Philip Hritcko, Pharm.D., Dean
Kathryn Wheeler, Pharm.D., BCPS, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Nathaniel Rickles, Pharm.D., Ph.D., BCPP, Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs

The School of Pharmacy professional program requires completion of two years of pre-professional requirements, two years in the professional program leading to a Bachelor of Science with a major in Pharmacy Studies (B.S. Pharmacy Studies), followed by two additional years leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.). This professional B.S./Pharm.D. program is a full-time professional program (146 minimum credits professional program plus 64 credits pre-professional for a minimum total of 210 credits), making the Pharm.D. graduate eligible to stand for licensure upon completion. For the final two years of the professional program (Pharm.D. years), there will be additional tuition and required fees for in-state students and proportional increases for New England Regional and out-of-state students.

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies

The Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies is awarded after the completion of four semesters of pre-professional requirements, including University general education and Pharm.D. prerequisites and the successful completion of the first two professional years in the Pharm.D. program. The B.S./Pharm.D. are consecutive degrees. Students must earn the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies before entry into the last two years of the professional program or receive an approved plan of study from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Upon recommendation of the faculty, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies is awarded by vote of the Board of Trustees to students who have met the following requirements:

1. earned 137 credits;
2. completed all requirements for the first two years of the professional program;
3. satisfied the University’s General Education Requirements; and
4. earned at least a 2.0 grade point average for all calculable required pharmacy courses.

The B.S. in Pharmacy Studies does not entitle an individual to sit for a pharmacy licensing examination.

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

The Doctor of Pharmacy is a professional doctoral degree, not a graduate degree. It is awarded as a post-baccalaureate/professional degree after the conferral of the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies and successful completion of the Pharm.D. requirements. Upon recommendation of the faculty, the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy is awarded by vote of the Board of Trustees to students who have met the following requirements:

1. earned minimum 210 credits;
2. completed all requirements for the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies and the Pharm.D. degrees;
3. satisfied the University’s General Education Requirements; and
4. earned at least a 2.0 grade point average for all calculable required pharmacy courses.

The Doctor of Pharmacy degree entitles an individual to sit for a pharmacy licensing examination.

Pharm.D./Ph.D. Program

This program targets a small number of highly motivated students who seek to combine pharmacy education suitable for professional licensure with advanced research-based training in the pharmaceutical sciences. Students completing this program will earn consecutive dual degrees, the Pharm.D. and the Ph.D. Students in the dual track are afforded early acceptance into the Ph.D. program and, if they successfully complete the Pharm.D. curriculum, a modified graduate curriculum will be tailored to shorten the total time required to complete the Ph.D. degree. Students must meet the admission requirements of both programs and apply to the Ph.D. program in the summer semester before their P2 (second professional) year as they complete the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies.

Pharm.D./MBA Dual Degree Program

A dual degree Pharm.D./MBA program is offered to highly motivated students who seek to combine pharmacy education with business managerial knowledge and skills. After completing the second professional year and graduating with the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies, students enroll in the MBA program for the third year. Students then return to the School of Pharmacy for the last two years of the Pharm.D. program, which would consist of both pharmacy and business courses. Students must meet the admission requirements of both programs and apply to the MBA program in the spring semester of the P2 (second professional) year as they complete the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies. Both the Pharm.D. and the MBA will be conferred simultaneously after the program requirements have been successfully met.

Pharm.D./MPH Dual Degree Program

A dual degree Pharm.D./MPH program is offered to highly motivated students who seek to combine pharmacy education with special skills in public health as it relates to pharmacotherapy and health promotion, disease prevention and medication safety. After completing the second professional year and graduating with the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies, students enroll in the MPH program for the third year. Students then return to the School of Pharmacy for the remaining two post-baccalaureate/professional years of the Pharm.D. program, which would consist of both pharmacy and public health courses. Students must meet the admission requirements of both programs and apply to the MPH program in the spring semester of the P2 (second professional) year as they complete the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies. Both the Pharm.D. and the MPH will be conferred simultaneously after the program requirements have been successfully met.

