OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The courses listed in the table below are prerequisite courses and must be completed prior to starting the Pharm.D. courses in the Fall term. Students may submit their application with prerequisite coursework in-progress or planned.
All prerequisite courses must be graded and completed with a minimum of C- grade (1.7) on a 4.0 scale. Any prerequisite course that is a D+ or below must be retaken. Courses must be completed at an appropriately accredited college or university. Some colleges and universities do not use a letter grading system. We will accept from these schools on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Pharm.D. Admissions for more information.
To schedule an appointment with an advisor to discuss your prerequisite coursework, click here!
(Oregon State University courses that meet these prerequisites are listed for reference.)
| PREREQUISITE | OREGON STATE COURSES | TOPICS COVERED | NOTES |
| 1 year of General Chemistry with lab* | CH 231, CH 261, CH 232,CH 262, CH 233, and CH 263 |
Atomic and molecular structures, states of matter, stoichiometry of chemical reactions, periodicity, bonding, solutions, acids and bases, thermodynamics |
Most general chemistry sequences are a full year (3 quarters or 2 semesters). If a college offers a full sequence as a single semester or 2 quarters, this will still meet the requirements if all topics are covered. |
| 1 year of General Biology with lab* |
BI 221, BI 222, and BI 223 Previously BI 211, BI 212, and BI 213 |
Ecology, evolution, cell biology and structure, biology of organisms, genetics | Most general biology sequences are a full year (3 quarters or 2 semesters). If a college offers a full sequence as a single semester or 2 quarters, this will still meet the requirements if all topics are covered. |
| 1 year of Organic Chemistry with lab* | CH 331, CH 332, and CH 337 or CH 334, CH 335, CH 336, CH 361 and CH 362 |
Nomenclature, structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds |
Most organic chemistry sequences are a full year (3 quarters or 2 semesters). The lab sections can vary with a lab each semester or as a standalone quarter. |
| 1 course of Microbiology* | MB 302 |
Microorganism structure, physiology, genetics, growth, function, pathogenicity; effects on animals and environments. |
Microbiology courses that are included in an introductory biology series will not fulfill this prerequisite. |
| 1 course of Human Physiology* |
BI 331/341, BI 332/342, and BI 333/343 OR BI 231/241, 232/242, 233/243,OR BI 254, 255, 256 |
Basic physiological processes in humans from the cellular to the organismal level covering the major organ systems: nervous, motor, cardiovascular, respiratory, blood, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, immune and reproductive systems. |
If human physiology is part of an anatomy & physiology sequence, the whole sequence must be completed to fulfill the prerequisite. Lab is not required. Most students at OSU take the 300-level series for physiology and this series does require a lab. Students at OSU Cascades or Ecampus may take the appropriate 200-level series. |
| Course(s) of biochemistry with molecular biology* | BB 350 OR BB 450, BB 451 OR BB 490, BB 491, BB 492 | Structure and function of major biological molecules and macromolecules including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids; enzyme kinetics; ions; signaling; metabolic pathways; gene expression and regulation. |
It is rare that one course in Biochemistry fully covers the content required and Molecular Biology content covered in a General Biology series does not fulfill this requirement. A combination of courses can be used to ensure all required topics are covered for the biochemistry requirement. Please submit syllabi for review at pharmacy@oregonstate.edu. |
| 1 course of Calculus* | MTH 241 OR MTH 251 OR MTH 227 |
Differential calculus |
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| 1 course of Statistics* | ST 243Z (previously ST 201) OR ST 351 OR ST 352 |
Study design, descriptive statistics, the use of probability in statistical arguments, sampling, hypothesis tests and confidence intervals for means and proportions. |
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| 1 course of Public Health Care Delivery or Economics elective* | Examples: H 210 OR ECON 201 OR ECON 202 |
Perspectives in public healthcare delivery or economics. |
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1 course of Writing or English Composition |
Waived with a complete bachelor's degree. |
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1 course of Interpersonal Communication or Speech |
Waived with a complete bachelor's degree. | ||
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1 course of Social or Behavioral Science |
Sociology, psychology, queer studies, ethnic studies, or anthropology |
Waived with a complete bachelor's degree. |
The Prerequisite Science GPA is calculated as the application is processed. The courses with asterisks above are part of the Prerequisite Science GPA. When calculating prerequisite science GPA, the highest grade for the course, if there are repeats, will be used.
A bachelor’s degree is not required for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program. Students interested in pursuing a dual-degree are encouraged to complete a bachelor’s degree as it is a requirement for the OSU Graduate School. Dual-degree options are the Pharm.D.-Ph.D. and Pharm.D.-MBA.
We encourage all prospective students to contact the College of Pharmacy at pharmacy@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-3424 and speak with an advisor about prerequisite courses at your institution. If a particular course is not offered at your institution, an advisor may be able to suggest a substitute. Many questions about these prerequisites are addressed on the Frequently Asked Questions page.