Sean Nicholson is a professor in the Economics Department and Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University, the director of the Sloan Program in Health Administration, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Prior to joining Cornell in 2004, Professor Nicholson was a faculty member in the Health Care Systems Department at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He worked for four years as a management consultant with APM and taught high school for two years before enrolling in graduate school. Professor Nicholson received a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1986 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1997.
Pharmaceutical
ManagementStarts August 27, 2024
Request More Info
Overview
This foundational-level live, synchronous certificate program provides an introduction to the key management issues facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The perspective is global, with an emphasis on the U.S. as the largest and most profitable market.
This 5-week course meets in a live online web-conference format for 90 minutes Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00 - 7:30pm ET, from Monday, September, 27 to Sunday, October 31, 2021.
Over the course of 5 weeks, Professor Nicholson with guide you through discussions on:
- Rapid technological change and substantial investments in research and development (R&D)
- The role of biotechnology and genomics in transforming the industry
- A complex global marketplace where customers include governments and private health insurers as well as physicians, pharmacists, and individual patients
- Government regulation of every dimension of the business including the safety and efficacy of drugs, pricing, manufacturing, and marketing
- Continually evolving mergers, joint ventures, and alliances
- Global products and multinational firms with growing tension between the needs and ability to pay for different market segments
Throughout your experience in this certificate program you will work on a project that follows the life cycle of a drug of your choosing.
R&D and Patents
Generic Drugs and Biosimilars
Health Insurers and Pricing Strategy
Drug Development: M&A and Alliances
Marketing Strategy and Positioning
Request more Info by completing the form below.
How It Works
- View slide #1
- View slide #2
- View slide #3
- View slide #4
- View slide #5
- View slide #6
Faculty Author
Key Course Takeaways
- Understand the research and development process for a drug, including how a company makes key drug development decisions
- Articulate the scientific steps needed to get a drug approved by the FDA
- Describe the key patents on a drug, when they were filed, and how the timing affects market exclusivity
- Understand how government policy affects when generic and biosimilar companies can enter the market
- Conduct competitive research in a given drug class or disease area
- Discover how R&D and patent decisions affect the positioning and life cycle of a drug
- Anticipate the pros and cons of a merger, acquisition, or alliance opportunity
- Articulate and critique the market strategy for a given drug class or disease area


What You'll Earn
- Pharmaceutical Management Certificate from Cornell School of Human Ecology
- 30 Professional Development Hours (3 CEUs)
Who Should Enroll
- Entry to mid-level pharmaceutical professionals responsible for or looking to move into drug development and discovery
- Pharmaceutical professionals involved in marketing, branding, sales, and business development
- Pharmaceutical professionals involved in medical affairs, managed markets, manufacturing, or distribution
- Health insurance professionals
- Appropriate for domestic and international audiences
- Graduate and undergraduate students in biotech or healthcare-related studies
Explore Related Programs
“This healthcare program is absolutely doable for full-time work professionals. Even with a job where I often work over 40 hours, I was still able to complete the assignments on time. The program is very practical and taught by leading experts in the field.”
“I have been looking for a healthcare program where I could broaden my knowledge and skills, and this is how I found eCornell. I signed up, and I am so happy that I did. The faculty gave thorough lessons, and I am taking so much away from their classes!”

“eCornell gave me the confidence I needed to take a seat at the table and say: I’m ready.”
- View testimonial #1
- View testimonial #2
- View testimonial #3