Accreditation

The University of Connecticut’s Doctor of Pharmacy program has been granted full accreditation by The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), www.acpe-accredit.org. The School of Pharmacy also offers a number of courses leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Students holding the degree of Bachelor of Science may prepare for the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in a number of pharmaceutical science fields. The Master of Science degree in pharmaceutical sciences may be awarded in the above subject areas and pharmacy administration (see the Graduate School Catalog).

Regional Plan

In conformity with plans approved by the Boards of Trustees of the six New England land grant universities for regionalization of certain fields of specialized education, the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy has been designated as a regional New England school for all other New England states except Rhode Island. Regional students enrolled in the professional program receive a tuition savings over out-of-state tuition rates.

Continuation of B.S. Pharmacy Studies Pre-Professional Students into the Professional Program

To be considered for continuation into the P1 professional coursework, all pre-professional students in the B.S. Pharmacy Studies program are subject to the review and approval of the School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. Admissions Committee and therefore must apply, meet the requirements for their application pathway, and be successfully admitted into the professional portion of the program.

Substitutions

When approved course substitutions are taken, the courses are treated as substitutions and not as replacements for specific prerequisite courses. For example, grades for MATH 1125Q and MATH 1126Q will be averaged and substituted for MATH 1131Q Calculus I. Grades for CHEM 1124Q Fundamentals of General Chemistry I, CHEM 1125Q Fundamentals of General Chemistry II, and CHEM 1126Q Fundamentals of General Chemistry III will be averaged and substituted for CHEM 1127Q General Chemistry I and CHEM 1128Q General Chemistry II. The required prerequisite for Biochemistry is MCB 2000 Introduction to Biochemistry. However, MCB 3010 Biochemistry may be a substitute. The same applies for other approved substitutions.

Physics

The required prerequisite for physics is PHYS 1201Q General Physics I (four credits). With approval from the School of Pharmacy, PHYS 1401Q General Physics with Calculus I, PHYS 1501Q Physics for Engineers I, etc. can be substituted for PHYS 1201Q General Physics I. However, taking another physics course (e.g. PHYS 1401Q General Physics with Calculus I, PHYS 1501Q Physics for Engineers I, etc.) in addition to PHYS 1201Q General Physics I may be considered repetition of a prerequisite.

Advanced Placement

When AP work is applied toward prerequisites, the number of total prerequisite credits is reduced by the number of credits earned by that AP work.

Rounding for GPA

The School of Pharmacy does not round when calculating grade point averages. For example, a 2.99 will not be rounded to a 3.00.

Communication Skills

It is essential that Pharmacy students have excellent written and oral communication skills. Students must be able to communicate effectively with patients, physicians and with other members of the health care team. Applicants for whom English is not primary language* or who do not otherwise qualify for a waiver** of this requirement must submit a valid TOEFL score. The minimum passing TOEFL scores are:  

• Total Score: 94
• Listening and speaking sections: 27
• Reading and writing sections: 20

*

A primary language is defined as a language used to communicate since childhood. 

**

An example of a category of applicants who would be waived out of this requirement would be applicants who have completed one year or more of full-time coursework at a post-secondary institution in the United States. 

Supplementary Scholastic Standards for the Pre-Professional B.S. Pharmacy Studies Students

Pre-professional B.S. students in the School of Pharmacy must meet and maintain the criteria stated in the School of Pharmacy Student Handbook. In addition, School of Pharmacy B.S. students must successfully apply through School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. admission procedures and gain successful admission by the School of Pharmacy Admissions Committee in order to progress into the Professional PHRX curriculum.

If admission to the Professional P1 Program is denied, students will be dismissed from the B.S. Pharmacy Studies Program. Students will be advised regarding alternative major options.

Scholastic Standards for Professional Program

Students admitted to the professional pharmacy program must maintain standards of scholastic achievement to continue and/or complete the program as stated in the School of Pharmacy Student Handbook.

