Pharmacy Prerequisites

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is a unique health profession because it links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and is charged with ensuring the safe use of medication. The scope of pharmacy practice includes the more traditional roles of compounding and dispensing medications as well as the more modern services related to patient care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and circulating drug information.

A pharmacist reaching for medicine on the shelf

Pharmacy Overview

Pharmacy Prerequisites

Pharmacy Resources

While students planning to pursue admission to Pharmacy programs can expect to complete many science courses, it is very important to research the requirements of every school you plan to apply to, as required coursework for admission can vary from program to program. The minimum number of hours required for applying typically range from sixty to ninety. Please note that while many schools do not require a Bachelor’s degree, we encourage you to consider the benefits of completing a bachelor’s degree and how that aligns with your parallel plan.

The courses listed below are frequently required prerequisites, but your research into a particular school is essential to confirm their requirements.

Your long term academic planning should be discussed with a pre-health advisor who can assist you in individualizing the schedule for your given area of study.

You should review the course description in the undergraduate catalog (catalog.utk.edu) of any course you are considering to determine what prerequisites, if any, exist for the course. Freshmen should be particularly aware that Chemistry 122 has a prerequisite of Math 119 (College Algebra) or an ACT Math score of 25. An academic advisor can help you select the math course or sequence that best fits your academic plans.

For Most Pharmacy Programs

The following classes are required for admission for many Pharmacy programs; however, the courses required for admission will likely vary depending on the school, and should be researched accordingly.

Please note that many pharmacy programs require a grade of C or better in each pre-requisite course.

Chem 122 (3)	General Chemistry I*
Chem 123 (1)	General Chemistry Laboratory*
Chem 132 (3)	General Chemistry II*
Chem 133 (1)	General Chemistry II Laboratory*
Biol 150 (3)	Organismal and Ecological Biology*
Biol 159 (2)	Skills of Biological Investigation*
Biol 160 (3)	Cellular and Molecular Biology*
Chem 260 (3)	Organic Chemistry I*
Chem 269 (1)	Foundations of Organic Chemistry*
Chem 360 (3)	In-depth Organic Chemistry*
Chem 369 (1)	In-depth Organic Chemistry Laboratory*
Phys 221 (4)	Elements of Physics I
EEB 240 (4) or EEB 250/251 (4)**	Human Anatomy or Human Anatomy with Human Anatomy Lab*
BCMB 230 (5) or BCMB 440 (3)	Human Physiology or General Physiology*
BIOL 220 (3) & BIOL 229 (2)*	General Microbiology* & General Microbiology Lab
CMST 210	Intro to Public Speaking*
MATH 115 (3) or STAT 201 (3)	Statistical Reasoning or Introduction to Statistics*
	Math (Some schools require Calculus)*

* These courses are required by the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center College of Pharmacy

** Alternative Anatomy courses may be suitable as well

Additional Courses to Consider

ECON 201 or ECON 211/ECON 213	Introductory Economics (Confirm requirement with schools, Micro or Macro Economics might be preferred)
Phys 222 (4)	Elements of Physics II
	Social Sciences and/or Humanities