Build skills to advance your career in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Aid in the Discovery and Development of Drugs that Treat Human Disease

Advance your knowledge and expertise for careers in the biopharmaceutical industry by pursuing an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at UMass Lowell.

Designed for recent graduates and professionals, the M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences equips students with the technical expertise to support roles in research and production settings that:

  • Discover and develop drugs to treat human disease
  • Evaluate the effectiveness and safety of drug therapies
  • Adhere to quality and regulatory requirements

Where Our Graduates Work

Our graduates are very competitive in the job market, landing roles in clinical research and trials, analytical and laboratory sciences, manufacturing, and production and regulatory affairs and compliance. Some of our graduates continue into our Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program to pursue careers in academia and research. 

Graduates from the program have pursued careers in:

  • Drug development and design
  • Quality control
  • Research technology
  • Regulatory policy
  • Clinical trials 
  • Academic research

Why Study Pharmaceutical Sciences at UMass Lowell?

Two people look at a laptop and tablet together.

Learn from Nationally Recognized Faculty

Active researchers working in emerging areas of pharmaceutical sciences, our faculty members have decades of experience teaching and conducting clinical research. Learn more about faculty expertise.

headshot of Katie McGourty in a lab

Scholarships and Aid

UMass Lowell is committed to affordability. Tuition and fees total about one-half of those at comparable private institutions. Visit Tuition, Fees & Aid.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Curriculum

The M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is a 32-credit master's degree. Full-time students could finish the program in 12 to 15 months. Students who attend part-time could finish in as little as two years and well within five years. 

The Program Coordinator and advisors in the program will guide M.S. students through a part-time or full-time program of study. Full-time study is equivalent to 9 credits per semester. 

For questions about the program, please email PharmSci_Grad@uml.edu

View the list of courses below.

Chemistry Core (choose 1)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Related course upon Graduate Coordinator's approval3
CHEM.5500Biochemistry I3
CHEM.5620Biopharmaceutical Development3
CHEM.6310Principles of Medicinal Chemistry I3
Credits required = 3

Molecular/Cellular Biology Core (choose 1)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Related course upon Graduate Coordinator's approval3
BIOL.5420Advanced Cell Biology3
BIOL.5670Molecular Biology3
BIOL.5760Cell Culture*3
CHEN.5350Cell and Microbe Cultivation3
MLSC.5600Molecular Pathology3
Credits required = 3

Pathophysiology Core (choose 1)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
HSCI.5510Clinical Pathophysiology3
Credits required = 3

Statistics Core (choose 1)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PUBH.5770Biostatistics for Health Data3
Credits required = 3

Pharmaceutical Science Core (4 courses required)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
PHRM.6100Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences3
PHRM.6400Pharmaceutical Analysis3
PHRM.6410Drug Delivery3
PHRM.6600Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism3
Total credits required = 12

Laboratory Core (choose 2)

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Related course upon Graduate Coordinator's approval1
PHRM.6120Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory1
PHRM.6420Pharmaceutical Analysis Laboratory1
BIOL.5760Cell Culture Laboratory* 1
Credits required = 2

Electives (6 credits required)

Chemistry Core

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
xxxx.xxxxPharmaceutical Sciences Elective3
xxxx.xxxxPharmaceutical Sciences Elective3
Electives total credits required = 6

Program Total = 32 credits.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Elective include (but are not limited to):

Updated 6/6/2023

Tuition and Admissions

Eligible students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for financial assistance.

Complete the FAFSA

As a graduate student, you may qualify for federal student aid and other need-based scholarships. To be considered for financial assistance, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more at UMass Lowell Graduate Aid.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain eligible non-citizens. Please visit Financial Aid if you have questions about your eligibility.

All Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences master’s and doctoral applicants must submit:

  1. An application
  2. An application fee
  3. A statement of purpose
  4. Letters of recommendation
  5. Official transcripts
  6. Official test score report
    1. Language scores
    2. GRE only required for two doctoral programs
      1. Public Health (Doctor of Science - Sc.D.)
      2. Physical Therapy (Doctor of Physical Therapy - DPT)
  7. Resume (if applicable)

Note: All required materials must be received before the application package can be evaluated. If you need to introduce new references or add other supporting documents, log on to your application, click on “Program Materials” to update your application. Nursing and Public Health applicants should submit supporting documents directly to Graduate Admissions. Please note, the new documents and references will be considered only if your application has not been reviewed for admission.

Program Specific Application Notes

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences: The program accepts applications for Fall admission. The priority deadline is Feb. 15. To be considered for admission, all required documents including transcripts, evaluation reports & letters of recommendation must be received by the deadline. Applications received after the deadline, if there are openings, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Master of Science (MS) in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Successful completion of the following subjects is required: Biochemistry, Calculus, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology or Anatomy & Physiology. Up to two of these courses may be completed within the first year of the master's program.
  • Master of Public Health (MPH): Submitting GRE scores is optional for the admissions to the MPH Program. All MPH programs require a semester of statistics and a semester of either biology or anatomy & physiology with a grade of C or higher (if missing, the program can work with you to complete these within the first year). Dietetics applicants are required to complete the above courses in addition to the following courses with a B- or higher: Human Nutrition, Microbiology, Food Science, Nutrition and Metabolism, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Psychology or Sociology or Anthropology. 
  • Doctor of Physical Therapy Applicants: All documents in support of an application (e.g. letters of recommendation, official transcripts, official GRE scores, etc.) are due at our annual deadline of November 1 to the Office of Graduate Admissions. No more that 2 (two) pre-requisite courses may be missing at the time of our application deadline to remain eligible for full consideration (courses which are in-progress are considered missing). Each newly accepted cohort immediately begins matriculation the subsequent Summer term. (i.e. mid-May). Note: The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at UMass Lowell utilizes the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. Prospective applicants must apply online using the PTCAS application portal.
  • Master of Nursing: The priority deadline is March 1 for summer and fall admission and November 1 for spring admission.
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): The priority deadline is March 1 for summer and fall admission and December 30 for spring admission.
  • MS Applied Biomedical Science: Applicants to this program must complete biochemistry with at grade of C or higher to qualify for admission.
  • All other graduate programs have rolling admissions policies. We encourage you to apply at the earliest to increase your chance of being considered for merit awards.

International Students: please see the additional application requirements.

Bachelor's to Master's Students: You will not need to apply via the application portal. Visit the Bachelor's to Master's page to learn about the process to transition to your desired master's program.

1. Online Application application

Applications are only being accepted using the online process. Instructions are included in the online application link.

Tips for accessing and completing the online application:

  • Capitalize your proper name.
  • Once the form is submitted, changes can only be made by calling the Office of Graduate Admissions at 978-934-2390.

Please note:Current UML Exercise Science majors can apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program through our Graduate Admissions application.

Summer 2025- Spring 2026 Applications

2. Application Fee

Physical Therapy Applications - PTCAS charges an application fee, which they sometimes refers to as a supplemental fee. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received or application fee waiver has been approved and delivered to the Office of Graduate Admissions. 

Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Applications - The application fee is $50.00 for each application (except Physical Therapy) and is non-refundable. Applications will not be processed until this fee is received or application fee waiver has been approved and delivered to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

3. Statement of Purpose statement

In a separate document, submit a brief statement indicating your immediate and long-range goals, relevant work history, academic honors/awards received, any teaching experience and/or research conducted/published that may be pertinent to your graduate program. Two page recommended maximum.

Note: If you are applying to more than one program, you will need to submit a program-specific statement of purpose with each application package.

Submit Supporting Documents for Nursing & Public Health

4. Letters of Recommendation recommendation

Master's applicants will need to submit two (2) letters of recommendation. Doctoral applicants will be asked to submit three (3) letters of recommendation for all programs except for the Doctor of Nursing Practice, which requires 2. You will be asked to provide (names and email addresses) references during the application process, and an automated request will be sent out after the completion of your application. Alternatively, you may use the graduate admissions recommendation form (pdf) to request letters of recommendations.

