Pharmacy Degrees Online

Pharmacology & Toxicology Program Overview

USP offers you the opportunity to pursue full-time advanced study in pharmacology and toxicology leading to either a master’s of science or doctoral degree. Because of the emphasis on research, this program is designed for full-time study.

Pharmacologists are scientists who study the actions of drugs on biological systems. Pharmacology has become an important subject discipline in health professions such as medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Pharmacologists learn how drugs modify living organisms by studying and measuring drug actions at molecular, biochemical, cellular, and physiological levels of analysis.

Toxicology is a field of scientific study concerned with the adverse effects of chemical substances on living systems. Toxicologists draw on our expanding knowledge of biological and chemical phenomena to explain and predict the nature and extent of harmful effects of chemicals on living systems.

Core graduates courses are in medical physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, statistics and experimental design. Course work and laboratory rotation enable you to become familiar with the research activities and expertise of the pharmacology and toxicology faculty. You, along with the faculty will participate in intramural seminars and a weekly Journal Club, and communicate research findings at local and national scientific meetings and conferences.

Pharmacognosy Curriculum

Students entering the graduate program in pharmacognosy may have undergraduate degrees that satisfy all the prerequisites for these programs. However, in some instances the graduate program director will need to assign appropriate undergraduate courses to ensure that students are properly prepared for the graduate courses in their particular program.
Pre-requisites (all tracks)
Pharmacognosy Core Curriculum (required by students in all tracks)
MS (Thesis) Track
PhD TrackPre-requisites (all tracks)

Each student must present transfer credit, earn advanced placement credit by examination (the Qualifying Exams) or obtain credit in the following:

2 semesters of Calculus
2 semesters of Organic Chemistry with laboratory
1 semester of Analytical Chemistry
1 semester of Literature of Chemistry
1 semester of English Composition
1 semester of Organismal or Population Biology
1 semester of Cell Biology or Biochemistry
1 semester of Statistics
Pharmacognosy Core Curriculum

(required by students in all tracks)

CH805 Critical Evaluation of Literature
1 credit

CH880 Current Literature
1 credit

EN702 Graduate Scientific Writing†
3 credits

BS736 Advanced Pharmacognosy
3 credits

BS870 Current Research in Pharmacognosy
2 credits

CH718 Heterocyclic Chemistry
3 credits

Anaylitical Chemistry Graduate Course
3 credits

Total Pharmacognosy Core
16 credits

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MS (Thesis) Track

Pharmacognosy Core (above)
16 credits

CH799 Masters Research (minimum)
10 credits

CH802 Research Seminar
1 credit

CH878 Introduction to Research
2 credits

Additional:

700 and 800 level Chemistry or Biology courses*
3 credits

Total Thesis Requirement
32 credits

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PhD Track

Pharmacognosy Core (above)
16 credits

CH802 Research Seminar
2 credits

CH878 Introduction to Research
2 credits

CH885 Grant Proposal Writing†
1 credit

CH899 Doctoral Research (minimum)
20 credits

Additional:

700 and 800 level Chemistry or Biology courses*‡
3 credits

Total PhD Requirement
44 credits

Pharmacognosy is the study of natural products—found in plants and animals—that are used therapeutically in medicine. At least 25% of prescription drugs and 40% of over-the-counter drugs contain one or more active ingredients from plant or animal sources. Provided through the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, USP offers both master’s and doctoral degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmacognosy. The program allows students to specialize in analytical, inorganic, organic, computational or physical chemistry. Designed for both the traditional and the non-traditional student, courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening hours, on a part-time or full-time basis. The curriculum offers the option of a master’s non-thesis degree program, master’s thesis degree program, or doctoral program. Natural roduct chemistry focuses on the study of bioactive substances derived from organisms with a view toward discovering new templates for modern drugs. A current resurgence of interest has occurred in this field. Among the various areas of study in this discipline are ethnobotany, the isolation and characterization of active agents from their sources, the development of analytical procedures for characterizing them, medicinal plant tissue culture, research on nutraceuticals and marine and microbial organism research. Students that complete their graduate program receive an excellent background, not only in their area of specialization, but also in the general field of chemistry. As a result our graduates are much in demand and all of our students have been employed either directly upon graduation, or shortly thereafter.

