Programs
of Study in Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics
PhD
Program
Curriculum
The
curriculum for PhD candidates is desigend to provide a broad-based foundation
in pharmacology, as well as flexible opportunities to individually tailor
a program that meets the individual student's background and research
interests. Students are expected to consult with their advisors
to plan a sequence of coursework that best suits their needs.
Specific departmental requirements include regular attendance at departmental
seminars and the satisfactory completion of 10 credits of advanced (800-level)
pharmacology courses. A minimum of twenty-six credits of formal
coursework is required of all PhD candidates. Courses offered
by other departments of Boston University may be substitited for advanced
Department of Pharmacology courses with prior approval of the student's
advisor and the Graduate Education Committee. Students concentrating
in Biomolecular Pharmacology are especially encouraged to consider curricular
offerings of the Departments of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biomedical
Engineering.
Most
PhD candidates enroll in basic courses in biochemistry, cell biology,
neuroscience, biostatistics, physiology, and pharmacology (700 level).
The core curriculum includes GMS BI 755, 756 Biochemistry;
GMS PH 542
Human Physiology;
GMS PM 700 Molecular
Neurobiology and Pharmacology;
GMS PM 800 Advanced
General Pharmacology;
and two semesters of GMS PM 810
Current
Topics in Pharmacological Sciences.
Students are also encouraged to register for a course in biostatistics
such as GMS MS 700 Elementary
Biostatistics
or GMS MS 700 Foundations
of Experimental Design and Statistical Methods.
These courses provide both the necessary background study in the basic
sciences and an introduction to the discipline of pharmacology. This
subject matter is generally a prerequisite to more in-depth study in
the advanced courses listed below. For MD/PhD candidates this introductory
sequence is satisfied by the first and second year medical curriculum;
students are encouraged however to take GMS PM
700 Molecular
Neurobiology and Pharmacology.
MD/PhD students are required to take 10 credits of advanced (800-level)
electives. A typical curriculum would be GMS PM
700 Molecular
Neurobiology and Pharmacology,
two semesters of GMS PM 810 Current
Topics in Pharmacological Studies,
and one specialized advanced elective. GMS PM
810 may be counted as an advanced elective only twice. MD/PhD
students who take GMS PM 700 receive credit
as an advanced course. Students enrolled in the PhD program in pharmacology
are expected to maintain a GPA of B (3.0) or higher.
Qualifying
Examination
The qualifying
examination for PhD candidates consists of a written and oral examination.
Students are expected to take the qualifying exam no later than the
end of the second curricular year. Preparation for the examination should
be made in close consultation with the candidate's advisor, the four
other members of the examining committee, and the committee chairman.
The written portion of the qualifying examination tests a student's
understanding of the fundamental principles of pharmacology and covers
subject matter presented in the recommended curriculum for PhD students.
The oral examination, usually taken within two weeks of passing the
written, is designed to assess the student's ability to synthesize and
correlate information, develop hypotheses, and design experiments to
solve research-related problems in the pharmacological sciences.
Dissertation
Each
PhD candidate chooses a Boston University faculty member as advisor
for the dissertation project, preferably before the second curricular
year. The student and advisor designate a five-person dissertation committee
(which includes the advisor) with the approval of the department chairman.
At least two members of the committee must have primary appointments
in the department. The committee must include at least one member from
outside the department or Boston University. PhD candidates are expected
to meet with their committee each semester after passing the qualifying
examination. Students prepare a brief (approximately ten-page)
progress report and thesis proposal on the dissertation project and
present a departmental seminar approximately one year before the dissertation
defense. Following the seminar, the student meets with committee members
to discuss the research progress.
The PhD
candidate prepares a dissertation that documents the accomplishment
of original independent research of significance to the pharmacological
sciences. The research is expected to meet publication standards of
peer-reviewed journals in the candidate's area of specialization. A
draft of the dissertation, approved by the advisor, is submitted to
the second reader and, after revision, to all committee members. A committee
meeting with the student is held no sooner than two weeks after distribution
of the dissertation for recommendations regarding final revisions. With
the approval of the committee, the PhD candidate arranges for the formal
dissertation defense, which begins with a seminar presentation and is
followed by a discussion of the work with the committee members.
