General Information

This legacy grad program follows all policies and procedures of the APP grad program

The Pharmacology graduate program offers both M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees and has faculty and students with diverse research interests including neurodegeneration, heart disease, inflammation, and diabetes. You are expected to gain a detailed understanding of your area of research. Our graduate program consists of independent research as well as didactic work involving academic courses and reading of relevant literature. The didactic component is intended to provide a knowledge framework upon which your research is based, creating a well-rounded experience preparing you to teach and communicate scientific information.

The Graduate Program Committee develops policy and administers the graduate program. Immediate oversight for each student is provided by a faculty Supervisor and a faculty Advisory Committee. Direct financial support to graduate students is derived from a variety of sources. All aspects of the program, including conferral of degrees, are ultimately governed by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, which sets or approves the policies and procedures that departments follow.

Prospective Students

This is a legacy program. All information for students interested in the newly implemented Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology Graduate Program can be found on the admission website for the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Program Details

Program Expectations

  1. Maintain your registration in the program, pay tuition and fees.

  2. Call an advisory committee meeting. It is a requirement of your graduate program to have at least one advisory committee meeting each year. It is the responsibility of the student to call the meeting. At least 5 working days prior to meeting, provide your committee and the graduate secretary with an annual progress report. At this meeting, you will normally be expected to give a short (e.g. 20 min) presentation on your research progress. This presentation should provide a brief overview of your research but should focus on those issues which require input from your committee members. Remember that your committee members have already received and reviewed your progress report.

  3. Prepare and deliver a seminar in PCOL 990. This course provides a good opportunity to practice your seminar skills in front of a friendly, receptive audience. All Pharmacology students are required to give a seminar each year in PCOL 990, except those that have their defense scheduled in the same term that PCOL 990 is offered. Students who are in the process of writing their thesis and have no new data to present are encouraged to give a seminar that provides a more general perspective on their data or area of research. In addition, attendance at all PCOL 990 seminars is mandatory.

Program Overview

Coursework will include:

  • A list of academic courses which fulfill the credit requirements for your program
  • Graduate Research (PCOL 994 for M.Sc. or 996 for Ph.D.) and Graduate Seminar (PCOL 990) courses
  • additional requirements such as Graduate Research Ethics and Integrity Training Course (GSR 960), UCACS Education and Training Program (Animal Care/Handling GSR 962)
  • Laboratory Safety, Biosafety, Radiation Safety and Ethics courses as required
  • Students may also elect to complete non-credit courses offered by the CGPS, such as Thinking Critically: Profession Skills for Global Citizens (GSR 984); Introduction to University Teaching (GSR 989). A full list of courses is available at http://www.usask.ca/cgsr/for_students/gsrclasses.php. These courses have no credit or fees, but require registration. Registration in these courses is limited to current graduate students in a degree program and graduate students are encouraged to participate in these courses. The courses will appear on students’ official transcripts.

2 Years  

Students must maintain continuous registration in the PCOL 994.0 course.

  • PCOL 960.0
  • PCOL 961.0 if research involves human subjects
  • PCOL 962.0 if research involves animal subjects
  • PCOL 990.0 seminar
  • a minimum of 9 credit units at the 800-level
  • M.Sc. thesis defence

4 Years

  • Students must maintain continuous registration in the PCOL 996.0 course.
  • PCOL 960.0
  • PCOL 961.0 if research involves human subjects
  • PCOL 962.0 if research involves animal subjects
  • PCOL 990.0 seminar
  • Direct Entry PhD Program: at least 12 credit units of course work at the 800-level, Non-Direct PhD Program: a minimum of 3 credit units
  • Comprehensive Examination
  • PhD. thesis defence

Transfer from a M.Sc. program to a Ph.D. program should take place after the end of the first year and no later than the end of the second year in the program. Recommendation to transfer from a M.Sc. program to a Ph.D. program must be initiated through a formal meeting of the student's advisory committee that forwards its recommendation through the academic unit to the CGPS. The following conditions must be met:

  1. The student shows great promise both in terms of academic accomplishments and in potential for research. The student has completed at least 9 credit units, and has achieved a high-academic standing (>80% GPA) in these 9 credit units.
  2. There is evidence of good writing and oral communication ability.
  3. There is evidence the student has requisite research skills and knowledge to be able to successfully complete a Ph.D. dissertation.
  4. The student has successfully completed the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination (see section 6 below) prior to being recommended for transfer.

Once permission to transfer is given, a new Initial Program of Studies form must be submitted.

Contact

Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology
Pharmacology Graduate Program
A120-107 Wiggins Rd
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5

Graduate Chair
Dr. Kaushik Desai
k.desai@usask.ca

Graduate Programs Administrator
app.grad@usask.ca