2017-2018 Catalog > Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy > Policies for the College of Pharmacy > Admission Standards for the Pharm.D. Program

Admission Standards for the Pharm.D. Program

The Pharm.D. program begins each fall semester and continues for a total of four academic years. At this time, students may only enter the program as a first year student, i.e. students cannot be admitted and start as a second, third, or fourth year student.

The admission standards for the Pharm.D. program differ from those for other graduate programs. The FCOP uses a whole-file review process when making admissions decisions. The review primarily focuses on whether a student is a good fit for the profession, the FCOP, and the University. This evaluation includes, but is not limited to: past academic record, prior experience in pharmacy or other healthcare fields, volunteer activities, letters of recommendation, writing skills, the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT), and admission interviews assessments. Residency status (e.g. in-state vs. out-of-state applicants) is not considered in admissions decisions.

All application materials must be submitted through PharmCAS or as directed by the FCOP Office of Student Affairs. Letters of recommendations or other materials received outside of the official application process (e.g. unsolicited letters of recommendations) will be kept in a separate file and not considered in the application process. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs may, when needed, contact the applicant regarding the information received outside of the formal application process.

The submission of documents in support of applications for admission and fellowships such as transcripts, diplomas, test scores, references, essays, or the applications themselves, that are forged, fraudulent, altered from the original, plagiarized, materially incomplete, obtained under false pretenses, or otherwise deceptive (collectively referred to as fraudulent documents) is prohibited by UT Tyler and may be punishable by: a bar on applying for admission, fellowships, suspension, and/or expulsion. Students who submit fraudulent documents are not eligible to reapply.

Application Process

Students applying to the FCOP may begin applying for admissions the summer before their anticipated year of entry into the Pharm.D. program. To apply for the program, the following items must be met by the published deadline:

1. Satisfy the minimum requirements to apply;
2. Complete the Pharmacy College Admission test;
3. Complete the PharmCAS application;
4. Submit three letters of recommendations;
5. Submit official copies of all transcripts;
6. Complete the supplemental FCOP application located within PharmCAS; and
7. Submit the supplemental application fee ($75).

To be considered for admission all of the above requirements and an on-site interview must be completed. Prerequisite coursework must be able to be completed by the May 31 immediately preceding entry into the program or the date designated by the FCOP Office of Student Affairs.

Applicants to the FCOP must be eligible for admission to UT Tyler. For example, students barred from applying to UT Tyler or who are ineligible for readmission to UT Tyler will not be considered for admission to the FCOP.

Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT): Information on registering for the PCAT, exam dates, and content information is available at www. pcatweb.info. 

PharmCAS Application: Applicants must apply through PharmCAS at www.pharmcas.org. Applicants should review the FCOP PharmCAS profile and the FCOP website for specific instructions on completing this application. 

Letters of recommendations: Letters should be requested from individuals who know the applicant professionally or academically such as employers, faculty advisors, health care professionals, pharmacists, pre-health advisors, professors (math or science), and/or supervisors. Letters from pharmacists or supervisors are strongly encouraged. Letters from family and/or friends are not accepted. Committee letters and composite letters of reference are also not accepted. 

Transcripts: Applicants should submit official transcripts through PharmCAS or as directed by the FCOP Office of Student Affairs. Applicants completing coursework at a foreign institution (including Canada) are required to submit a Foreign Transcript Evaluation Report (FTER) as part of their application. A list of approved FTER providers is available on the FCOP website. The FTER may be submitted through PharmCAS or directly to the FCOP. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by an approved FTER service provider regardless of date completed or if coursework is being used to satisfy prerequisites. Students with foreign transcripts are encouraged to submit their FTERs well ahead of the posted deadline to allow for the additional time needed to review the FTER.

Transcripts from an unaccredited colleges and/or universities will not be considered in the admissions process.

Supplemental Application: The supplemental application is specific to the FCOP. This application includes specific questions not included on the PharmCAS application and must be submitted by the posted deadline.

Supplemental Application Fee ($75): The FCOP Office of Student Affairs will request applicants to submit this fee after the PharmCAS application and Supplemental Application have been submitted and processed. When the review process has been completed, applicants will receive an email requesting payment of the supplemental fee. The deadline for this fee is specific to each applicant.

All application materials must be submitted through PharmCAS or as directed by the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs. Letters of recommendations or other materials received outside of the official application process (e.g. unsolicited letters of recommendations) will be kept in a separate file and not considered in the application process. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs may, when needed, contact the applicant regarding the information received outside of the formal application process.

Minimum Requirements to Apply

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements in order to apply to the Pharm.D. program. Exemptions to these requirements are not available.

