Pharmacy Studies
Women's College
Overview
Pre-Pharmacy Program
Earning a B.A. in Preparation for a Pharm.D. Degree
Accelerated 3+4 Year B.A.-Pharm.D. Program
B.A. in Biology Coursework
B.A. in Chemistry Coursework
Program Entrance, Standing, Admission to the School of Pharmacy,
and Granting of the B.A. Degree
Alfred T. D'Agostino, Ph.D., Pre-Pharmacy Program Coordinator
Preparing for a Career in Pharmacy
Students in the Women's College are offered several pre-pharmacy options that provide preparation for entrance into a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program. Pharmacists are health care professionals who provide complementary expertise to medical care practitioners. Their knowledge and skills are utilized in a wide range of practice settings, including but not limited to community pharmacies, health care organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacy education, managed care, and governmental agencies. With the growing need for more healthcare professionals as the population ages, and with continuing sophistication of medications, pharmacists have become important members of the healthcare team.
The Doctor of Pharmacy degree, conferred by schools of pharmacy, is the entry point into a career in pharmacy. To prepare for admission to pharmacy school, students take a core curriculum including courses in the sciences, mathematics, social sciences, and humanities.
The pre-pharmacy program coordinator will assist Women's College students in identifying the appropriate course curriculum that will prepare them for entrance into a Pharm.D. program, including the School of Pharmacy at Notre Dame. There are a number of avenues to this end, including successfully completing the necessary undergraduate prerequisites, then applying to a school of pharmacy, or completing an appropriately configured undergraduate degree, followed by application to a school of pharmacy. (The undergraduate degree is typically earned in a science-related field.) An accelerated B.A Pharm.D. track (3 + 4 undergraduate/professional curriculum) is available to qualified Women's College students through the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Pharmacy.
Pre-Pharmacy Program
In the pre-pharmacy program option, a student follows a curriculum (approximately 74 credits) to complete specific courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and liberal arts. Students should indicate their intent to participate in the pre-pharmacy program by noting this on their application for admission and subsequently on the declaration of major form. Each student should contact her advisor or the pre-pharmacy program coordinator in order to plan her program of study and learn about program requirements; this must be done prior to registration.
During the program, students take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and apply for admission to a particular pharmacy school. They follow all application guidelines presented by the school of pharmacy regarding application procedures, deadlines, recommendation letters and interviews. Each school of pharmacy determines its own admission standards. Students are responsible for determining the unique prerequisite courses that are required by the school of pharmacy to which they will apply.
The pre-pharmacy course of study for students at Notre Dame is shown below. It must be noted that study in summer and Winterim may be needed to complete the program in a timely manner. All students who are interested in the program should consult their advisors and the pre-pharmacy program coordinator for specific advice and course approval. Representatives from Notre Dame's School of Pharmacy are also available to students for consultation.
Courses in the Pre-pharmacy Curriculum
Requirement of 74 credits are as follows:
ENG-101 College Writing (3)
English Literature Course (3)
COM-106 or 206 Oral Communication/Public Speaking (3)
PHL-339 Medical Ethics (3)
ECO-211 or 212 Micro- or Macroeconomics (3)
MAT-211 or 212 Calculus I or II* (4)
MAT-215 Basic Statistics (3)
CHM-110,111 General Chemistry (8)
CHM-210, 211 Organic Chemistry (8)
BIO-111 Fundamentals of Biology (4)
BIO-201, 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, II (8)
BIO-340 Microbiology (4)
BIO-239 Genetics (4)
PHY-101 or 102 General Physics I or II* (4)
Social Sciences (6)
IDS-100 First-Year Seminar (3)
* MAT-212 and PHY-102 are required to complete the chemistry major
Plus three elective credits from religious studies, fine arts, humanities, languages, business or interdisciplinary studies, excluding science, mathematics, physical education or health care courses. A list of recommended elective courses may be obtained from the pre-pharmacy program coordinator. (3)
Note: Transfer students intending to apply to Notre Dame School of Pharmacy should check with the Notre Dame School of Pharmacy office of admissions to determine if science courses taken at community colleges will meet prerequisite requirements. It is unlikely that Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology at community colleges will meet the pre-requisite requirements, and applicants must take the courses at Notre Dame.
