Pharmaceutical Sciences MS

Learn the foundations of pharmaceutical sciences, drug design and development, drug synthesis, cancer genetics and all the core sciences critical to becoming a pharmaceutical expert with our Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Why Study Pharmaceutical Sciences at ACPHS?

Developing a new drug and bringing it to market can take years.

Whether you work in a lab or an office, if you want to be successful in this industry, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the scientific techniques and disciplines required for discovery, development and evaluation of pharmaceuticals.

For those seeking careers in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, earning a master’s in pharmaceutical sciences provides the depth of knowledge and research experience necessary to advance in the field — taking a deeper dive into areas including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, cancer research and drug metabolism.

Research

Hone your research skills working alongside your very own faculty-research mentor in this hands-on master’s program with capstone and thesis options. 

• Thesis-Based Research: The thesis-based research is an opportunity for research-focused students to work side-by-side with faculty on a topic of their choosing.
• Non-Thesis Based/Capstone: The non-thesis capstone is designed for students interested in advancing their pharmaceutical sciences careers without an intense focus on a specific topic of research.

Importantly, through either track, students gain scientific writing and critical thinking skills in this program, and most often end up publishing their research in a reputed peer-reviewed journal as early as the end of their second year.

Student & Faculty Research Opportunities

Every student gets paired with a faculty researcher, ensuring that your experience will include the dedicated mentorship of an expert researcher devoted to your success. 

• Faculty research-mentors stay paired with students for the duration of the two-year pharmaceutical science master’s program, working in our industry-standard laboratory facilities.
• Hands-on research is conducted alongside your faculty-mentor in ACPHS laboratories that match industry standards, meaning you’ll get to train with the same equipment and techniques required of professional pharmaceutical scientists’ post-graduation.
• Students are trained in various research techniques and instrumentation that are crucial for a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Importantly, students gain scientific writing and critical thinking skills in this program, and most often end up publishing their research in a reputed peer-reviewed journal as early as the end of their second year.

Career Opportunities for Pharmaceutical Sciences Majors

A master’s in pharmaceutical sciences gets you one step closer to creating new drugs in a research laboratory or entering a PhD program.

ACPHS graduates with their MS Pharmaceutical Sciences have pursued doctorates at prestigious graduate programs such as Auburn University, Rutgers University, the University of Iowa, Tufts University, University of Rochester, University of Toledo, University of Maryland, University of Nebraska, Weill-Cornell and Stony Brook University.

If you’re more interested in jobs than research, you can capitalize on Albany’s proximity to many major pharma companies, including Regeneron and Curia, to access internships and industry jobs. Many graduates have gone on to intern or begin careers at Pfizer, Mega LifeSciences, Bristol Myers Squibb, Beech-Nut Nutrition, National Renewable Energy Lab, Truven Health Analysis and others.

You can also take your pharmaceutical sciences master’s degree and enter directly into a new career developing new life-changing medicines. A large majority of MSPS graduates join the pharmaceutical industry as soon as they graduate. Often they have jobs lined up before they even graduate.

Program Details 

Pharmaceutical Sciences Master’s Degree Coursework

The curriculum of our two-year Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences program combines laboratory experiences and courses that build a strong foundation in all the sciences essential to research and drug development.

You can also apply and obtain teaching assistantship or research assistantship during your master’s education, earning around $2,500-$3,000 per semester.