Each school offers its own unique program and curriculum. You must research schools to create a list of programs and schools of interest. To view graduate programs for pharmacy offered in North America, click here.  For more information about the select graduate degrees listed below, visit the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) website here.

1. Pharmaceutical Science

Discovery and development of new drugs and therapies (broad range of specialized fields).

Categories:

1. Analysis and pharmaceutical quality – analytical techniques, quality control and quality assurance.
2. Biotechnology – research, development, and commercialization of biotechnology-based pharmaceuticals, including genes and gene delivery.
3. Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Research – the clinical research dimension within the pharmaceutical sciences, focused on the therapeutic benefits and clinical assessment of drugs and biologicals.
4. Drug Design and Discovery – medicinal, natural products, molecular and structural chemistry and drug design and discovery.
5. Formulation Design and Development – formulation design, research and development; a multidisciplinary field drawing upon the physical, chemical, biological, and engineering sciences.
6. Physical Pharmacy and Biopharmaceutics – focuses on preformulation, biopharmaceutics, drug absorption, nanotechnology, and drug delivery systems design and performance including targeted drug delivery.
7. Manufacturing Science and Engineering – the application and advancement of science and technology as it relates to process development and manufacture of pharmaceutical and pharmaceutically related products including medical devices and active pharmaceutical ingredients.
8. Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism – the effect of drugs and metabolites on the body and the effect of the body on drugs.
9. Regulatory Sciences – the strategic compilation of multidisciplinary information on product performance as it pertains to safety, efficacy, and quality.

2. Medicinal Chemistry

Application of chemical research techniques to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals such as the isolation of medicinal agents found in plants and the creation of new synthetic drug compounds.  Geared towards drug discovery and development.

3. Pharmacology

Interaction of chemical compounds with biological systems.  Closely related to biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and pathology with emphasis on the understanding of the processes and mechanisms by which drugs and chemicals act to produce biological effects.  Mainly focused on the action of drugs.

4. Toxicology

Study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical, or biological agents on living organisms and the ecosystem, including the prevention and amelioration of such adverse effects.  Scientists often work in academic institutions, government, or industry.

5. Pharmaceutics

Deals with design, fabrication and evaluation of drug delivery systems such as tablets, ointments, and syrups.  They go beyond drug delivery to optimizing the therapeutic effects of drugs in the body through drug transport mechanisms, biomembrane stability, and formulation of better dosage forms for drugs.  Most graduates are employed in the pharmaceutical industry and academia.

6. Social Administrative Sciences

Individuals who study the social, psychosocial, political, legal, historic and economic factors that impinge upon the use, non-use and abuse of drugs.  Need for increased research concerning the role of pharmaceuticals and the pharmacy practitioner in new and old systems of health care.  Positions of leadership are available in the pharmaceutical distribution systems of industrial and wholesaling practice, in clinically centered environments, in professional pharmacy organizations, in agencies of government, and in educational institutions.

7. Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Sciences

Broad spectrum of research, extending from basic discoveries with implications for human health to community-based epidemiologic and health service studies.  The unifying theme is a commitment to apply scientific methodologies to address a health need.  Commonly requires constructive partnerships with industry, granting agencies, public health agencies, and regulatory agencies.

8. Regulatory Affairs

Concerned with the development and enforcement of regulations through clearly defined administrative protocols.

9. Regulatory Sciences

Strategic compilation of multidisciplinary information on product performance as it pertains to safety, efficacy, and quality.

Not all graduate degree programs are listed above.  Please check with each individual pharmacy school for the degrees they offer and their curriculum.