OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences program focuses on the knowledge of drug action, design, delivery and disposition needed to be successful in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries.
This 45-credit degree is ideal for those with biology or chemistry-related education backgrounds who wish to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries, or those who wish to advance their careers in those industries.
Through our partnership with Oregon State Ecampus, we now offer a non-thesis M.S. degree available fully online. This program can be completed in just one academic year if a full course load of 15 credits is completed per term (45 credits required for degree completion). Part-time enrollment is also available, allowing you the flexibility to complete courses around your work schedule or other life commitments. Online courses are asynchronous, meaning there are no scheduled class meeting times and you can access courses at your convenience.
Similar to the on-campus option, Ecampus students complete coursework as well as a capstone project of 3-6 credits that may be a review of the existing literature or a project design in drug development.
We offer a thesis and non-thesis on-campus degree option with locations at the main campus in Corvallis or at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland depending on the major advisor and research area selected.
The non-thesis Master's degree is a collection of courses (in classroom and online) focused on the knowledge of drug action, design, delivery and disposition needed to be successful in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries. In addition to coursework, you will also complete a capstone project (3-6 credits) that may be a review of the existing literature or a project design in drug development. There is no hands-on research requirement or opportunity with the non-thesis option. Students can complete the non-thesis degree in one academic year if a full-time course load is taken each term (15 credits per term for 3 academic terms).
The thesis Master's degree includes coursework similar to the non-thesis degree option (in-person only) plus a minimum of 12 credits of hands-on laboratory research in preparation for writing a research thesis. The minimum number of laboratory research credits may not cover all necessary aspects, such as learning laboratory techniques, completing data collection, and writing and defending a scholarly M.S. thesis for the degree. As a result, students should anticipate that the thesis option will likely require a minimum of two years of full-time commitment, including a summer term, to successfully complete the program.