Why study this program?
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.
Inquiries about the programs should be directed to the Graduate Program Administrator of the Department of Pharmacology at the above email address.
Entrance Requirements
See Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Graduate Program 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. The program is of particular interest to students with background in pharmacology, physiology, biochemistry, and neuroscience (referred to as ‘companion’ disciplines below).
Students can be directly admitted to the PhD program without a master’s degree if, in addition to the minimum admission requirements, they possess exceptional qualifications in pharmacology or a related discipline at the undergraduate level, as demonstrated by GPA, awards, publications and/or strong letters of references.
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).
Students who do not have a sufficient Pharmacology background may be required to take these or other appropriate courses to ensure an adequate background. These will be considered extra-to-degree.
The Graduate Studies Executive Committee (GSEC) of the Department of Pharmacology evaluates the background in Pharmacology of each prospective student and approves appropriate courses.
In general, a professional degree in Pharmacy is not considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements for admission without further documentation of basic science courses and productive research experience.
Program Core Competencies
The following are the program-specific requirements to satisfy the FoMD’s Program Core Competencies (See Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Program Core Competencies ).
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.
The program for each student will be determined by their supervisory committee and will be subject to approval by GSEC if required.
1. Professional Development and Ethics
See GPS Ethics and Academic Citizenship Training Requirement and GPS Professional Development Requirement .
2. 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.
4. 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.
Students wishing to take a course not listed must receive approval prior to registration by emailing the Director of Graduate Studies for the program (and copying their supervisor and the department Graduate Program Administrator). The email should include the course description and a rationale for how the course fits the research program of the student.
List of Non-Pharmacology Courses Approved
- 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
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.
Courses
Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings , under the subject heading Pharmacology (PMCOL).
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.
For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research 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.
Please refer to the detailed program information or email pmcol.gradadmin@ualberta.ca.
General inquiriesPlease check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1