Course RequirementsThe choice of an undergraduate major while preparing for pharmacy school is not especially critical for successful admission, but the selection of certain coursework and the right combination of sciences, social and behavioral sciences and electives is important.
The requirements for each PharmD. program will be significantly different. To be admitted to a PharmD. program, you must have completed at least 3 years of specific professional study, which generally includes courses in:
- Mathematics and natural sciences, such as chemistry, biology and physics
- Courses in the humanities and social sciences
Most applicants have completed 3 or more years of college before moving on to a Pharm.D. program, although this is not specifically required.
Certain basic requirements must be fulfilled before you can be accepted to pharmacy school. This is a GUIDE only. Students must consult with their advisors AND the appropriate pharmacy schools on a regular basis for revisions to course requirements and to identify and ensure completion of all required courses. These requirements include:
- 1 year General Chemistry with labs
- 1 year Organic Chemistry with labs
- 1 year Anatomy & Physiology
- 1 year Physics with labs
- 1 year Biology with labs
- 1 semester Genetics
- 1 semester Calculus & 1 semester of Statistics
- 1 semester English
- 1 semester Communication
- 1 semester of Biochemistry
- 1 semester of Economics
Below are the CMU courses we recommend to meet these requirements:
Anatomy & Physiology: HSC 214 & 215, or BIO 337 & 392,
8 credits
Biochemistry: CHM 425 or CHM 521 & 522,
3-6 credits
General Chemistry: CHM 131 & 132,
8 credits
Organic Chemistry: CHM 345, 346, & 349,
8 credits
Physics: PHY 130, 131, 170, 171 or PHY 145, 146, 175, 176, 8 credits
Biology: BIO 111, 112, & 212
Mathematics: MTH 132 & STA 282, 382 or BIO 500,
7 credits
Microbiology: BIO 208 or BIO 320,
3 credits
Communication: COM 357,
3 credits
Genetics: BIO 211,
4 credits
Economics: ECO 201 or ECO 202
English: ENG 101,
3 credits
Some pharmacy schools may have additional courses required or recommended. Review the admission requirements of the pharmacy schools you plan on applying in advance.
All required courses must be taken for a grade. Each school has its own policy regarding AP credit. Usually, AP credit in these areas should be followed with additional upper level work in the discipline including labs.
Additional CoursesTo further strengthen you application and your ability to succeed in pharmacy school, here are some additional CMU courses you could take:
English: ENG 201
Psychology: PSY 100
Humanities: Various courses are acceptable