If you’re interested in clinical trials, patient-focused research, and regulatory management, the Master of Clinical Research is a great fit. If your passion lies in drug discovery, pharmacology, and translating lab discoveries into therapies, the Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology is better aligned with your goals.

Yes, the Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology curriculum emphasizes pharmacological principles, translational science, toxicology, and the regulatory process of drug development. The Master of Clinical Research curriculum includes courses in clinical trial design, biostatistics, ethics, regulatory guidelines, and research management.

Although there are some career and job title overlaps between graduates of the Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology program versus the Master of Clinical Research program graduates. Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology graduates typically have careers in drug development, preclinical pharmacology, regulator science and translational science roles in pharmaceutical companies or government agencies. Master of Clinical Research graduates find roles such as clinical research coordinators, clinical project managers, regulatory affairs specialists, and positions in contract research organizations (CROs) or academic research institutions.

Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology: This program is designed to bridge the gap between preclinical drug development and clinical application. It focuses on translational sciences, specializing in clinical trial design or preclinical toxicology and safety pharmacology studies and the process of bringing therapies from the lab to the patient.

Master of Clinical Research: This program focuses on preparing students with the strategies and experience needed to excel as an effective administrator, regulatory compliance specialist, or research team member in clinical research emphasizing the design, conduct, and management of clinical trials, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations.

Graduates with this master’s degree may find rewarding clinical research career opportunities as clinical trials administers, project managers, quality assurance specialists, and in pharmaceutical sales. In organizations conducting preclinical drug studies, graduates may find entry- and mid-level opportunities as study coordinators and directors, quality assurance specialists, laboratory animal resource managers, and project/program managers. Graduates already holding a doctorate degree may leverage this master’s degree to advance their careers as clinical investigators, research scientists, clinical pharmacologists, or medical affairs specialists in the pharmaceutical industry, contract research organizations, clinical research organizations, and academic medical centers.

Applicants not holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in a clinical, health science or bioscience field must have completed coursework in biology and chemistry; introductory courses in biochemistry and physiology are recommended but not required. Students who have not previously completed coursework in general pharmacology (graduate level) and pathophysiology (any level) will be required to complete these courses in the program.

The MS in Translational Pharmacology program is appropriate for healthcare practitioners as well as those having completed a B.S. or graduate degree in the pharmaceutical sciences or other bioscience-related field.

Yes! The Master of Clinical Research degree program was awarded the prestigious accreditation from the Commission of Accreditation on Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in 2023. The Ohio State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). Also, our program has been developed to meet the competency standards adopted by the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical.

The Master of Clinical Research classes use Carmen (Canvas), Ohio State’s learning management system. For each of the classes in which you enroll, the information will be posted in Carmen, including a syllabus and course calendar with due dates. Assignments are typically due by Sunday at midnight and students are encouraged to use time management when taking multiple courses. We recommend you login daily to ensure you’re keeping up with classes.

Module lectures are recorded either by your instructors or from experts in the field, and you can view and participate at your convenience.

Most of our Master of Science in Translational Pharmacology online classes will be limited to a maximum of 35 students to ensure instructors provide plenty of attention to each student.

The classes use a variety of technologies and are run through Carmen (carmen.osu.edu), Ohio State’s learning management system. For each of the classes in which you enroll, the information will be posted in Carmen, including a syllabus. The deadline for assignments, readings, discussion posts, etc. is typically Sunday at midnight. We recommend you login daily to ensure you’re keeping up with classes.

Yes – You may take classes as a “Graduate Non-Degree” (GND) student. This application process is separate from the MS Translational Pharmacology application. You can find more information at the Graduate Non-Degree website. You may transfer up to nine credit hours of coursework (taken as a GND student) after you have applied, are accepted to, and have enrolled in the graduate program. This equates to three classes, as MS Translational Pharmacology classes are typically three-credit courses. If you are interested in taking 1-3 courses before entering one of the graduate programs, contact the program manager for a recommendation of courses in which to enroll.