, some students pursue a graduate certificate alone.
The online program is part of the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy (POP) at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. In addition to the online graduate program, the POP Department offers residential M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs. Research and teaching focus on the use and effects of medications in society and ways to improve the drug use process. Residential degree programs are research-intensive; in contrast, our online curriculum emphasizes the application of the subjects to real-world settings.
Our four areas of study, or specialization tracks, are:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Managed Care Pharmacy
- Pharmaceutical Policy
- Pharmaceutical Value Communications
Online POP and Job Opportunities
Jobs After Graduation
Career Outcomes Highlights
Check out how our alumni advanced their careers after graduation and see what a degree in our online program can do for you.
Career Outcomes Highlights
Did you know?
Our alumni have a 53% chance of starting a new job role within the first year of graduating with their degree from POP.
Where to work after graduation
Career Opportunities
Many of our alumni work within the pharmaceutical industry; but often we see people join managed care organizations, consulting companies, and health systems.
Top-Ranked University
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 pharmacy college in Florida and No. 4 nationally, the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has been developing future leaders in pharmacy practice and science for nearly a century. Our award-winning faculty aim to improve the health of Floridians and people across the world through pharmacy education, high-impact research and clinical innovation.
Join us to pursue greatness and become the next leaders in health care.