Pre-Pharmacy

Colleges of pharmacy require a minimum of two years of undergraduate study and include certain required courses for admission. If the required courses have been completed, students may apply to a college of pharmacy after two years of study or after earning a baccalaureate degree.

The curriculum outlined here satisfies the minimum preparation for admission to most colleges of pharmacy. It may be modified to meet other specific requirements of a particular college of pharmacy. A current listing of such requirements should be consulted by the student in order to plan a satisfactory program. The student is advised to meet regularly with the pre-pharmacy adviser so as to be well-informed about all current prerequisites and the procedures to be followed in applying for admission to a college of pharmacy.

If the student plans to continue undergraduate education at Xavier University and to obtain a B.S. degree, this can be done easily in the case of the B.S. (biology), B.S. (chemical science), and B.S. (natural sciences) programs. The student then should meet with the chair of the appropriate science department for guidance in the choice of courses necessary for the desired degree.

Approximately half the courses taken by a pre-pharmacy student are from biology, chemistry, and physics. Each discipline is housed in its own building on the Xavier campus. Laboratories are well equipped with modern instrumentation and students have many opportunities in all science courses for hands-on experiences with a variety of instruments

Through non-science courses, students also learn communication skills and thought processes that will be useful in their professional activities.

For course sequences for this area, click here.