Academics > Majors and Areas of Study > Pre-Pharmacy

Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dental, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Physical Therapy and Pre-Veterinary are professional programs, not majors. Students interested in the health professions may major in any field but most choose to concentrate their study in biology or chemistry.

Pharmacists are in great demand due to the increasing elderly population and the growth of the health care industry. Chemistry, biology, sociology, psychology, mathematics, and physics are required in pharmacy curricula since a pharmacist combines science with human relationships in assisting consumers in the use of pharmaceuticals.

Students with an interest in pharmacy typically major in chemistry. However, they may major in other fields. Regardless of the major field, practicing pharmacists are required to have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree requiring at least two years of undergraduate coursework followed by three full calendar years (twelve months) or four academic years (nine months) of professional study. Many students take longer than the minimum two years of undergraduate work to successfully fulfill the requirements for pre-professional study.

The necessary pre-professional coursework to pursue a Pharm.D can be obtained in two years at Thiel College. In addition, Thiel College and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) have an accelerated five-year Doctor of Pharmacy affiliation agreement which guarantees an interview to six qualified Thiel students each year to LECOM School of Pharmacy. This "2 + 3" accelerated program consists of two phases. In Phase I, students complete two years of undergraduate courses in pre-pharmacy at Thiel College. Phase II encompasses three years of accelerated professional study at LECOM School of Pharmacy in a rigorous year-round program.

For details concerning this program, contact Dr. Kathryn K. Frantz at 724-589-2113 or kfrantz@thiel.edu.

Students may also apply to other pharmacy schools. Selection is very competitive; successful applicants maintain a high level of academic performance in all work. Most pharmacy schools require educational tests for admission including the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and/or various college entrance exam scores (i.e., SAT or ACT). The PCAT can be taken either in high school or college. The results are one of several factors usually considered in the admission of each student. We suggest that you check out the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy for information on the pharmacy profession and how to study to be a pharmacist.

A student preparing for professional school in a health profession is responsible for determining the specific requirements for the particular school under consideration.

Links to sixteen pharmacy programs that lead to a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree are listed below. Most of these programs accept transfer students who have completed their pre-pharmacy requirements, usually in two years of undergraduate study. The UCSF program accepts candidates with a baccalaureate degree if they have the appropriate pre-pharmacy requirements.

University of California at San Francisco
University of North Carolina
University of Wisconsin
University of Maryland
Purdue University
University of Southern California
University of Mississippi
University of the Pacific
Duquesne University
University of Colorado
Virginia Commonwealth University
West Virginia University
University of Washington
Texas Tech University
Samford University
University of Wyoming

We suggest that you consult the catalogs or web pages of the pharmacy schools that you are considering before finalizing your plans. You need to make sure that the courses you take at Thiel are acceptable to the pharmacy school you plan to attend. It is also a good idea to take courses that will make it possible for you to have a major at Thiel if you decide to stay for four years.