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There are no application or admissions requirements for the AD3 certificate. However, the prerequisite courses of general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry and cell biology are highly recommended. Students who do not have these prerequisites will understand some of the course content but may have difficulty earning a passing grade on every quiz.

While professional experience is not required for admission to the program, it is recommended that participants are advanced in their learning and/or career.

The AD3 certificate program offers continuous open enrollment. Start as soon as today! 

This program is ideal for graduate students (master's, doctoral and post-doctoral); faculty seeking to deepen their knowledge of the subject; pharmaceuticals industry scientists and clinicians; industry professionals seeking credentials, a refresher or career advancement; and those who are considering a career pivot into drug discovery. 

Drug Discovery and Development Scientist with Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Metabolism Pharmacokinetics or Pharmacology focus.  

Yes. International learners are encouraged to apply. No formal language scores are required, but participants should be comfortable communicating in English. 

$70 per course (certificate not included), 4 courses only.
$300 for the 5-course AD3 Certificate .

The AD3 certificate does not require the purchase of course materials. However, AD3 faculty recommend reading the following book to enhance the learning experience:  

Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development, 2nd Edition, Benjamin E. Blass, Publisher Academic Press, 2021. 

No. Scholarships, financial aid or other funding forms from Vanderbilt University are not available for the Drug Discovery Certificate program. However, learners are welcome to inquire with their employers whether employer funding is available.

All 5 courses can be completed over 20 weeks in sequential order to earn the AD3 Certificate or learners can opt to take four standalone courses. Each course is approximately 4 weeks long.

Learners can expect to dedicate approximately 7-10 hours of work per course.

The AD3 certificate is a part-time program. The program’s flexibility is perfect for working professionals and busy students.

This program is 100% online, self-paced and asynchronous.

No. This is a non-credit certificate. Learners will earn a digital badge for each course and a digital certificate if they register for the bundle and complete all five courses in the program.

Please contact AD3program@vanderbilt.edu for any general questions about the program.  

For questions related to the learning platform (NovoEd) please contact Hello@NovoEd.com