PharmD Admissions

PharmD Admissions

Beginning July 13, 2023, prospective PharmD students may apply to the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy PharmD program through PharmCAS for fall 2024 admission consideration.

The priority application deadline is November 1, 2023. Benefits* of meeting the priority deadline include:

  • Improved chances of receiving an offer of admission through our rolling admission process.
  • Improved chances of receiving a prestigious merit award, the Coit Admissions Scholarship, up to $10,000. Coit Admissions Scholarships are awarded to top applicants on a rolling basis beginning in January 2024.
  • Improved chances of receiving an offer of admission to your preferred campus, Phoenix or Tucson.
  • Ability to apply** for College of Pharmacy scholarships via Scholarship Universe, UArizona’s scholarship portal. Last year we awarded over $340,000 in scholarships to PharmD students through this portal.

The Fall 2024 application deadline has been extended to April 1, 2024.  

*Applicants must submit their application by the November 1 priority deadline and have their application materials verified by PharmCAS by December 31, 2023 to benefit.

** Applicants must accept their offer of admission within two weeks of receipt, and take all steps outlined by the Office of Student Services to be granted access to the Scholarship Universe portal. The College of Pharmacy scholarship application window is typically mid-February to mid-April annually.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisite Course Requirements (62 Units) 

  • Applicants must be in good standing at the University of Arizona or be eligible for matriculation to the university.
  • All prerequisite courses (62 units) must be completed by June 1 of the admission year. (Exceptions can be made for quarter-system schools).
  • Prerequisite courses completed more than 7 years before matriculation into the PharmD program may expire and need to be repeated prior to admission.
  • All prerequisite coursework must be completed at an accredited college or university in the United States.  
  • A minimum of 90 units is required by June 1 of the admission year for full Federal Direct Loan/financial aid eligibility. This may include AP, IB and CLEP units. Visit the UA Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for more information regarding the Federal Direct Loan Limits.  

Admission to the PharmD program requires completion of the following courses:

Science Requirements

  • General Chemistry + labs (2 semesters/8 units)
  • Organic Chemistry + labs  (2 semesters/8 units)
  • Anatomy & Physiology + labs (2 semesters/8 units)
  • General Biology I + labs  (1 semester/4 units)
  • Microbiology + labs (1 semester/4 units)
  • Physics (1 semester/3 units)

Non-Science Requirements

  • English Composition (2 semesters/6 units)
  • Calculus (1 semester/3 units)
  • Statistics (1 semester/3 units)
  • Social Sciences (2 semesters/6 units)
  • Traditions & Cultures (1 semester/3 units)
  • Fine Arts or Literature (1 semester/3 units)
  • Diversity Emphasis (1 semester/3 units)

* Students transferring from other schools should review Course Equivalency Guidelines and check with a COP advisor for pre-approval of courses.

  • Pass/fail credit will not be accepted.  (Exception: Grades of P (pass) earned in the Spring 2020 semester will be accepted toward the fulfillment of PharmD prerequisite requirements.)
  • Advanced Placement Examinations (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) for college credit is acceptable for non-science prerequisite requirements and for physics
    • AP, IB, and CLEP credit will not be accepted to fulfill other science prerequisite requirements
  • Students are strongly encouraged to complete all or at least some of their prerequisite coursework while enrolled as a full-time student, in order to demonstrate their ability to manage a full-time courseload.

  • Social Sciences courses may include sociology, psychology, economics, gender or ethnic studies, political science, or communication.  A language course at the second-semester level or higher (generally 102, 201, or 202) can be used to fulfill one of the two Social Sciences requirements.  
  • Traditions & Cultures courses may include humanities, anthropology, history, philosophy, and religious studies
  • Fine Arts or Literature may include music, dance, art, theater, or the study of any literary form
  • The Diversity Emphasis requirement includes gender, race, class, ethnicity or non-western studies. It may be "double-dipped" with approved social science, traditions & cultures, or fine arts/literature course.  A language course at the second-semester level or higher can fulfill the Diversity Emphasis requirement.  
  • Courses used to fulfill any non-science requirement must be a minimum of 3 semester units.  Students with quarter system credits may satisfy a non-science requirement with 2.67 semester units (equivalent to 4 quarter units), but a minimum of 62 total semester units is required for admission.

The admissions committee considers the below PharmCAS-calculated GPAs at multiple points during the evaluation process and may require updated transcripts of applicants before rendering an admissions decision. Admitted applicants must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better if enrolled in the application year. Applicants with GPAs of 3.0 or better will optimize their chance for admission. Meeting the minimum GPA requirements does not guarantee an interview.

All four GPAs must meet or exceed a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; GPAs of 2.75 or better are strongly preferred.

  • Cumulative Prerequisite GPA: 2.5 required, 2.75 or better strongly preferred
  • Overall Science GPA: 2.5 required, 2.75 or better strongly preferred
  • Overall Non-science GPA: 2.5 required, 2.75 or better strongly preferred
  • Overall GPA: 2.5 required, 2.75 or better strongly preferred
  • Grades of C or better are required in prerequisite courses; grades of B or higher strongly preferred

PCAT Information

  • PCAT scores are optional for 2023-2024 application cycle.

You must have two recommendations submitted online via PharmCAS. Recommendations submitted by any other means, e.g., email, express mail, postal mail, are not accepted. Your recommenders should be people you have worked for, volunteered with under their supervision, or professors. You have the option of naming a third recommender in case one of your preferred two is not able to complete his/her recommendation on time.

Healthcare experience & community service hours are not required but will strengthen your application.

The admissions committee will continue to look for evidence that applicants are acquainted with the field of pharmacy, exhibit the potential for leadership, are committed to helping others, and embrace what it means to be a health care professional. Applicants must upload a current resume to PharmCAS, within the documents: shadowing/healthcare hours section.

Your resume should include all paid work, volunteer work, observation hours, and research experience in a reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top, oldest experience at the bottom). Your resume should also include your education beyond the high school level. If you need help developing a resume, consider visiting the Student Engagement and Career Development website.

In addition to fulfilling all academic prerequisite requirements, students must also meet all non-academic essential qualifications in order to matriculate into the PharmD program. These include:

You are not required to take action on these requirements until you have been admitted to the PharmD program, but you are encouraged to review the requirements prior to applying. 

An acceptance offer may be rescinded if any materials submitted above are not received or are determined to be fraudulent or deceptive.

PharmD for Non-U.S. Pharmacists

Internationally trained pharmacists looking to earn a U.S. PharmD can experience a top-quality education by participating in the same highly ranked PharmD program as our U.S. students. 

PharmD Early Assurance Program

Early Assurance provides an accelerated pathway to pharmacy school for high-achieving and highly-motivated pre-pharmacy students who are still in high school. 

Contact

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Karen Weaver

Karen Weaver
Coordinator, Admissions-Advising/Recruitment

Email Karen Weaver
Phone: 520-626-1616
karenw@arizona.edu
Drachman Hall Room B107