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School of Pharmacy

Doctor of Pharmacy
(Pharm.D.) Program

Pre-pharmacy Program
Admission to the Pharm.D. Program
4th-Year Clerkships
Pharm.D. Graduation Requirements
Non-Professional Curriculum Graduation Requirements
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Professional Curriculum

Pre-pharmacy Program

The pre-pharmacy program consists of a minimum of 68 credits of pre-pharmacy course work, which can be completed at most accredited colleges. In Wisconsin, pre-pharmacy advisors are located at both public and private colleges. A list of these advisors is available on the School of Pharmacy website, as is information about the specific courses at many colleges and universities that fulfill the pre-pharmacy course requirements. Questions about the transferability of courses from any college or university to the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy can be addressed to the School of Pharmacy Admissions Office or the School of Pharmacy pre–School of Pharmacy advisor. At UW–Madison, pre-pharmacy students usually enroll in the College of Letters & Science, but their advisor is in the School of Pharmacy. It is important to plan a sound program and stay up-to-date with admission requirements and any program changes; students should stay in contact with their advisor.

The admission application for pre-pharmacy freshmen and transfers is available from the UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment.

Admission to the Pharm.D. Program

See School of Pharmacy Admission Policies and Procedures.

4th-Year Clerkships

Students will complete their 4th-year clerkships at "hubs" in various locations in Wisconsin; some students will be assigned to a clerkship "hub" outside the Madison area. Students will remain at a single "hub" for the duration of the clerkships, and will be responsible for room, board, tuition, and transportation costs associated with the completion of the clerkships.

Pharm.D. Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of the required number of professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree credits.
2. Completion of pre-pharmacy course requirements.
3. Completion of courses required in the professional pharmacy curriculum, including the required number of professional electives, selected from the list of approved elective courses.
4. Completion of non-professional curriculum graduation course requirements.
5. Fulfillment grade point average and professional behavior requirements as outlined in Promotion Policies and Procedures.

*Any course that meets any Pharm.D. course requirement must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is, by definition, a credit/no credit course. No course that meets any Pharm.D. course requirement may be taken pass/fail. "Any course requirement" means (1) any pre-pharmacy course requirement, (2) any Pharm.D. professional curriculum course requirement, (3) any Pharm.D. non-professional curriculum graduation course requirement, and (4) the Pharm.D. professional electives requirement.

Non-Professional Curriculum Graduation Requirements

For graduation with the Pharm.D. degree, students must complete 2 credits of any kind of history and 3 credits of humanities electives. Guidance in the selection of courses to fulfill these requirements is available from the UW–Madison pre-School of Pharmacy advisor and the School of Pharmacy Admissions Office.