Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

General Information

These guidelines represent the policies of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology regarding the Masters (M.S.) program. The graduate program of the Department is administered by a Graduate Committee consisting of the Graduate Program Directors, additional faculty members elected by the faculty, and a doctoral candidate selected by the graduate students. This committee is responsible for reviewing the progress of the students and recommending changes in the Masters program for approval by the faculty. In addition, the Department Chairman, the Graduate Committee, and all members of the faculty are available to assist students in their progress towards successful completion of the M.S. degree. Additional guidelines from the Graduate School Catalog should also be reviewed.

Each student is expected to read and be familiar with all of the policies and requirements outlined herein. These guidelines are not meant to supersede the academic policies of the University as outlined in the Graduate School Catalog. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the Graduate School Catalog, the policies on academic standing, the statement of student ethics, and the requirements for obtaining graduate degrees at the University of Louisville.

Graduate Program Administrators

• Dr. Peter Rowell is Vice Chair for Graduate Education
• Dr. Chris States is director for graduate student admissions and recruitment
• Sharon Carpenter is administrative assistant for the graduate programs

Student Honor Code

Students enrolled in the Pharmacology and Toxicology graduate programs at the University of Louisville are required to affirm that they have read, understand, and will abide by the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities of the University of Louisville as published in the Student Handbook.

Masters Tracks

Two tracks are available to students interested in obtaining the M.S. degree in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. These are the M.S.- Laboratory Research Track (Track 1), and the M.S.-Academic Research Track (Track 2).

Laboratory Research Track

The M.S.- Laboratory Research Track requires that the student work extensively in a research laboratory under the direction of a faculty Research Advisor throughout the two-years of matriculation. During the summer of the first year, incoming students in this track of the Masters Program will attend an orientation program to introduce them to the various laboratories and research activities of the faculty. During this time, but not later than the end of the Fall semester, each student must choose (or will be assigned) a Research Advisor under whose direction and in whose laboratory the research project will be conducted. Students in Track 1 of the Masters program are expected to begin working diligently in the laboratory of the advisor as soon as the selection is made. Students will register and receive a grade for laboratory research every semester. Students who successfully complete the M.S. degree in the Laboratory Research track could be considered for advanced standing into the Ph.D. program, usually at the level of Doctoral Candidacy, pending submission of an NIH grant proposal and successful completion of a written qualifying examination.

Academic Research Track

The M.S.- Academic Research Track, while not requiring extensive laboratory work, requires the student to research an area of pharmacological or toxicological importance under the direction of a faculty advisor. This research must result in the generation of a comprehensive treatise which reviews, critically analyzes and assimilates a body of knowledge into a Masters thesis approved by the students Thesis Committee. Students in Track 2 of the Masters program are expected to begin working diligently on this project as soon as they have chosen the faculty advisor and research topic. Students will register and receive a grade for work on their research project every semester. Students who obtain the M.S. degree in the Academic Research track will normally not have attained sufficient laboratory experience to be admitted to advanced standing in the Ph.D. program.

Research Advisor

As indicated above, as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the first semester, each student must select (or be assigned) a Research Advisor with whom the student will conduct their laboratory or academic research project. Early selection of the advisor and research project will permit the student to complete sufficient work to obtain the Masters degree within the usual two-year period. Although this advisor will normally be the faculty member with whom the student completes the M.S. degree, if it is decided by either the student or the advisor that a change of advisors is desirable, then the student has the option of selecting a new research advisor, with the approval of the Graduate Committee, although this may delay achieving the M.S. degree within the expected two-year period.

Once an advisor has been selected and the research project is underway, the advisor in consultation with the student will submit to the Graduate Committee the names of three faculty members willing to serve on the student’s Thesis Committee. Since this committee must approve the student’s research project, this committee should be appointed as soon as possible.

Seminars and Research Conferences

All students are expected to attend departmental seminars, research conferences and journal clubs and will register for 5280-606 (Pharmacology Seminar, one-hour credit) each semester. All students are expected to participate actively in the discussion following each seminar. Students will receive a grade at the end of the year based both on their attendance and participation.

Evaluation of Student’s Progress toward the M.S. Degree

At the end of every semester, the progress of each Masters student will be evaluated by the departmental faculty. Students are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.0, have actively participated in department activities and seminars, and to have demonstrated satisfactory progress on their research project each semester. Students who receive a grade of C or below in two or more courses will be considered for dismissal.

Master’s Thesis

Each student in the M.S. Program will be required to write and defend a Master’s Thesis. The thesis must be a work of sufficient quality to convince the Thesis Committee that the student possesses the ability to either participate actively in a laboratory environment or to contribute significantly as an academician in the broad discipline of pharmacology and toxicology. Each student must present and defend their Masters Thesis at an oral thesis defense. To satisfactorily pass the thesis defense, a student may not receive more than one unfavorable vote from a member of the Thesis Committee.