Graduate Program
Basic Science with Real World Applications
The graduate program in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences (PBS) offers a rigorous interdisciplinary training environment including research opportunities in the areas of Molecular Pharmacology, Drug Discovery and Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Pharmaceutics and Molecular Toxicology, with a focus on translational drug discovery. Our graduates are uniquely equipped for careers at the interface of biology and chemistry, and are prepared to apply this information and technology to deliver the next generation of novel therapies.
Recent graduates of our program currently hold research positions in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and government labs, as well as teach and non-traditional regulatory positions. The department is housed in the UGA College of Pharmacy, which recently expanded into a new state-of-the-art research and teaching facility, Pharmacy South. PBS faculty are actively involved in interdisciplinary biomedical science initiatives that span the University of Georgia research community, including the Center for Drug Discovery, the UGA Cancer Center, and the Neurosciences program.
Listed below are admission requirements and resources for incoming graduate students. For more information on the program, please do not hesitate to contact us at (706) 542-5403 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Admission Requirements
Applicants are admitted to the graduate program based on multiple criteria, including GPA, GRE scores, research experience, letters of reference, language requirements for international students, availability of funding, and area of interest.
The UGA graduate school sets minimal GRE and GPA thresholds of 1050 and 3.0 for admission to Ph.D. programs. Students entering our program typically have an undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.5 and GRE scores ≥ 1250. We do not require GRE subject tests. The majority of accepted students have significant laboratory research experience, and letters of recommendation from research supervisors are carefully considered.
International students must also submit official scores from either the TOEFL or IELTS exam. The minimal accepted TOEFL overall score is 80, with at least a 20 on speaking and writing sections. The minimal accepted IELTS overall score is 6.5, with no single component score less than 6.0.
Graduate School Application
The UGA Graduate School processes all applications for admission to graduate school in all departments. Please visit the UGA Graduate School website for information on domestic and international admission requirements. In order to receive full consideration for admission to the graduate program and financial assistance, you must submit a complete application by the January 2 deadline. Application includes the following information:
- Completed online application
- Two official copies of all transcripts
Send to:
UGA Graduate School
Graduate Admissions
University of Georgia
320 E. Clayton St., Suite 400
Athens, GA 30602
- Official GRE scores (UGA’s Institution Code: 5813)
- International applicants: TOEFL scores
- Non-refundable $75.00 domestic application fee and $100.00 non-refundable international application fee.
The GRE must be taken for admission. GRE scores are subject to a five-year limitation. International applicants for whom English is not their native tongue must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. These tests are subject to a two-year limitation.
PBS Departmental Application
PBS requires several supplements to the basic UGA Graduate School application. In order to receive full consideration for admission and financial assistance, all materials should be submitted electronically to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by January 2.
- Supplemental application
- Statement of purpose
Statements should be 1-2 pages describing your research experience and interests, reasons for applying to graduate school and the department, and specific goals for your graduate education and future career. Applicants should also indicate their interest in specific disciplines and faculty members’ research. - Curriculum Vitae/Resume
CV/Resumes should include education history, previous work and research experience, and any publications or presentations.
Early admission decisions will be made beginning in January, but some acceptance decisions will not be made until April or May. Your application will not be reviewed by the department until it is complete. The status of your application can be tracked here. Please DO NOT contact the department regarding your application status. All applicants will receive a final notification letter from the UGA Graduate School.
Financial Assistance
Typically, all students accepted into the PBS graduate program receive an assistantship. If you have been awarded an independent, external fellowship prior to application, please indicate this in your statement of purpose. All graduate students receiving a UGA assistantship are awarded a full tuition waiver. Students are responsible for some fees. PBS graduate assistantships include:
- Departmental teaching assistantships (TA)
Most first-year students are supported by departmental teaching assistantships. The current stipend is $20,000 per year, based on a 12-month appointment. TA appointments require a maximum of 16 hours per week of service to the department. - UGA Graduate School assistantships
The Graduate School offers highly competitive, prestigious presidential and university-wide graduate fellowships that come with premium stipends. Applications MUST be submitted by January 2 for consideration for these awards. - Research Assistantships
After joining a laboratory, many students are supported by their mentor’s research grants. There is no teaching requirement for students supported by a research assistantship.
Medical Insurance:
UGA provides subsidized health insurance to all graduate students. The current subsidy is approximately 40 percent of the cost of the plan. For details on the health insurance plan, please visit the University Health Center website.
Curriculum
Core Courses
The following courses must be taken within the first two years of the graduate program.
Graduate school requirements:
GRSC 7770: Graduate Seminar. Required for all graduate students.
LLED 7768/7769: International Graduate Internship. Required for international
students with IBOTEFL speaking score below 26.
Departmental requirements:
PHRM 8020: Principles of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Science
BCMB 8010: Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (M.S. students may
substitute BCMB 6010/6020)
PHRM 7210: Journal Club/Critical Reviews I and II (Two semesters required)
PHRM 8200: Graduate Seminar (1 credit hour. Must register for fall and spring
semesters)
Electives
Elective courses may be chosen from PBS or other departments on campus. A minimum of 16 hours of 8000-level coursework must be completed by Ph.D. students. Examples are listed below. For a comprehensive list of all UGA graduate courses, see the UGA Bulletin; For course scheduling each semester, see OASIS.
Departmental Electives:
PHRM 6910: Introduction to Toxicology
PHRM 8260/8270: Pharmacokinetics
PHRM 8160: Chemistry of Synthetic Drugs
PHRM 8110: Separations
PHRM 8010: Biochemical Drug Targets
PHRM 8600: Drug Targets in Signal Transduction
PHRM 8120: Mass Spectrometry
PHRM 8080: Grant Writing
Non-Departmental Electives:
Physiology and Pharmacology
VPHY 8010: Mammalian Cell Physiology
VPHY 8300: Molecular Toxicology
VPHY 8400: Neurophysiology
VPHY 8460: Molecular Pharmacology
Chemistry
CHEM 8110: Protein Structure and Function
CHEM 8040: Advanced Physical Biochemistry
CHEM/BCMB 8189: Fundamental Principles of NMR
Cell Biology
CBIO 8010: Molecular Cell Biology
CBIO 8400: Advanced Cell Biology
Biochemistry
BCMB 8020: Advanced Biochemistry II
BCMB 8140: Advanced Topics in Genomics and Bioinformatics
BCMB 8150: Advanced Topics in Cell Signaling and Cell-Cell Communication
BCMB 8160: Advanced Topics in the Biochemical Basis of Human Disease
Engineering
ENGR 8720: Mathematical Models in Physiology
Graduate School
GRSC 8550: Responsible Conduct of Research
