Pharmacology & Toxicology Major
Many breakthroughs in medicine and science and technology have occurred as a result of research in pharmacology and toxicology, including advancements in drug therapy. Saint Joseph’s Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology program is one of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the country that prepares you to enter this cutting-edge field. Pharmacology is the study of the mechanisms by which drugs alter living organisms, while toxicology focuses on understanding the adverse effects of chemical and physical agents on human health. Through a combination of molecular and cell biology, as well as chemistry and genetics, pharmacologists and toxicologists are keenly aware of biological systems and physiology and how they can be manipulated to cure and prevent disease with medications. Much of pharmacology and toxicology also focuses on drug discovery, leading to new designs of molecules that can best and more effectively treat a disease state, thus also focused on intellectual property, inventions and patents. Students conduct independent research in our state-of-the-art labs under the guidance of expert faculty. Students with a BS in pharmacology and toxicology join careers in medicine, health-related fields, pharmaceutical companies (scientists or pharmaceutical representative), forensic sciences and regulatory affairs (drug approvals) to name a few.
Goal 1: Students demonstrate ability to plan and conduct experiments according to a designated protocol or to modify a procedure if necessary.
Goal 2: Students demonstrate ability to analyze and interpret data, formulate and execute Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), apply appropriate Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), and demonstrate strong familiarity with computer programs or software for data analysis.
Goal 3: Student apply scientific theory and methodology, demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills to solve scientific questions and demonstrate the ability to perform online literature searches.
Goal 4: Students demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills in order to present scientific findings and knowledge to individuals and groups, demonstrate proficiency in electronic communications, and competency in the use of office software used in research.
Goal 5: Students Identify strengths and weaknesses, demonstrate professional behavior by exhibiting initiative, accountability and timeliness for action, demonstrate ethical behavior, set goals and develop plans including steps to achieve these goals and demonstrate ability to work independently and as a team.
Cornerstone Core Curriculum Requirements
Consist of 14 core and 2 overlay requirements. See below for additional detailed information on each of these requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Course Requirements | ||
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| World History Course Area | 3 | |
| Philosophy Requirements | ||
Either Level One or Level Two (but not both) -- must be Ethics designated. If approved, philosophy courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as Philosophy Level Two and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Philosophy Level One | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level Two | 3 | |
| Theology & Religious Studies Requirements | ||
If approved, Theology & Religious Studies courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive overlay. Students may not double-count the same course as CCC Theology and as a Mission Overlay course. | ||
| Theology | 3 | |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Diversity & INT 151 Requirements | ||
A student's Diversity course may not count for any other CCC course area requirement or as their Mission Overlay course. If approved, Diversity courses may count for a student's Writing Intensive Overlay requirement. INT 151 may not count for any other CCC requirements. This course must be taken in the first two years | ||
| Diversity | 3 | |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| Math & Natural Science Requirements | ||
If approved, Math & Natural Science Requirements may count toward overlay requirements. | ||
| Mathematics | 3-4 | |
| Natural Science | 4 | |
| Social Science Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, such Social Science Requirement may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Non-Native Language Requirement | 3-4 | |
A single Non-Native Language course may not count as an overlay course but a second language course fulfills a student's Mission Overlay requirement. | ||
| Literature Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Literature courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design Requirement | 3 | |
If approved, Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design courses may count toward a student's overlay requirements. | ||
| Overlay Requirements | ||
| Writing-Intensive | 3 | |
If approved, Writing-Intensive courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, electives, or as any CCC course area requirement except for the first-year courses (World History and Rhetoric and Composition). | ||