Pharmaceutics Course Descriptions
Chemical Kinetics, CH721

Theoretical aspects of reaction kinetics and the experimental methods used to measure the rate of reactions.
(Prerequisite: CH322 or permission of instructor)

Advanced Pharmaceutics PH750

The course topics include physical properties or drugs, ionic equilibria, solubility and related phenomena, drug diffusion and permeability, drug stability, interfacial phenomena, colloids, micromeritics, drug dissolution and biomaterials.
(Prerequisite: CH322, PH307 or permission of instructor)

Product Development, PH752

This course covers factors involved in design of pharmaceutical dosage forms to meet requirements of therapeutic efficacy, stability, and safety. It includes the opportunity to develop and prepare pharmaceutical products currently used.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Quality Assurance in the Pharmaceutical Industry, PH754

Principles of current good manufacturing practices and quality control within the pharmaceutical industry are covered, including total control of quality in industry and the relationship to Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Master’s Research, PH799

Students in the master of science thesis program in pharmaceutics are required to complete a research project under the direction of a graduate faculty member.

Equilibrium Phenomena, PH803

This course examines thermodynamic applications in pharmaceutical material and processes and includes the study of macromolecules in solution, and polymer swelling.
(Prerequisite: CH322 or permission of instructor)

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Drug Diffusion and Controlled Delivery, PH811

Class covers the theory of drug permeation through polymer and biological membranes and the study of the mechanistic basis of controlled delivery devices and specialized delivery systems.
(Prerequisite: CH322 or permission of instructor)

Unit Operations, PH852

Students gain an understanding of the application of unit operations from an engineering point of view to pharmaceutical production and processing.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Drug Dynamics, PH875

This course includes the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters. Other topics include statistical moments, protein binding, clearance, nonlinear pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Experimental data will be used to correlate practical applications with theory.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Pharmaceutical Polymers, PH880

Students will study the physical properties and characterization methods for polymeric materials, specifically as they apply to the design of pharmaceutical dosage forms and drug delivery systems.
(Prerequisite: CH322 or permission of instructor)

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Pharmaceutics Seminar, PH890

A presentation of a topic of pharmaceutical interest by current graduate students and invited guests will be followed by group discussion.

Current Topics in Pharmaceutics: Formulation Development, PH894

Class covers the factors involved in the design of pharmaceutical dosage forms to meet requirements of therapeutic efficacy, stability, and safety.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Analysis of Current Literature in Pharmaceutics, PH895

Analysis and discussion of current literature in areas of interest in pharmaceutics will be this class’s subject. Papers are presented informally and discussed by students and faculty.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Research in Pharmaceutics, PH897

Two seven-week rotations through the laboratories of pharmaceutics faculty provide experience in basic and applied techniques utilized in conducting research.
(Prerequisite: permission of instructor)

Doctoral Research, PH899

Students in the doctor of philosophy program specializing in pharmaceutics are required to fulfill their research requirement under the direction of a graduate faculty member.

Pharmaceutics Curriculum
Master’s of Science (Thesis)
Master’s of Science (Non-Thesis)
Doctor of Philosophy Master of Science (Thesis)

Only 6 credits at the 300–400 level can be applied towards the degree. These credits are also listed to aid determination of equivalent prerequisite courses and to plan course loads.

Prerequisites/Co-Requisites:

MA101/MA102/MA201 Mathematical Analysis I-III or equivalent to Pre-Calculus, Calculus I-II
10 credits

PH 316/PH 317/PH 318 Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I/ II/Pharmaceutics lab
8 credits

ST 310 Introduction to Biostatistics or equivalent
3 credits

CH 321 Physical Chemistry I or equivalent
4 credits

MA 320 Differential Equations or equivalent
3 credits

CH 361/CH 363 Analytical Chemistry/ Lab
or
BS 763/767 Cell Biology Methods/ Lab or equivalent
4-5 credits

PH 398 Research Methods in Pharmaceutics or equivalent
2 credits

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Required:

PH750 Advanced Pharmaceutics
4 credits

PH890 Pharmaceutics Seminar
1/0 credits

PH897 Research in Pharmaceutics
2/0 credits

PH799 Master’s Research
10 credits

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At least one program course from the list below required:

CH721 Chemical Kinetics
3 credits

PH803 Equilibrium Phenomena
3 credits

PH811 Drug Diffusion and Controlled Delivery
2 credits

PH875 Drug Dynamics
3 credits

PH880 Pharmaceutical Polymers
3 credits

The remainder of courses to meet 20 non-research credits are selected after consultation with the Research Advisor / Research Advisory Committee.

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Master of Science (Non-Thesis)

Only 6 credits at the 300–400 level can be applied towards the degree. These credits are also listed to aid determination of equivalent prerequisite courses and to plan course loads.

