Master’s in Pharmacology
Fall 2023 Applications
Deadline: July 1, 2023
Contact us with any questions about the program or admissions process.
Our Program
Georgetown University’s MS in Pharmacology program is a one-year, non-thesis degree program that offers a foundation of rigorous coursework as well as the option to do research or tailor the curriculum with a selection of elective courses from across our biomedical departments.
Our typical cohort of 15-20 students benefits from a small class size in our main pharmacology courses and receives personalized attention from our faculty, whether in the classroom or in the laboratory. Core courses are taught by a team of departmental faculty and researchers, many of whom also teach in the medical school. In fact, Program Director Dr. John Partridge also directs the Medical Pharmacology curriculum for first- and second-year medical students at Georgetown.
Our alumni continue on to further education (PhD, medical, and other health sciences) or take positions in the public and private sphere, such as at the NIH, FDA, pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, and university laboratories. Of students pursuing further education, 65% are accepted either during the program or within 1 year of graduation, and 85% are accepted within 3 years.
Pathways for Pharmacologists
Pharmacology provides a solid foundation for careers and further education in many different fields.
Merit-Based Scholarships
Merit-based tuition scholarships are available for students enrolled in our biomedical graduate programs.
What is Pharmacology?
Pharmacology is the study of substances that affect living systems. It is an integrated science that applies the principles of physiology, biochemistry, chemistry, anatomy, neuroscience and genetics to understand drug actions. The principles of pharmacology are illustrated in the two main subdivisions of the discipline: pharmacokinetics, the study of the variables that determine the concentration of the drug at its site of action, and pharmacodynamics, the study of the mechanisms by which drugs yield their biological effects.
Pharmacology is often considered a bridge between the basic sciences and clinical medicine. Thus, in addition to the basic principles, the Pharmacology MS program provides an understanding of pharmaco-therapeutics, the use of drugs in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of disease; toxicology, the study of the adverse effects of drugs; and an introduction to the field of pharmacogenomics, the study of the genetic factors that affect an individual’s or a population’s response to a drug.
Pharmacology is distinct from the discipline of Pharmacy. Pharmacy schools instruct students how to prepare medicines and how to formulate the dosages of medications that patients should receive so that they can recover from illness or remain healthy. Pharmacology establishes the basic principles and science behind the practice of pharmacists.
Opportunities for masters-level pharmacologists exist in the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, and laboratories, as well as at biotechnology companies. Masters students may also decide to apply for Ph.D. or M.D. programs, where the coursework completed in this master’s program will prove beneficial.
Virtual Information Sessions
Learn about the program and application process and meet the program leadership during one of the following online information sessions.
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 – 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. EST
Monday, March 27, 2023 – 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EDT
Monday, April 17, 2023 – 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EDT