School of Pharmacy
Founded in 1878, the School of Pharmacy is the oldest of the University’s schools of the health professions. Since its inception, the School of Pharmacy has been at the forefront of changes in pharmacy education. Today, the school offers a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, a six-year program configured in a course of study requiring two years (62 credits) of preprofessional courses taken during the freshman and sophomore years followed by four years in the School of Pharmacy’s professional program.
The professional curriculum emphasizes problem solving and critical thinking, blending classroom and laboratory learning with clinical practice experiences. As students progress through the curriculum, they develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to deliver pharmaceutical care to their patients.
Students who enroll in the school’s graduate program may earn a Master of Science or PhD degree. The graduate program provides education and training in the design and implementation of basic and clinical studies related to the discovery, development, and clinical use of drugs. Students who have earned a professional pharmacy degree and wish to pursue a career in clinical research may enroll in an intensive clinical scientist training program.
The school is dedicated to maximizing human health and well-being by preparing pharmacists to be lifelong learners, by providing pharmaceutical care, by developing innovative practice models, and by advancing science through cutting-edge research.
Contact Information
- University of Pittsburgh
School of Pharmacy
904 Salk Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Admissions: 412-383-9000
rxschool@pitt.edu - www.pharmacy.pitt.edu
Admissions
The School of Pharmacy admits students to its programs under one of two statuses—conditional or open. Those two admission statuses are detailed below:
Conditional Admission
The School of Pharmacy does not admit freshmen directly to the professional program. However, the School offers conditional acceptance to a limited number of high school seniors who enroll at one of the University of Pittsburgh campuses.
Students who rank in the upper 10% of their graduating class and score 1300 or higher on the SAT I (Math and Critical Reading sections), with a minimum of 680 in the math section, and specify Pharmacy on the application will be offered the conditional acceptance.
Students should first submit an application to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, indicating an interest in studying pharmacy.
Beginning in September, the applications of students who meet these criteria will be reviewed, and offers of conditional admission will be extended to qualified students on a rolling basis as applications are received. Since only one half of the spaces in the pharmacy class will be allocated for this type of admission, the number of offers will be limited.
Students who receive the conditional admission are expected to perform well in their preprofessional courses. In order to secure a place in the PharmD Program, students must earn:
- a letter grade of a C or better in all preprofessional courses with no repeat of preprofessional courses
- a 3.25 or greater overall GPA in preprofessional courses
- a 3.25 or greater GPA in the required Math and Science courses
NOTE: Math and Science required courses must be taken at the University of Pittsburgh. (AP credits are acceptable)
To exercise the conditional admission, all applicants must:
- submit the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) scores
- submit a completed PharmCAS application and fee
- submit a completed Supplemental Application and fee
- participate in a satisfactory interview prior to School of Pharmacy Admission
NOTE: The average PCAT composite score for the last 5 years ranges from 76% to 80%.
Students who meet these performance criteria will be admitted into the PharmD Program.
Open Admission
All other students admitted to the program through open admission compete for remaining spaces in the class. The requirements to be considered a competitive applicant for the School of Pharmacy's professional program are:
- completion of the preprofessional requirements
- science GPA of at least 3.0
- submission of the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores
- submit a completed PharmCAS application and fee
- completion of a Supplemental Application and fee
- selected applicants will be required to participate in a satisfactory interview (Interviews are by invitation only)
NOTE: The average PCAT composite score for the last 5 years ranges from 76% to 80%.
More information about PharmCAS and deadlines for application can be found at www.pharmcas.org.
In previous years, approximately 10 to 20 percent of the class was composed of students who completed their preprofessional courses at other colleges.
Students applying for admission must apply through PharmCAS, the Web-based Pharmacy College Application Service.
All students interested in applying to the pharmacy program should also consult the Application for Admission section of this bulletin and the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Visit the School of Pharmacy Web site at www.pharmacy.pitt.edu.
Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences
The School of Pharmacy is committed to improving health through excellence, innovation, and leadership in education of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, in research and scholarship, in care of patients, and in service to our communities.
The School of Pharmacy awards the Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (BSPS) degree to students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree program after the completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. Typically, students will have completed the pre-professional component and the first four academic terms (semesters) of the nine-term (semester) PharmD program. Students are not enrolled into the BSPS program without admission to the PharmD program.
The school also offers graduate programs leading to an MS and a PhD.
For further information on the professional and graduate programs, see the School of Pharmacy—Graduate (PhD/MS) Program and First Professional Degree sections of the Graduate Bulletin.
Contact Information
School of Pharmacy
904 Salk Hall
Admissions: 412-383-9000
Fax: 412-383-9996
E-mail: rxschool@pitt.edu
www.pharmacy.pitt.edu