Pre-Pharmacy

The Department of Biology in conjunction with the College of Pharmacy coordinates the university’s pre-pharmacy program. This two-year program of courses provides the necessary coursework to prepare a student to meet the requirements for admission to the four-year professional doctoral program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

The Department of Biology's mission has two distinct yet interdependent aspects: to provide major programs that prepare students for careers or advanced study in the biological sciences, and to provide courses for students whose programs require a sound understanding of the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology, ecology and evolution, and cell and molecular biology as a basis for future study in pharmacy, medical, nursing or therapy disciplines, and various field and ecology disciplines. The College of Pharmacy vision is to graduate Doctor of Pharmacy students and graduates that are compassionate, passion-centered caregivers. This pre-pharmacy program is designed to enable students to successfully matriculate into the Doctor of Pharmacy program at UNE.  

The College of Pharmacy in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences, through the Department of Biology, offers a two-year, undergraduate pre-pharmacy program on UNE's Biddeford Campus with opportunities for programs in the Pharmacy Building on the Portland Campus.  This pre-professional program will provide students with the minimum coursework required for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program.  The University's College of Pharmacy offers the Doctor of Pharmacy as the entry-level professional degree that will prepare students for careers as pharmacists and/or pharmaceutical scientists. Pre-pharmacy students also interact with the current professional students, faculty and staff in the College of Pharmacy.

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is awarded after successful completion of an additional four years of professional study. A minimum of two years of undergraduate pre-professional education is required for admission, followed by four years of professional graduate studies.

The four-year, professional program (Pharm.D.) is offered by the UNE College of Pharmacy and is located on UNE’s Portland Campus.  For more information about the Pharm. D. program, including admission requirements, please refer to the College of Pharmacy Web page.

The RX for Success Living learning community

All entering first year Pre-Pharmacy students are invited to participate in a year-long living learning community focused on discovery of the pharmacy profession, developing the skills needed to be a successful student and practitioner, and building relationships with peers, pharmacy students, faculty and professionals. 

Rx for Success integrates classroom learning, pharmacy focused experiential opportunities, as well as team building and leadership development programs designed to assist pre-pharmacy majors in their transitions from high school to college to career.    

Learning community courses and events are designed to also allow students an opportunity to expand their interests and grow personally, as well as professionally while maintaining a support system which includes a pharmacy advisor, pharmacy student mentors, and exposure to the field of pharmacy.  This community of learning enriches classroom content and allows an opportunity to apply that learning in the context of their field of interest in pharmacy.

Students who participate in Rx for Success are expected to:

• Live together in a residence hall community designated by the Office of Housing and Residence/Commuter Life.
• Take two or more designated courses in common over the course of their first year.
• Participate in required experiential learning opportunities and community programs.

Note: Some of the courses listed above may be waived with prior credit that meets UNE approved criteria as outlined in the academic catalog (i.e. AP examination scores or transfer credits from regionally accredited institutions of higher education).   Please also note that the pre-pharmacy course sequence is different from the traditional biochemistry undergraduate major course sequence. Students seeking to complete the bachelor of science degree in biology should review the Biology Program information located in the academic catalog at the time of admission.

• Students will be able to describe basic scientific information and concepts.
• Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in safe laboratory practices.
• Students will be able to clearly communicate scientific information in both oral and written forms.
• Students will be able to work collaboratively in various team settings.
• Students will be able to compete successfully for placement into the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

Transfer students are encouraged to apply to the University of New England. See University Undergraduate Admissions Requirements.

Advanced Placement Credit  

Students must achieve a score of 4 or better on an AP examination for credit to be counted as a prerequisite for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program.  This transfer policy applies to all College of Pharmacy prerequisite courses.  Regardless of total AP credit awarded, 48 credit hours of coursework post high school graduation must be completed to be eligible for admission into the Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

PRE-PHARMACY ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Preferred conditions for entry into the pre-pharmacy program are completion of at least three years of high school mathematics and three years of high school science, including biology, chemistry and physics.  See Undergraduate Admissions requirements.

PHARMACY (PHARM. D.) PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Students interested in applying for admission to the professional pharmacy program (Pharm. D. program) in the University of New England's College of Pharmacy will need to complete successfully a minimum of 58 credit hours of specific undergraduate level courses.  Additional admission requirements for the professional pharmacy program are required and prospective students should contact the College of Pharmacy for additional information.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.