Pharmacology and Neuroscience (Master of Science)
Gain the knowledge and laboratory skills you need to effectively study drugs, research how they react with the human body and analyze how they impact complex systems through Creighton University’s Master of Science in Pharmacology and Neuroscience program. This interdisciplinary laboratory science program will give you a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of drugs and a strong basis for a career as an educator in pharmacology, research scientist, medical liaison or several other professions within the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
At Creighton, you’ll have access to the specialized equipment, resources and broad expertise of a large university, but with smaller class sizes. You’ll be able to use this to your advantage with opportunities for frequent one-on-one interactions with faculty and your primary mentor.
You can also expect to have regular interaction with other students in your cohort and our faculty members as you complete your pharmacology degree requirements. By focusing on a small group of students, our faculty can cover each topic in the program with more depth, which leads to a comprehensive, well-rounded education. You’ll gain a deep knowledge of physiology, learning about the mechanisms of drugs and their impact on biological systems at the molecular and genetic levels. You’ll also develop your critical thinking skills and discuss research ethics.
Research at Creighton is mission-driven, meaning your work will be part of a larger effort to find cures and treatments that will make a positive impact on the lives of others. Our students and faculty continue to research various human diseases such as:
- Neurological diseases such as epilepsy, autism, and schizophrenia
- Asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease and pulmonary hypertension
- Substance abuse, stroke and birth defects
Your research passions are our priority
Creighton’s Master of Science in Pharmacology and Neuroscience can be customized to fit your interests and career goals. You’ll work with a major advisor and thesis committee to create a customized plan of study that culminates in your master’s thesis, which will be based on original research. Specialization areas include neuroscience and neuropharmacology, autonomic, cardiovascular, ocular, renal and exocrine pharmacology, neuroscience, immunopharmacology, neuropharmacology and toxicology.
Your professors will work closely with you—guiding your studies and acting as teachers, advisors and mentors throughout your degree and career. Many of our faculty members collaborate and work with students long after they earn their degree.
Our faculty reflect the complex scope of modern pharmacological research as they apply methods of systems and cell physiology, neuroscience, biochemistry, genetics, and cellular and molecular biology to better understand drug action. Their research includes diverse topics such as:
- G protein-coupled receptor signal transduction and regulation
- Control of neurotransmitter release
- Ion channel modulation and metabolism
- Molecular pharmacology of excitatory neurotransmission
- Environmental contributions to neuroplasticity and development
- Cardiovascular and CNS drug discovery
