Graduate Program Information

The University of Minnesota offers one of the top-rated Pharmacology programs in the country. Sprawled along the bank of the Mississippi River, the Academic Health Center, Medical School and University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview are an important part of one of the largest campuses in the nation, with approximately 50,000 students on the Twin Cities campus.

One of the best funded departments in the Medical School, the Department of Pharmacology has approximately 40 faculty members and 50 graduate students. By recruiting many younger faculty with "3rd millennium" strategies in Pharmacology, the Department is aiming toward the future. For details, see our faculty research interest pages.

CURRICULUM

The curriculum leading to a doctor of philosophy degree in pharmacology at the University of Minnesota is designed to provide a solid understanding of basic pharmacology and to prepare our graduates to pursue careers as independent scientists and pharmacologists.

Students enter the program in the fall. The academic year at the University of Minnesota is divided into two semesters (fall and spring) and one summer term. Students usually take courses in all semesters and summer terms, with a lighter load during the summer to allow more time for research.

During the early stages of their doctoral training, students gain a fundamental understanding of the principles of pharmacology, acquired through classroom-based instruction. Completion of course work ordinarily requires about two years and includes the following (for more detailed information, see the program handbook):

YEAR 1

• Introduction to Pharmacology
• A Graduate Student Toolkit: Scientific Speaking, Grant Writing, and Responsible Conduct of Research
• Seminar
• Laboratory Rotation
• Biochemistry
• Human Physiology

YEAR 2

• Medical Pharmacology
• Advanced Pharmacology
• Seminar
• Electives

ADVISING AND LAB ROTATION

The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the adviser to first-year students in the program. During their first year, most students rotate through three laboratories within the department. The purpose of these 8 week rotations is two-fold; first to permit the student to acquire practical experience in several different pharmacology laboratories and second, to assist the student in choosing a Ph.D. adviser, in whose laboratory the student will spend the bulk of his/her graduate training.

Under the guidance of their Ph.D. adviser, students acquire skills necessary to conduct original research. They learn how to carefully read and critically evaluate scientific literature, to conceive and carry out experiments designed to test a defined hypothesis, and to critically interpret data obtained from these efforts.

STUDENT SEMINARS AND PUBLICATIONS

As well as the ability to generate data, scientists must also be able to communicate these results to others. Therefore, our students learn to prepare and present research seminars. In addition, each of our students, as part of their Ph.D. qualifying examination, prepares and defends a research proposal. During their graduate studies, all students co-author (usually as first author) at least one research paper submitted for publication. In recent years, graduating students have published an average of four papers in peer-reviewed journals.

EXAMINATIONS

A written examination in pharmacology is taken before the preliminary oral examination. It consists of a thesis proposal written in the manner of a research grant proposal.

A preliminary oral examination is designed to test the student's ability to apply principles of both pharmacology and the chosen minor area to specific research questions.

A final oral examination consists of defense of the candidate's thesis.

MINOR AND SUPPORTING PROGRAMS

Students majoring in pharmacology usually select a minor in biochemistry, neuroscience, physiology, or psychology. Alternatively, a student can select a supporting program in lieu of a minor. This consists of courses from two or more disciplines relevant to the student's doctoral research.

JOINT DEGREE PROGRAM

In the Fall of 1999, the University of Minnesota began offering a unique Joint Degree Program for students interested in combining a law degree with one of a broad range of graduate degrees in health and life sciences. Students in the Joint Degree Program in Law, Health & the Life Sciences will be able to obtain a J.D. together with an M.S. or Ph.D. in less time and with more academic support and potentially more financial support than if they pursued two degrees separately. The Joint Degree Program involves roughly 300 faculty members. They are drawn from the Law School, Graduate School, Medical School, School of Public Health, College of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Resources, Humphrey Institute and Center for Bioethics. For more information, visit the web site at: ttp://www.jointdegree.umn.edu/

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Individuals who have an M.D. degree and are qualified to practice medicine may enter the training program administered by the Division of Clinical Pharmacology. Faculty members in the Division hold dual appointments in pharmacology and various clinical departments.

DULUTH PROGRAM

The School of Medicine in Duluth offers a cooperative graduate program in pharmacology in conjunction with the program in the Twin Cities, with opportunities for either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree.

REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

A high level of academic performance is expected of pharmacology graduate students. Only grades of A or B are acceptable in the major. Although the grade of C in minor or supporting program subjects is acceptable to the Graduate School, students are expected to maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (B).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

All students in the Ph.D. program hold research assistantships and receive a stipend that is paid during their graduate training. In addition, those applicants who meet the departmental criteria will also be eligible to receive the F.E. Shideman Merit Award for Outstanding Pharmacology Students. This award was established by the Department of Pharmacology to recognize outstanding new students entering our graduate program and is a one-time financial award of $1,000-$3,000. Several other scholarship programs are also available through the University of Minnesota Graduate School, which in 2007-2008 celebrated 120 years of doctoral research and education.

GRADUATE PROGRAM CORRESPONDENCE

Please send all correspondence directly to:

Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Pharmacology
6-120 Jackson Hall
University of Minnesota
321 Church Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0217

Phone: 612-625-2685
Fax: 612-625-8408

Email: phclgrad@umn.edu

Program Handbook

Download PDF of the latest Graduate Program Handbook here.