| Mission-Overlay | 3 | |
Mission Overlay courses may double count as major courses, minor courses, elective courses, or any of the following CCC course areas: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, and Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, or Social Science. | ||
| Total Hours | 47-49 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 101 | Bio I: Cells (will count for CCC: Natural Science) | 4 |
| BIO 101L | Bio I: Cells Lab (will count for CCC: Natural Science) | 0 |
| BIO 102 | Bio II: Genetics | 4 |
| BIO 102L | Bio II: Genetics Lab | 0 |
| CHM 120 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 120L | General Chemistry Lab I | 1 |
| CHM 125 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 125L | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 |
| CHM 210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 210L | Organic Chemistry Lab I | 1 |
| CHM 215 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 215L | Organic Chemistry Lab II | 1 |
| PHY 101 | General Physics I | 3 |
| PHY 101L | General Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHY 102 | General Physics II | 3 |
| PHY 102L | General Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| PHS 141 | Intro Pharmaceutical Sciences | 1 |
| PHS 151 | Science Talk | 1 |
| PHS 241 | History Drug Discovery&Medicin | 1 |
| PHS 251 | 1 | |
| PHS 310 | Biopharmaceutical Foundation I | 3 |
| PHS 304 | Intro Drug Discovery & Dev | 3 |
| PHS 312 | Systems Physiology | 3 |
| PHS 302 & 302L | Intro Lab Tech in Biomedicine and Intro Lab Tech in Biomed Lab | 3 |
| PHS 308 & 308L | Pharma and Biopharmaceutics I and Pharma &Biopharmaceutics I Lab | 3 |
| PHS 311 | Biopharmaceutical Foundatn II | 2 |
| PHT 305 | Fundamentals of Pharmacology | 3 |
| PHS 306 & 306L | Advanced Biomedical Methods and Adv Biomedical Methods Lab | 3 |
| PHT 307 | Introduction to Toxicology | 2 |
| PHT 402 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| PHT 403 | Advanced Toxicology | 3 |
| PHT 405 | Pharmacology in Drug Discovery | 3 |
| PHT 407 | Tox Subst Use Disorder (Appld) | 3 |
| PHS 404 | Seminar Pharmaceutical Science | 1 |
| Calculus (will count for CCC: Mathematics) | 3-4 | |
| Fundamentals of Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Total Hours | 77-78 | |
Free Electives
Graduation requires 120 credits. Any credits necessary to reach that number outside of the CCC and major requirements are considered free electives.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| CHM 120 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 120L | General Chemistry Lab I | 1 |
| MAT 120 | Precalculus | 3 |
| BIO 101 | Bio I: Cells | 4 |
| BIO 101L | Bio I: Cells Lab | 0 |
| ENG 101 | Craft of Language | 3 |
| INT 151 | Inequality in American Society | 1 |
| PHS 141 | Intro Pharmaceutical Sciences | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHM 125 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHM 125L | General Chemistry Lab II | 1 |
| MAT 155 | Fundamentals of Calculus | 3 |
| BIO 102 | Bio II: Genetics | 4 |
| BIO 102L | Bio II: Genetics Lab | 0 |
| World History | 3 | |
| Diversity | 3 | |
| PHS 151 | Science Talk | 1 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHM 210 & 210L |
Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Lab I |
4 |
| PHY 101 & 101L |
General Physics I and General Physics Laboratory I |
4 |
| Non-Native Language based on placement | 3-4 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Theology Signature | 3 | |
| PHS 241 | History Drug Discovery&Medicin | 1 |
| Hours | 18-19 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHM 215 & 215L |
Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Lab II |
4 |
| PHY 102 & 102L |
General Physics II and General Physics Laboratory II |
4 |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Fine & Performing Arts, Design, & Creativity | 3 | |
| Philosophy Level 1 | 3 | |
| PHS 251 | 1 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHS 304 | Intro Drug Discovery & Dev | 3 |
| PHS 302 | Intro Lab Tech in Biomedicine | 3 |
| PHS 302L | Intro Lab Tech in Biomed Lab | 0 |
| PHS 310 | Biopharmaceutical Foundation I | 3 |
| PHS 312 | Systems Physiology | 3 |
| Religious Studies | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHT 305 | Fundamentals of Pharmacology | 3 |
| PHS 306 | Advanced Biomedical Methods | 3 |
| PHS 306L | Adv Biomedical Methods Lab | 0 |
| PHT 307 | Introduction to Toxicology | 2 |
| PHS 311 | Biopharmaceutical Foundatn II | 2 |
| Philosophy Level 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHT 402 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| PHT 403 | Advanced Toxicology | 3 |
| Elective Overlay if needed | 3 | |
| PHS 308 | Pharma and Biopharmaceutics I | 3 |
| PHS 308L | Pharma &Biopharmaceutics I Lab | 0 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHT 405 | Pharmacology in Drug Discovery | 3 |
| PHT 407 | Tox Subst Use Disorder (Appld) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 2 | |
| PHS 404 | Seminar Pharmaceutical Science | 1 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 122-123 | |