Pharmacy
Location: Burbidge Building
5968 College Street
P.O. Box 15000
Halifax, NS
B3H 4R2
Telephone: (902) 494-2378
Fax: (902) 494-1396
Website: www.dal.ca/Pharmacy
Email: pharmacy@dal.ca

Introduction

The goal of the Master of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences program is to educate students to become high quality research-based scientists who can contribute to drug discovery and development in academia and the pharmaceutical industry.


Candidates must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. More specifically, the admission requirements and standards will be as follows:

    1. Any international student, as applicable, will be required to demonstrate an ability to communicate and write in English (minimum acceptable score of 92 for the TOEFL internet-based test, or 7 for the IELTS).
    2. At least two letters of support.
    3. Appropriate academic background. Students will be considered for acceptance into the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences via:
      • a completed BSc (Pharm) or PharmD degree with a suitable letter of recommendation from a faculty member with first-hand knowledge of the potential students academic abilities.
      • a completed BSc (honors) degree (or equivalent demonstrated research experience) in a related scientific field, not limited to: pharmacology, biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, chemical or biochemical engineering, with a suitable letter of recommendation from a faculty member with first-hand knowledge of the potential students academic abilities (e.g. thesis supervisor).
      • a completed MD, DVSc, DDS, or equivalent with demonstrated research experience with a suitable letter of recommendation from a faculty member with first-hand knowledge of the potential students academic abilities (e.g. thesis supervisor).

Students without these prerequisites, that wish to be accepted into the program, may enroll in specific courses at Dalhousie in consultation with a potential graduate supervisor, in order to demonstrate their ability and aptitude. Subsequent entry into the MSc (Pharmaceutical Sciences) in a later academic year will be dependent upon satisfactory performance in the chosen courses and is not guaranteed.

General Regulations

All graduate students are required to carry out novel, original research. In addition, all graduate students are required, as part of their training, to present and participate in graduate student seminars, and to attend invited speaker seminars. The learning outcomes of this program are as follows:

    1. Students will be competent in performing general laboratory techniques as well as techniques specific to their chosen area of research.
    2. Students will be able to develop and execute a research project.
    3. Students will develop scientific writing skills through the writing of a thesis and scientific paper(s) that result from their research.
    4. Students will develop oral presentation skills through their participation in the seminar series and thesis committee meetings.
    5. Students will develop the ability and confidence to clearly and succinctly communicate the results of their research to the scientific community.
    6. Students will develop clinical thinking skills required of a researcher.