Programs

Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology program provides students with a solid foundation in the pharmacological and toxicological sciences for a rewarding career in drug development and research.

Program Highlights

• Full-time, four-year undergraduate degree
• For incoming freshmen and transfer students
• Fall semester start
• Close mentorship through low student-to-faculty ratio and supervised independent senior research projects
• Hands-on experience in newly renovated laboratories designed for the study of drugs and drug safety
• Laboratories equipped with instrumentation to study how drugs work as well as drug safety
• An emphasis on developing one's analytical, technical and presentation skills
• Close proximity to a high concentration of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as world-renowned academic research institutes in the greater Boston area

Program Details

This full-time BS in Pharmacology and Toxicology program provides students with a strong foundation in the pharmacological and toxicological sciences for a rewarding career in drug development research.

Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the program aims to fulfill employer's growing demands for prospective employees to have a solid understanding of the principles of pharmacology and toxicology coupled with strong analytical and technical abilities. Simply translated, graduates will possess the knowledge and laboratory experience for immediate success in their career path of choice.

What Can We Offer?

The BS in Pharmacology and Toxicology program at MCPHS will offer students:

• Low student to faculty ratios to maximize learning in and out of classroom
• Laboratories equipped with instrumentation to study how drugs work as well as drug safety
• Supervised independent senior research projects with highly qualified faculty or industrial internships
• An emphasis on developing one's analytical, technical and presentation skills
• Close proximity to a high concentration of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as world-renowned academic research institutes in the greater Boston area

Career Opportunities for Graduates

Graduates of this program will be able to pursue a variety of careers. They could elect to work in biopharmaceutical industry or in academic/university laboratories. They could also decide to work for government-sponsored research agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or laboratories such as the National Institute of Health (NIH). Alternatively, graduates may elect to pursue more advanced training/degrees in graduate school.

Curriculum

Year I-Fall

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 150	Biology I Laboratory	1
BIO 151	Biology I: Cell and Molecular Biology	3
CHE 131	Chemical Principles I (w/lab)	4
FYS 101	First Year Seminar	1
LIB 111	Expository Writing I	3
LIB 120	Introduction to Psychology	3
MAT 151	Calculus I	3
TOTAL		18

 

Year I-Spring

 

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 152	Biology II: Biology of Organisms (w/lab)	4
CHE 132	Chemical Principles II (w/lab)	4
LIB 112	Expository Writing II	3
LIB 133	American Culture, Identity and Public Life	3
MAT 152	Calculus II	3
TOTAL		17

 

Year II-Fall

 

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
CHE 231	Organic Chemistry I (w/lab)	4
LIB 252	Introduction to Speech	3
PHY 270	Foundations of Physics I	3
PHY 272L	Foundations of Physics I Lab	1
	Distributive Electives	6
TOTAL		17

 

Year II-Spring

 

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
BIO 255	Medical Microbiology (w/lab)	4
BIO 260	Molecular Biology	3
CHE 232	Organic Chemistry II	3
CHE 234L	Organic Chemistry II Laboratory	1
PHY 274	Foundations of Physics II (w/lab)	4
TOTAL		15

 

Year III-Fall

 

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
MAT 261	Statistics	3
PSB 328	Physiology/Pathophysiology	4
PSB 331	Biochemistry I	3
PSB 370	Analytical Methods in Pharmacology & Toxicology I	3
PSB 401	Pharmacology/Toxicology Seminar I	1
	Distributive elective	3
TOTAL		17

 

Year III-Spring

 

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
LIB 512	Health Care Ethics	3
PSB 329	Physiology/Pathophysiology II	4
PSB 332	Biochemistry II	3
PSB 371	Analytical Methods in Pharmacology & Toxicology II	3
PSB 402	Pharmacology/Toxicology Seminar II	1
	Distributive elective	3
TOTAL		17

 

Year IV-Fall

There will be two tracks for the 4th year of the program; half the students will do their research project or internship in the fall semester and half will fulfill this requirement in the spring semester.

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
PSB 372	Analytical Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology III	3
PSB 403	Pharmacology/Toxicology Seminar III	1
PSB 460	Principles of Toxicology I	3
PSB 462	Basic Pharmacology I	3
	Program electives	6
TOTAL		16

* Students can substitute a biostatistics course.

Year IV-Spring

COURSE	TITLE	SEMESTER HOURS
PSB 404	Pharmacology/Toxicology Seminar IV	1
PSB 461	Principles of Toxicology II	3
PSB 464	Basic Pharmacology II	3
PSB 535	Senior Research Project or Industrial Internship	5
TOTAL		12

Total credits to complete degree requirements: 129 s.h.

Accreditation

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is authorized to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees in the health sciences and related fields. MCPHS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. 

For Transfers

MCPHS welcomes students from other institutions. Any applicant to MCPHS who has completed at least one semester of college coursework (12 credits or more) is considered to be a transfer applicant. Students who have been out of high school for more than two years are strongly encouraged to take math and science courses at another accredited college or university and then to apply for transfer to MCPHS.

The transfer requirements may be different for different MCPHS programs. To find the requirements for transferring into this program, please click the link below.

Transfer Requirements for Pharmacy and Toxicology (BS) (Boston)

Faculty/Staff

David Albers - Director, BS in Pharmacology & Toxicology program
(P)617.879.5968 | david.albers@mcphs.edu - view more »

Eman Atef - Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics
(P)617.732.2980 | eman.atef@mcphs.edu - view more »

Mark Bohlke - Senior Scientist
(P)617.732.2793 | mark.bohlke@mcphs.edu - view more »

Gerard D'Souza - Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics
(P)617.735.1091 | gerard.d'souza@mcphs.edu - view more »

Khaled Elsaid - Assistant Professor of Pharmacology/Toxicology
(P)617.879.5943 | khaled.elsaid@mcphs.edu - view more »

Lawrence Gracz - Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
(P)617.732.2960 | lawrence.gracz@mcphs.edu - view more »

Stephen Kerr - Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
(P)617.732.2093 | stephen.kerr@mcphs.edu - view more »

Dan Kiel - Associate Professor of Pharmacology
(P)617.732.2975 | dan.kiel@mcphs.edu - view more »

Timothy Maher - Professor of Pharmacology
(P)617.732.2940 | timothy.maher@mcphs.edu - view more »

Ahmed Mehanna - Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
(P)617.732.2955 | ahmed.mehanna@mcphs.edu - view more »

Mattia Migliore - Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
(P)617.879.5924 | mattia.migliore@mcphs.edu - view more »

Michael Montagne - Senior Associate Dean of Pharmacy
(P)617.732.2995 | michael.montagne@mcphs.edu - view more »

Alejandro Pino-Figueroa - Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
(P)617.879.5047 | alejandro.pino-figueroa@mcphs.edu - view more »

Douglas Pisano - Associate Provost for Pharmacy Education and Dean
(P)617.732.2781 | douglas.pisano@mcphs.edu - view more »