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College of Pharmacy

Prerequisite Coursework

NOTE: Because of the increased competition for seats in the entering class resulting from the unprecedented number of applications for admission we have received in recent years, the UT College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee gives preference for students in a 3+1 program or completing a degree.

Admission to the College requires the completion of a minimum of 90 hours of pre-professional coursework, distributed as follows:

SCIENCE:
Note:
not all introductory course in the sciences, calculus, or statistics will be accepted in fulfillment of pre-pharmacy requirements. All science, calculus, or statistics courses the prospective pharmacy student takes should be courses which are suitable for science majors intending graduate study or for pre-medical/pre-dental students. Science courses taken by the pre-pharmacy student must include laboratories.

  • General Chemistry -2 courses (8 semester hours)
  • Organic Chemistry -2 courses (8 semester hours)
  • General Biology/Zoology -2 courses (8 semester hours)
  • Physics -1 course (4 semester hours)
  • Microbiology -1 course (3 semester hours)
  • Biochemistry - 2 courses (6 semester hours)
  • Anatomy-Physiology - 2 courses (8 semester hours)
  • Immunology - 1 course (3 semester hours)

MATHEMATICS:

  • Calculus -1 course (3 semester hours)
  • Statistics -1 course (3 semester hours)

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS:

  • English Composition - 2 courses (6 semester hours)
  • Communications/Speech - 1 course (3 semester hours)

ELECTIVES:
Elective courses must conform to the following distribution and requirements

  • At least 2 courses totaling 6 semester hours must be taken in the Humanities: arts, literature, history, language, philosophy.
  • At least 2 courses totaling 6 semester hours must be taken in the Social Sciences: sociology, psychology, anthropology, political science, economics.
  • The remaining elective courses, totaling 15 semester hours, may be taken in any area(s) the student desires (sciences, mathematics, humanities or social sciences); however the following courses will not be accepted in fulfillment of pre-pharmacy curriculum requirements: ROTC, participatory PE/sports, or musical performance courses (such as choir or band, etc.). Students unsure whether a particular course will be accepted by the College should contact Jeff Bogue at jbogue@utmem.edu at the earliest opportunity.

The scheduling listed below is suggested; following the table is a listing of the required coursework. No student will be enrolled who has not finished all required courses prior to enrollment.
 

Year 1: Fall

Hours

Year 1: Spring

Hours

General Chemistry I 4 General Chemistry II 4
General Biology/Zoology I 4 General Biology/Zoology II 4
English Composition I 3 English Composition II 3
Elective 3 Elective 3
Total 14 Total 14
       
Year 2: Fall Hours Year 2: Spring Hours
Organic Chemistry I 4 Organic Chemistry II 4
Anatomy-Physiology I 4 Anatomy-Physiology II 4
Calculus 3 Statistics 3
Communications/Speech 3 Elective 3
Elective 3    
Total 17 Total 14
       
Year 3: Fall Hours Year 3: Spring Hours
Biochemistry I 3 Biochemistry II 3
Microbiology 3 Immunology 3
Physics I 4 Electives 11
Elective 4    
Total 14 Total 17
  • Human Anatomy and Human Physiology may be taken as separate courses totaling 8 hours. If your pre-pharmacy institution requires Comparative Anatomy and/or Physiology for your degree requirement, that will be accepted.
  • A 4-hour Microbiology course is preferred, however, the 3-hour course will be acceptable if a laboratory is included.
  • Biochemistry lab is not required, but recommended if available. If the college you attend offers only one general biochemistry course, you may make up the hours with an additional upper level biology course, such as Cell Biology, Genetics, Proteins, etc.
  • Immunology lab is not required.

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