Pharmacology
Overview
Programs in pharmacology teach people how drugs interact with biological systems.Programs in pharmacology and toxicology teach people how drugs and chemical toxins operate. Students learn chemistry and biology. They study the effects specific substances have on people, animals, food, and plants.
Pharmacology programs include topics such as:
- Drug actions
- Cell biology
- Toxicology
- Medicinal chemistry
- Specific drugs and drug interactions
Concentrations
In pharmacology programs, students may be able to specialize in:
- Pharmacology and toxicology
- Molecular pharmacology
- Neuropharmacology
Schools
Very few colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in pharmacology. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.
Many universities offer graduate degrees in pharmacology. A master’s degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master’s degree. Often, these programs are offered through a pharmacy program.
See schools that offer this program.
Related Educational Programs
- Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical Sciences, General
- Biometrics and Biostatistics
- Biotechnology
- Cancer and Oncology Biology
- Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
- Medicine
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Naturopathic Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Midwifery
- Nurse Practitioner
- Pathology and Experimental Pathology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Technology
- Physiology
- Pre-Medicine
- Toxicology
Related Careers
Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study
Other Careers Related to this Program of Study
Program Admission
You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.
For this program, schools recommend that you know how to use a computer and the Internet.
Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:
- Advanced Biology courses
- Advanced Chemistry courses
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Calculus
- Physics
- Probability and Statistics
Graduate Admissions
Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.
Additional requirements at some schools include:
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Undergraduate degree in biology, chemistry, pharmacy, or related field
- Significant course work in inorganic and organic chemistry, calculus, and physics
Typical Course Work
Program Courses
This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:
- Advanced Statistics
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Chemotherapeutics
- Drug Design
- Drug Discovery
- Molecular Biology
- Neuropharmacology
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Toxicokinetics
- Toxicology
Graduate Program Courses
Graduate programs that lead to a master's or doctoral degree typically include:
- Required courses
- Laboratory research project
- Thesis (master's degree)
- Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
- Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)
Things to Know
Most pharmacologists work as researchers and policy analysts. You can study drug therapies at a pharmaceutical company or work in a university laboratory.
Some pharmacologists also teach at medical, dental, nursing, or veterinary schools. In addition, you can work for government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.
Schools
East Side Area
Washington State University - Pullman
- Veterinary Science
King-Snohomish Area
University of Washington - Seattle
- Pharmacology