Medicinal Chemistry Graduate Programs
The University of Toledo offers master's and Ph.D. degrees in Medicinal Chemistry. The focus of the Medicinal Chemistry educational program is on the theory and practice of drug design, with additional advanced-level instruction in the appropriate underlying scientific areas. One of the program’s strengths is the integration of training in both chemistry and advanced biology. Biological techniques are used to identify and characterize targets, while chemical approaches design the drugs or probes to affect the targets identified. This intermingling of chemistry and biological knowledge enhances job opportunities for our graduates.
The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences features state-of-the-art facilities on the university’s Main Campus and on its integrated Health Science Campus. This distinction allows the college to expand its research and educational goals in an academic health science community.
Programs of Study
Course work during the first year of the program centers on advanced medicinal chemistry and biological courses, which are offered in small-group tutorial sessions. Students are expected to concentrate on fundamental concepts from the drug design literature and then formulate their own ideas about possible new directions based on recent advances in the field.
During the second year, M.S. students normally complete a research project and write a thesis. Ph.D. students participate in a comprehensive examination, which includes both a written and an oral component, leading directly to Ph.D. candidacy. Research leading to the Ph.D. dissertation usually requires 2-3 years to complete after the initial 1-2 years of course work.
Early in the program, students generally rotate through two faculty laboratories, where they carry out small research projects. These experiences provide a basis for choosing a laboratory in which to conduct subsequent thesis or dissertation research. Fundamental courses in computer-assisted drug design and the biochemical basis of disease are also offered in the first year. In addition to this core program, students normally matriculate in advanced or basic courses in biochemistry, immunology, neurobiology, and synthetic and physical organic chemistry, some of which are individualized to match the students' specific research interests. Fewer courses are taken in each successive year of the program, while attention to research increases.
Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, and visiting scholars all contribute to an increasingly interesting and vital research environment.
Financial Aid
Graduate fellowships and teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis through the College of Graduate Studies for outstanding applicants who have appropriate undergraduate preparation in the biological, chemical, and pharmaceutical fields. Students in the Ph.D. program are normally supported in the later stages of the program as teaching assistants or as research assistants by equivalent funding from research grants. Assistantships generally involve both teaching and research.
Additional Information
The department's deadline for priority Fall admission is January 15; applications received after this date will be considered on a space-available basis. Please allow ample time for transcripts, letters of recommendations, etc. to arrive in support of your application.
All applicants whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL scores unless the applicant has graduated from a U.S., regionally accredited college or university or completed at least one full time academic year of study earning a 3.0 or greater GPA from a regionally accredited college or university. Countries of citizenship for which the TOEFL requirement is waived include Australia, Canada (non-francophone areas), England, Ireland, and New Zealand.
Apply directly online through the website of the College of Graduate Studies. From that site, either fill out the online application or download the forms for hard copy submission.
Questions?
