M.S. Program

Degree Requirements

M.S. Program

Overview

The department offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology. This is a research-oriented degree program comprising graduate coursework and supervised research leading to a master’s thesis.

This program is intended primarily as a terminal M.S. degree. Students who are certain they wish to pursue a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology and have prior undergraduate research training should apply directly to the Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Portal (BSDP) Ph.D. program. The M.S. program will be of interest to individuals planning on technical positions in pharmacology or toxicology research or testing; students in the health professions, such as medicine or dentistry, who desire additional research training; and students interested in a government position, such as with regulatory agencies, who seek training in pharmacology and toxicology and those interested in a career as a technician in the pharmaceutical industry or academia.

The typical student requires two years to complete the degree. Many students who earn the M.S. degree enter careers in industry or government, or pursue admission to medical school and other professional schools. Students earning an M.S. degree with exemplary performance may apply to the Ph.D. program but will compete with prospective undergraduate students for admission to the BSDP. Prospective students with undergraduate research experience with the goal of earning a Ph.D. degree, therefore, are encouraged to apply directly to the BSDP rather than the M.S. program. Students in the M.S. program do not receive stipends, payment of tuition and fees, health insurance or have the opportunity for teaching assistantships. Prospective students should apply to the Pharmacology and Toxicology M.S. program through https://www.vcu.edu/admissions/apply/graduate/.

Admission requirements

To see the admission requirements for this program, please see the Pharmacology and Toxicology M.S. program page in the VCU Bulletin.

Curriculum

The complete updated list of coursework required for the M.S. degree can be found in the VCU Bulletin.

The master’s program differs slightly from the Ph.D. program in that no written comprehensive exam is given, although a final oral defense of thesis exam must be passed to complete the degree program. In addition, the M.S. degree can be completed on a part-time basis, while the Ph.D. requires full-time enrollment. All M.S. students are required to prepare and defend a thesis based upon original research.

Graduate Student Handbook

Download the Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Student Handbook (PDF)