Pre-Pharmacy Program
Asbury University’s pre-pharmacy program helps you get closer to your calling as a pharmacist with targeted prerequisite courses and career preparation opportunities. If you are interested in applying to Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) programs after graduating with your bachelor’s, consider strengthening your efforts with this dedicated pathway.
To become a pharmacist, one of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Jobs and a fulfilling profession full of opportunities to help others, earning a doctorate and becoming licensed are entry-level requirements. Become prepared and confident to take on doctoral-level training, national and state licensure examinations and the challenges you’ll face throughout your career with Asbury’s robust pre-health professions program in pre-pharmacy.
Partnership Schools
Asbury University has contractual agreements with certain schools of pharmacy where students can gain early acceptance by meeting specific requirements. See the Health Professions Advisor for eligibility information.
University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
The Asbury University/University of Kentucky 3+4 program offers a pathway for you to complete your Bachelor of Arts in Biology – Pre-Pharmacy at Asbury University and your Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in seven years. With five seats available per year exclusively for Asbury students in the UK Pharm.D. program, you could pursue your dream of working in the high demand field of pharmacy.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) – School of Pharmacy
The Early Acceptance Program (EAP) is designed to facilitate the admission of Asbury University students into LECOM’s Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program. LECOM will interview students prior to their enrollment at Asbury or within the first two years of study at Asbury. Students interviewing successfully will be offered a provisional acceptance to LECOM’s Doctor of Pharmacy program. Upon meeting the criteria for final acceptance, they will matriculate at the LECOM Bradenton, FL campus of their choice. Each academic year, a maximum combined total of 5 students will be accepted by LECOM from Asbury University.
About the Pre-Pharmacy Pathway
Nearly 100% of students in Asbury’s pre-health professions programs who apply, including pre-pharmacy students, receive acceptance to graduate or professional programs. Our students can even benefit from an early acceptance agreement and transition smoothly to a Doctor of Pharmacy program after their undergraduate training.
The pre-pharmacy program acts as a guiding hand, offering one-on-one academic advising to tailor your studies to your goal of working in pharmacies and helping your community. Pharmacists can work in community, independent, hospital or consulting settings, and our pre-pharmacy curriculum ensures you learn the interpersonal skills and chemical knowledge needed to succeed through select coursework, flexible electives and extracurricular activities.
General Pre-Pharmacy Timeline
▾ Years 1–3
As you pursue your chosen bachelor’s degree program (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science), you’ll incorporate specific pre-pharmacy prerequisites alongside your major courses each semester. Start looking into Doctor of Pharmacy or professional programs of interest.
Through course selection and other extracurricular activities, students gain research and work experience informing their career in pharmacy.
▾ Summer Following Year 3
It’s time to take all your preparation and begin compiling your application. You’ll submit your materials through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS). PharmCAS is a system that makes it easy to apply to multiple Pharm.D. programs with a single application.
▾ Year 4
It’s the final year of your bachelor’s degree program! Complete the requirements for your major and all Foundations general education and elective courses. Begin interviewing with programs and receive acceptance(s).
Benefits and Advantages
No matter your path, the pre-pharmacy program ensures you take the courses you need to both satisfy the requirements of your chosen Pharm.D. program and knowledgeably begin a pharmaceutical career.
- Tailored academic advising
- Chemistry research opportunities
- Mock interviews and application support
- Early acceptance bridge program
You will not be alone in trying to decipher the requirements and rules associated with applying to your chosen Doctor of Pharmacy degree program. The pre-pharmacy program is in place to not only help you understand how to get to your desired career path but to empower you to stand out against the competition with your dedication and attentiveness.
3+4 Asbury/UK Pharmacy Pathway
The Asbury University/University of Kentucky 3+4 program offers a pathway for you to complete your Bachelor of Arts in Biology – Pre-Pharmacy at Asbury University and your Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (UKCOP) in seven years. With five seats available per year exclusively for Asbury students in the UKCOP Pharm.D. program, you could pursue your dream of working in the high demand field of pharmacy.
