Department of BioMolecular Sciences
The University of Mississippi

Online M.S. in Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis

The Online M.S. in Dietary Supplements and Medicinal Cannabis is a non-thesis, online graduate program designed to provide fundamental and applied knowledge of natural products for a career in the dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and medicinal cannabis industries. All students enrolled will take online classes focused on dietary supplements and nutraceuticals in the first year followed by online classes in medical cannabis in the second year. Additional information is available on the program description at Ole Miss Online.
 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The program requires 30 hours of online coursework, which is fulfilled by successfully completing the courses listed below. Two courses are taken consecutively in the fall semester, two courses consecutively in the spring semester, and one course in the summer semester of each year. The program is designed to be completed in two years.

BMS 651: Fundamentals of Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy (3 hours)
BMS 652: Regulation of Dietary Supplements (3 hours)
BMS 653: Formulation and Manufacturing of Dietary Supplements (3 hours)
BMS 654: Identification and Authentication of Dietary Ingredients (3 hours)
BMS 655: Pharmacology and Toxicology of Dietary Supplements (3 hours)

BMS 661: Cannabinoid Identification, Genomics, and Engineering (3 hours)
BMS 662: Cannabis Policy and Law (3 hours)
BMS 663: Formulation and Manufacturing of Cannabis Products (3 hours)
BMS 664: Chemistry and Standardization of Cannabis (3 hours)
BMS 665: Pharmacology and Toxicology of Cannabinoids (3 hours)
 

OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Graduate students are required to complete an online professional portfolio during the curriculum.

Graduate students are required to attend an in-person symposium, the Oxford–International Conference on the Science of Botanicals, at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy Oxford campus at least once during the program.
 

ADMISSION

Selection for admission into the Online M.S. in Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis will be based holistically upon the admission requirements listed below. Admission is competitive, so it is unlikely that all students meeting the minimum requirements will be admitted. The GRE score is NOT required for admission. An online application is completed through the Graduate School website.

A. Grade-Point Average: A cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 during last 66 hours of undergraduate course work on college transcripts. At least 22 hours of coursework must be in the basic or applied sciences. Programmatic pre-requisites are classes in chemistry and biology; however, work experience can substitute for the courses.

B. Personal Statement: Applicants must submit a personal statement of career goals, preparation and readiness for graduate school, and motivational factors related to pursuing graduate study in dietary supplements and medical cannabis.

C. Letters of References: Applicants are required to submit at least two letters of recommendation (from professional and/or academic references).

For questions or additional information, contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Dr. David A. Colby at dacolby@olemiss.edu. Application deadlines for fall, spring, and summer are listed in the program description at Ole Miss Online.