Accelerated Dual Degree BS/MS in Pharmacogenomics

Accelerated Dual Degree BS/MS in Pharmacogenomics

Harnessing the Power of Precision Medicine

Whether you want to conduct the research that continues to revolutionize precision medicine or be part of the clinical implementation of those findings, a Master of Science in Pharmacogenomics degree from WNE will prepare you to help shape the future of personalized medicine.

Pharmacogenomics is a fast-growing field that explores a patient’s DNA sequence to determine how they are most likely to respond to medications. Pharmacogenomics supports precision medicine, which incorporates a patient’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle to create a personalized treatment plan that will best suit the patient. The goal of this modern approach to medication therapy is to optimize response and beneficial outcomes while limiting adverse effects and toxicities.

Join this emerging field on the cutting-edge of medicine and become part of the life-changing breakthroughs in the pharmacogenomics industry.

Why choose the Accelerated Dual Degree BS/MS in Pharmacogenomics?

Two degrees of preparation—students can earn both the BS and MS degrees in just over five years (i.e., five years and one additional summer semester) from entry as an undergraduate. When you pursue the Accelerated Dual Degree BS/MS in Pharmacogenomics, you'll save time and tuition as you prepare to enter the field. Incoming students spend their first three years at WNE working towards completing their bachelor's degree and general university requirements, as well as prerequisite MSPGx coursework. In the fourth year, students can take up to 4 MSPGx courses, which will count toward their undergraduate degree, potentially reducing cost of the MSPGx degree by almost half, as well as reducing courseload during the fifth graduate program year, supporting academic success and school-life balance.

Three Pathways to the MS in Pharmacogenomics

What Will You Study?

Through foundational and advanced courses in Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Medical Genetics, Genetic Counseling, Pharmacogenetics, Genetic Research and Data Analysis, and others, as well as skill-building experiential courses in the laboratory and clinic, you’ll be well-versed to enter the field of precision medicine.

Courses are taught in the state-of-the-art classrooms and labs of the Center for the Sciences and Pharmacy, and will prepare you for career opportunities in basic research, the pharmaceutical industry, at genetic testing laboratories, or clinical sites. As a WNE graduate, you will also possess the skillsets prized by employers: divergent thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, and an entrepreneurial mindset—essential to careers in discovery and innovation.

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Department Pharmacogenomics Combined Degrees

Personalized or precision medicine refers to using patient-specific information to optimize their treatment. Pharmacogenomics is one aspect of personalized medicine that evaluates a patient’s genetic makeup and determines how that may affect their response to medication therapy.

The fields of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine are growing fast, with a number of traditional and innovative career opportunities rapidly expanding as the costs of genetic tests decrease and more knowledge is gained about the potential for pharmacogenomics to transform patient care.

Career opportunities for graduates

Graduates from our program can expect to follow a number of different career paths once they complete our program. Our curriculum was designed to provide solid foundational knowledge, as well as build a broad range of skills, so alumni can enter the workforce in various areas within the field, including the options listed below. In addition, graduates often continue their education, for example, in Genetic Counseling or in a Doctoral Program, to expand upon their expertise.

Laboratory researcher or technician – these types of positions could be at academic, government, or clinical institutions, as well as industrial pharmaceutical or genetic testing facilities to study how genetic variation affects response to medication, analyze genetic data, or develop and perform genetic tests.
Clinical research – these types of positions could be at academic institutions or health care systems, as well as insurance companies, to study the benefits of using genetic testing to optimize patient care.
Clinical implementation – these types of liaison or administrative positions, at clinical institutions that are implementing pharmacogenomics for their patients, serve as experts who are aware of all aspects of this process and can work closely with genetic counselors, physicians, and/or pharmacists.
Education – these types of consulting or academic positions are needed to educate students currently in professional clinical programs, as well as active clinicians who may not have received education in this field as students in the past.
Regulatory Institutions – these types of positions would be within government offices, such as the Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Translational and Precision Medicine, which oversees precision medicine strategies in drug development.
Clinical laboratory or genetic testing facility analyst – these types of positions would be in clinical or industrial genetic testing laboratories where patient samples are evaluated for genetic variants, including disease risk, pharmacogenomic, or organ transplant variants.

For more information on careers in Pharmacogenomics and average salaries, check out these articles:

Dr. Shannon Kinney, PhD

What is your related educational background and current research focus?

I earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Roswell Park Cancer Institute in association with the State University of New York at Buffalo. My thesis research focused on epigenetic changes in prostate cancer. I also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at New England Biolabs, where I continued to study epigenetic gene regulation. I now run a research lab where I study the roles of DNA modifications in gene expression in normal and cancer models. I also complete educational research on best practices for teaching pharmacogenomics.

What piqued your interest in pharmacogenomics?

When I was a first-year graduate student, my father was diagnosed with leukemia. He was treated with chemotherapy and had very severe toxicities that resulted in his being admitted to the ICU. He eventually did recover, but dealt with the long-term effects of the treatment. Although I am grateful for the years that I still had with him, as I learned more about the links between genetics and response to medication, I began to wonder if the use of pharmacogenomic testing could have limited the toxicities that he experienced. Now, when I teach others about pharmacogenomics, I try to emphasize that genetics may only be one point to consider while treating a patient, but for some patients, it could be the difference between life or death.

What is the best aspect of the WNE Master of Science in Pharmacogenomics program?

I learn from doing, so for me, the best part of this program is how hands-on it is. Many courses are designed to be interactive and problem-based. In addition, students get into the laboratory for a pharmaceutical techniques course during the fall semester and then spend six weeks during the summer semester in the lab and working with clinicians at their sites. Students apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-life situations, and learn the skills they need to work in whatever area of pharmacogenomics best suits them. Now that we have a hybrid pathway, I'm dedicated to ensuring our MSPGx-HP curriculum includes interactive and skill-based learning.

Alisha Ghoussein, Class of 2026

Pictured from left to right: Dr. Christine Anderson, Dr. Shannon Kinney, Dr. Arin Whitman, and Alisha Ghoussein, Class of 2026, in the center. Dr. Kinney is the MS in PGx program coordinator and is a key faculty member across several courses, including the 6-week applied PGx lab experience.

Dr. Anderson and Dr. Whitman led the 6-week clinical pharmacogenomics experience, providing students with hands-on, real-world application of PGx principles.

At 麻花视频 University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, I had the opportunity to enroll in a dual-degree program that allowed me to obtain both a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Master’s in Pharmacogenomics (PGx). I have recently completed the MS in PGx program over the summer and am expected to graduate with both degrees in May 2026.

During my second and third pharmacy professional years, I completed a variety of courses within the master’s program, including Data Analytics and Biostatistics, Advanced Genetics and Genomics, Intro to Gene and Genetic Counseling, Bioinformatics, and an Analytical Techniques Lab. I also had the opportunity to complete a 6-week applied pharmacogenomics experience, where I performed PCR testing on my DNA as well as others to detect a specific gene variant, providing me with hands-on lab experience. I really enjoyed this course because it provided me with an opportunity I wouldn’t typically experience in the pharmacy curriculum. I have also recently completed a 6-week clinical pharmacogenomics course where I was able to apply everything I had learned throughout this program to a real-world setting.

During the clinical experience, I had the opportunity to go to an oncology ambulatory care clinic and experience how genetics and pharmacogenomics are used in patients' daily care. Alongside my fellow classmates, we began creating a pharmacogenomics clinic at WNE, which is expected to open in the summer of 2026. During the rotation, we even created a PGx Podcast, called SNPs and Scripts, where we discuss anything and everything relevant to genetics and pharmacogenomics. Be on the lookout for the podcast to air on Spotify shortly! Finally, I was provided with the opportunity to present at a CE conference focused on pharmacogenomics. Topics varied from pediatrics, psychiatry, and oncology. My presentation was on the “Representation, Risk and the Reality of PGx in Oncology".

Overall, this dual degree program has provided students like me the chance to expand on my PGx knowledge beyond what is taught in the pharmacy curriculum, and receive firsthand insight into how PGx can be used to personalize medication therapy and make treatment truly patient-centered. Pharmacogenomics is the future of precision medicine, and the WNE Master’s in PGx program is equipping students with the tools to explore this new era of medicine.

The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has partnered with Bay Path University to create new opportunities for students pursuing advanced study in the rapidly growing fields of genetic counseling and pharmacogenomics.

Genetic counseling plays a vital role in today’s healthcare system. Counselors work with patients and families to interpret genetic testing results, assess inherited risks, and guide treatment and prevention strategies. Their expertise is increasingly critical in fields such as oncology, prenatal and reproductive health, rare disease diagnosis, and precision medicine. Pharmacogenomics—the study of how genes affect a person’s response to medications—complements genetic counseling by enabling more personalized prescribing practices that improve outcomes and reduce adverse effects. Graduates of both programs will be able to work in clinical settings as highly skilled professionals, ready to contribute to advances in personalized medicine and patient care.

Benefits for COPHS students

Bay Path University will reserve at least five (5) interview seats in each annual cohort of students entering its MSGC program for qualified graduates (e.g. a 3.5 minimum cumulative GPA) of the 麻花视频 University MSPGx program who apply by December 15. In addition, these students will be guaranteed 6 transfer credits from MSPGx courses (PHRSC 551 Introduction to Genetics and Genetic Counseling and PHAR 522 Pathophysiology) where students earned a grade of B or higher.

Benefits for Bay Path students

麻花视频 University will reserve at least two (2) seats in each annual cohort of students entering its MSPGx/MSPGx-HP programs for qualified graduates (e.g. a preferred 3.5 minimum cumulative GPA) of the Bay Path University MSGC program who apply by April 1. In addition, these students will be guaranteed 6 transfer credits from MSGC courses (GEN600: Medical Genetics I and GEN615: Pathophysiology) where students earned a grade of B or higher.

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