Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Graduate Programs

Pharmaceutical Chemistry is a broad discipline that integrates diverse areas of science ranging from biological to chemical sciences. Students in the program will become familiar with aspects of physical, organic and analytical chemistry, chemical kinetics, biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics, and biotechnology including vaccines. To address these needs, the department offers a series of eight (8) core courses designed to hone the student’s skills in these topical areas, which are considered essential in understanding problems of biological, biophysical and chemical processes at the molecular level. Every student entering the program is expected to complete the core courses during the first three semesters of graduate study. Refer to the website (http://pharmchem.ku.edu/academics-overview) then consult the links Coursework Research Overview and Department Graduate Student Handbook for details. Students can choose from a variety of elective courses that allow them to gain knowledge and skills in areas specific to individual research project interests. The department places emphasis on excellence in research making every effort to ensure that students can maximize efforts on their research projects toward earning the Ph.D. degree in a timely fashion.

Students are primarily admitted to the department to pursue the Ph.D. degree, however students may opt to terminate graduate studies with the M.S. degree. For external students seeking an advanced degree, the department offers the distance M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. To be eligible for the distance programs, the students must be employed in the private or government sectors, meeting the same requirements as on-site students, have access to laboratory facilities and the availability of an appropriately trained scientific advisor at the remote site. The distance Ph.D. program is only available to students who have completed the distance M.S. degree with a highly meritorious performance.