The Master of Science is a two-year full-time program providing graduates with the opportunity to undertake advanced study and research. This program is designed to provide students with a thorough training in applied scientific research and methodology and will also prepare students for higher degree studies and professional employment. The program consists of both theoretical and practical coursework, as well as a research dissertation. Students complete advanced coursework and specialist laboratory classes prior to completing their research project.

The Medicinal Chemistry major is designed for students interested in natural product discovery and drug design. Students will undertake coursework in advanced chemistry and have access to broadening courses in biology.

Medicinal chemistry is principally involved in the design, chemical synthesis and development of pharmaceutical agents. It is the branch of the chemical sciences that operates at the interface with the biological sciences, especially structural biology and pharmacology. Medicinal chemistry encompasses most of the chemical sub-disciplines but is most often associated with synthetic organic chemistry and aspects of natural product chemistry, computational chemistry and inorganic/physical chemistry. With numerous infectious diseases evolving resistance to current therapies, and an aging population looking for solutions to neurological diseases and cancers, medical chemistry is a growing field in both basic and applied areas of research.