Graduate Degrees, page 3

Graduate Degrees, page 3
School of Pharmacy

Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology

A minimum of 60 units is required. At least 24 units must be in formal course work and include BIOC 551 or 561; MPTX 500, 501, 602; 603 or 605 or 606; PM 510; PSCI 661L. The remaining 36 units may be fulfilled with other courses, directed research and the dissertation. Other courses selected from graduate courses (500 level or above) in pharmaceutical sciences, biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, molecular biology, neurosciences, pathology and physiology will be arranged by students in consultation with their guidance committee. All students will be expected to participate in the departmental seminar series (MPTX 700) during each year of residency.

Screening Procedure

The progress of all students accepted into the program is evaluated on an annual basis by the graduate advisor and the student's guidance committee.

Language Requirement

There are no formal foreign language or computer language requirements. The guidance committee may, however, require competence in a foreign language or computer language if such competence is relevant to the student's research interests.

Qualifying Examination

Following the successful completion of all formal course work (usually two to three years), students must demonstrate excellence in general pharmacology and toxicology as well as their area(s) of research specialization. General and specialist knowledge are tested in both written and oral qualifying examinations, which also involve the presentation of a research proposal.

Dissertation

After passing the Ph.D. qualifying examinations, students begin work on their dissertation research, which typically requires two to three years of full-time effort. The dissertation research must involve original investigation in a relevant scientific area and must demonstrate the student's ability to plan, conduct and evaluate laboratory experiments. The dissertation research must represent a significant contribution to knowledge and must be successfully defended in an oral examination. The final written dissertation must be of publishable quality, and must be approved by the graduate advisor and the dissertation committee.

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
David Henriquez
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu