Advanced seminars with speakers of national reputation ensure that the student is exposed to the latest research and technological concepts. Research activity in the program is often multidisciplinary, using techniques from molecular biology, biochemistry, pathology, physiology, and cell biology to study basic mechanisms of toxicity. Students in the doctoral program must pass a written qualifying examination upon completion of two years of course work. Students are expected to participate in laboratory research and select a thesis topic in their second year. Candidacy is gained after passing a preliminary examination, and the Ph.D. is conferred after the preparation and public defense of a research thesis.
Students typically earn the Ph.D. degree two or three years after gaining candidacy.
The M.P.H. degree is especially appropriate for those students who wish to combine toxicology and environmental policy. Graduates of the program have found positions in academic institutions, industrial laboratories, and government research and administrative agencies. The demand for toxicology professionals has been consistently strong. The Toxicology Training Program is housed in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, adjacent to the medical and central campuses of the University. All program laboratories are well equipped.