The objective of the Ph.D. track in Pharmacology and Toxicology is to impart advanced scientific knowledge in pharmacology and toxicology, to provide training opportunities in conducting state-of-the-art approaches in basic research in pharmacology and toxicology, and closely related subdisciplines, in order to prepare the students for careers in independent research or related careers in academia, industry or government. The average time to graduation is less than five years.
The R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy offers a graduate program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Over twenty faculty participate in the program. Faculty research interests are in various areas of pharmacology (including cell signaling, G-protein receptors, chemotherapeutics, pharmacogenomics), toxicology (including hepatic, renal, pulmonary, neurotoxicity; metal toxicity, environmental toxicity, carcinogenesis), molecular pharmacology/toxicology, and drug development.
R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
GPA 3.0 or higher
3 letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose
Official Transcripts
Bachelor's degree in pharmacy, chemistry, or the biological sciences or Pharm.D. degree and adequate preparation in mathematics is a prerequisite to admission.
International applicants must meet additional admissions requirements. A complete list is available at: https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency
The GRE will no longer be required as part of the application packet. Students have the option of reporting scores but can submit an application without them. The institution GRE code is 4832.
Research Assistantships available on a competitive basis
Graduate Registration and Tuition Scholarships available on a competitive basis
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.
4832
ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 4832
63
A minimum of 36 units of course work in the area of the major subject including a minimum of 4 seminar units, 6 laboratory rotation units, and a mimimum of 4 research conference units, will be counted towards the student’s Plan of Study. Nine units in the minor subject, and 18 units of dissertation must also be completed. Please note that seminar and research conference registration is required every semester, even though only 4 units of credit will be applied to the Plan of Study.
PCOL501 Introduction to Pharmacology, Drug Discovery & Pharmaceutics (4 units)
PCOL520a Cellular Communications & Signal Transduction (4 units)
PCOL535 General and Systems Toxicology (3 units)
BIOS576a Biostatistics (3 units)
PHCL595b Sci Writ, Present & Bioethics (2 units)
or SPH 649 Survival Skills and Ethics (3 units)
PCOL696a Student Seminar (1 credit each semester / 4 units total)
PCOL695a Research Conference (2 credits each semester / 4 units total)
MCB792 ABBS Lab Rotation (2 credits per rotation first year / 6 units total)
or PCOL792 Track Specific Admission students (TSA) Directed Research Laboratory Rotations (2 credits per rotation first year / 6 units total)
TOTAL MAJOR: 36
MINOR: 9
DISSERTATION: 18
Need enough units from the following list of electives to total 37 for the major.
ELECTIVE COURSES
Any other elective courses not used for the major can be used to fulfill the (9) unit requirement for an internal Pharmacology & Toxicology minor.
PCOL505 Current Techniques in Pharmaceutical Sciences (3 units)
PCOL530 Faculty perspectives on contemporary topics in Drug Discovery, Pharmaceutics, and Molecular Toxicology (2 units)
PCOL550 Drug Metabolism and Disposition (2 units)
PCOL 601a Epigenetics in Development and Disease (2 units)
PSIO 511 Physiology/Biomed (3 units)
Dissertation units: 18
Laboratory Rotations: Each first-year student must participate research laboratory rotations (MCB792) The objective of the required laboratory research rotations is the introduction of the graduate student to research and familiarization with the scope and nature of the faculty’s research endeavors. UA PharmD/Ph.D. students will be required to complete two (2) rotations if they have not done so during their PharmD studies.
Seminar: Sudents are required to register for PCOL 696a for the fall and spring semesters for their term of full-time residence in the Program. First year students are not required to present a seminar, so their grade will be determined by attendance only. Ph.D., MD/Ph.D. and PharmD/Ph.D. students are required to present a seminar each academic year beginning in the second year until the final defense (final defense will be counted as a seminar presentation). Generally, senior students will present in the fall, whereas second year students will present in the spring. M.S. students are required to present 1 seminar.
Good Academic Standing: A student cannot receive a graduate degree unless he or she has achieved a grade-point average of 3.00 or higher on all course work taken for graduate credit, whether or not the courses are offered in satisfaction of the specific requirements for a specific graduate degree. Satisfactory completion of the first two year's work constitutes passing of the Qualifying Examination.
Annual Report: Each student is required to electronically submit an Annual Report on or before June 1. An email notice will be sent out from the Program Office at least one month prior to the Annual Report due date, for the student to fill out at: http://gradstudent.pharmacy.arizona.edu/
Plan of Study: Each student is responsible for developing a Plan of Study during their first year in residence, to be submitted in GradPath no later than the student's third semester in residence.
Instructional Service Assistant: Graduate students in the College of Pharmacy are required participate as an Instructional Services Assistant as part of their professional development and growth.
Proctoring: All graduate students are required to fulfill proctoring duties as assigned each semester through their academic career.
One minor is required. Students may choose from among the following approved minor list. Other options will be considered but must be approved individually by the student’s major advisor and the Pharmacology and Toxicology Executive Committee. The minor department should be contacted to find out specific requirements for that minor. Please note that some minors require 6 of the 9 units to be taken prior to the comprehensive oral exam.
Suggested Minors for Pharmacology and Toxicology Majors
(minimum of 9 units)
1. Pharmacology & Toxicology (Multidiscplinary)
2. Physiology
3. Molecular and Cellular Biology
4. Immunobiology
5. Cellular and Molecular Medicine
6. Cancer Biology
7. Neuroscience
8. Drug Discovery and Development
9. Pharmaceutics
10. Medical Pharmacology
11. Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology
12. Multidisciplinary
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.
Program-level Information | |
---|---|
Application Acceptance Rate | 57.14% |
Avg. Time-to-degree (years) | 5.05 |
Department-level Information | |
Enrollment Percent Male | 39.13% |
Enrollment Percent Female | 60.87% |
Enrollment Percent International | 26.09% |
Enrollment Percent URM | 34.78% |