The Department offers Masters and Doctoral programmes leading to the award of M.Phil and PhD programmes in Pharmacology/Toxicology. Both programmes involve full time research but all registered graduate students in the Department are required to take taught courses in selected topics in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Research Methods, Literature search in Pharmacology/Toxicology, Experimental Design and Data Analysis, Communication Skills, and Pharmacology Practical Skills. Additionally, all graduate students are mandatory members of the Pharmacology Journal Club and are expected to participate fully in the weekly seminars held in the Department.
The M.Phil and PhD programmes involve 2 or 3 years full-time active research respectively in one the following areas:
- CNS Pharmacology
- Natural Products Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Inflammation and Anti-inflammatory Pharmacology
- Pain and Analgesia
Admission Requirements
The minimum requirement for admission to a graduate programme is good First Degree in Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Toxicology, Medicine, Biochemistry or a related field in the Biomedical Sciences. All candidates will have to attend and pass an interview prior to admission. All candidates with a First Degree are initially registered for the M.Phil programme. Candidates who demonstrate an outstanding potential for higher degree research may be recommended to the School of Graduate Studies for a transfer on to a PhD programme after a period of 15 months. Candidates with M.Phil in Pharmacology/Toxicology are allowed to register for a direct PhD.
Job Prospects and Career Options for M.Phil/PhD graduates
Pharmacology is a core subject in the biomedical sciences. With the recent emergence of tertiary institutions in Ghana and the growing need for health professionals in the country, job opportunities for our graduates continue to improve. Presently, our graduates are employed and will continue to secure employment as lecturers and researchers across the health departments in the Tertiary institutions in Ghana e.g. Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, School of Medical Sciences, University of Development Studies, School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana, School of Pharmacy, Central University, Accra. School of Medical Sciences, University of Development Studies, Tamale; School of Biological Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast; School of Nursing, Valley View University, Kintampo Health Training School etc. For those who are interested in research only, there are job opportunities at the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine at Mampong Akuapem, Food and Drugs Board and other research institutions across the country.