Pharmacist

Pharmacists are medication experts who play a critical role in helping people get the best results from their medications. Pharmacists prepare and dispense prescriptions, and counsel patients on the safe use of medications.

Clemson University prepares students for application to a three- or four-year doctor of pharmacy degree program. Pre-pharmacy is not a degree-granting major. Therefore, you must choose a degree-granting major (and minor, if appropriate) if you plan to complete a bachelor’s degree at Clemson prior to attending pharmacy school.

Pharmacy schools do not discriminate among the different disciplines from which you may choose, meaning that you can and should choose the curriculum that interests you most and excel. Students can alternatively choose to complete prerequisite courses without regard to a particular degree’s curriculum and matriculate after two or three years of undergraduate coursework. Students who complete courses outlined in the pre-pharmacy program are eligible to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in pre-professional studies upon completion of their first year at an accredited pharmacy school.

What is Competitive?

Admissions criteria vary by institution and should be verified individually. According to American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy data, a competitive applicant for admission to the South Carolina College of Pharmacy doctor of pharmacy program has an average grade point average of 3.6, enrolling a third of applicants. National aggregate data is not accessible at this time.

Core Preparation Courses

Requirements vary by institution and should be verified. Students planning to pursue a degree in pharmacy should expect to take the following courses:

• Introductory Biology: BIOL 1030 and BIOL 1050; and BIOL 1040 and BIOL 1060 or BIOL 1100 and BIOL 1110.
• Introductory Chemistry: CH 1010 and CH 1020.
• Organic Chemistry: CH 2230 and CH 2270, and CH 2240 and 2280.
• Anatomy and Physiology: BIOL 2220 and BIOL 2230, or BIOL 3150 and BIOL 3160.
• Physics: PHYS 1220 and PHYS 1240 and PHYS 2210 and PHYS 2230; or PHYS 2070 and PHYS 2090 and PHYS 2080 and PHYS 2100.
• Microbiology: MICR 3050.
• Sociology: SOC 2010.
• Psychology: PSYC 2010.
• Calculus: MATH 1020 or MATH 1060.
• Economics: ECON 2000 or ECON 2110 or ECON 2120.
• Statistics: STAT 2300.
• Composition: ENGL 1030.
• Literature: ENGL 2000-level coursework.
• Communication: COMM 1500 or COMM 2500.
• Liberal arts electives: See specific school requirements.