Recommendations should be from instructors who have taught you, ideally in the field to which you are applying. Recommendations may also be from employers or supervisors who are in a position to compare your performance to that of your peers. Please use the recommendation form for these.

Submit Supporting Documents for Nursing & Public Health

5. Official Transcripts transcripts

Provide a complete and official transcript from the institution that awarded or will award you a bachelor’s degree. You may also include transcripts from other institutions at which you have taken relevant coursework. Please note that waiting for additional transcripts may delay review of your application.

Transcripts should be sent in sealed and signed envelopes mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions. If you received your degree from UMass Lowell, it is not necessary for you to request a transcript, we are able to provide one for you.

University of Massachusetts - Lowell
Graduate Admissions
Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Center
839 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor
Lowell, MA 01854-3941

International transcripts that do not clearly indicate to the Office of Graduate Admissions that you have received a four-year bachelor’s degree, the equivalent of an American bachelor's degree must be demonstrated before an application will be processed. Please note, the Office of Graduate Admissions reserves the right to have any application credential evaluated. Baccalaureate verification may be obtained for a fee at:

Center for Educational Documentation, Inc.
P.O. Box 170116
Boston, MA 02117
Telephone: 617-338-7171
Fax: 617-338-7101
Center for Educational Documentation website
World Education Services website

6. Official Test Score Report(s) test-score

The following programs require a GRE for admission consideration:

  • Public Health (Sc.D.)
  • Physical Therapy (DPT)

All programs require the minimum language scores needed for acceptance:

  • TOEFL minimum 79
  • IELTS minimum 6.5
  • Duolingo minimum 115

Request that the appropriate agency send an official test score report for the GRE or GMAT to the Office of Graduate Admissions. UMass Lowell’s school code is 3911. Get more information about standardized tests on our Admissions Standards webpage.

7. Resume

The programs listed below require a resume for admission consideration:

  • Applied Biomedical Sciences (MS)
  • Health Information Management (MS)
  • Health Informatics (Graduate Certificate)
  • Health Service Management (Graduate Certificate)
  • Nursing (MS)
  • Nursing Practice (DNP)
  • Nursing (Ph.D.)
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS)
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.)
  • Public Health (ScD)

Submit Supporting Documents for Nursing & Public Health

All others, if you need to introduce new references or add other supporting documents:

  • log in to your application portal (links vary),
  • click on “Program Materials” to update your application.

Please note, the new documents and references will be considered only if your application has not been reviewed for admission.

Rolling Admission

The M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences has rolling admission, so there are no strict application deadlines. Applicants should apply early enough for application materials to be received and evaluated and to make any necessary travel and visa arrangements. International students are encouraged to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa processing and priority scholarship consideration.

Take the Next Step

Start your online application today!

Meet Our Students and Alumni

Katie McGourty works in a lab
Katie McGourty '18, '19
Applied Biomedical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Katie McGourty took advantage of UML's Bachelor’s-to-Master’s program and completed her master’s in one year. She landed a job with Pfizer Inc. in the inflammation and immunology department before she graduated.

I decided to do the accelerated B.S.-M.S. program in pharmaceutical sciences because it was a cost-effective way to get my master’s in a growing field.
Read More About Katie McGourty 
Christianto Putra poses in a lab at UMass Lowell
Christianto Putra '16, '21
Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Christianto Putra conducted research on titanium dioxide, a common food additive, for his dissertation and published the results in the Journal of Nutrition.

UMass Lowell offered me a place to learn about nutritional sciences, experience the campus culture and conduct research.
Read More About Christianto Putra 

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Questions? Contact Us!

Phone:
800-656-4723 (U.S. Students)
978-934-2390 (International Students)

Email
Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu

STEM Designated Program

The M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is listed as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) degree. Students may be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM extension.