Verifying Your Prerequisite Course Work

You can meet our academic prerequisites either with approved course work from an accredited college or university or, in some instances, with Advanced Placement tests. The links in this section describe in detail how to determine what does and doesn’t meet our prerequisites.

Verify course work taken at:

• a public California college or university
• a private or out-of-state college or university
• a foreign college or university
• Advanced Placement tests

As you can imagine, with the volume of applications we receive,

we are no longer able to create new or updated approved course lists for applicants entering the initial stage of our admissions process.

Instead, we ask that you use your best professional judgment to determine whether completed, in-progress, and planned coursework meets our academic prerequisite requirements. Academic Prerequisites helps you determine what courses are acceptable in meeting our requirements.

Our academic prerequisites are fairly easy to determine. For the most part, we align our requirements with a pre-med/health track. It’s not our intent to require obscure or unique courses to fulfill our requirements. When submitting your application, you should make your best professional judgment in completing the UCSF prerequisite requirement page in PharmCAS (which asks you to list courses that fulfill our requirements). We will conduct a complete academic review of those individuals who are admitted into the program. At that time we will determine whether specific courses satisfy our requirements.

More on this topic in our admissions director’s blog

​Although not required reading, you’ll find additional comments in Will this blog post fulfill your requirement?, a blog post by Admissions Director Joel W. Gonzales.

A public California college or university

This section describes how to obtain the approved course list for public institutions in California (University of California, California State University, California Community College).

What is an approved course list?

To determine what prerequisites you have and have not met, you need a document we provide called an approved course list, which matches each of our prerequisites with specific courses offered at your school that are approved to meet our prerequisites.

If more than one course is approved to fulfill a prerequisite, all options will be included on the approved course list. If a course is not listed on the approved course list, then it may not be used to meet prerequisites. We rarely accept petitions for course substitutions.

What do I do with it when I have it?

When you complete the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) Application for UCSF, you must account for all prerequisites by listing approved courses (or approved Advanced Placement credit) that you have completed, in progress, or planned.

What if I don’t account for all prerequisites?

If you don’t account for all prerequisites with approved course work, your application might be canceled.

How do I get an approved course list?

An approved course list for all public colleges and universities in California may be requested by contacting our office.

We keep these lists as current as we can. However, if a list shows courses from your college or university which have been permanently withdrawn or canceled and will no longer be offered, please contact us so that we can update it.

A private or out-of-state college or university

This section describes how to obtain the approved course list for private or out-of-state institutions.

What is an approved course list?

To determine what prerequisites you have and have not met, you need a document we provide called an approved course list, which matches each of our prerequisites with specific courses offered at your school that are approved to meet our prerequisites.

If more than one course is approved to fulfill a prerequisite, all options will be included on the approved course list. If a course is not listed on the approved course list, then it may not be used to meet prerequisites. We rarely accept petitions for course substitutions.

What do I do with it when I have it?

When you complete the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) Application for UCSF, you must account for all prerequisites by listing approved courses (or approved Advanced Placement credit) that you have completed, in progress, or planned.

What if I don’t account for all prerequisites?

If you don’t account for all prerequisites with approved course work, your application might be canceled.

How do I get an approved course list?

Approved course lists for the following private or out-of-state colleges and universities are available upon request by contacting our office.

Private California Colleges and Universities

• Azuza Pacific University
• Biola University
• California Institute of Technology
• California Lutheran University
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Concordia University
• Dominican College
• Harvey Mudd College
• Holy Names College
• Immaculate Heart College
• Judaism, University of
• La Sierra University
• LaVerne, University of
• Loyola Marymount University
• Marymount Palos Verdes
• Menlo College
• Mills College
• Mount St. Mary’s College
• National University
• New College
• Notre Dame, College of
• Occidental College
• Oxnard College
• Pacific Union College
• Pacific, University of
• Patton College
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Point Loma Nazarene
• Redlands, University of
• San Diego, University of
• San Francisco, University of
• Santa Clara University
• Scripps College
• Southern California, University of
• St. Mary’s College of California
• Stanford University
• Van Guard University of Southern California
• West Coast University
• Westmont College
• Whitman College
• Whittier College
• Woodbury University

