ACP Program Information

Program Requirements (two-year program)

Students must complete 8.0 Full Course Equivalents (FCEs). It is recommended that students complete their required courses in year one of the program. Please note that some elective courses may be offered in alternate years.

Required Courses (6.0 FCEs):

PCL1001Y           Systems Pharmacology
PCL1002Y           Graduate Pharmacology
PCL1004Y           Clinical Pharmacology
PCL1402H          Pharmacology and Toxicology in Drug Development  
PCL1491H          Clinical Pharmacology: Principles in Practice  
PCL1100H          Applied Skills in Clinical Pharmacology 
PCL1101H          Technology, Techniques, and Translation in Pharmacology & Toxicology
PCL2200Y*         Major Research Project

Elective Courses (2.0 FCEs) from the following list:

PCL2201Y**       Major Research Project Extended Study 
PCL2101H***    Practicum in Clinical Pharmacology I
PCL2102H***    Practicum in Clinical Pharmacology II
PCL1300H          Selected Topics in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
JNP1014Y           Interdisciplinary Toxicology
JNP1016H          Graduate Seminar in Toxicology
JPM1005Y          Behavioural Pharmacology
LMP1407H          Introductory Biostatistics and Clinical Investigation
PHM1122H         Fundamentals of Drug Discovery

NOTE: Other graduate courses may be accepted as electives. Please consult with the program director (Dr. Cindy Woodland) for approval of other elective courses not listed here.

*Major Research Project: Students usually begin a major research project (PCL2200Y) by the summer of Year 1 and no later than the fall of Year 2. Students are supervised by faculty members of their selection and participate in goal-oriented independent research in their area of interest.

**Major Research Project Extended Study: This course is an opportunity to complete further study under the supervision of the same graduate faculty member as PCL2200Y. It is intended for students who wish to pursue more in-depth study of their research question(s), generally with the intention of publishing their research findings. It can only be taken subsequent to completion of PCL2200Y. 

*** Clinical Practicums: Students may wish to include a 4-month (PCL2101H) or 8-month (PCL2101H and PCL2102H) placement option with an approved employment site (e.g., pharmaceutical company, contract research organization (CRO), consulting business, government agency, healthcare partner). The placement is an opportunity for students to explore and immerse themselves in areas such as drug development, medical writing, adverse event reporting, pharmacokinetic analysis, and clinical trial design and management.

Program Requirements (advanced-standing, one-year program)

Students must complete at least 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs).

Required Courses (3.5 FCEs):

  • PCL1002Y Graduate Pharmacology
  • PCL1004Y: Clinical Pharmacology
  • PCL1100H: Applied Skills in Clinical Pharmacology
  • PCL2200Y: Major Research Project

Elective Course (0.5 FCE) from the following list:

  • PCL1300H: Selected Topics in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
  • PCL2101H: Practicum in Clinical Pharmacology I
  • PCL2102H: Practicum in Clinical Pharmacology II
  • BTC1830H: Medical and Scientific Challenges in Marketing New Therapeutics
  • CHL5201H: Biostatistics I (exclusion: LMP1407H)
  • JFK1120H: Selected Topics in Drug Development I
  • JNP1014Y: Interdisciplinary Toxicology
  • JPM1005Y: Behavioural Pharmacology
  • LMP1407H: Introductory Biostatistics and Clinical Investigation (CHL5201H)

Self-Directed Study

As with the thesis-based field of study, all students (regardless of their academic background) are required to undertake self-directed study, culminating in the demonstration of proficiency in pharmacological principles during the course of their graduate program. Evaluations take place throughout the MSc program at a variety of stages (including during PCL1002Y).

See:  Self Study Guide

ACP Monitoring and Progress

Students enrolled in the course-based Applied Clinical Pharmacology field will meet formally at least once annually with the Director of the program to ensure adequate student progress in the program.

Students or the Research Project Supervisor may report problems directly to the Program Director, the Graduate Coordinator or the Department Chair.

Students enrolled in the course-based Applied Clinical Pharmacology program are not eligible to transfer to the PhD program; however, they are eligible to apply for the PhD program in Pharmacology upon completion of the MSc program.