Prerequisites/Co-Requisites:

MA101/MA102/MA201 Mathematical Analysis I-III or equivalent to Pre-Calculus, Calculus I-II
10 credits

PH 316/PH 317/Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I and II or equivalent
7 credits

ST310 Introduction to Biostatistics or equivalent
3 credits

CH321 Physical Chemistry I or equivalent
4 credits

MA320 Differential Equations or equivalent
3 credits

CH 361/CH 363 Analytical Chemistry/Lab
or
BS 763/767 Cell Biology Methods/Lab or equivalent
4-5 credits

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Required:

PH750 Advanced Pharmaceutics
4 credits

PH890 Pharmaceutics Seminar
1/0 credits

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At least two program courses from the list below required::

CH721 Chemical Kinetics
3 credits

PH803 Equilibrium Phenomena
3 credits

PH811 Drug Diffusion and Controlled Delivery
2 credits

PH875 Drug Dynamics
3 credits

PH880 Pharmaceutical Polymers
3 credits

The remainder of courses to meet 30 credits are selected after consultation with the Research Advisor.

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Doctor of Philosophy

Only credits at the 700 or above level can be applied towards the degree. The 300–400 level credits are listed to aid determination of equivalent prerequisite courses and to plan course loads.

Prerequisites/Co-Requisites:

MA101/MA102/MA201 Mathematical Analysis I-III or equivalent to Pre-Calculus, Calculus I-II
10 credits

PH 316/PH 317/PH 318 Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics I/ II/Pharmaceutics lab
8 credits

ST310 Introduction to Biostatistics or equivalent
3 credits

CH321 Physical Chemistry I or equivalent
4 credits

MA320 Differential Equations or equivalent
3 credits

CH 361/CH 363 Analytical Chemistry/Lab
or
BS 763/767 Cell Biology Methods/Lab or equivalent
4-5 credits

PH398 Research Methods in Pharmaceutics or equivalent
2 credits

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Required:

PH750 Advanced Pharmaceutics
4 credits

PH890 Pharmaceutics Seminar
1/0 credits

PH897 Research in Pharmaceutics
2/0 credits

PH899 Doctoral Research
20 credits

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At least one program course from the list below required:

CH721 Chemical Kinetics
3 credits

PH803 Equilibrium Phenomena
3 credits

PH811 Drug Diffusion and Controlled Delivery
2 credits

PH875 Drug Dynamics
3 credits

PH880 Pharmaceutical Polymers
3 credits

The remainder of courses to meet 20 non-research credits are selected after consultation with the Research Advisor / Research Advisory Committee.

Pharmaceutics Eligibility Requirements

If you have a BA or BS from a science or health program, you are encouraged to apply. You are also encouraged to take advantage of the online GRE, available year-round at various testing centers. It is expected that you are fluent in both spoken and written English.
Taking Courses before Admission

You may enroll in courses prior to admission. Up to 12 credits earned in this status will apply toward your MS/PhD in pharmaceutics upon formal admission into the program. You are encouraged to apply to the program after taking no more than 6 credits since taking classes does not guarantee admission into the program.

The following materials will be required prior to enrollment in a course or courses:
Application for Graduate Studies
Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
Résumé/Curriculum Vitae

Pharmaceutics Program Overview

Pharmaceutics is the science of drug delivery — from how drugs are administered and absorbed into the body to how drugs are developed and manufactured. USP offers a Master’s of Science degree with both a thesis option and a non-thesis option, as well as a PhD. You may opt to complete these programs on either a full-time or part-time basis.

Through USP’s graduate program in pharmaceutics, you’ll acquire a thorough background in the theoretical aspects of design and utilization of dosage forms (such as tablets, capsules, inhalants, etc.) and the delivery of drugs, including a consideration of their physical, chemical, and physiological properties. We supplement the exploration of theory with practical application in areas ranging from development and manufacture of dosage forms to pharmaceutical research. Research areas include studies in:
Drug delivery
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Drug product development
Formulation
Rheology
Process optimization and stability.

This program of advanced study will prepare you for teaching and research in educational institutions, or for a career in research and development in the pharmaceutical industry.

Accreditation Information :
Pre Requisite Courses :
Qualifying Exams :

Tution Fees :
Financial Aid / Scholarship Offered :
Courses :

Accreditation Information :
Pre Requisite Courses :
Qualifying Exams :

Tution Fees :
Financial Aid / Scholarship Offered :
Courses :

The minimum number of credit hours necessary for the MSP degree is 30. However our graduate assistants usually take about 42 hours of credit, the first year usually being dedicated to course work and the second year to research and writing the thesis.