Duke University campus

STEM

PhD Pharmacology at Duke University

Duke University, United States

Programme overview

Pharmacology utilizes the basic concepts of biology and chemistry to determine how drugs affect organisms. It encompasses the study of the biological targets of drug action, the mechanism by which drugs act, the therapeutic and toxic effects of drugs as well as the development of new therapeutic agents. As the study of pharmacology is interdisciplinary, graduate programs in pharmacology are diverse and flexible.

Faculty: The Graduate School  |  Study mode: full-time  |  Intake: Fall  |  Location: Durham, NC, United States

What you will study

Students take a small core of courses in pharmacology, and complete their didactic instruction with courses in areas related to their research including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School application: Letters of recommendation: 3 Required; Statement of purpose: Required; GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required; English test: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required for applicants whose first language is not English. Unofficial transcripts required with the application. Application deadline: December 1.

Graduate School Ph.D. programmes list application deadlines for students beginning graduate study in fall 2027.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate starts in August for applicants admitted in both the fall and spring rounds.

Fall 2027 Ph.D. deadlines (11:59 p.m. Eastern): most programmes 12/01/2026 including Biochemistry, Biology, Biostatistics, Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Immunology and Physics; Computer Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Policy, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Religion and Statistical Science 12/15/2026; English 12/08/2026; Economics 01/06/2027; Earth and Climate Sciences and Music 01/07/2027; Nursing 11/19/2026; Business Administration 12/14/2026; Political Science and Sociology 12/17/2026; Romance Studies 12/30/2026. Computational Media, Arts and Cultures and Public Policy Studies are not accepting applications for 2027 enrollment.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate 2026-27 application deadlines: Fall round Thursday, October 8, 2026; Spring round Tuesday, January 12, 2027 (applications through OTCAS). Fall applicants are notified the first week of December 2026 and spring applicants the first week of March 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.duke.edu/admissions/

Explore more study programmes

View all study programmes →

Ready to start your study abroad journey?

Book a free consultation with our expert counsellors and take the first step towards your dream university.

Copyrights © 2026 StudyMapped. All rights reserved.