Admission Requirements
Upon satisfactory completion of the pre-pharmacy coursework at either the University of Houston (UH) or another accredited university or college, students must submit to PharmCAS, an application to the UH PharmD program, scores from the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), and three letters of reference: one from an advisor, committee, or professor, a second from a U.S.A. registered pharmacist, and a third letter may be from an employer, supervisor, pharmacist or academic reference. A minimum of twenty-five (25) volunteer/community service hours are also required for admission. Applicants must complete all prepharmacy prerequisite coursework prior to enrolling. An applicant may be in the process of completing the prerequisite coursework and still apply. Visit the University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP) website.
Students may apply to UHCOP via the PharmCAS portal in one of two methods: Early Decision and Regular Decision. Early Decision applicants must submit a completed PharmCAS application and UHCOP supplemental application by the Early Decision application deadline: September 2. Early Decision applicants will be informed of admissions decisions by late-October. The Regular Decision deadline is December 1, and students will be informed of admissions decisions starting in November. The college only admits students in the fall semester of each year. In deciding on admission to the PharmD program, the Admissions and Progressions Committee will carefully evaluate the following: grades earned in pre-pharmacy courses, scores on the PCAT, letters of reference, volunteer/community service, personal statements, results of a personal interview, and a teamwork assessment. A list of the applicant’s honors, awards, and extracurricular activities will also be reviewed.
The college currently has two prepharmacy cooperative programs. Visit following links to find out information about the prepharmacy cooperative programs at Lamar University (http://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/prospective-students/prepharmacy/lamar-cooperative/index.php) and Stephen F Austin State University (http://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/prospective-students/prepharmacy/sfa-cooperative/index.php).
Rationale
All students admitted into the University of Houston College of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to participate in pharmacy practice experiences for graduation. Many hospitals and other health care organizations operating under the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) are requiring criminal background checks and/or drug screenings for all individuals who have direct contact with patients, including pharmacy students placed in early/introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) and/or advanced clinical pharmacy practice experience (APPE) assignments at these sites. As a result of these requirements, a student with disqualifying criminal conviction(s) and/or drug screening results may be prevented from undertaking clinical rotations that are required to complete the pharmacy program at the University of Houston.
Academic Policies for the Pharm.D. Professional Program
Health Insurance
All students admitted into the Doctor of Pharmacy program are requi4red to carry and maintain health insurance coverage while enrolled in the program. The UH College of Pharmacy does not endorse any specific carrier and student can either purchase health insurance through the University of Houston or provide proof of comparable insurance through an outside provider. Students must maintain health insurance coverage by a policy that meets or exceeds the coverage provide by the student health insurance offered through the University of Houston.
Immunization
Pharmacy students are enrolled in health-related courses that involve patient contact; therefore, they must comply with the immunization requirements outlined in Title 25, health Services, Chapter 97, Section 97.61.97.72 of the Texas Administrative Code and must be current as part of their admission requirements and continued enrollment. Specifically, the following immunizations are required: tetanus/diphtheria with acellular pertussis (Tdap) once and within the past 10 years [If Tdap was received greater than 10 years prior, then tetanus/diphtheria must be completed within the past 10 years], rubeola (common measles), rubella (German measles), mumps, and varicella (chicken pox). Although not required of pharmacy students by Title 25, the college requires the following immunizations: Hepatitis B, a negative TB skin test or chest x-ray and influenza. The negative TB test and influenza immunization test are required annually.
Texas State law mandates that all newly admitted and readmitted students under the age of 22 and all returning students under the age of 22 who have been out for one fall or spring semester must provide a certificate signed by a health care provider or an official immunization record verifying that they have been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis or have received a booster during the five years prior to registration.
International Students
International students or those students who wish to receive academic credit from a school/university outside of the U.S.A. must obtain an international transcript evaluation from the University of Houston. Guidelines for obtaining the University evaluation.
Transfer Students
Students who take their pre-pharmacy course requirements at other institutions should meet the curriculum requirements for pre-pharmacy as outlined in this section of the catalog. Students are encouraged to consult an academic adviser/counselor or seek other assistance at the college they are attending for assistance in selecting courses meeting the pre-pharmacy curriculum. The College of Pharmacy will determine the number of transferable credits according to regulations and policies existing at the time of the student’s enrollment.
Educational Program
Students entering the pharmacy professional program must meet the general requirements for a baccalaureate degree, including completion of university core curriculum requirements. See the Academic Regulations and Degree Requirements section of this catalog for details. Also visit the Pharmacy website.
Degree Requirements
The curriculum for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree includes a minimum 212 semester hours of college work, 139 semester hours of which must be pharmacy courses or the equivalent. Students with course credit for non-pharmacy courses similar to those courses in the professional program may petition for equivalency credit. The degree plan for the Pharm.D. program is shown below under the Pharmacy Course of Study. Students must complete three approved pharmacy elective courses greater than 6 credit hours. Three of the six pharmacy elective hours may be satisfied by completion of a special problems course (PHAR 5197 , PHAR 5297 , PHAR 5397 ). Any student may participate in a Special Topics course if they are in good academic standing in the College and have approval of a faculty member who will supervise their work. Approval is gained through completion of the Undergraduate General Petition form. To participate in a Special Topics course, the student must submit a proposal of the work that will be undertaken in this course to the faculty member at the start of the course and must submit a report at the end of the course indicating their accomplishments in the course. A copy of these reports will be placed in the student’s academic file. The student cannot be paid for the activities involved in the Special Topics course.
Pharmacy students are required to comply with all changes in the curriculum made subsequent to the year in which they matriculated. Deletions and additions of courses will be of approximately equal credit so that no student will have an overall appreciable increase of total credits required for graduation.
The college requires at least four years in residence in the professional program at the college of pharmacy for graduation. Students transferring from another school or college of pharmacy are required to complete at least the last 25% of semester hours of pharmacy and related work in residence at the University of Houston. If 25% includes a fraction of a semester hour, the requirement must be rounded up to the nearest whole number of semester hours.
Pharm.D. Curriculum
The Pharm.D. degree requires completion of a core curriculum. In accordance with senate Bill 148 passed by the 75th Texas Legislature in 1997 and with the recommendations and rules issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, specifically, Chapter 4, Subchapter B of the Rules and Regulations.
The University of Houston core curriculum guidelines offer a specific outline for the Pharm.D. degree plan at the University of Houston, including unique core requirements. Further information on core eligibility and on courses that satisfy core curriculum requirements can be obtained by consulting the core curriculum website.
Please contact an advisor if you have any questions about your degree requirements, or to obtain information about college advising appointments. You may send an e-mail to prepharmacyadvising@uh.edu.
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