Curriculum


First Year

In the first year, MSP students attend classes focused on the fundamental principles of pharmacology, toxicology, biochemistry, and cell biology. They also get research experience through laboratory rotations.

Fall Semester - First Year

Course NumberCourse NameCredit Hours
IBS 531Principles of Pharmacology I(8 credit hours)
MSP 570rGraduate Seminar(2 credit hours)
MSP 597rLab Rotations(2 credit hours)
MSP 501Ethical Issues in Pharmacology(1 credit hour)

Spring Semester - First Year

Course NumberCourse NameCredit Hours
IBS 532Principles of Pharmacology II(5 credit hours)
MSP 570rGraduate Seminar(2 credit hours)
MSP 597rLab Rotations(5 credit hours)
MSP 501Ethical Issues in Pharmacology

Second Year

In the second year and beyond, students focus on dissertation research in their chosen laboratory and also attend a handful of upper-level courses in their specialized areas of interest. These upper-level courses focus on a variety of topics such as signal transduction, receptors, ion channels, molecular toxicology, behavior, neuroscience, cancer biology, cardiovascular biology, and chemistry.

Fall Semester - Second Year

Course NumberCourse NameCredit Hours
IBS 537Grant Writing for Molecular and Systems Pharmacology(2 credit hours)
MSP 519Intro to Data Analysis(3 credit hours)
MSP 570rGraduate Seminar(2 credit hours)
MSP 699rAdvanced Grad Research(variable)
MSP 501Ethical Issues in Pharmacology(1 credit hour)

Spring Semester - Second Year

Course NumberCourse NameCredit Hours
IBS 537Frontiers in Molecular Pharmacology(2 credit hours)
IBS 538Design and Analysis of Experiments(4 credit hours)
MSP 570rGraduate Seminar(2 credit hours)
MSP 699rAdvanced Grad Research(4 credit hours)
MSP 501Ethical Issues in Pharmacology

Note: The MSP program is flexible regarding the curricula of MD/PhD students and students who enter the program with advanced standing (e.g., prior graduate degrees). It is often the case that MD/PhD and advanced standing students have taken previous coursework that can substitute for one or several of the courses in the standard MSP program curriculum. In such cases, customized curricula can be developed to optimize the training experience of each individual student.