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Pre-Pharmacy Course Requirements

Course Requirements Overview

This is a guide to common pre-pharmacy course requirements.

Professional schools have a variety of prerequisites required for admission to their programs. On this page, we include information about timelines for pre-pharmacy  requirements and the options available. 

  • Many programs prefer in person coursework, and some programs may not allow online coursework. See individual schools for policies.
  • Individual schools may require or recommend additional courses.
  • All Prerequisites must be completed with a letter grade of C or higher.
  • Schools vary on Credit-By-Exam (AP/IB/CLEP) policies and preferences for prerequisites. Please see "Can I Claim AP/IB Credit?"
  • School requirements can change. See individual school websites and admissions guides under “Research Pharmacy Schools Before You Apply” on our page about applying. We always recommend checking for any updates.

Recommended Pre-Pharmacy Courses

Some pharmacy schools require humanities and social/behavioral science courses.  We strongly recommend taking courses in the following areas. 

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Ethics
  • Analytical problem-solving
  • Critical thinking
  • Writing, interpersonal communications, and presentation skills
  • Cultural studies
  • Spanish and other language studies relevant to your career goals

See the Pharmacy Schools Prerequisite Courses Timelines below.

 

UT Austin courses are typically taken to fulfill requirements

 

Subject Lecture Lab
Biology
  • BIO 311C + BIO 311D + BIO 325 OR
  • [BIO 315H + BIO 325H] (honors) + BIO/INB/MBS Elective 3 hrs

 

 

3 hrs of Genetics (BIO 325) is required at most schools. BIO 325 is also a prerequisite for UD BIO courses.

 
  • BIO 206L OR 
  • 2 hrs of upper-division BIO/INB/MBS lab

 

 

Must be formal lab course work. Research lab credit, such as BIO 377, does not fulfill this requirement.
Microbiology
  • BIO / MBS 326R OR
  • BIO / MBS 326M
  • BIO / MBS 226L
Anatomy
  • BIO / INB 446L
  
Physiology
  • BIO / INB 365S
  • BIO / INB 165U
Chemistry
  • CH 301 + CH 302 OR
  • CH 301H + CH 302H (honors) OR
  • CH 301C + CH 302C (for Chemistry majors)
  • CH 204 OR
  • CH 104M + CH 104N
Organic Chemistry
  • CH 320M + CH 320N OR
  • CH 328M + CH 328N (for Chemistry majors)
  • CH 220C OR
  • CH 128K + CH 128L (for Chemistry majors)
Physics
  • PHY 302K  OR
  • PHY 317K  OR
  • PHY 303K (for Engineering majors)  OR
  • PHY 301 (for some Science and Engineering majors)

Starting FALL 2021, PHY 105M/N will replace lab numbers PHY 102M/N, PHY 103M/N, and 117M/N.

  • If PHY 302K 
    • PHY 105M  OR  PHY 102M 
  • If PHY 317K
    • PHY 105M  OR  PHY 117M 
  • If PHY 303K 
    • PHY 105M  OR  PHY 103M   (for Engineering majors)
  • If PHY 301 
    • PHY 101L  (for some Science and Engineering majors)
Calculus

Pharmacy programs may differ on what they accept for their Calculus requirement. Please check with programs you are interested in.

  • M 408N OR
  • M 408K OR
  • M 408 C
 M 408Q is not accepted by all schools.
Statistics
  • SDS 301 OR
  • SDS 302F OR
  • SDS 320E / H OR
  • EDP 371 OR.
  • PSY 418
 Not all courses listed include both descriptive stats and ANOVA stats, which some schools may require. Check schools and course syllabi.
Professional Speaking
  • CMS 306M
 Required by some schools.
Core Curriculum and General Education Schools have specific requirements. Check individual school websites for specific requirements and possible additional required courses.

 

Pharmacy School Prerequisite Course Timelines 

This timeline includes pre-pharmacy course requirements for admission to most Texas and U. S. pharmacy schools. 

Completing the pre-pharmacy courses and extracurricular activities generally requires six semesters or longer, regardless of the student’s age or year in college. Your personal timeline may differ from this sample. Work with your academic advisor to incorporate these courses into your degree plan.

Important Note: 

Timelines do not include all course options and details.

To be sure that you are fulfilling all requirements, see individual school websites. School links are provided under: Research pharmacy schools before you apply!

 

Additional Course Information