Bioscience and Business at Penn

On the surface, bioscience and business may seem like unrelated fields. But if the full benefits of science are to be realized, discoveries made at the laboratory bench must be taken to market and made accessible to society at large—a process demanding great skill both scientifically and managerially. Given the many recent advances in bioscience and biotechnology, never before has the need been so great for decision makers who can understand and advance scientific innovations as well as manage and promote them. It is with this in mind that the University of Pennsylvania launched the Vagelos Life Sciences & Management (LSM) program.

LSM is administered jointly between Penn's College of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School. Each year, this undergraduate program enrolls approximately 25 exceptional students and offers them the opportunity to pursue an interdisciplinary curriculum combining bioscience and business, leading to the completion of two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in a life science major, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Economics. LSM provides an ideal preparation for careers in the rapidly growing life sciences sector. The LSM program thus is suited to students with interests in health care; biomedical, agricultural, and environmental research and development; public policy; and the financial and strategic management of biotech enterprises.

The benefits of this new dual degree program include:

  • Access to top-ranked departments in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School, which together offer a wide array of courses dealing with entrepreneurship, finance, health care, fundamental and applied life sciences, the pharmaceutical industry, and the social aspects of science and technology.
  • Dedicated academic advisors devoted to mentoring LSM participants and graduates.
  • A modern, integrated curriculum that coordinates extensive coursework in both science and management.
  • Directed research and program-specific coursework, including a core freshman seminar and a senior capstone project especially designed for program participants.
  • Paid summer internships after the sophomore and junior years to provide practical experience in business and lab settings.

The inspiration for starting the LSM program came from Dr. Roy Vagelos, an alumnus of Penn who is perhaps best known for his visionary work as a scientific and corporate leader at Merck. As Dr. Vagelos recognized, students interested in a career in science, health, or biotech management need to be able to understand the foundations of and prospects for science, as well as engage in strategic marketing, product development, organizational leadership, and policy decision-making. These are the types of skills that the LSM program is designed to help students learn and develop.