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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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.
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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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.
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
Scholastic Standards
Pre-Professional B.S. Pharmacy Studies Students
Pre-professional B.S. students in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences must meet and maintain the criteria stated in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Advising website. In addition, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences B.S. students must successfully apply through School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Pharm.D. admission procedures and gain successful admission by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences Student Handbook.
Honors Program
Students in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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.
Majors
Other Degree Programs
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./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.
Admission
Pre-Professional Admission to B.S. in Pharmacy Studies
See Admission to the University. The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences admits students into the B.S. in Pharmacy Studies pre-professional major directly as first-year students. Students admitted to regional campuses may need to campus change to the Storrs campus to access upper-level prerequisite courses. Students not admitted into the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the time of entry to the University may apply for admission to the pre-professional major through School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and must successfully complete all of these courses by the end of the first-year spring semester:
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 |
| |
| Seminar and Studio in Writing and Multimodal Composition | |
| Seminar in Academic Writing | |
| Seminar in Writing through Literature | |
| MATH 1131Q | Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS 1201Q | General Physics I | 4 |
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:
- Guaranteed continuation for qualified Pre-Professional students
- Competitive review for Pre-Professional students who do not qualify for guaranteed continuation, UConn students in all other majors, and external transfer students
Continuation and/or Admission for ALL applicants to the P1 year is competitive and based upon:
- successful completion and submission of PharmCAS application by the final deadline along with supporting documents
- cumulative grade point average in the math and science prerequisites
- overall academic performance
- pharmacy-related and/or other non-academic and extra-curricular experience
- recommendations and personal statement
- 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences admissions process according to procedures and are admitted by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Pharm.D. Admissions Committee may proceed onward with their fall P1 PHRX coursework. Entering P1s who have not fulfilled the University Common Curriculum 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences professional program must follow the application to transfer process for the University of Connecticut and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences’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 social science prerequisite courses (Economics and Sociology/Psychology/Anthropology) must be completed before admission into the fall semester. Students who have not fulfilled the University Common Curriculum 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.
Requirements
Common Curriculum Requirements for B.S. Program
The University Senate has adopted the Common Curriculum for Leadership and Global Citizenship with requirements in a variety of curricula areas, which must be satisfied as part of every degree program. These requirements are listed in the “Common Curriculum Requirements” section of the Course Catalog. The course requirements are those of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and some may also satisfy the University Common Curriculum requirements. Required School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences courses must be taken prior to entry to meet admissions criteria for the Pharm.D. program.
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Requirements
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 8-10 |
| |
| Fundamentals of General Chemistry I
and Fundamentals of General Chemistry II
and Fundamentals of General Chemistry III | |
| |
| General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 2443 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 2444 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| BIOL 1107 | Principles of Biology I | 4 |
| PHYS 1201Q | General Physics I | 4 |
| MATH 1131Q | Calculus I | 4 |
| MCB 2000 | Biochemistry | 4 |
| MCB 2610 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 4 |
| 8-10 |
| |
| Human Physiology and Anatomy
and Human Physiology and Anatomy | |
| |
| Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy
and Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy | |
| |
| Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy I
and Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy II
and Enhanced Human Physiology and Anatomy Laboratory | |
| 4 |
| Seminar and Studio in Writing and Multimodal Composition | |
| Seminar in Academic Writing | |
| Seminar in Writing through Literature | |
| ECON 1201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| 3 |
The most up-to-date information regarding course sequences that satisfy School of Pharmacy and Common Curriculum requirements is available on the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences advising website.
Physics
The required prerequisite for physics is PHYS 1201Q General Physics I (four credits). With approval from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 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.
Substitutions
When approved course substitutions are taken, the courses are treated as substitutions and not as replacements for specific prerequisite courses. 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 Biochemistry. The same applies for other approved substitutions.
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.
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 and Pharmaceutical Sciences 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.