Out-of-state colleges and universities

• Abilene Christian University
• Alabama, University of (Birmingham)
• Alabama, University of South
• Alaska, University of (Anchorage)
• Albertson College
• Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute
• Alma College
• Angelina College
• Anoka Ramsey Community College
• Aquinas College
• Arizona (Northern) University
• Arizona State University
• Arizona Western Community College
• Arizona, University of
• Arkansas, University of (Fayetteville)
• Augusta State University
• Austin Community College
• Barnard College
• Barry University
• Baylor University
• Bellevue Community College
• Bergen Community College
• Berry College
• Bishop State Community College
• Boise State University
• Boston College
• Boston University
• Bowie State College
• Bradley University
• Brandeis University
• Brevard Community College
• Brigham Young University (Hawaii)
• Brigham Young University (Utah)
• British Columbia, University of
• Brookdale Community College
• Brookhaven College
• Broward Community College
• Bryn Mawr
• Bucknell University
• Bucks Community College
• Bunker Hill Community College
• Carl Albert State College
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Carroll College
• Case Western Reserve University
• Catholic University
• Central College
• Chaminade University
• Cheyney University
• Chicago State University
• Chicago, University of
• Cincinnati, University of
• Clark College
• Clemson University
• Cleveland State University
• Colgate University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado State University
• Colorado, University of (Boulder)
• Colorado, University of (Denver)
• Columbia College (New York)
• Community College of Rhode Island
• Cooper Union
• Cornell University
• County College of Morris
• Craven Community College
• Creighton University
• CUNY- Baruch College
• CUNY- Hunter College
• CUNY- Lehman College
• CUNY- Queensborough Community College
• Cuyahoga Community College
• Dallas Community College
• Delaware Community College
• Delaware, University of
• Delgado Community College
• Dillard University
• Dominican University (Illinois)
• Duke University
• Dupage, College of
• El Paso Community College
• Emory University
• Faulkner State Community College
• Florida (North), University of
• Florida A&M University
• Florida Atlantic University
• Florida Community College at Jacksonville
• Florida International University
• Florida State University
• Florida, University of (Central)
• Florida, University of (South)
• Florida, University of
• Fort Valley State University
• Front Range Community College
• Gainesville State College (Georgia)
• George Mason University
• George Washington University
• Georgia (West) State University
• Georgia Highlands College
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Georgia Military College
• Georgia Perimeter College
• Georgia State University
• Georgia, University of
• Gonzaga University
• Gordon College
• Grambling State University
• Grand Rapids Community College
• Grand Valley State University
• Green River Community College
• Guam Community College
• Guam, University of
• Gwynedd-Mercy College
• Harding University
• Harvard University
• Haverford College
• Hawaii Pacific University
• Hawaii, University of (Hilo)
• Hawaii, University of (Manoa)
• Henderson State University
• Henry Ford Community College
• Hillsborough Community College
• Hinds Community College
• Hobart-William Smith College
• Hofstra University
• Honolulu Community College
• Hostos Community College
• Houston Baptist University
• Houston Community College
• Houston, University of
• Howard Community College
• Hudson Valley Community College
• Idaho (Southern), College of
• Idaho State University
• Idaho, University of
• Illinois (Northern) University
• Illinois (Western) University
• Illinois Central College
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois, University of (Chicago)
• Illinois, University of (Urbana-Champaign)
• Indian River Community College
• Indiana (Southern) University
• Iowa (Upper) University
• Iowa, University of
• Jackson State University
• James Madison University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo Valley Community College
• Kansas State University
• Kansas, University of
• Kapiolani Community College
• Kean University
• Kent State University
• Kilgore College
• Lafayette College
• LaGuardia Community College
• Lake County, College of
• Lake Michigan College
• Lakeland Community College
• Lane Community College
• Lawrence University
• Leeward Community College
• Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus)
• Louisiana, University of (Monroe)
• Louisville, University of
• Loyola University (Chicago)
• Luther College
• Maine (Southern), University of
• Malcolm X College
• Manatee Community College
• Marquette University
• Mary Washington College
• Maryland, University of (Baltimore County)
• Maryland, University of
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Massachusetts, University of
• MassBay Community College
• Maui Community College
• Memphis, University of
• Mesa Community College (Arizona)
• Mesa State College (Colorado)
• Metropolitan Community College
• Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Miami, University of (Florida)
• Michigan (Eastern) University
