Admissions Requirements

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• Learn more about pharmacy and our Pharm.D. program
• Get your transcript evaluated against our prerequisites
• Walk-through our application process on PharmCAS
• Get tips on how to be a competitive applicant

Requirements and Recommendations

* Preferred does not mean mandatory. These are goals we hope prospective applicants aim to achieve, but applicants with metrics below these preferences will still be considered, and can still be admitted.

The required prerequisite coursework that must be completed to be eligible for admission to the UTEP School of Pharmacy (SoP) takes, on average, two to three years of full-time undergraduate enrollment.

Please note that all prerequisite coursework does not need to be completed before application, but before matriculation. Students interested in the UTEP SoP can apply up to a year in advance and so will still be able to complete courses during the Fall in which they submit their application, the Spring after they apply, and potentially the Summer after they apply as well, if necessary. 

Please also note that students can complete a bachelor’s degree before enrolling into the PharmD program, but are not required to.  It has been our experience that some of the most competitive and successful students have earned a bachelor’s degree prior to attending pharmacy school.

• Prerequisite Coursework must all be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
  • Core Curriculum: The following only applies to core curriculum courses not the mandatory pharmacy prerequisites. Applicants with a bachelor's degree will automatically have the core curriculum requirements marked as complete. Applicants who have completed the 42-hour core curriculum at another Texas institution of higher education shall not be required to take additional courses to satisfy UTEP’s core curriculum. Applicants who transfer without completing the core curriculum at another Texas institution of higher education, but who have completed blocks within the core, shall receive credit in UTEP's core curriculum for each of the blocks successfully (C or better) completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution.
  • Spanish prerequisite: For our Spanish prerequisite, any college level Spanish language course that is 3 SCH will fulfill this prerequisite. Students can also take the CLEP exam to receive college level credit without taking a course. We accept both versions of the CLEP exam, the one with and the one without writing. Students may also take the Spanish Placement Test. The placement test guides both the student and departmental administrators on placement into a language course according to current ability. Students who place into second semester Spanish will have Spanish prerequisite waived.
  • 7-year Recommendation: It is highly recommended that applicants take required courses in science and math within 7 years of applying for admission to pharmacy school. In the holistic review of applicants, the UTEP SoP admissions committee will consider: other advanced coursework in science and math with a high GPA, and other evidence of the student’s ability to complete advanced science and math coursework in pharmacy school.
  • COVID-19 exceptions: We will be accepting S/U grades, or Pass/Fail grades, and online courses, for prerequisite courses taken during Spring 2020 through Summer 2021 semesters. However, as part of a holistic review process, the SoP will consider the number of pass/fail and/or online courses as part of the overall admission decision.
    
• GPA Calculations: GPA for cumulative and science/math grades are calculated using a four-point scale.  An A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0.  Grades with pluses or minuses will be converted to the corresponding A, B, C or D letter grades.  Course grades indicating a failure, e.g., an F, no credit (NC), will be calculated as an "F" in the GPA calculations.  The SoP will calculate the most recent grade in a course, if it is repeated, towards the GPA.
• Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation, and Graduation: The Professional Technical Standards are established by the SoP based on the physical and mental attributes required of students to function competently as a pharmacist upon graduation.  Students with disabilities are welcome to apply and consult with the Director of Student Affairs and/or the Center for Accommodation and Support Services regarding accommodations that may be available to meet the Professional Technical Standards.  A full list of the Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation, and Graduation can be found here.
• International Applicants: All international applicants must submit their official TOEFL scores. TOEFL (paper based): Minimum score of 500. TOEFL Internet Based (IBT): Minimum score of 79. Register and request your score be sent to our program at www.ets.org/toefl. Our school code 6829.

Recommended Attributes for Application

Competitive candidates, in addition to the minimum requirements, are recommended to have the following attributes that meet our IDEAL vision (Innovation, Diversity, Engagement, Access, and Leadership):

• Extracurricular participation and/or leadership
• Experience in health-related fields
• On-going community engagement/service
• Ability to work with diverse populations
• Demonstrated leadership

Please note, fulfillment of these recommendations does not guarantee admission into the SoP.

 * See Core Curriculum for complete list of courses which will fulfill this requirement.