College of Health Sciences

Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Admission and Degree Requirements

Applicants to the M.S. or Professional Science Master’s programs in Pharmaceutical Sciences must have a B.S. degree or be in the last semester of their baccalaureate program. Up to 12 credits of graduate work of appropriate course work with a grade of B or better can be transferred into the UMass Lowell MS Pharmaceutical Science programs if approved by the Graduate Coordinator.

Upon admission or through the successful completion of prerequisite courses, students will be expected to have successfully demonstrated undergraduate level knowledge in biochemistry, calculus, general and organic chemistry and biology or anatomy and physiology.

The M.S. curriculum will consist of 32 credits of coursework. Coursework will generally be scheduled in the fall and spring semesters. Full-time students should finish in 12 months by taking course during the summer terms. Students who attend part-time should finish within five years.

The Program Coordinator and advisers in the program will guide M.S. students through a part-time or full-time program of study. Full-time study is equivalent to 9 credits per semester.

Example Plan of Study by Semester for Full-Time M.S. Students

Fall Semester CHEM.5500 – Biochemistry I 3 credits
PHRM.6100 – Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences 3 credits
PHRM.6120 – Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab 1 credit
BIOL.5420 - Cell Biology (a) 3 credits
Total: 10 credits
Spring Semester CHEM.5620 – Pharmaceutical Biochemistry (b) 3 credits
PHRM.6400 – Pharmaceutical Analysis 3 credits
PHRM.6420 – Pharmaceutical Analysis Lab 1 credit
XXXX.XXXX – Pharmaceutical Science Elective 3 credits
Total: 10 credits
Summer Term I MLSC.5510 – Advanced Pathophysiology (c) 3 credits
PHRM.6600 – Pharmacokinetics & Drug Metabolism 3 credits
Total: 6 credits
Summer Term II PHRM.6410 – Drug Delivery 3 credits
PUBH.5770 – Introduction to Biostatistics 3 credits
Total: 6 credits

Total Credits for MS degree: 32 credits

(a) OR BIOL.5760 Cell Culture or CHEN.5350 Cell and Microbe Cultivation
(if Cell Biology or equivalent training was previously completed at either the undergraduate or graduate level)

(b) OR CHEM.6310 Principles of Medicinal Chemistry I (3 credits)

(c) OR HSCI.5500 Human Development and Pathophysiology (3 credits)

Pharmaceutical Sciences Elective options include (but are not limited to):

  • BIOL.5760 Cell Culture

  • BIOL.5820 Cancer Biology

  • BIOL.5930 Immunology

  • CHEM.5140 Advanced Analytical Chemistry

  • CHEM.5260 Chromatography

  • CHEN.5350 Cell and Microbe Cultivation

  • CHEN.5450 Protein Isolation and Purification

  • CHEN.5550 Biopharmaceutical Regulatory Compliance

  • CHEN.5480 Engineering Process Analytics

  • MLSC.5600 Molecular Pathology

  • Other pharmaceutical sciences elective options may be added to this list or be approved by the Graduate Coordinator.