Metadata
Title
Biomedical Science, PhD (Boston)
Category
graduate
UUID
18860a7717cd47159c47231c8d5d2eb7
Source URL
https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/health-sciences/pharmacy/biomedical-sc...
Parent URL
https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/phdprograms/
Crawl Time
2026-03-23T19:22:07+00:00
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Biomedical Science, PhD (Boston)

Source: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/health-sciences/pharmacy/biomedical-sciences-phd/ Parent: https://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/phdprograms/

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Milestones

Qualifying examination\ Doctoral candidacy status\ Doctoral dissertation committee\ Dissertation proposal\ Biannual review\ Pharmaceutical Sciences Colloquium\ Oral dissertation defense

Core Requirements

A grade of C– or higher is required in each course.

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Seminar | | | | Complete the following repeatable course for six semesters: | | 6 | | PHSC 6300 | Pharmaceutical Science Seminar | | | Required Core | | | | Complete the following: | | | | PHSC 5100 | Concepts in Pharmaceutical Science | 2 | | PHSC 5102 | Concepts in Pharmaceutical Science 2 | 2 | | PHSC 5212 | Research Skills and Ethics | 2 | | PHSC 5305 | Professional Development for Pharmaceutical Sciences | 1 | | PHSC 6213 | Ethical Problems in Health Sciences Research | 2 | | PHSC 6214 | Experimental Design and Biostatistics | 2 |

Electives

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Students must complete one course from each of the following specialization areas for a total of three courses: | | 8-10 | | Pharmaceutics & Drug Delivery | | | | Complete one of the following: | | | | PMST 6250 | Advanced Physical Pharmacy | | | PMST 6252 | Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism | | | PMST 6254 | Advanced Drug Delivery Systems | | | Pharmacology | | | | Complete one of the following: | | | | PMCL 6250 | Ion Channel Physiology and Pharmacology | | | PMCL 6252 | Small-Molecule Target and Ligand Pharmacology | | | Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery | | | | Complete one of the following: | | | | CHEM 5626 | Organic Synthesis 1 | | | CHEM 5628 | Principles of Spectroscopy of Organic Compounds | | | PHSC 5450 | Contemporary Approaches to Drug Design | |

Research and Dissertation

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Prequalifying Exam Course | | | | PHSC 7020 | Scientific Writing: Thesis Proposal | 2 | | Qualifying Exam | | | | PHSC 8940 | Doctoral Training and Research | 1 | | Proposal Preparation | | | | PHSC 9681 | Doctoral Proposal | 2 | | Dissertation | | | | PHSC 9990 | Dissertation Term 1 | | | PHSC 9991 | Dissertation Term 2 | | | Colloquium | | | | PHSC 6810 | Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium | 1 |

Program Credit/GPA Requirements

31 - 33 total semester hours required\ Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Sample Plan

Year 1
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 5212 2 PHSC 70201 2
PHSC 5100 2 PHSC 6214 2
PHSC 5102 2 PHSC 6300 1
During the first year of courses, students must complete one course for each specialization: 3-6 During the first year of courses, students must complete one course for each specialization: 2-7
Available in Fall semester: Available in Spring semester:
Pharmaceutics & Drug Delivery: Pharmaceutics & Drug Delivery:
PMST 6254 PMST 6250 or 6252
Pharmacology: Pharmacology:
PMCL 6250 PMCL 6252
Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery: Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery:
CHEM 5626 or 5628 PHSC 5450
10-11 8-12 2
Year 2
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 96812 2
PHSC 8940 1 PHSC 8986 0
2 1 2
Year 3
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 9996 0
PHSC 9990 0 PHSC 9991 0
1 1 0
Year 4
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 53054 1 PHSC 62134 2 PHSC 9996 0
PHSC 68103 1 PHSC 9996 0
2 2 0
Total Hours: 31-36

1 : Scientific Writing: Thesis Proposal (PHSC 7020) must be taken the summer before the qualifying exams.

2 : Doctoral Proposal (PHSC 9681) should be taken in summer of second year, but no later than fall of third year.

3 : Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium (PHSC 6810) must be taken six months before dissertation defense.

4 : PHSC 5305 & PHSC 6213 is suggested to be taken in the fourth year, but can be taken at any point before graduation.

Sample Plan of Study - Advanced Entry

Year 1
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 96811 2
PHSC 8940 1 PHSC 8986 or 96811 0
2 1 2
Year 2
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 9996 0
PHSC 9990 0 PHSC 9991 0
1 1 0
Year 3
Fall Hours Spring Hours
PHSC 68102 1 PHSC 6213 2
PHSC 9996 0
1 2
Total Hours: 10

1 : Doctoral Proposal (PHSC 9681) may be taken in spring of the first year but must be taken before fall of the second year.

2 : Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium (PHSC 6810) must be taken six months before the dissertation defense.

Advanced entry into the PhD program in biomedical science requires a master's degree in pharmaceutical sciences or a related area and focuses on various advanced research courses, and successful defense of the dissertation. . An applicant's transcripts are required to be reviewed by the admissions committee to ensure they are eligible to be in the advanced entry program.

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Milestones

Annual review\ Qualifying examination\ Dissertation committee\ Dissertation proposal\ Dissertation defense

Core Requirements

A grade of C– or higher is required in each course.

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Required | | | | PHSC 6213 | Ethical Problems in Health Sciences Research | 2 | | Seminar | | | | Complete the following repeatable course four times: | | 4 | | PHSC 6300 | Pharmaceutical Science Seminar | | | Colloquium | | | | PHSC 6810 | Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium | 1 |

Research and Dissertation

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Qualifying Examination | | | | PHSC 8940 | Doctoral Training and Research | 1 | | Proposal Preparation | | | | PHSC 9681 | Doctoral Proposal | 2 | | Dissertation | | | | PHSC 9990 | Dissertation Term 1 | | | PHSC 9991 | Dissertation Term 2 | |

Program Credit/GPA Requirements

10 total semester hours required\ Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Sample Plan of Study - Advanced Entry

Year 1
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 96811 2
PHSC 8940 1 PHSC 8986 or 96811 0
2 1 2
Year 2
Fall Hours Spring Hours Summer Full Semester Hours
PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 6300 1 PHSC 9996 0
PHSC 9990 0 PHSC 9991 0
1 1 0
Year 3
Fall Hours Spring Hours
PHSC 68102 1 PHSC 6213 2
PHSC 9996 0
1 2
Total Hours: 10

1 : Doctoral Proposal (PHSC 9681) may be taken in spring of the first year but must be taken before fall of the second year.

2 : Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium (PHSC 6810) must be taken six months before the dissertation defense.