PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES OVERVIEW
It takes an estimated 10-15 years and more than $1 billion to successfully bring a new drug to market today.
Whether you work in a lab or an office, if you want to be successful in this industry, it is critical that you have a thorough understanding of the scientific disciplines required for the discovery, development, and evaluation of new drugs. Our master’s program in Pharmaceutical Sciences provides precisely this type of education.
Through thesis and non-thesis options, we have created a curriculum with the flexibility to meet the needs of aspiring research scientists, pharmacists, and working professionals looking to advance their career in the biomedical or pharmaceutical industries.
Coursework
The M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is a 33 credit, two year degree program that provides foundational coursework in the areas of pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, toxicology, and pharmacokinetics.
The program includes a variety of required and elective courses that allow students to achieve individual academic goals, in the context of either a thesis or non-thesis option.
Thesis students must complete 23 credits of coursework, 8 credits of thesis research, and a 2 credit research rotation, in addition to writing and defending a thesis. This path is ideal for those interested in working as research scientists or pursuing Ph.D. or M.D. degrees.
The non-thesis option is geared toward those individuals who would like to accelerate their careers in industry but who are not necessarily interested in performing research themselves. Non-thesis students must take 30 credits of coursework and complete a 3 credit capstone writing project.
The program includes a variety of required and elective courses that allow students to achieve individual academic goals, in the context of either a thesis or non-thesis option.
Thesis students must complete 23 credits of coursework, 8 credits of thesis research, and a 2 credit research rotation, in addition to writing and defending a thesis. This path is ideal for those interested in working as research scientists or pursuing Ph.D. or M.D. degrees.
The non-thesis option is geared toward those individuals who would like to accelerate their careers in industry but who are not necessarily interested in performing research themselves. Non-thesis students must take 30 credits of coursework and complete a 3 credit capstone writing project.
Research and Thesis Project
The program’s small size (typically 7-10 students per year) allows students interested in research to work closely with faculty. This accessibility and the resulting opportunities to hone your research skills are one of the program’s greatest strengths.
Students enrolled in the thesis track work side-by-side with research graduate faculty in areas such as 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. Recent master's students' projects include:
- Determination of Synergistic Antioxidiant Acitivty of α- and δ- Tocopherylcarbamate Co-drugs on lipid Peroxidation in Skin (Faculty Advisor: Martha Hass, Ph.D.)
- Effect of Hedgehog Signaling Pathway on VDUP1 Expression in Human Embryonal Palatal Mesenchymal (HEPM) and Colon Cancer (HT-29) Cell Lines (Faculty Advisor: Jeffrey Voigt, Ph.D.)
- Molecular Basis of Histone Acetyl-lysine Recognition by the BRPF1 Bromodomain (Faculty Advisor: Karen Glass, Ph.D.)
- Vitamin D3 up-regulated protein 1 (VDUP1) contributes to neural fate specification during Drosophila brain development (Faculty Advisor: Richard Dearborn, Ph.D.)
Students enrolled in the thesis track work side-by-side with research graduate faculty in areas such as 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. Recent master's students' projects include:
- Determination of Synergistic Antioxidiant Acitivty of α- and δ- Tocopherylcarbamate Co-drugs on lipid Peroxidation in Skin (Faculty Advisor: Martha Hass, Ph.D.)
- Effect of Hedgehog Signaling Pathway on VDUP1 Expression in Human Embryonal Palatal Mesenchymal (HEPM) and Colon Cancer (HT-29) Cell Lines (Faculty Advisor: Jeffrey Voigt, Ph.D.)
- Molecular Basis of Histone Acetyl-lysine Recognition by the BRPF1 Bromodomain (Faculty Advisor: Karen Glass, Ph.D.)
- Vitamin D3 up-regulated protein 1 (VDUP1) contributes to neural fate specification during Drosophila brain development (Faculty Advisor: Richard Dearborn, Ph.D.)
Study in New York's Capital City
When you chose to get your M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at ACPHS, you'll join a campus that anchors Albany's medical corridor with research strengths including drug delivery, drug discovery, bioanalytical technologies, cell signaling, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and neuroscience.
Life After ACPHS
Students Employed in Industry
Beech-Nut Nutrition
Pfizer
Publicis Touchpoint Solutions
Mega LifeSciences Public Company
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Albany Molecular Research Inc.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals
Bassett Healthcare Network
Bristol Meyers Squibb
DAKO-Agilent Pathology Solutions
Hemispherx
Hercom Pharmaceuticals
National Renewable Energy Lab
Truven Health Analysis
Students Enrolled in PhD Programs
Auburn University
Rutgers University
Stony Brook University
The University of Iowa
Tufts University
University of Rochester
University of Toledo
University of Maryland
Beech-Nut Nutrition
Pfizer
Publicis Touchpoint Solutions
Mega LifeSciences Public Company
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Albany Molecular Research Inc.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals
Bassett Healthcare Network
Bristol Meyers Squibb
DAKO-Agilent Pathology Solutions
Hemispherx
Hercom Pharmaceuticals
National Renewable Energy Lab
Truven Health Analysis
Students Enrolled in PhD Programs
Auburn University
Rutgers University
Stony Brook University
The University of Iowa
Tufts University
University of Rochester
University of Toledo
University of Maryland
Discovery Spotlight
“I chose medicine more than anything because I want to help people.”
Brandon LaPorte '17 B.S. and M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Read More
Discovery Spotlight
"I wanted to do research with a professor whose work I found exciting." He found Associate Professor Karen Glass, together they are helping push the field of cancer research forward.
Jonathan Lloyd '17 Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences (VT Campus)
Read More
Contact the Program Director
Manish Shah, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Manish.Shah@acphs.edu
(518) 694-7343
Assistant Professor
Manish.Shah@acphs.edu
(518) 694-7343
Contact the Graduate Admissions Office
106 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
518-694-7221
admissions@acphs.edu
Albany, NY 12208
518-694-7221
admissions@acphs.edu