Master's Program Curriculum
Registration:
Students are encouraged to register prior to the beginning of each semester, and should be registered for the Fall semester by the time of orientation. Required and elective courses for this program can be found below.
Computer Based Testing:
Our graduate curriculum uses computer-based testing for all block exams using ExamSoft software, and NBME software for the Medical Pharmacology final exam. Block exams, which occur approximately every 3 weeks throughout the year, will be taken on student laptops (PC or Mac) that should meet the following specifications.
Degree Requirements:
Thesis Track: Students are required to successfully complete the minimum of 27 credit hours of course work, and complete the requirements for a Master's thesis. The thesis will be based on either laboratory or library research (the topic to be chosen by the student in consultation with the advisor and the thesis committee).
Non-Thesis Track: Students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 31 credit hours of course work, including 4 elective courses (8 credit hours) in the Spring semester.
Community Service: A track record of community or public service has become a prerequisite for admission to most US medical schools. Students must complete a minimum of 1 hour of community service per week, or >15 hours per semester. Documentation & reflection on what students learn from community service activities is a component of the Pharmacology ePortfolio course. Students can also elect to perform 30 hours of community service in a semester for 2 credit hours in the ePortfolio course. This can be used to complete 32 total credit hours at the end of the program.
Fall Semester Curriculum
|
Credit Hrs |
Course |
Days / Time |
Course Director |
Course ID |
|
5 |
See Schedule |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7250 01 |
|
|
4 |
See Schedule |
Clarkson/Beckman |
GPHR 7230 01 |
|
|
2 |
See Schedule |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7530 01 |
|
|
1 |
Wed 12:00-1:00 |
Kadowitz |
GPHR 7210 01 |
|
|
1 |
Fri 12:00-1:00 |
Katakam |
GPHR 7190 01 |
Non-Compulsory Electives
|
2 |
Variable |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7510 01 |
|
|
|
|
|
(Fall Semester: 14 credits + any elective credits)
Spring Semester Curriculum
|
Credit Hrs |
Course |
Days / Time |
Course Director |
Course ID |
|
3 |
See Schedule |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7260 01 |
|
|
3 |
See Schedule |
Clarkson/Beckman |
GPHR 7240 01 |
|
|
1-2 |
Self Study |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7520 01 |
|
|
1 |
Wed 12:00-1:00 |
Kadowitz/Murthy |
GPHR 7220 01 |
|
|
1 |
Fri 12:00-1:00 |
Katakam |
GPHR 7200 01 |
- Students completing a Non-Thesis masters curriculum need to take all 4 Spring electives (8 credit hrs) from those listed immediately below (Pharmacology Lab Research & ePortfolio are optional).
- Students completing a Masters Thesis need to take a minimum of 2 electives (4 credit hrs) from the Spring Elective Course List below:
Spring Elective Courses
|
2 |
Wed 1:00-3:00 |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7120 01 |
|
|
2 |
Tue 1:00-3:00 |
Bunnell |
GPHR 7050 01 |
|
|
2 |
Thu 1:00-3:00 |
Beckman |
GPHR 7200 01 |
|
|
2 |
Fri 1:00-3:00 |
McLachlan/Mielke |
GPHR 7160 01 |
Non-Compulsory Electives
|
2 |
Variable |
Clarkson |
GPHR 7510 01 |
|
|
|
Variable |
Clarkson |
GPHR 998 01 |
|
Spring Semester: 13 credits for students completing a thesis; 17 credits for non-thesis students; additional credits can be earned for Pharm Lab Research, or in the ePortfolio course
(Total for Fall & Spring Semesters: 31 credits for non-thesis students; 27 minimum credits for students completing a thesis; additional credits can be earned for Pharm Lab Research, or in the ePortfolio course
EXCUSED ABSENCES:
Attendance at all graduate lectures, exams, small group sessions, advances in pharmacology & departmental seminars is mandatory. If for some reason you are unable to attend a required class or session, you must obtain an excused absence from the Course Director or the Director of Graduate Studies (Dr. Clarkson). An official excuse is defined as:
- personal illness (verification may be required)
- family emergency such as a serious illness or death in the immediate family
- sanctioned events such as a medical school interview.
An excuse for any other event must first be pre-approved by the Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies. Students wanting to take the MCAT exam are advised to wait until the Winter break, Spring break (Mardi Gras) or late during the Spring Semester since students who have completed the MS program typically end up with higher MCAT scores (by 3.5 points on average). Students will not be excused from block exams to take the MCAT exam.
Excused absences must be approved:
- in advance of scheduled events such as medical school interviews, or
- as soon as possible following an illness or another emergency. Excused absences should not be submitted for approval at a much later date.
Any excessive unexcused absences can be penalized by a reduction in a course grade.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:
The students will be assessed in the following manner. Any student receiving a "B-" or less in any course will be placed on probation. A second "B-" will be considered to be grounds for dismissal from the graduate program.
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Most medical schools consider a students track record of community service work as an important component of their background when considering their admission to medical school. While not a formal component of the masters curriculum, students are expected to spend a significant portion of their leisure time being actively involved in community service activities. Tulane's Center for Public Service offers a wide variety of opportunities for community service.
HONOR CODE:
STUDENT CONDUCT:
Tulane University, as a community dedicated to learning and the advancement of knowledge, expects and requires the behavior of all of its students to be compatible with its high standards of scholarship and conduct. Acceptance of admission to the University carries with it an obligation for the welfare of the community. Freedom to learn can be preserved only through respect for the rights of others, for the free expression of ideas, and for the law. All individuals and/or groups of the Tulane University community are expected to speak and act with scrupulous respect for the human dignity of others, both within the classroom and outside it, in social and recreational as well as academic activities. Tulane University will not tolerate any form of harassment or intimidation on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation or marital status. By accepting admission to Tulane University, a student accepts its regulations and acknowledges the right of the University to take disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion, for conduct judged unsatisfactory or disruptive. The Code of Student Conduct is posted at: http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/conduct/rights/code-of-conduct.cfm
ACADEMIC VIOLATIONS:
- It shall be a violation of this Honor Code for a student to cheat.
- It shall be a violation of this Honor Code for a student to steal.
- It shall be a violation for a student to knowingly deceive another student, faculty member, or professional associate with the intent to gain advantage, academic or otherwise, for said student or for any other student.
- It shall be a violation for any student to fail to report any infraction of the Honor System to an appropriate representative or the Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology.
INVESTIGATION:
When a complaint is received, the Chairman of the Department will set up an ad hoc committee to investigate and adjudicate.
COURSE POLICIES
CORE CURRICULUM:
ELECTIVES:
1430 Tulane Avenue, SL-83, New Orleans, LA 70112 504-988-5444 cclarks@tulane.edu