Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) program educates students in the scientific disciplines required for the discovery, development, and evaluation of new drugs and other pharmaceutical products. The MSPS faculty have created the program based on their collective knowledge and experience in conjunction with input from industry executives. 

The result is a curriculum with the flexibility to meet the needs of the aspiring research scientist, future physician, or working professional in the biomedical or pharmaceutical industry. 

Program Overview

The  MSPS is a 33-credit hour program offered on both the Albany and Vermont campuses and is comprised of two tracks: pharmacology and pharmaceutics. Both tracks offer thesis and non-thesis options.

Regardless of which track they pursue, students choosing the thesis option will complete 23 credits of coursework, 8 credits of thesis research, and a 2 credit research rotation, in addition to writing and defending a thesis. The non-thesis option entails 30 credits of coursework and a 3 credit capstone writing project. 

Thesis Option

The thesis option trains students in basic or translational research under the supervision of a thesis advisor and committee of graduate research faculty. Students work side-by-side with faculty in a variety of research areas, including drug discovery and development, molecular modeling, chemical synthesis, in vitro and in vivo studies of drug mechanisms and pharmacological actions, pharmacokinetic analysis and the transport and absorption of nanopharmaceuticals. The thesis path is ideal for those interested in working as research scientists or pursuing Ph.D. or M.D. degrees. 

Non-Thesis Option

The non-thesis option is geared toward those individuals who would like to accelerate their careers with a  graduate degree but who are not necessarily interested in laboratory research. Students in this track benefit from the same individualized attention and  take the same core courses as thesis track students but have the opportunity to enroll in additional elective courses focused on their areas of interest. 

Non-thesis track students are required to complete a capstone writing project which allows students to explore a topic of their choosing related to the pharmaceutical sciences. As an institution with a strong focus on health and the health sciences, ACPHS has a wide range of resources available for students who want to explore the many, non-research based opportunities that exist in the pharmaceutical and health care industries such as regulatory affairs, marketing, and global health.

Admission and Application Requirements

The MSPS program welcomes applications from academically well-prepared students who have, or expect to receive, a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or related field or a Pharm.D. degree. Students should have a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Click the following link for a complete list of admission and application requirements, including the online application.

Contact

For more information about graduate education at ACPHS, please contact:  

Donna Myers
Director of Pharmacy and Graduate Admissions
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
106 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
(518) 694-7149 or (888) 203-8010
graduate@acphs.edu