Pharmaceutical Sciences (M.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus, Online

Student working in a lab.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Hemachand Tummala, Department Head, Graduate Program Coordinator and Professor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Avera Health and Science Center 255, Box 2202C
605-688-4236

Program Information

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers courses and research opportunities in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences leading to the M.S. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. The didactic courses, along with the research concentration in a specific area of pharmaceutical sciences, provide a strong foundation for the academic, pharmaceutical/biotech industry, and other research-related careers. The program places a strong emphasis on comprehensive and high-quality graduate education and research experiences for the students. The M.S. degree is offered as thesis (Option A) and non-thesis (Option B and C) options.

Course Delivery Format

Coursework is provided primarily through lectures, discussions, and laboratory work.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences will:

Demonstrate knowledge of key fundamental concepts in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.
Apply pharmaceutical and biomedical science knowledge and research techniques to drug discovery and development.
Retrieve and critically evaluate the scientific literature.
Utilize effective written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrate professionalism and ethical conduct.

Available Options for Graduate Degrees

Master of Science	Option A - Thesis	30 Credit Hours
	Option B - Research/Design Paper	32 Credit Hours
	Option C - Coursework Only	35 Credit Hours

Core Requirements

PHA 720 - Introduction to Drug Discovery and Development Credits: 3
PHA 721 - Advanced Concepts in Medicinal Chemistry Credits: 3
PHA 725 - Advanced Concepts in Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Credits: 3
PHA 740 - Advanced Concepts in Pharmacology Credits: 3
PHA 760 - Advanced Concepts in Pharmaceutics Credits: 3
PHA 765 - Techniques in Pharmaceutical Research Credits: 3
PHA 790 - Seminar (COM) Credits: 1
STAT 541 - Statistical Methods II Credits: 3

Select one of the following options

Option A - Thesis

PHA 798 - Thesis (COM) Credits: 1-8 (8 credits required)

Option B - Research/Design Paper

PHA 788 - Research Problems/Projects (COM) Credits: 1-8 (4 credits required)
Electives Credits: 6

Option C - Coursework Only

PHA 769 - Pharmaceutical Sciences Capstone Credits: 2
Electives Credits: 11

Electives for Option B & C

Select from the following list of courses. Electives can be taken from graduate-level PHA-prefix courses and related (CHEM, BIOL, etc.).

BIOL 570 - Cancer Biology (COM) Credits: 3
BIOL 645L - Microimaging Techniques Laboratory Credits: 1-3
BIOS 662 - Advanced Molecular Biology Credits: 3
CHEM 701 - Advanced Organic Chemistry I Credits: 3
CHEM 706 - Advanced Analytical Chemistry Credits: 3
CHEM 724 - Structural Determination of Organic Compounds Credits: 3
CHEM 724L - Structural Determination of Organic Compounds Laboratory Credits: 1
PHA 738 - Health Informatics Credits: 1
PHA 743 - Pharmacogenomics Credits: 1
PHA 752 - Drugs of Abuse and Addiction Credits: 2
PHA 792 - Topics (COM) Credits: 1-3
PUBH 767 - Public Health Toxicology Credits: 3
Other courses as approved by advisor and/or committee

Total Required Credits: 30 (Option A), 32 (Option B), 35 (Option C)

Additional Admission Requirements

The following prerequisites are the courses required for admission to the Pharmaceutical Sciences (M.S.) program:

Two semesters of general chemistry
Two semesters of organic chemistry
One semester of biochemistry

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (scale of 4.0) in the undergraduate program.

Letters of Recommendation - Two personal reference letters from people acquainted with the academic ability and professional competence of the applicant are required.

International students, where English is not the primary language, must submit the scores of any one of the following English proficiency tests. Minimum scores required for admission include,

GRE: Not Required
TOEFL: 71 Internet-based
TOEFL Essentials: 7.5
IELTS: 6.0
Duolingo: 100

The Institutional Code for SDSU is 6653.

A Statement of Personal Goals and Philosophy (SOP) - The statement should be brief and no more than one page.

The admission is based on cumulative GPA, relevant science coursework, letters of recommendation, SOP, primary research/work experience, and the interview.

General Requirements

Graduate students should consult with their advisors before registering for graduate coursework.

For additional information refer to the Master’s Degree Requirements .