All required Pharmacy courses with 1 or more associated credits must be taken for a grade (i.e., may not be taken on Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory).

Following any leave of absence from the professional program, the school reserves the right to impose certain requirements before returning to the program, up to and including academic assessments.

Failure to meet any of the requirements may result in dismissal of the student from the program.

Technical Standards for Students in the Professional Program

Students admitted to the School of Pharmacy must have the ability to safely apply their knowledge and skills to effectively interact with patients and others in educational and health care settings. Basic nonacademic qualifications required in addition to academic achievements are considered essential for admission and successful completion of the pharmacy curriculum.

Thus, candidates for the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies and for the Doctor of Pharmacy degrees must be able to perform essential functions in each of the following categories: Observation, Behavioral and Social Attributes, Intellect, Communication, and Psychomotor Skills. Upon request of the student, the University will make good faith efforts in providing reasonable accommodations as required by law.

More information on these standards can be found in the School of Pharmacy Student Handbook.

Honors Program

Students in the School of Pharmacy may be eligible to participate in a variety of enrichment programs. These include independent research projects with a faculty mentor, the Honors Program, and the University Scholars Program. Each of these programs offers the motivated student a way of individualizing their intellectual environment to better meet their needs while providing distinction to their academic record. For more information on these programs, ask to speak with the Pharmacy Honors Advisor.

Major

Admission

Pre-Professional Admission to B.S. in Pharmacy Studies

See Admission to the University. The School of Pharmacy admits students into the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies pre-professional major directly as first-year students. School of Pharmacy B.S. students are highly encouraged to attend the Storrs campus as first-year pre-professional students and must switch to the Storrs campus for their third and fourth semesters during which they apply to the professional program and complete the following prerequisite courses:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
CHEM 2443 & CHEM 2444	Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry	6
MCB 2000 & MCB 2610	Introduction to Biochemistry and Fundamentals of Microbiology	8
PNB 2264 & PNB 2265	Human Physiology and Anatomy and Human Physiology and Anatomy	8

Students not admitted into the School of Pharmacy at the time of entry to the University may apply for admission to the pre-professional major through School of Pharmacy procedures.

Students at other post-secondary institutions who are not currently attending or who have never attended the University of Connecticut as an undergraduate degree-seeking student must file a separate University application with the:

Transfer Admissions Office
2131 Hillside Road, Unit 3088
Storrs, CT 06269-3088

by the University Transfer Admissions Deadline. Transfer students wishing to transfer directly into the School of Pharmacy as pre-professional B.S. students should have made progress towards completing the first-year/sophomore, 1000-2000 level requirements, particularly those courses which are prerequisites for the Common Body of Knowledge/Entry Level courses:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
CHEM 1127Q & CHEM 1128Q	General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II	8
BIOL 1107	Principles of Biology I	4
ECON 1201	Principles of Microeconomics	3
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1007	Seminar and Studio in Writing and Multimodal Composition
ENGL 1010	Seminar in Academic Writing
ENGL 1011	Seminar in Writing through Literature
MATH 1131Q	Calculus I	4
PHYS 1201Q	General Physics I	4

 and must successfully complete all of these courses by the end of the first-year spring semester.

Admission to Professional Pharmacy Program

Student applications for admission to the professional P1 year are only accepted for the fall semester. There are two methods of application review for admission into the Professional P1 year:

1. Competitive Review for UConn students
2. External Transfer Students

Continuation and/or Admission for ALL applicants to the P1 year is competitive and based upon:

1. successful completion and submission of PharmCAS application by the final deadline along with supporting documents
2. cumulative grade point average in the math and science prerequisites
3. overall academic performance
4. pharmacy-related and/or other non-academic and extra-curricular experience
5. recommendations and personal statement
6. personal interview

After successful admission into the professional program, students are enrolled into the fall semester, when they begin their P1 Pharmacy (PHRX) coursework. Only those students who have successfully completed their pre-professional coursework and the School of Pharmacy admissions process according to procedures and are admitted by the School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. Admissions Committee may proceed onward with their fall P1 PHRX coursework. Entering P1s who have not fulfilled the University General Education requirements before they enter the professional program will have to complete those courses by May of the second professional year. Students enrolled at another School/College of Pharmacy, who wish to transfer into the UConn School of Pharmacy professional program must follow the application to transfer process for the University of Connecticut and the School of Pharmacy.

