As a student in the Health Sciences/Pre-Pharmacy pathway, you will build strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills through foundation courses in the sciences and humanities on the East Falls campus. Through classes and co-curricular activities, you will participate in college life with students from other majors such as pre-med, health, engineering, architecture and design.
After completing your pre-professional coursework in the Health Sciences program on the East Falls campus, students who have met pharmacy admission criteria will have a guaranteed interview for the competitive graduate pharmacy program at Jefferson College of Pharmacy on our Center City campus. There are two options for the Health Sciences/Pre-Pharmacy program.
Degrees & Pathways
Two-year Pathway (PharmD)
Begin your education by completing two years of pre-professional study on the East Falls campus, in preparation for your application to the four-year, graduate-level coursework leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). You must apply to the graduate program through PharmCAS and meet progression criteria to be eligible to interview for the graduate-level Pharmacy program.
Three-year Pathway (BS/PharmD 3+4 years)
You may choose to complete a three-year Health Sciences BS/Pre-Pharmacy program, working to earn both a BS and a PharmD degree in seven years. The extra undergraduate year offers more opportunities to experience college life — like studying away and participating in athletics, campus and leadership experiences. In the three-year pathway, you will complete college studies and pre-professional coursework in partial fulfillment of the undergraduate BS in Health Sciences degree. You must apply to the graduate program through PharmCAS and meet progression criteria to be eligible to interview for the competitive graduate pharmacy program at Jefferson College of Pharmacy. Your BS degree in Health Sciences is awarded upon completion of first-year pharmacy graduate coursework (at the end of Year 4).
Health Sciences Pre-Professional Curriculum
Years 1 + 2 (for Two-year and Three-year Pathway students)
East Falls Campus
- Pathways Seminar
- Writing Seminar I
- *Designated Elective Select 2 from list
Humanities
- Ethics
- Global Diversity
- American Diversity
Social Sciences
- Topics in America Studies
- Introduction to Psychology
- Global Citizenship
**Math & Science
- Applied Calculus
- General Chemistry I & II with Labs
- Biology I & II with Labs
- Anatomy & Physiology I & II with Labs
- Organic Chemistry I & II with Labs
- Microbiology with Lab
- Physics I with Lab
*Designated Electives (select 2 from list): HSCI 225 Applied Statistics, COMM 102 Public Speaking; ECON 2XX Economics; ETHC 2XX Ethics; BIOL 207/L Genetics; BIOL 256/L Molecular Genetics; BIOL 302 Medical Genetics; BIOL 321 Immunology; PHYC 112 Physics II
All grades must be C or higher; courses must be completed within 5 years of Pharmacy application. AP credit accepted for non-science courses only.
**Science/Math GPA: preferred 3.0 for science/math prerequisite courses
Cumulative GPA: preferred 3.0 for all college coursework
Year 3 (for Three-year Pathway students)
East Falls Campus
In addition to the courses required for the 2+4 pathway, students in the 3+4 pathway complete the following courses in partial fulfillment of the Health Sciences BS degree.
- Writing Seminar II
- Contemporary Global Issues
- Integrative Seminar
- Philosophies of the Good Life
- Free Elective
Health Sciences
- Intro to Health Professions
- Intro to Healthcare
- Applied Statistics
- Medical Terminology
- Health Sciences Elective
Social Sciences
- Abnormal Psychology
The Professional Phase
Your education at Jefferson will prepare you to be a confident and knowledgeable pharmacist. Throughout the program, you will experience hands-on training within a premier health system and learn from nationally-recognized faculty.
In July, one year prior to the start of the professional phase, you will apply for admission consideration to the four-year PharmD program. If you meet all progression criteria, you are guaranteed an interview for the graduate Pharmacy program at Jefferson College of Pharmacy.
Learn more about the PharmD program and curriculum in the Jefferson College of Pharmacy.