Programs & Requirements

Degrees

Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD

The PharmD degree is a professional degree after 4 years of successful completion of pharmacy school. Some students may complete an additional 1-3 years of specialization through a residency or fellowship.  Not all schools require a Bachelor's degree, however all have a minimum number of credit hours, or at least 2 years of college, to accomplish before being accepted.  A license to practice pharmacy is required in all 50 states. To obtain a license, you must successfully complete an accredited PharmD program and pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).

A PharmD degree can also lead to further development and studies in pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical sciences, and pharmaceutical health policy and management.

Doctorate (PhD) or Master's (MS) in Pharmacy

The PhD degree is ideal for someone who wants to work as a pharmaceutical scientist dealing with basic or clinical research. A Master of Science in Pharmacy would prepare someone for leadership positions in health care. The M.S. and PhD in Pharmacy are academic research degrees, and do not qualify the recipient to be a pharmacy practitioner.

Some programs and schools allow you to obtain dual degress, for example a PharmD/PhD or PharmD/MS.

Schools in Alabama

Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy - PharmD - Auburn, AL

McWhorter School of Pharmacy Samford University - PharmD - Birmingham, AL

Course & GPA Requirements with a Bachelor's

If you apply to Pharmacy School with having a Bachelor's by the time you would start your pharmacy program, they will waive specificities in certain coursework, like specific histories, literature, etc. except:

Auburn and Samford still require the below courses as well as:

• Auburn requires the below courses and Ethics (you can take PHL 202 or PHL 315)
• Samford requires the below courses and Speech

Most schools have a minimum GPA of a 3.0, but to be a competitive student, we recommend a 3.5+ cumulative GPA.

The combination of the courses below will meet both requirements for Auburn and Samford.

Pre-requisites of the below courses are enforced.

• 8 hrs - General Biology I and II
• 8 hrs - General Chemistry I and II
• 6 hrs - Organic Chemistry I and II: Including lab work.
• 4 hrs - General Physics I
• 3 hrs - Microbiology
• 3 hrs - Biochemistry
• 3 hrs - Immunology
• 6 hrs - Mathematics - Calculus A and Statistics
• 3 hrs - Genetics
• 8 hrs - Anatomy & Physiology I and II

There is a lot more you can do to make your application stand out, click here to read more.

Course & GPA Requirements without a Bachelor's

If you apply to Pharmacy School without having a Bachelor's by the time you would start your pharmacy program, you must have other coursework, like specific histories, literature, etc.

Download the Auburn Admissions Guide and see the Auburn Specific UAH Course Equivalency lists pgs 1 and pg 2 to see what you must have.

Download the Samford Specific UAH Course Equivalency list to see what you must have.

The above courses support required and suggested coursework for Auburn and Samford. Please keep in mind this is a guideline and specific requirements differ greatly amongst various schools across the country.