A criminal background check will be conducted on all students admitted to the Professional Program. Students will not be admitted if their background check does not pass.

Any pre-professional Pharmacy Studies B.S. student failing to successfully maintain pre-professional progression requirements, apply to the professional program, or gain admittance to the professional P1 year, will be dismissed from the School of Pharmacy B.S. Pharmacy Studies Program and will be advised regarding alternative major options. Details regarding pre-professional progression requirements may be found on the School of Pharmacy’s website.

Pharm.D. Admission

Competitive Admission for direct entry into the Professional P1 year is limited, and on a space-available basis. Students should apply for admission early in the application cycle, which ends in the beginning of January. To be eligible, students must have all required math, science, and English courses completed by May for entry into the professional program the following fall semester. Both Content Area 2 courses (Economics and Sociology/Psychology/Anthropology) must be completed before admission into the fall semester. Students who have not fulfilled the University General Education requirements before they enter the professional program will have to complete those courses by May of the second professional year.

Additionally, external transfer students who have completed their pre-professional curriculum at regionally accredited degree-granting institutions of higher education in the United States will be eligible to apply for direct admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy Professional Program. Applications to the University by transfer students are due April 1. Transfer students who have completed their pre-professional curriculum at an international institution may be eligible depending upon how international coursework transfers into the University and is evaluated. Students will be considered for an interview and admission on a competitive basis. An outstanding academic record may be one of the components used to prioritize student interviews. Students receiving an interview should not assume they will be admitted to the professional program.

Calculation of the Math/Science Prerequisite GPA

To calculate the cumulative math/science prerequisite GPA, the total grade points earned for courses are divided by the number of total credits.

School and Experiential Site Requirements

Participation in the experiential program requires direct patient contact and is completed in accordance with affiliation agreements with the experiential sites. As such, a variety of items are required to be submitted prior to attending these activities. These requirements include (but are not limited to) a physical exam, immunization titers and possible revaccination, tuberculosis testing, drug screening and background checks, to name a few. Student progression through the program depends on meeting all of the requirements of the school and site. Students must use a computer database to upload information for approval by an authorized outside vendor.

Computer Requirements

Students must provide their own laptop computers. Laptops must meet the minimum specifications provided on the school’s website. In addition to those specifications, laptop computers must be able to operate on battery power for a minimum of four hours.

Transportation

Students must provide their own transportation to experiential sites during the professional program. They should allow for transportation expenses, which would include cost of gasoline and parking fees where necessary.

Health Insurance

All students are required to carry health insurance as stated in the University’s health policy.

Any medical expenses incurred by the student will be the student’s responsibility.

Professional Liability Coverage

All students are required to carry specific professional liability (malpractice) coverage. Although the State of Connecticut has statutory protection for students in “field placement programs” (Chapter 53 of the Connecticut General Statutes), there are sites that will not accept this as adequate protection. Therefore, the School of Pharmacy has required all students to have the blanket University malpractice coverage.

Additional Degrees

Students wishing to take a second degree in another school or college should consult their Advisor as early in their program as possible.

Intern Registration

It is mandatory that all Pharmacy students register with the Connecticut Board of Pharmacy upon enrollment into the Pharmacy professional program. Failure to receive and maintain a valid Pharmacy intern card will result in students not being allowed to participate in experiential curriculum.

License to Practice Pharmacy

Any request for information concerning Connecticut internship training requirements and other qualifications for examination and licensure as a pharmacist should be addressed to The Board Administration, Commission of Pharmacy, State Office Building, Hartford, Connecticut. Students seeking licensure in other states should contact the Boards of Pharmacy in those states.