• GPA (total) = 2.5 or above
• GPA (science/math) = 2.5 or above
• GPA (prerequisite) = See below
  • No specific minimum GPA
  • All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher
  • All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the published deadline or as designated by the FCOP Office of Student Affairs
• PCAT (composite) score = No minimum score. 
  • The PCAT must be taken within 3 years of applying
• Able to meet the Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation, and Graduation

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculations: In the FCOP, all college coursework, including courses completed at foreign institutions and dual-credit will be included in the GPA calculations. Cumulative and science/math GPA are calculated using a four-point scale (e.g. A: 4 points per semester hour). Grades with pluses or minuses are converted to the corresponding A, B, C or D letter grades. Failing course grades, e.g. “F”, withdraw failing (WF), and no credit (NC), will be calculated as an "F". For repeated courses, both the original grade(s) and repeated grade(s) are included. Coursework from unaccredited colleges and/or universities within the US will not be included in GPA calculations. All other GPA calculations follow the rules outlined by PharmCAS.

Academic Fresh Start: If a candidate has been granted an “Academic Fresh Start” (Texas Education Code, § 51.931), those credits and related grades will not be included in the GPA calculations. Please note, courses included in the Academic Fresh Start may not be used to satisfy program prerequisites.

Prerequisite Coursework: Prerequisite or pre-pharmacy coursework provides a solid foundation for the Pharm.D. curriculum and a well-rounded general education. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education recommends chemistry, biology, mathematics, information and communication technologies, physical sciences, and general education courses as a foundation for the Pharm.D. curriculum (ACPE 2011, Standard 17.1). 

Prerequisite courses include:

• General Chemistry I & Lab (4SCH): CHEM (1311 & 1111) or 1411;
• General Chemistry II & Lab (4 SCH): CHEM (1312 & 1112) or 1412;
• Organic Chemistry I & Lab (4 SCH): CHEM (2323 & 2223) or 2423; or UT Tyler CHEM 3342 & 3143;
• Organic Chemistry II & Lab (4 SCH): CHEM (2325 & 2225) or 2425; or UT Tyler CHEM 3344 & 3145;
• Biology I & Lab (4 SCH): BIOL (1306 & 1106) or 1406;
• Biology II & Lab (4 SCH): BIOL (1307 & 1107) or 1407;
• Microbiology & Lab (4 SCH): BIOL (2320 & 2120) or 2420; or BIOL (2321 & 2121) or 2421; or UT Tyler BIOL 4300 & 4101;
• Anatomy/Physiology I & Lab* (4 SCH): BIOL (2301 & 2101) or 2401;
• Anatomy/Physiology II & Lab* (4 SCH): BIOL (2302 & 2102) or 2402;
  • In lieu of the combination of Anatomy and Physiology I and II, separate Anatomy & Lab (4 SCH) and Physiology & Lab (4 SCH) courses may be taken.
• Speech (3 SCH): SPCH 1311, 1315, 1318, or 1321; or UT Tyler SPCM 1311, 1315, 2318, or 3321;
• Macro or Microeconomics (3 SCH): ECON 2301 or 2302;
• Calculus I (3-4 SCH): MATH 1325, 1425, 2413, or 2313

For courses not included in the TCCNS, please contact the FCOP Office of Student Affairs or visit the FCOP webpage for equivalent course listings.

All prerequisite courses are required to be completed at a grade of "C" or higher. If a lower grade is achieved and the course is retaken the prerequisite is considered complete if the subsequent grade is a “C” or higher.

Prerequisites may be completed by Advanced Placement (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). A specific score is required to receive credit; exam options and required scores are provided by the UT Tyler Office of the Registrar.

Several prerequisite courses (organic chemistry, biology, microbiology, anatomy & physiology, and all accompanying labs) must be completed within seven years of entering the Pharm.D. program. 

If a prerequisite is being repeated to satisfy admission requirements, e.g. retaking a course to obtain a “C” grade or higher or repeating a course taken more than seven years ago, the applicant should check with their college and/or university review any restrictions regarding enrollment and/or financial aid. Applicants requiring documentation that retaking a course is required as part of the admission requirements should contact the FCOP Student Affairs Office.

Prerequisites must be completed by May 31 immediately preceding entry into the program; e.g. for fall 2018, prerequisites must be completed by May 31, 2018. Students may petition the FCOP Office of Student Affairs to take prerequisites in the summer. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they may be feasibly completed within the timeframe specified.

PCAT Information: The FCOP requires that the PCAT be completed within three years of applying to the program, (e.g. between June 2014 and Jan 31, 2018 for fall 2018). All PCAT scores completed in this timeframe will be reviewed. PCAT scores taken after January 31 and up until the start of the program will also be reviewed but cannot be used as the only PCAT attempt on record. The PCAT may be taken more than once.

Exemption Requests: Applicants requesting an exemption to the prerequisites or other requirements must submit an Exemption Request form that is available through the FCOP Office of Student Affairs.

Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation, and Graduation: The standards are established by the FCOP and are based on the physical and mental attributes required of students to function competently as a pharmacist upon graduation.

Pharmacy or Healthcare Experience: Experience in a healthcare-related or pharmacy setting is not required to apply to the Pharm.D. program. However, some pharmacy or healthcare experience is strongly encouraged.

Texas Core Curriculum: The Texas Core Curriculum describes the general education requirements required of all students receiving a Bachelor’s Degree at a public university in Texas. The Texas Core Curriculum includes courses such as history, government, fine arts, the sciences, communication, and mathematics. Many of the pharmacy prerequisite courses will also satisfy the math and science requirements.

Applicants who have/will have a Bachelor’s Degree before entering the program are exempt from this requirement. The Texas Core Curriculum is required for both in-state and out-of-state residents.

The FCOP recommends the Texas Core Curriculum be completed prior to starting the program. However, students may take up to 12 semester credit hours during the first two years of the program. These courses are restricted to the following categories: (40) Language, Philosophy, and Culture, (50) Creative Arts, (60) American History, and (70) Government/Political Science. If courses need to be taken during the program, it is recommended that these classes be completed during the first and/or second summer semester. This will allow students to concentrate on the Pharm.D. curriculum during the fall and spring semesters. All other Texas Core Curriculum courses must be completed prior to entering the Pharm.D. program.

All applicants who are required to complete the Texas Core Curriculum must either (1) complete the Texas Core Curriculum prior to entering the program or (2) complete the Texas Core Curriculum at another college (e.g. during the summer) and submit those transcripts to UT Tyler. Once a student has started the Pharm.D. program, they must meet the UT Tyler-specific Texas Core Curriculum. All pharmacy students must be core complete by the start of the third professional year. For those students completing their Texas Core Curriculum at another institution, UT Tyler will only consider this complete if documented on the official transcript.

Students are responsible for tuition and fees associated with the Texas Core Curriculum courses.

Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation, and Graduation

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE 2011) recommends that the "Professional Technical Standards for Admissions are established by the university, college, or school based on the physical and mental attributes required of students to be able to function competently as a pharmacist upon graduation."

Therefore, the FCOP at UT Tyler has established the following attributes for admission, matriculation, and graduation:

Observation: The student needs to be able to use their sense of vision to observe 1) demonstrations and experiments in both large and small group settings, 2) a patient accurately at a distance and at close range. Sight may be combined with other senses such as hearing, smell, and touch during the observation process.

Communication: The student needs adequate verbal communication (e.g. voice or adaptive voice equipment), reading, writing, and computer abilities to communicate 1) individually and in groups, 2) with patients and caregivers, 3) with other healthcare professionals, 4) with peers and instructors.

Motor skills: The student needs the physical ability and coordination to 1) participate in individual, small, and large group discussions, 2) perform basic physical and health assessment skills, and 3) perform pharmacy-related functions in the classroom, experiential, and service learning settings.

Intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities: The student needs the ability to 1) think quickly and in an organized manner, 2) be alert and attentive to surroundings, 3) measure, analyze, and interpret data, 4) process information and apply learned information to new situations, and 5) exhibit reasonable judgment and ethical and professional decision making when in the classroom, experiential, and extracurricular settings.

Behavioral and social attributes: Students need the emotional, mental, and physical health to 1) demonstrate the attributes listed above, 2) adequately function during times of fluctuating workloads and stress, 3) adapt to different learning and healthcare environments, and 4) demonstrate compassion, integrity, and motivation required in the practice of pharmacy.

Students are required to affirm that they meet the Professional Technical Standards prior to matriculation into the program. Students with disabilities should possess these attributes either directly or through fair and reasonable accommodations. The UT Tyler Student Accessibility and Resources Office and the FCOP Office of Student Affairs can assist candidates who have questions or concerns regarding meeting these requirements.

Students enrolled in the Pharm.D. program are required to possess these attributes through all portions of the curriculum. Should a student's ability to demonstrate these attributes change, they should contact the FCOP Office of Student Affairs.

Applicants with Accommodations or Disabilities

The UT Tyler Office of Accessibility and Resources assists students in reaching their educational, co-curricular, and social goals. Applicants for admission are welcome to contact their office and/or the FCOP regarding accommodations.

International Applicants

International applicants are considered candidates who are not US citizens and not lawful permanent residents. International applicants may be considered for admission and may have additional requirements:

Social Security Number (SSN): The Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) requires all pharmacy students to submit a SSN when applying for their pharmacy intern/intern trainee license. SSNs are available to all US citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and aliens who are authorized to work in the US. 

Additional information on obtaining a SSN as an international student is available through the Social Security Administration website (www.socialsecurity.gov) or by contacting the local Social Security Office. Since admitted students are required to obtain a pharmacy intern license before week 8 of the program, international applicants should begin the process of obtaining a SSN prior to being admitted into the program. 