Earning a B.A. in Preparation for a Pharm.D. Degree
Students may decide to complete a degree in chemistry or biology and then apply to pharmacy school to pursue a Pharm.D. degree (appropriate pharmacy admission prerequisites are taken). This option allows the student to present a strong application and provides a second degree. Many applicants to Pharm.D. programs hold an undergraduate degree—students may improve their prospects for admission by using this option and it provides additional career paths. To complete an undergraduate degree in chemistry or biology, students should take the following courses in the first semester: BIO-111, CHM-110, ENG-101, IDS-100, MAT-211. See the chemistry and biology department sections for other information and options.
The Accelerated 3+4 Year B.A.-Pharm.D. Program
Program Description
The departments of biology and chemistry, together with the School of Pharmacy, provide an accelerated 3 + 4 year undergraduate - professional school education leading to the B.A. in biology or chemistry and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degrees. This program consists of three years of coursework in the Women's College (approximately 104 credits for biology majors or 114 credits for chemistry majors), followed by a four-year professional curriculum of pharmacy (146 credits) in the School of Pharmacy.
Undergraduate Requirements for the B.A. in Biology or Chemistry-Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program
Students who enter this program upon admission to Notre Dame must be matriculated biology or chemistry majors in the School of Arts and Sciences. Students must complete the following courses with a minimum grade of 'C' for each course, an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and a science GPA of at least 3.0.
B.A. in Biology Coursework
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | |||
| CHM-110 | 4 | CHM-111 | 4 |
| BIO-111 | 4 | BIO-239 Genetics | 4 |
| MAT-211 Calculus | 4 | RST-201 | 3 |
| IDS-100 | 3 | LSP-101 | 3 |
| ENG-101 | 3 | COM-106 | 3 |
| [18 credits] | [17 credits] | ||
| Second year | |||
| CHM-210 | 4 | CHM-211 | 4 |
| BIO-201 Human Anatomy & Physiology | 4 | BIO-202 Human Anatomy & Physiology | 4 |
| PHY-101 | 4 | PHY-102 | 4 |
| LSP-102 | 3 | LSP-103 | 3 |
| PHL-201 | 3 | ECO-211/212 | 3 |
| [18 credits] | [18 credits] | ||
| Third year | |||
| BIO-340 Microbiology | 4 | BIO-300/400* | 4 |
| RST-Upper Level | 3 | MAT-215 Statistics | 3 |
| English Literature | 3 | PHL-330 or PHL-339 | 3 |
| PED (not transferable to SOP) | 1 | Fine Arts | 3 |
| PSY/POL or SOC | 3 | PSY/POL or SOC | 3 |
| History | 3 | [16 credits] | |
| [17 credits] |
*In the third year, students must take one additional upper division (300/400) biology course in either the fall or spring semester.
B.A. in Chemistry Coursework
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | |||
| CHM-110 | 4 | CHM-111 | 4 |
| BIO-111 | 4 | BIO-239 Genetics | 4 |
| MAT-211 Calculus | 4 | MAT-212 | 4 |
| IDS-100 | 3 | LSP-101 | 3 |
| ENG-101 | 3 | COM-106 | 3 |
| [18 credits] | [18 credits] | ||
| Second year | |||
| CHM-210 | 4 | CHM-211 | 4 |
| BIO-201 Human Anatomy & Physiology | 4 | BIO-202 Human Anatomy & Physiology | 4 |
| PHY-101 | 4 | PHY-102 | 4 |
| LSP-102 | 3 | LSP-103 | 3 |
| PHL-201 | 3 | ECO-211/212 | 3 |
| [18 credits] | [18 credits] | ||
| Third year | |||
| BIO-340 Microbiology | 4 | MAT-215 Statistics | 3 |
| English Literature | 3 | PHL-330 or 339 | 3 |
| PED (not transferable to SOP) | 1 | History | 3 |
| PSY/POL or SOC | 3 | PSY/POL or SOC | 3 |
| CHM-350 Chemical Literature | 1 | CHM-450 Chemistry Seminar | 1 |
| CHM-301, 302, or 303 | 4 | CHM-305 Instrumental | 4 |
| [16 credits] | [17 credits] | ||
| Summer | |||
| First year | |||
| Fine Arts | 3 | ||
| Second year | |||
| RST-201 | 3 | ||
| Third year | |||
| RST Upper Level | 3 |
Students may need to complete coursework during the summer to fulfill program requirements.
