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College of Pharmacy

academic programs

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Overview | Admission Requirements | Curriculum | Experiential Opportunities | Careers

Admission Requirements

You can apply to the Pharm.D. program at URI in one of two ways: most of our students come to us directly from high school, through application to the 0 to 6 program, but we also admit a small number of transfer students each year.

For general information about admission, financial aid, and applying to URI, please visit the Office of Admission website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Admission to the 0 - 6 Program

Academic Requirements
Each admission candidate is given individual consideration. However, a minimum of 18 units of college (secondary school) preparatory work are expected:

  • 4 in English
  • 3 in algebra and plane geometry
  • 2 in a physical or natural science
  • 2 in history or social science
  • 2 in the same foreign language
  • 5 Additional units, to total 18

Successful candidates typically have high grades in science and mathematics, do well in SATs, and often have earned advanced placement or college credit while in high school.

Selection Factors

The Admission Office carefully evaluates each candidate’s strength in the following areas:

  • High School Transcript including the rigor of the high school curriculum and academic performance
  • Standardized Test Scores (only SAT or ACT results are reviewed)
  • Personal Essay (including an additional paragraph required of all Pharmacy applicants – details are available on the application)
  • Letters of Recommendation (a minimum of two letters are required: one from a science or math teacher and one from a guidance counselor or a teacher from another subject area)
  • Extracurricular Activities (including employment experiences) and unique talents

Pharmacy applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all of their application materials by the Early Action deadline. The Admission Committee makes every effort to notify pharmacy applicants of their admission status by January 31.

Requirements For Progression to the Professional Program
Students who are admitted to the 0-6 Pharm.D. program spend the first two years enrolled in University College. During this time they are required to take all the pharmacy pre-requisite courses and the majority of the courses needed to meet the University’s general education requirement. Students may then progress to the College of Pharmacy providing they meet all the progression requirements. The progression process is initiated after the third semester in University College. Progression to the College of Pharmacy is dependent upon students meeting the following requirements.

Academic Standards
  • Students must have completed 45 credits and have an overall grade point average >2.0
  • Students must have completed to following courses with a grade point average of at least 2.5 and no grade lower than C-:
    • BIO 101, 121, 242, 244
    • CHM 101,102.112, 114, 227
    • MTH 131
    • MIC 201
  • Students must have completed ECN 201, WRT 106, COM 100 and PHL 212

Successful candidates must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.50 in remaining prerequisite courses (CHM 226, 228: STA 307; and BCH 311).  Unsuccessful students, identified at the end of the third and fourth semesters, will lose their place in the professional program. Students who lose their place in this manner may re-take courses to try to meet the academic requirements and reapply as internal transfer students to the first professional year of the Pharm.D. program. These students must meet all the requirements for transfer students as outlined below and will compete with internal and external transfer students for a place in the professional program.

You must be able to meet the requirements for a pharmacy intern license and certain introductory and advance practice sites also require you to undergo a criminal background check and submitt to drug testing. You will also be expected to meet the Technical Standards and to adhere to the Professional Standards of Behavior.

Interview
During their sophomore year, you will be required to have a formal interview. The student’s progression to the professional program will be contingent upon a successful interview. The interview is designed to assess students‘commitment to the profession of pharmacy, knowledge of the profession and ability to communicate with patients.


Transfer Student Admission

The University accepts a very limited number of transfer students to the first professional year of the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. Because of the integrated nature of the curriculum, there is no opportunity for admission to the professional program for students with advanced standing beyond the beginning of the first professional year.

Transfer Updates:

For the spring of 2013, fall of 2013, spring 2014 and fall of 2014 semesters, please note that the University is not accepting transfer applications for the Doctorate of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program.

advising resources

Resources for current Pharm.D. students

degree programs

Doctor of Pharmacy

B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Graduate and Joint Programs