Admission Requirements & Procedures

E-mail: pharmapp@unthsc.edu
Phone: 817-735-2684
Website: http://www.hsc.unt.edu/education/scp/default.cfm
Physical Location: Education and Administration Building (EAD), Room 247

Admission into the UNT System College of Pharmacy (SCP) is selective.  Student enrollment is set at 100.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) program, an applicant must have participated in the competitive admissions process and must have completed the required coursework outlined below. The minimum overall grade point average (GPA) required for consideration for admission is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. The minimum Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) composite score required for consideration for admission is 40.  All enrolled students must meet the program’s minimum Health and Technical Standards to participate in the program.

The minimum prerequisite coursework requirements cannot be waived and must be completed or in progress by the posted admissions deadline(s) from regionally-accredited U.S. colleges or universities. Prerequisite coursework must be satisfied with a grade of “C” or higher (2.0 on a 4.0 scale). A single course cannot be used simultaneously to meet more than one course prerequisite. All coursework completed by the applicant will be considered in the admissions process.

Qualified applicants will be provisionally admitted to the SCP pending submission of a satisfactory criminal background check, which is administered by a private company and is coordinated by Student Services.  Any provisionally admitted applicant who has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, a felony offense will not be admitted to the SCP, since he/she would not be eligible to rotate in community and hospital pharmacies as a pharmacy student. In addition to the criminal background check, students will also have a urine drug screen and an employment verification done prior to matriculation and on a yearly basis thereafter. 

Course Prerequisites

Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) Examination

All applicants are required to take the PCAT within the past three years. The PCAT is administered several times per month in January, July, September, October, and November each year. The PCAT consists of five subtests that contain multiple choice questions (Verbal Ability, Biology, Chemistry, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Ability), plus two subtests of writing samples. Information about the PCAT may be accessed online at www.pcatweb.info/ or at health career advisors’ offices on most academic campuses.

Admissions Procedures

Primary Application

Applicants are required to submit their applications for admission to the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) online at www.pharmcas.org. Applications must be submitted by November 3 of the year prior to matriculation. To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the minimum academic requirements. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or have permanent U.S. resident status. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, as well as an official PCAT score, must be submitted to PharmCAS. Three letters of recommendation are required and should be written by individuals who are familiar with the applicant’s suitability for pharmacy school, such as a faculty member or advisor or a pharmacist supervisor. A letter from a health professions advisory committee will count as two letters of recommendation. Letters from family members or friends will not be accepted. All letters of recommendation must be submitted to PharmCAS using the required format.

Secondary Application

The SCP requires completion of its own web-based secondary application. This application is completed and submitted electronically through a link on the website at https://apps.unthsc.edu/PharmApp. It must be submitted by November 3 of the year prior to matriculation.

Interviews

Selected applicants will be invited for interview at the University of North Texas Health Science Center campus, located in Fort Worth. In addition to interviewing, applicants will have an opportunity to meet with a member of the SCP leadership team and tour the campus.

Selection Factors

The PharmD Admissions Committee seeks applicants who are academically qualified to progress through the curriculum and who show promise of becoming skilled pharmacy professionals. Although an applicant’s entire academic record is considered, this alone does not ensure acceptance. Evidence of personal integrity, maturity, creativity, motivation, dedication, and the ability to work with others are additional factors that will be considered. These qualities and attitudes are evaluated by several means, including letters of reference, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities (including work and volunteer experience), the scope and breadth of prior education and through the interview process. Ability to communicate effectively both in verbal and written format will be considered in the interview and from the PCAT writing sample score, respectively. Motivation to become a pharmacist and prior pharmacy experience will also be considered.

Committee Evaluation of Applicants

Admissions Committee members will rate each applicant as acceptable or unacceptable. Committee scores will be assigned to each acceptable applicant, in order to rank applicants for admission. Scores are assigned to the cognitive (0 - 5) and non-cognitive (0 - 5) values of each applicant; decimal values may be given. Each applicant’s score is the mean of the among those committee members who scored the applicant. Applicants accepted by the committee will be submitted to the Dean for final approval. Approved applicants will be placed on an acceptance list in rank order based on committee scores. The following variables are assessed when an applicant is scored:

*Contribution to the diversity of the class includes race, ethnicity, or any other unique personal life experience(s), including but not limited to experience abroad, foreign language skills, overcoming adversities and hardships, community service, or previous career experience that will enhance the educational environment of the SCP.

Admissions Notification Process

Students will be notified of an acceptance on a rolling basis by May 1 of the matriculating year. Additional students will be accepted according to rank order by the SCP Admissions Committee. If necessary, students will be accepted through orientation week, approximately the second week of August.

Admission in Advanced Standing (Transfer)

Students enrolled in Colleges or Schools of Pharmacy may apply for advanced standing in the SCP. Candidates must have valid reasons for transfer, have good academic standing in their home institution, meet all requirements of admission into the SCP, and be eligible for continuation. Admission is competitive and depends upon availability of space in the professional year of placement.

Requirements

• Complete the application for transfer form at: http://web.unthsc.edu/info/20007/unt_system_college_of_pharmacy/3015/transfer_proces
• Cite special circumstances for transfer
• Arrange for the Dean or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the home institution to submit a letter attesting to the applicant’s good standing in the program and his or her eligibility to continue in the program

Applicants must complete the preliminary requirements by October 1 of the year prior to matriculation.

A committee of the Dean, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Admissions Director will consider the transfer form, and the Office of Admissions will notify the applicant of the decision.

If approved, the applicant must then meet the following requirements:

• Complete the primary and secondary application as described under Admissions Procedures above
• Agree to complete all math and science prerequisites for the College of Pharmacy by the date of matriculation
• Agree to complete all general course prerequisites by the scheduled graduation date from the college

Applicants for transfer who fulfill the criteria described above will be invited for an interview.After the applicant has interviewed, the application and interview results will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee, which will then make a recommendation to the Dean.The Dean will determine whether to admit or deny the transfer applicant.The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will determine the professional year of placement for the admitted applicant based on a curriculum comparison.