PhD in Experimental Therapeutics

Satisfactory completion of a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy or a related discipline is required.

The ability to excel in graduate studies and research must be evident based on grades from undergraduate studies, recommendations from college faculty and performance in research and independent study. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission, but it is highly recommended that a score be submitted for international students.

Students with M.S. degrees in pharmacology or related fields (e.g., pharmaceutical sciences) may be also admitted to the program. However, they are expected to have a minimum of 30 credits at the Master's level prior to accruing doctoral level credits.

Ph.D. students need to complete the following required courses at the 5000 to 8000 level as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph.D. degree. The course level is determined by the number of graduate credits completed at the time of registering for that particular course.

PHCL 5700Pharmacology I: Principles of Pharmacology, Autonomic Pharmacology and Related Pharmacology 13
PHCL 5100/7100Experimental Therapeutics I3
PHCL 5200/7200Experimental Therapeutics II3
PHCL 5770/7770Current Topics in Toxicology I 21
PHCL 6650/8650Seminar in Experimental Therapeutics (Minimum 6 hours required)2
PHCL 5460/7460Current Topics in Pharmacokinetics Toxicokinetics 31
PHCL 5440/7440Current Topics in Interpretation of Pharmaceutical Data 41
PHCL 6300/8300Research Experience in Experimental Therapeutics 52-6
PHCL 8960Dissertation Research in Experimental Therapeutics 61-15
MBC 6190/8190Advanced Medicinal Chemistry4
or PHCL 5500/7500 From Experimental to Applied Therapeutics
INDI 6020/8020On Being a Scientist1
1

Not required if this same course, or PHCL 3700 or equivalent was taken previously. If taken by Masters' students admitted to the program with eligibility to take 7/8 level courses, the PHCL 5700 credit will not count toward those credits required for the Ph.D. degree.

2

Requires PHCL 4730 or PHCL 5730 as pre-requisite or PHCL 5730 as co-requisite. If PHCL 5730 taken by Masters' students admitted to the program with eligibility to take 7/8 level courses, the credit for this course will not count toward those required for the Ph.D. degree.

3

Requires PHCL 4760 or PHCL 5760 as pre-requisite or PHCL 5760 as co-requisite. If PHCL 5760 taken by Masters' students admitted to the program with eligibility to take 7/8 level courses, the credit for this course will not count toward those required for the Ph.D. degree.

4

Requires PHCL 5140 as pre- or co-requisite. If taken by Masters' students admitted to the program with eligibility to take 7/8 level courses, the credit for this course will not count toward those required for the Ph.D. degree.

5

To fulfill the required laboratory rotations, a minimum of 4 hours must be taken in two different sections of the course (2 hours in each).

6

A minimum of 30 hours is required.

General Elective Courses

In addition to the required courses, general elective courses may be selected from the following. The course level to be taken is dependent on the number of graduate credits earned at the time of registration for that particular course:

PHCL 5750Toxicology II3
PHCL 5990Problems In Pharmacology1-6
PHCL 6390/8390Problems in Experimental Therapeutics1-6
MBC 5620/7620Biochemical Techniques2
MBC 5380Medicinal And Poisonous Plants3
MBC 6100/8100Advanced Immunology2
MBC 6550/8550Biochemistry4
CHEM 6510/8510Protein Chemistry4
CHEM 6520/8520Enzymology4
CHEM 6530/8530Nucleic Acid Chemistry4
BIOL 6010/8010Advanced Molecular Biology4
BIOL 6090/8090Advanced Cell Biology4
BIOL 6100/8100Research Methodology: Cell And Molecular Biology3

Specialized Elective Courses

Specialized elective courses are recommended for students with concentrations in different areas of the program, and may be selected from the following list:

BMSP 6340/8340Curr Prob Res App Genes/Genom2
BMSP 6330/8330Current Problems and Research Approaches in Proteins2.5
BMSP 6340/8340Curr Prob Res App Genes/Genom2.5
BMSP 6360/8360Current Problems and Research Approaches in Cell Membranes3
BIOE 5620Cellular Electrophysiology3

Other elective courses may be taken with the approval of the department graduate committee.

Additional Requirements

In addition, all students must satisfy the following:

  1. Minimum of 90 semester hours of graduate credit, including a minimum of 30 semesters hours at the Masters level, and a Minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the master’s level. The required minimum 60 credits beyond the Masters level should include a minimum of 30 hours of Ph.D. dissertation research.
  2. Students admitted with a minimum of 30 semester hours at a Masters level should sign up for 7/8 level classes, if their Masters degree was conferred by a USA university. Students admitted with a Bachelor’s degree or a foreign graduate degree should sign up for 5/6 level classes for the first 30 credit, and for 7/8 level classes thereafter.
  3. With the approval of the department graduate committee, certain courses taken in a foreign university may be considered as equivalent to some of the program courses or for full-filling pre-requisite requirements
  4. A grade of B- or higher is expected to be maintained for the required courses. A grade of B- or higher is also required for all of the pre-requisite courses.
  5. A cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher must be maintained.
  6. Satisfactory overall performance is expected on a written qualifying examination, which is administered after completion of the required graduate courses for that exam. The qualifying examination covers the following graduate courses, including their pre- and/or co-requisites:
    PHCL 5100/7100Experimental Therapeutics I3
    PHCL 5200/7200Experimental Therapeutics II3
    PHCL 5770/7770Current Topics in Toxicology I1
    PHCL 5440/7440Current Topics in Interpretation of Pharmaceutical Data1
  7. Selection of a doctoral research adviser, preparation of an acceptable written Ph.D. dissertation proposal in consultation with the adviser, and the satisfactory oral defense of the proposal before the dissertation advisory committee. The written qualifying examination and the defense of the dissertation proposal will constitute the examination requirements necessary for advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. in Experimental Therapeutics. The chair of the doctoral dissertation advisory committee will be the student’s doctoral research adviser. The dissertation advisory committee will consist of at least two additional faculty members plus one member from outside the student’s department or college.
  8. Subsequent to admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree, the student is expected to spend a minimum of two semesters in full-time study at The University of Toledo.
  9. Preparation of a Ph.D. dissertation based on the results of an original research investigation performed by the student during his/her Ph.D. program at The University of Toledo.
  10. Successful oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation advisory committee and presentation of the results of the dissertation research in a seminar before the department of pharmacology.
  11. Acceptance of the dissertation by the Ph.D. dissertation adviser and the dissertation advisory committee.
  • PLO 1. Interpret and critically evaluate the literature in the respective discipline and identify gaps in current knowledge.
  • PLO 2. Design, implement, and analyze the results of an independent research project in the respective discipline.
  • PLO 3. Effectively communicate and defend research findings orally and in writing.
  • PLO 4. Describe and comply with standards of ethical conduct of research, including the use of experimental subjects.
  • PLO 5. Effectively work in a team of colleagues within the discipline.
  • PLO 6. Teach and mentor other researcher.
  • PLO 7. Write a competitive application for research funding.
  • PLO 8. Produce publishable research.