Pharmacology & Physiology PhD
Major: Pharmacology & Physiology
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Calendar Type: Semester
Minimum Required Credits: 119.0-128.0
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 26.1002
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-1042
About the Program
The College of Medicine offers a PhD degree in Pharmacology & Physiology. The program requires independent research under the direction of departmental faculty members who are engaged in highly active research programs involving molecular, cellular and behavioral approaches to experimental pharmacology and physiology in a strongly collaborative environment.
Students begin their coursework with a core curriculum in biomedical sciences, and immediately start laboratory rotations. Intensive graduate-level pharmacology, physiology and neuropharmacology courses round out the core programmatic curriculum. Specialization in ion channel physiology, smooth muscle physiology, behavioral pharmacology and signal transduction processes may involve the taking of several elective courses. The program requires the defense of a thesis based on original research.
PhD candidates must pass a qualifying examination by November of their third year, and they must have one accepted co-author manuscript and one submitted first-author manuscript in peer-reviewed journals during the course of the program.
Additional Information
For more information, visit the College of Medicine's Pharmacology & Physiology program website.
Admission Requirements
Drexel University College of Medicine has a rolling admissions policy, which means that complete applications are reviewed as they are received. Applicants are therefore advised to apply early, as decisions to accept or deny admission may be made before the official deadlines.
Additional Information
To learn more about applying to the Pharmacology & Physiology PhD program, please visit the website.
Degree Requirements
About the Curriculum
The core curriculum is a comprehensive interdisciplinary program of study for all PhD students in biomedical science programs. The goal of the core curriculum is to provide a broad foundation in biomedical sciences and serve as a framework for advanced study in more specialized areas.
Courses Repeatable for Credit
As well as taking all required courses, students will re-enroll in courses having the status “repeatable for credit” (such as journal club, seminar and research courses) for the duration of their program in order to meet the total number of credits required for graduation.
Additional Information
For more information about the program, please visit the College of Medicine's Pharmacology & Physiology program web page.
Program Requirements
| Required Courses | ||
| IDPT 500S | Responsible Conduct of Research | 2.0 |
| IDPT 501S | Biostatistics I | 2.0 |
| or NEUR 500S | Statistics for Neuro/Pharm Research | |
| IDPT 502S | Learn Early As Professionals I (LEAP I) | 1.0 |
| IDPT 504S | Learn Early and Practice (LEAP II) | 1.0 |
| IDPT 507S | Teaching Practicum I | 1.0-4.0 |
| IDPT 508S | Teaching Practicum II | 1.0-4.0 |
| IDPT 509S | Teaching Practicum III | 1.0-4.0 |
| IDPT 533S | Core Principles in Biochemistry & Cell Biology | 4.0 |
| IDPT 600S | Thesis Defense | 9.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology * | 7.0 |
| PHRM 503S | Pharm & Phys 1st Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| PHRM 504S | Pharm & Phys 2nd Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| PHRM 505S | Pharm & Phys 3rd Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| PHRM 507S | Prin of Neuropharmacology | 3.0 |
| PHRM 512S | Graduate Pharmacology | 3.0 |
| PHRM 517S | Advanced Topics in Pharmacology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research ** | 63.0 |
| PHGY 503S | Graduate Physiology | 4.0 |
| Advanced Electives | ||
| Choose at least two Advanced Electives for a minimum of four credits. | 4.0 | |
| Macromolecular Structure & Function | ||
| Cancer Biology | ||
| Immunology I | ||
| Biotechniques I: Molecular and Genomic Methods | ||
| New Frontiers in Therapy | ||
| Methods in Biomedical Research | ||
| Drug Discovery and Development I | ||
| Drug Discovery and Development II | ||
| Animal Models for Biomedical Research | ||
| General Electives | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Business Processes and Contemporary Concerns in Pharmaceutical R & D | ||
| World Wide Regulatory Submissions | ||
| Intro to Clinical Trials | ||
| Applications of Clinical Research Biostatistics | ||
| Scientific Writing and Medical Literature | ||
| Current Federal Regulatory Issues in Biomedical Research | ||
| Pharmaceutical Law | ||
| Leadership Skills | ||
| Compliance & Monitoring Issues | ||
| Principles and Practice of Pharmacovigilance | ||
| Designing the Clinical Trial | ||
| Innovative Product Development | ||
| Fundamentals of Compliance | ||
| Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology | ||
| Informatics in Pharm Res & Development | ||
| Regulatory, Scientific and Social Issues Affecting Biotech Research | ||
| Health Policy and Economics | ||
| Strategic Planning | ||
| Total Credits | 119.0-128.0 | |
- *
Taken each semester with the exception of the last when only Thesis Defense is taken.
- **
Taken each semester starting in year 2, with the exception of the last semester when only Thesis Defense is taken.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| IDPT 502S | Learn Early As Professionals I (LEAP I) | 1.0 |
| IDPT 533S | Core Principles in Biochemistry & Cell Biology | 4.0 |
| PHGY 503S | Graduate Physiology | 4.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 503S | Pharm & Phys 1st Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| IDPT 504S | Learn Early and Practice (LEAP II) | 1.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 504S | Pharm & Phys 2nd Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| PHRM 505S | Pharm & Phys 3rd Lab Rotation | 4.0 |
| PHRM 512S | Graduate Pharmacology | 3.0 |
| PHRM 517S | Advanced Topics in Pharmacology | 1.0 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| IDPT 501S or NEUR 500S | Biostatistics I or Statistics for Neuro/Pharm Research | 2.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 507S | Prin of Neuropharmacology | 3.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Electives | 2.0 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| IDPT 500S | Responsible Conduct of Research | 2.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Electives | 2.0 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| IDPT 507S | Teaching Practicum I | 1.0-4.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Credits | 11-14 | |
| Spring | ||
| IDPT 508S | Teaching Practicum II | 1.0-4.0 |
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Credits | 11-14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHRM 502S | Current Topics in Pharmacology & Physiology | 1.0 |
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| IDPT 509S | Teaching Practicum III | 1.0-4.0 |
| Credits | 11-14 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHRM 600S | Pharmacology Thesis Research | 9.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| IDPT 600S | Thesis Defense | 9.0 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 119-128 | |
Program Level Outcomes
- Identify and describe fundamental concepts in pharmacology and physiology.
- Design and perform hypothesis-driven research that applies concepts in pharmacology, physiology and drug discovery, and discuss its translational impact.
- Communicate scientific concepts and data from the literature as well as their own research to a broad range of audiences.
- Critically analyze and evaluate scientific literature regarding the broad range of subject areas associated with pharmacology.
- Work effectively and collegially in collaborations as well as independently in the execution of research projects and associated analysis of scientific data.
- Conduct themselves with maturity and integrity in professional endeavors and demonstrate an understanding of ethical standards in science, such as appropriate attribution of ideas and truthful presentation of data and conclusions.