Graduate students in the Department of Pharmacology enter through the Division of Basic Science. All students (except those in the Medical Scientist Training Program) take a core curriculum the first year and perform laboratory rotations. They then select a laboratory in which to carry out their doctoral research. Any faculty member in the department who has an appointment in the Graduate School can serve as a training mentor. Graduate students are free to join any of the 8 graduate programs in the Division, regardless of laboratory mentor. Qualifying exams are taken in the second year, after which students advance to candidacy. Students generally work in labs for an additional 2-4 years before receiving their Ph.D.

Graduate training in the Pharmacological Sciences may be integrated with the course of study of any of the named graduate programs. The curriculum includes high-level, specialized courses and a journal club. The Department of Pharmacology has been the recipient of a predoctoral training grant in Pharmacological Sciences from the National Institute of General Medical Services (National Institutes of Health) for over three decades.

Starting September 1, 2007, students will receive a stipend of $24,000, which covers basic living expenses, fringe benefits, and a tuition supplement. All students receive a waiver for nonresident tuition.