• Michigan College, Southwestern
• Michigan State University
• Michigan, University of (Ann Arbor)
• Middlesex County College
• Midwestern State University
• Minnesota, University of (Crookston)
• Minnesota, University of
• Mississippi (Southern), University of
• Mississippi State University
• Missouri (Southwest) State University
• Missouri State University (Southeast)
• Missouri, University of (Columbia)
• Monmouth College
• Monroe Community College
• Moraine Valley Community College
• Mount Holyoke College
• Mount Hood Community College
• Mountain View College
• Murray State University
• Nebraska Wesleyan University
• Nevada (Southern) Community College
• Nevada, University of (Las Vegas)
• Nevada, University of (Reno)
• New Hampshire, University of
• New Haven, University of
• New Jersey, College of
• New Mexico State University
• New Mexico, University of
• New Orleans, University of
• New York City College of Technology
• New York City College
• New York University
• North Carolina A&T State University
• North Carolina State University
• North Carolina, University of (Chapel Hill)
• North Carolina, University of (Charlotte)
• North Carolina, University of (Greensboro)
• North Carolina, University of (Wilmington)
• North South University (Bangladesh)
• Northern Virginia Community College
• Northlake College
• Northwestern Health Sciences University
• Northwestern State University
• Northwestern University
• Nova Southeastern University
• Oakland Community College (Michigan)
• Oakton Community College
• Oberlin College
• Ohio State University
• Okaloosa-Walton College
• Oklahoma, University of (Norman)
• Oregon (Southern) University
• Oregon State University
• Oregon, University of (Eugene)
• Owensboro Community College
• Pacific University
• Palm Beach Community College
• Paradise Valley Community College
• Parker College of Chiropractic
• Parkland College
• Pennsylvania State University
• Pennsylvania, University of
• Philadelphia, University of the Sciences
• Phoenix, University of
• Pima Community College
• Pittsburgh, University of
• Portland State University
• Prince Georges Community College
• Puget Sound, University of
• Purdue University (W Lafayette)
• Quinsigamond Community College
• Randolph-Macon Woman’s College
• Reading Area Community College
• Red Rocks Community College
• Reed College
• Regis College
• Reynolds Community College
• Rhodes College
• Rice University
• Richland Community College
• Richmond, University of
• Rio Salado College
• Roanoke College
• Rochester Community & Technical College
• Rochester, University of
• Rockhurst University
• Roger Williams University
• Rutgers University
• Saginaw Valley State University
• St. Cloud State University
• St. Louis College of Pharmacy
• St. Mary’s College of San Antonio
• St. Olaf College
• St. Petersburg College
• St. Thomas, University of
• Salem College
• Salt Lake Community College
• Samford University
• San Jacinto College
• Sciences, University of (Philadelphia)
• Scottsdale Community College
• Seattle Community College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Seattle University
• Singapore (National) University
• Skidmore College
• Spellman College
• Stephen F. Austin State University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stonehill College
• Suffolk County Community College
• SUNY Albany
• SUNY Binghamton
• SUNY Buffalo
• SUNY Cortland
• SUNY Plattsburgh
• SUNY Stony Brook
• Tallahassee Community College
• Tarleton State University
• Tarrant County College
• Temple University
• Tennessee State University
• Tennessee, University of (Knoxville)
• Tennessee, University of (Martin)
• Texas (North), University of
• Texas (Southwest) State University
• Texas (West) A&M University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• Texas Southern University
• Texas Tech University
• Texas, University of (Arlington)
• Texas, University of (Austin)
• Texas, University of (Dallas)
• Texas, University of (Pan-American)
• Toledo, University of
• Toronto, University of (St. George)
• Toronto, University of (Mississauga, Erindale)
• Towson University
• Trinity University
• Truman State University
• Tufts University
• Tulsa Community College
• Utah State University
• Utah Valley State College
• Utah, University of
• Valencia Community College
• Vanderbilt University
• Vermont, University of
• Virginia (Southside) Community College
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Virginia State University
• Virginia Tech
• Virginia, University of
• Wake Forest University
• Washburn University
• Washington State University
• Washington, University of
• Washtenaw Community College
• Wayland Baptist University (Plainview Campus)
• Wayne County Community College
• Wayne State University
• Weatherford College
• Wellesley College
• Western New England College
• Western Washington University
• Westminster College
• Whatcom Community College
• Whitman College
• Wilbur Wright College
• Willamette University
• William & Mary, College of
• William Paterson University
• Williams College
• Winston-Salem State University
• Wisconsin, University of (Madison)
• Wisconsin, University of (Milwaukee)
• Wisconsin, University of (Parkside)
• Wisconsin, University of (River Falls)
• Wooster, College of
• Wyoming, University of
• Yale University
• York College
• York University (Canada)

