- About the Program
- Admissions
- Admissions Overview
- Policies and Disclosures
- Estimated Annual Cost of Attendance
- Application Process
- Application Process Overview
- Step 1: Minimum Eligibility Requirements
- Step 2: The Application
- Step 3: Interview Process
- Step 4: After Applying
- Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Information Sessions
- UCSF Visits You
- Applying Without U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status
- Post-Baccalaureate Program
- Student Life
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Academic Prerequisites
In order to be eligible for admission, you must satisfactorily complete a minimum total of 88 quarter units (equivalent to 59 semester units) of academic course work at another college. Our prerequisites are a part of this required minimum number of units.
You may be in the process of completing the prerequisites when you submit the application, but all prerequisites must be satisfactorily completed by July 1 of the year of entry into the program.
Overview of academic prerequisites
COVID-19 info for 2021 applicants
Pass/Fail grades
UCSF School of Pharmacy does not have a policy regarding pass/fail grades. We have always dealt with this issue/question on a case-by-case-basis. At this time, we will accept pass/fail grades, without prejudice, for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has always been our practice to consider grades in the context of numerous other aspects of the application, and an international crisis certainly provides a unique and compelling context. We are cognizant of the fact that some undergraduate schools are providing an option for students to take courses either for grades or on a Pass/Fail basis. We want to be explicit that applicants should not feel pressured by UCSF School of Pharmacy to choose the graded option, nor do you need our approval. Students and their families are facing many challenges at the moment. The pressure for grades need not be one of them.
Online courses/labs
Many undergraduate schools have moved to online instruction during the pandemic. UCSF School of Pharmacy will accept online courses/labs if they are offered by the school at which the candidate was enrolled prior to the current crisis. For students who are beyond undergraduate school, we will accept online courses/labs undertaken to meet prerequisites regardless of the institution, as long as it is regionally-accredited. If you are uncertain about the suitability of your specific plans, please contact us at [email protected] prior to enrolling in the course.
One semester unit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter units. To convert semester units to quarter units, multiply the semester units by 1.5.
Min qtr units |
Subject |
Must include |
More info |
---|---|---|---|
12 |
General Chemistry |
1 year of lecture and lab |
|
12 |
Organic Chemistry |
1 year of lecture and lab |
|
12 |
Biology |
1 lab |
|
4 |
Physiology |
mammalian (whole animal or human) |
|
4 |
Microbiology |
1 course in microbiology including lab |
|
4 |
Calculus |
1 course in calculus |
|
4 |
Statistics |
1 course in statistics |
|
8 |
English |
2 courses in college composition |
|
28 |
Humanities and/or Social Sciences Course Work |
1 course in economics (macro- or micro-), and |
|
1 course in public speaking or debate, and |
|
||
1 course in psychology, sociology, or cultural anthropology, and |
|
||
courses in the humanities and/or social sciences |
|
||
88 quarter units total |
Course substitutions
We rarely accept petitions for course substitutions.
These are minimum units only
The number of units listed above is the minimum number of units required in each subject area. There are several factors that are used to determine if a course, or series of courses, may be used to fulfill a prerequisite. As such, in order to fulfill the content requirement of a prerequisite subject area, some applicants may be required to complete more than the number of units listed.
Why must I verify prerequisite course work?
The descriptors provided for the prerequisites are only some of the factors considered to determine if a course is acceptable to meet a prerequisite. When fulfilling these prerequisites with course work from your college or university, there may be differences in the names of courses, the number of courses you are required to take, and the number of units you must complete.
The only absolute way to ensure that you are taking course work that will meet these prerequisites is to only take course work approved by the Office of Student and Curricular Affairs.
How to verify prerequisite course work
To determine if you’ve met our prerequisites, see Verifying Your Prerequisite Course Work.
More on this topic in our admissions director’s blog
Although not required reading, you’ll find additional comments in Humanities & Social Sciences, a blog post by Admissions Director Joel W. Gonzales.