Program Entrance, Standing, Admission to the School of Pharmacy, and Granting of the B.A. Degree
A student is eligible for enrollment in the B.A. -Pharm.D. program if she:
- is an incoming first-year student (transfer students will not be
accepted into the B.A.-Pharm.D. program)
- scores a minimum of 550 each on the Critical Reading and
Mathematics portions of the SAT, or earns a minimum ACT score of 24
- at the time of her application to the undergraduate program,
submits her high school academic transcript and an essay for
B.A.-Pharm.D. program committee review.
Prospective Women's College students apply to the program via the Notre Dame undergraduate admission procedure. They indicate their interest in the program on their application and present the required application materials. Qualified students are admitted to the program prior to their first year of study.
While in the program, each student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.0 while meeting course grade requirements. The pre-pharmacy program coordinator oversees student progress with the assistance of the pre-pharmacy program committee. If a student's grades fall below minimum standards for the program, the student will be removed from the B.A.-Pharm.D. program and will be allowed to continue in the undergraduate program at Notre Dame (provided the student meets the academic standards.)
Admission requirements to the School of Pharmacy are set and administered by the School of Pharmacy. Students admitted into the 3 + 4 program and meeting all program requirements will receive an interview as part of final admission into the School of Pharmacy. Students who meet program requirements and pass the interview will be admitted to the School of Pharmacy. Students entering the School of Pharmacy will be subject to all policies and procedures of the program outlined in the School of Pharmacy Handbook and Catalog.
Students in the B.A.-Pharm.D. program who have successfully completed 36 credits in the School of Pharmacy first-year professional curriculum will be granted their Bachelor of Arts in biology or chemistry upon completion of the following courses:
First-Year School of Pharmacy Course of Study
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PHRD-300: Foundations for Pharmacy Practice | 2 | PHRD-306: Pharmacist Care Lab II | 2 |
| PHRD-301: Pharmaceutical Calculations | 1bc | PHRD-308: Developing the Leader Within | 2 |
| PHRD-302: Pharmacy & the U.S. Health Care System | 3 | PHRD-309: Immunology | 3bc |
| PHRD-303: Pharmaceutics I & Lab | 4bc | PHRD-310: Care of Diverse Populations | 3 |
| PHRD-304: Pharmacist Care Lab I | 2 | PHRD-311: Pharmaceutics II & Lab | 4bc |
| PHRD-305: Biochemistry | 4bc | PHRD-312: Pharmacy Practice Management | 3 |
| PHRD-307: Applied Biomedical Sciences Workshop | 3bc | [17 credits] | |
| [19 credits] |
bCourses credited towards a B.A. in Biology
cCourses credited towards a B.A. in Chemistry
Applying to Pharmacy School
Students apply to pharmacy school directly or by using the PharmCAS application (see www.PharmCas.org). The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) is taken early in the second year of the pre-pharmacy program (if the student is pursuing an undergraduate degree, the PCAT may be taken at a later time). Students are responsible for learning about the Pharm.D. program of study and admission requirements of the schools to which they will apply. A committee letter or individual letters of recommendation are needed as well as an interview. Experiential learning in pharmacy-related activities is an important part of the path to pharmacy school.
The School of Pharmacy at Notre Dame will guarantee interviews to up to 15 students each year from the Women's College pre-pharmacy program and 20 students from the B.A.-Pharm.D. Program.
To be considered for Notre Dame School of Pharmacy admission, the student must:
- Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum 3.3 GPA in
pre-pharmacy courses with all pre-pharmacy/science courses carrying
a grade of C or higher
- Earn a composite score on the Pharmacy College Admissions Test
(PCAT) at the 70th percentile or higher
- Successfully complete an admissions interview.
The pre-pharmacy program coordinator and the School of Pharmacy
director of admissions can describe this opportunity.