All other schools

If your school is in the United States but not listed above

We have provided detailed information in Academic Prerequisites to help you determine what courses are acceptable in meeting our requirements. As you can imagine, with the volume of applications we receive, we are no longer able to update or create new approved course lists for applicants entering the initial stage of our admissions process. Instead, we ask that you use your best professional judgment to determine whether completed​/​in-progress​/​planned coursework meets our academic prerequisite requirements. In order to assist you, we have provided detailed information on our website to help you determine what courses are acceptable in meeting our requirements. Please keep in mind that our academic prerequisites are fairly easy to determine. For the most part, we align our requirements with a pre-med​/​health track. It’s not our intent to require obscure or unique courses to fulfill our requirements. We will conduct a complete academic review of those individuals who are admitted. At that time we will determine whether specific courses satisfy our requirements.

A foreign college or university

This section describes how to determine if course work you have taken at foreign institutions will meet our prerequisites.

For details on what documents are required as part of a complete application, see Transcripts.

English composition prerequisite

We require two college-level composition courses in English. These courses must be taken at/through a United States college or university. ESL courses and English courses offered abroad as foreign language courses are not accepted. TOEFL, GRE and other exams cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If you are an international applicant not currently residing in the United States, you must provide either:

• transcripts verifying that you have already completed approved composition courses in English at/through a United States school, or
• plans to complete approved composition courses in English at/through a United States school before starting the PharmD program, or
• confirmation of your ability to enter the United States and complete this course work prior starting the PharmD program.

Foreign course work as part of EAP

If you have taken course work outside of the United States which was part of a formal Education Abroad Program (EAP) offered through a United States institution, then that course work is included on your transcripts already; you do not need to request transcripts from the foreign institution.

All other foreign course work

We will accept non-U.S. course work towards fulfilling prerequisite requirements. However, course work must be approved. A detailed evaluation of prerequisite courses will be conducted only for those students who are offered admission. We ask that you use your best professional judgment to determine whether completed, in-progress, or planned course work meets our requirement.

Any applicant who has doubts about whether or not prior course work will meet our prerequisites should see the other sections on this page for help in identifying approved course work. Taking approved courses is the only way to guarantee that you will fulfill our prerequisites as required. The UCSF School of Pharmacy rarely accepts petitions to substitute prerequisite courses.

Course descriptions and syllabi

So that we may evaluate your course work if you are admitted, you should be prepared to provide—translated into English if necessary—course descriptions/syllabi of the course work you hope to apply towards our prerequisites. These course descriptions must come from the institution where the course work was taken.

Because transcripts alone do not provide enough information to determine if a course will fulfill any portion of the prerequisites, you must also submit course descriptions and syllabi in English from the school in question. For the purposes of this evaluation it is only necessary to submit descriptions and syllabi for science and math courses. You may also submit material for psychology, sociology or cultural anthropology if you feel your course work is applicable. These documents must be from the institution and we cannot accept personal translations.

When do I submit these materials?

These materials should be submitted only if requested by our office. Do not submit official documents for the purposes of prerequisite evaluation prior to being offered admission. When completing the application, we ask…

How long does it take?

We complete evaluations as quickly as possible. The time necessary to complete a course evaluation depends on a variety of factors and can range from a few days to several weeks.

You must still, however, meet the September 1 deadline by which all prerequisites must be satisfied with approved course work. We strongly advise you to enroll in approved course work until you learn if the course work you submitted for review has been approved.

Why do you need these documents?

In order to evaluate the potential of all applicants in a manner as consistent as possible, our policy requires that the first instance of a course be applied toward a prerequisite when calculating GPA. Repeated course work is always noted and considered, but is allowed into GPA calculations only under specific conditions. (Details are provided after an application is received if it is relevant to your academic records.)

What if I can’t get the documents or the translations you require?

If the required documents cannot be obtained, then no credit toward the prerequisites may be given.

As official copies would eventually be required as part of your application, this may also make you ineligible for the application process. There are no exceptions to this policy.

What about outside evaluations?

The process outlined above is done to determine if your course work can be applied towards the prerequisites. This is a separate process from the verification of your academic record. The information provided in an outside evaluation can only verify your academic record. Outside evaluations do not provide enough information to determine if your course work meets the prerequisites.

How do I get my academic records verified?

You must submit to PharmCAS an evaluation from World Education Services (WES). We require the Comprehensive Course-By-Course Report. At this time, we do not accept evaluations from other services. This verification of records is a required part of a complete application packet.

Related topic: Applying Without U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status

Advanced Placement tests

This section describes how to determine if the Advanced Placement (AP) exams you have taken meet our prerequisites.

We accept no other tests or exams

AP test scores may be used in lieu of course work to fulfill some prerequisites, but no other placement exams are accepted. You cannot apply the IB, CLEP, or in-house placement tests offered by your college or university.

Submitting your AP score reports

You do not need to submit your AP score reports as part of the application process. AP score reports are required only for those students who are offered admission. Admitted students will be provided with specific information about submitting these score reports to our office.

How credit is awarded

AP credit is counted as Pass / No Pass units and is not averaged into any GPA calculations.

Credit toward prerequisites is awarded according to the table below. All units specified below are quarter units.

If you have passed an accepted AP test and have also taken the approved prerequisite course (including the humanities / social science prerequisites), we use the course to fulfill the prerequisite and to calculate the pre-pharmacy GPA.