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 of Study, students may need to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and will 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 Program 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
Notre Dame of Maryland University reserves the right to revise the curriculum at any time when deemed necessary and to apply such revisions to registered and accepted students and to new admissions.
Requirement of 74 credits are as follows:
Plus three elective credits (3) from religious studies, fine arts, humanities, languages, business or interdisciplinary studies, excluding science, mathematics, physical education or health care courses. See Below.
* MAT-212 and PHY-102 are required to complete the Chemistry Major.
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.
Recommended Elective Courses in the Pre-pharmacy Curriculum
BA 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 complete the following courses in the first semester: BIO-111, CHM-110, ENG-101, NDMU-100, MAT-211. See the Chemistry and Biology department sections for other information and options.
Earning a BA 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 complete the following courses in the first semester: BIO-111, CHM-110, ENG-101, NDMU-100, MAT-211. See the Chemistry and Biology department sections for other information and options.
Program Entrance, Standing, Admission to the School of Pharmacy, and Granting of the BA Degree
Applying to the BA-Pharm.D. Program of Study is a two step process—one application is filed for admission to the University and a supplemental application for acceptance into the accelerated program.
A student is eligible for application to the BA-Pharm.D. program if she:
- Is an incoming first year student or a first year NDMU student in their fall semester (no transfer students accepted),
- Scored a minimum of 550 each on the Critical Reading and Mathematics portions of the SAT, or earned a minimum ACT score of 24, and,
- Submits a copy of high school transcripts, NDMU midterm grades (if applicable), and essay to the B.A.-Pharm.D. Program Committee.
Prospective traditional undergraduate students should apply to the Program via the Notre Dame undergraduate admission procedure. They can 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 or during the fall semester of their 1st year.
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 placed on probation for a period of one semester and will be removed from the Program if she does not return to the specified GPA requirements. Students dismissed from the Program will be allowed to continue in the traditional Pre-pharmacy Studies 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. Each student enrolled in the B.A.-Pharm.D. program will complete the application for admission to the School of Pharmacy, and will be granted a guaranteed seat if the following criteria are met and process followed:
- Complete an application to the School of Pharmacy through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) by the deadline indicated in the SOP admissions information.
- Earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Complete an interview with a favorable outcome and fulfillment of other specified requirements.
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 37 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:
Accelerated 3+4 Year BA-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 of Study consists of three years of coursework in the traditional undergraduate program (approximately 104 credits for Biology majors or 114 credits for Chemistry majors), followed by a four-year professional curriculum of Pharmacy (147 credits) in the School of Pharmacy.
Undergraduate Requirements for the BA in Biology or Chemistry-Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program
Students who enter this Program of Study upon admission to Notre Dame must be matriculated Biology or Chemistry Majors in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. 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. Additional requirements are outlined below.
BA in Biology Coursework
BA in Chemistry Coursework
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 BA Degree
Applying to the BA-Pharm.D. Program of Study is a two step process—one application is filed for admission to the University and a supplemental application for acceptance into the accelerated program.
A student is eligible for application to the BA-Pharm.D. program if she:
- Is an incoming first year student or a first year NDMU student in their fall semester (no transfer students accepted),
- Scored a minimum of 550 each on the Critical Reading and Mathematics portions of the SAT, or earned a minimum ACT score of 24, and,
- Submits a copy of high school transcripts, NDMU midterm grades (if applicable), and essay to the B.A.-Pharm.D. Program Committee.
Prospective traditional undergraduate students should apply to the Program via the Notre Dame undergraduate admission procedure. They can 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 or during the fall semester of their 1st year.
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 placed on probation for a period of one semester and will be removed from the Program if she does not return to the specified GPA requirements. Students dismissed from the Program will be allowed to continue in the traditional Pre-pharmacy Studies 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. Each student enrolled in the B.A.-Pharm.D. program will complete the application for admission to the School of Pharmacy, and will be granted a guaranteed seat if the following criteria are met and process followed:
- Complete an application to the School of Pharmacy through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) by the deadline indicated in the SOP admissions information.
- Earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a science GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Complete an interview with a favorable outcome and fulfillment of other specified requirements.
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 37 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:
Applying to Pharmacy School
All applicants must submit an application both through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS.org) and some schools require an additional School of Pharmacy Supplemental Application. Some schools also require the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and it is taken in the third or early fourth year of the Pre-pharmacy Program. 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 traditional undergraduate pre-pharmacy 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
- Successfully complete an admissions interview.
The Pre-pharmacy Program Coordinators and the School of Pharmacy Director of Admissions can describe this opportunity.