Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management
Encyclopedia
The Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management is a 4-year dual-degree undergraduate program of the School of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
. Students of the program graduate with both a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School as well as a B.A. from the College of Arts & Sciences in a life sciences field of their choosing.
LSM was originally proposed and funded by former Merck & Co.
CEO P. Roy Vagelos
. Each year, the program enrolls around 25 freshmen and offers them an opportunity to combine coursework in both management
and the life sciences
in preparation for careers in for-profit and non-profit organizations in the life sciences sector. This sector includes the chemical
, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology
industries and organizations with innovative activities in animal health
, agriculture
, genetic
, and biochemical research and development
, the practice of medicine
, and the implementation of other aspects of human health and welfare
.
Before July 2008, LSM was a joint program that allowed students to pursue either the B.A. or B.S. in Economics in the life sciences track and management track, respectively. Students of the program admitted while this system was in use (the classes of 2010, 2011, and 2012) still have the option to pursue one of the track or the new dual degree option. The class of 2013 and beyond, however, will have to pursue the dual degree option.
Dr. Mark V. Pauly (Bendheim Professor, Professor of Health Care Systems, of Insurance and Risk Management, and of Business and Public Policy, The Wharton School) and
Dr. Philip A. Rea (Professor of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences), as well as by an administrative and advising director, Dr. Andrew Coopersmith.
LSM Courses
Life Sciences Coursework
Business Coursework
Liberal Arts Requirements
To apply, prospective applicants must complete the Penn application for undergraduate admission, supplemented with Form 1-C which asks for an essay elaborating upon the applicant's interest in combining life science and management curricula. The form also asks which single-degree option (the College of Arts & Sciences or the Wharton School) the applicant would like to be considered for if he or she were not admitted to LSM.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Students of the program graduate with both a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School as well as a B.A. from the College of Arts & Sciences in a life sciences field of their choosing.
LSM was originally proposed and funded by former Merck & Co.
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
CEO P. Roy Vagelos
P. Roy Vagelos
Pindaros Roy Vagelos, better known as P. Roy Vagelos or Roy Vagelos , was president and chief executive officer and chairman of the multinational pharmaceutical company Merck. He attracted research scientists who developed many major new drugs...
. Each year, the program enrolls around 25 freshmen and offers them an opportunity to combine coursework in both management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and the life sciences
Life sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
in preparation for careers in for-profit and non-profit organizations in the life sciences sector. This sector includes the chemical
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
industries and organizations with innovative activities in animal health
Animal Health
Animal Health is the UK government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in Great Britain are healthy, disease-free and well looked after....
, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, and biochemical research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
, the practice of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, and the implementation of other aspects of human health and welfare
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
.
History
LSM enrolled its inaugural class in the fall of 2006 with the 2010 graduating class.Before July 2008, LSM was a joint program that allowed students to pursue either the B.A. or B.S. in Economics in the life sciences track and management track, respectively. Students of the program admitted while this system was in use (the classes of 2010, 2011, and 2012) still have the option to pursue one of the track or the new dual degree option. The class of 2013 and beyond, however, will have to pursue the dual degree option.
Advisory Board
The LSM Advisory Board is composed of 20 leaders in relevant industries and including medical experts and corporate executives. Dr. Roy Vagelos sits as an honorary member of the Advisory Board. Members of the board visit LSM students approximately each year.Faculty and Staff
The program is led by two faculty co-directors,Dr. Mark V. Pauly (Bendheim Professor, Professor of Health Care Systems, of Insurance and Risk Management, and of Business and Public Policy, The Wharton School) and
Dr. Philip A. Rea (Professor of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences), as well as by an administrative and advising director, Dr. Andrew Coopersmith.
Curriculum
The LSM curriculum combines business, life sciences, and liberal arts coursework plus two distinctive classes offered exclusively for students of the program.LSM Courses
- Proseminar in Management and the Life Sciences (LSMP 121)
- Life Sciences and Management Capstone Project (LSMP 421)
Life Sciences Coursework
- See necessary coursework for B.A. in Biology, Biochemistry, or the Biological Basis of Behavior
Business Coursework
- 2 Economics classes (Micro/Macroeconomics and Managerial Economics)
- 2 Accounting classes (Principles of Accounting I & II)
- 2 Finance classes (Corporate Finance & Monetary Economics and the Global Economy)
- 2 Statistics classes (Introductory Business Statistics I & II)
- 2 Management classes (Leadership and Communication in Groups & Introduction to Management)
- 1 Marketing class (Introduction to Marketing)
- 1 Operations & Information Management class (Introduction to the Computer as an Analysis Tool)
- 1 Environment of Business class (Introduction to the Law and Legal Process, Corporate Responsibility and Ethics, or Business in the Global Political Environment)
- 2 Business Breadth classes
- 4 Business Depth classes
Liberal Arts Requirements
- Calculus I
- Sector II: History and Tradition
- Sector III: Arts and Letters
- Sector IV: Humanities and Social Sciences
- Sector VII: Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Writing
- Foreign Language
- Cross Cultural Analysis (2010 & 2011), Cultural Diversity in the U.S. (2012 and after)
Internships
A unique aspect of LSM is the internship component, through which students integrate their coursework with practical experience to prepare them for their careers. The paid internships take place in the summers before junior and senior year. One is a business internship that takes place in a corporate environment, and the other is in a science laboratory. The program guarantees that students will find a relevant internship by aiding in the recruitment and application processes.Admissions
Admission to LSM is extremely competitive. It is one of the smallest dual degree programs, enrolling only 25 students each year. Applicants are expected to have strong backgrounds in math and science and, accordingly, are expected to have taken advanced coursework in at least three of the following: biology, chemistry, physics, and Calculus. Additionally, applicants must submit two SAT Subject Test scores, one of which must be a science subject.To apply, prospective applicants must complete the Penn application for undergraduate admission, supplemented with Form 1-C which asks for an essay elaborating upon the applicant's interest in combining life science and management curricula. The form also asks which single-degree option (the College of Arts & Sciences or the Wharton School) the applicant would like to be considered for if he or she were not admitted to LSM.
Internal Transfers
Beginning in Spring 2009, LSM will consider internal transfer applications from current Penn students. Currently, only freshmen will be eligible to apply for admission in sophomore year.Penn's Other Joint- and Dual-Degree Programs
- The Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology, Engineering and Wharton
- The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, College and Wharton
- Nursing and Health Care Management, Nursing and Wharton