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Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacology)

The Department of Pharmacology offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in pharmacology. Our graduate programs offer opportunities to investigate the molecular and biological processes that regulate cellular and organ functions and the mechanisms underlying diseases and drugs in areas of study.

Why Study This Program?

The program is of particular interest to students with a background in pharmacology, physiology, biochemistry, and neuroscience. Students can be directly admitted to the PhD program without a masters degree if they possess exceptional qualifications in pharmacology or a related discipline at the undergraduate level.

Entrance Requirements

Students are accepted into the graduate program with degrees in the biological sciences, physics, chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacy, neuroscience, medicine, and dentistry. Applicants to the MSc or Ph.D. programs are expected to have completed the following courses or their equivalents: PMCOL 343 and PMCOL 344. The suitability of prior pharmacology courses to meet this requirement will be adjudicated by the Graduate Studies Executive Committee (GSEC).

Program Requirements

• The program for each student will be determined by their supervisory committee and will be subject to approval by GSEC if required.
• PhD students are required to complete 3 units of graduate level coursework each in Critical Reading/Thinking and Background Knowledge core competencies (total 6 units).
• PhD students entering the program with an MSc in a relevant discipline may only be required to complete 3 units of graduate level coursework, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Supervisor.

Program Core Competencies

The following are the program-specific requirements to satisfy the FoMDs Program Core Competencies:

• Professional Development and Ethics: See GPS Ethics and Academic Citizenship Training Requirement and GPS Professional Development Requirement.
• Communication: Students are required to enroll every year in the course PMCOL 601 - Pharmacology Graduate Seminars. Students must participate in the Pharmacology Research Day presenting their work orally or in a poster. Seminar attendance and participation in Research Day is reported in the Annual Progress report.
• Critical Reading/Thinking: Students have options for developing competency in this area including:
  • PMCOL 510 - Advanced Topics
  • PMCOL 511 - Advanced Topics
  • PMCOL 525 - Problem Solving in Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Background Knowledge: Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings, under the subject heading Pharmacology (PMCOL). In addition, students may take courses from the following list of courses approved by the Department of Pharmacology:
  • BIOCH 530 - Biochemistry of Eukaryotic Gene Expression
  • CELL 545 - Current Topics in Cell Biology
  • LABMP 581 - Techniques in Molecular Biology
  • MDGEN 601 - Selected Topics in Medical Genetics
  • NEURO 621 - The Art of Grant Writing
  • ONCOL 520 - Tumor Biology
  • PHARM 580 - Introduction to Computer-Aided Drug Design
  • PHARM 630 - The Metabolism and Excretion of Drugs
  • PHYSL 545 - Physiology of Transport Systems
  • PSYCH 531 - Design and Analysis in Psychological Research I
  • SURG 555 - Microvascular Surgery

PhD Thesis Proposal

See FoMD PhD Thesis Proposal and Thesis Proposal Meeting.

Candidacy Exam

See FoMD Doctoral Candidacy Examination.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES. Students are required to prepare and defend a thesis on a topic approved by their supervisor and supervisory committee.

Length of Program

See FoMD Minimum Length of Time in Program. See GPS Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Programs.

Courses

Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings, under the subject heading Pharmacology (PMCOL).

Tuition and Fees

Financial assistance in the form of Graduate Research Assistant Fellowships from supervisor operating funds is normally available to students in good standing. Students may also be eligible for awards from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Exceptionally qualified applicants may be nominated for University of Alberta entrance scholarships. Other funding is provided by scholarships awarded to students by various agencies including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Provincial Government of Alberta. Students will be expected to apply for such external funding.

Scholarships and Financial Support

The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.