US Work Authorization: In order to obtain a SSN, the international applicant must be able to work within the US when the first professional year starts.

F and J Visas: Applicants with an F or J visa may be considered for admission to the Pharm.D. program. Applicants must also be eligible to work within the US and obtain a SSN.

English Proficiency Testing: International applicants may be required to submit an English proficiency assessment. If required, applicants may take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE exams. The FCOP follows the UT Tyler Graduate International Student Admissions requirements for English proficiency assessments, the minimum scores required, and the list of exemptions for testing. English proficiency scores may be reported to PharmCAS, UT Tyler (TOEFL Code 6850), or to the FCOP directly. To be considered, scores must be within 2 years of entry into the program.

Admission Interviews

The FCOP schedules interview dates throughout the academic year. This means that as applications are received, the Admissions Committee periodically reviews application files and invites candidates to an on-site interview.

The FCOP on-site interviews include Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMIs), a team-based learning session, a math and writing assignment, campus tour, and question/answer sessions with Dean Brunner and the Office of Student Affairs. Applicants are required to bring a photo ID (such as a driver's license or university ID) for registration purposes.

A Pre-Interview Open House is held the evening before the on-site interview. The evening is designed for candidates and their families to meet FCOP students, faculty, staff, and pharmacists from the community in an informal setting.

Program Admission

The FCOP uses a rolling interviews process. After completing on-site interviews, the FCOP Admissions Committee determines the initial admission status for individual candidates. The most common type of admission is Conditional Admission which indicates that the candidate must still complete several requirements including, but not limited to, (1) completion of all remaining prerequisites at grade of C or higher; (2) successful submission and review of urine drug test and criminal background check; and (3) submission of official transcripts. Applicants offered admission are required to accept or decline the offer within two (2) weeks or by the deadline established by the Office of Student Affairs. A seat deposit of $200 is required to hold the applicant’s place in the class. The seat deposit is not refundable; however it will be applied to the first semester’s tuition for those students starting the program.

All applicants are required to complete a criminal background check and urine drug screen prior to being granted Full Admission Status. For additional information, refer to the Criminal Background Check and Drug Screening requirements.

All applicants accepting admission must attend the week-long orientation held immediately prior to the start of the fall semester. The dates for orientation will be posted on the FCOP annually.

The FCOP recognizes three categories of admission at the doctor of pharmacy level: Full Admission, Provisional Admission, and Deferred Admission.

Full Admission

Full Admission status indicates that the candidate has fulfilled all of the following requirements:

• Met the admission standards established for the degree program.
• Submitted official transcripts or foreign transcript evaluation reports for all colleges or universities attended.
• Completed all prerequisite courses at grade of “C” or higher.
• Submitted acceptable urine drug test and criminal background check.

Provisional Admission

Provisional Admission may be granted to applicants who have submitted all required materials but who do not yet meet the standards for Full Admission. Candidates accepted for admission will typically be offered Provisional Admission and then move to full admission.

International applicants on an F-1 or J-1 visa may only be offered Provisional Admission status only if the applicant meets all of the requirements for full admission with the exception of submitting final transcripts. 

Deferred Admission

Deferred Admission describes the process when an applicant has been offered admission, but needs to delay starting the program until the next academic year. Requests for Deferred Admission are only considered for significant extenuating circumstances and are submitted to the FCOP Office of Student Affairs.

Revoking Admission

An offer of admission may be revoked for reasons that include, but are not limited to: 1) failure to respond to an admission offer or submit the seat deposit within the time frame specified; 2) failure to satisfy criminal background check and/or urine drug screening requirements; 3) failure to maintain Minimum Requirements to Apply to the FCOP including GPA/grade requirements and the ability to meet the Professional Technical Standards for Admission, Matriculation and Graduation; 4) falsification and misrepresentation of admissions related requirements; or 5) ineligible for admittance to UT Tyler.

Questions regarding the admissions process and admission decisions should be directed to the FCOP Office of Student Affairs. This office can provide information to the applicants regarding the admission decision and when possible, areas to strengthen if the student desires to reapply to the program. Please note, due to the competitive nature of the admissions process, qualified applications may not be offered admission due to space limitations within the program.

Admission Denial Appeal Process

Applicants denied admission may appeal the decision in writing to the FCOP Dean within 14 calendar days of the date on the denial letter. The FCOP Dean, or designee, shall have 10 calendar days to respond in writing to the appeal. Since professional programs are capacity limited, further appeals are not available.

Appeals must be received prior to the term for which the applicant is seeking admission. If there is insufficient time to complete the appeal process before the beginning of the term for which the applicant seeks admission, the admission year may be moved to the next academic year so their case may be reviewed.

Readmission

Students dismissed from the Pharm.D. program who desire to re-enter must reapply to the program and resubmit all required application materials.