Requirements
During your three years at Asbury University, you will complete 96 hours:
- 79 credits listed on the Biology – Pre-Pharmacy Major Sheet
- The Asbury University Foundations requirements
- Any other elective credits necessary to add up to 96 credits
By completing these requirements, you ensure your seat at the pharmacy school ranked as No. 6 in the nation (U.S. News & World Report, 2020). Contact Asbury’s Health Professions and Professor of Chemistry Dr. Bruce Branan with any questions you may have: bruce.branan@asbury.edu.
LECOM Early Pharm.D. Acceptance Program
Pre-pharmacy students at Asbury have the incredible opportunity to receive early acceptance to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Pharmacy in Bradenton, Florida. Each academic year, five pre-pharmacy students are accepted into LECOM facilitated by this collaboration.
Here’s how it works. Students interested in the pre-pharmacy program at Asbury will interview with LECOM Pharm.D. admissions either before enrollment or during their first two years at Asbury. Then, students who are offered provisional acceptance will need to complete the criteria for final acceptance by the time they graduate with their bachelor’s.
Learn more about Asbury’s Early Acceptance programs.
Asbury Pharmacists in the Field
Two noteworthy Asbury alumni working as pharmacists include Dr. Kathie Heid ’01 Fawbush and Dr. Thomas Carroll ’10, both of whom completed their Pharm.Ds. at UKCOP.
Fawbush is a retail pharmacist at Walmart in the Chattanooga, Tenn., area.
“I always have believed that pharmacy is my vocation,” Fawbush said. “I enjoy training new technicians, celebrating with them when they become certified, and finding cost-saving alternatives to expensive medications for patients. I can see how the Lord has put things in place throughout my career, with Asbury and UK helping me reach my goals.”
Carroll works at Norton Hospital in Louisville, Ky.
“Asbury was critical in preparing me for pharmacy school at UK,” Carroll said. “The Asbury biology curriculum was challenging and enriching for me and helped me to be well-prepared for the rigors and challenges of my pharmacy career. What I enjoy most about my job is working directly with nurses, physicians, and patients to make decisions regarding medication therapy.”
Pharmacy offers a wide variety of high-paying career choices in research, hospital, compounding, regulatory, and community venues, among many others.
Requirements
To meet or exceed the expectations of most Doctor of Pharmacy admissions committees, Asbury’s pre-pharmacy program requirements are designed to include training in:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Economics
In pre-pharmacy courses and hands-on opportunities, students gain hands-on experience and professional skills they typically need to be eligible to apply for pharmacy school. Please ensure you check with the programs you apply to and keep on track with the lab and classroom credits you’ll earn at Asbury.
What to Major in for Pharmacy Careers
Asbury’s pre-pharmacy program allows students the flexibility to major in an area of their choosing and still pursue the academic requirements that prepare them for Pharm.D. program requirements.
Asbury’s Science & Health department offers major programs that inherently include prerequisite courses as part of the degree, leaving more free electives for internships, travel abroad, leadership opportunities or deeper study. Popular majors for pre-pharmacy students include:
Review a complete list of Asbury’s majors and minors.
Pre-Pharmacy Courses
With the help of dedicated advisors, students in the pre-pharmacy program select required and recommended courses designed to match typical prerequisites of future Pharm.D. programs.
Pre-pharmacy courses you’ll take include:
- General Chemistry
- General Biology
- Organic Chemistry
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Microeconomics
You’ll also be directed to complete lab courses as part of these course offerings.
Find complete course lists and course descriptions in the College Catalog.
Resources for Pre-Pharmacy Students
Pre-pharmacy program participants will find their calling and develop the skills they need to execute their dreams with support on and off campus. To supplement one-on-one support from your academic advisor and close faculty mentorship, here are some resources you may find useful throughout your pre-pharmacy journey.
- Asbury’s Office of Career and Calling: Find hands-on work opportunities and career support
- University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy: Prepare for the 3+4 Asbury/UK Pathway with UKCOP’s Pharm.D program.
- LECOM Pharm.D. Early Acceptance Process and Requirements: Learn how to apply for early acceptance at the School of Pharmacy before you begin pre-pharmacy studies
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy: Explore accredited Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs you may be interested in applying to
- Pharmacy is Right for Me: Identify a pharmacy career option that is right for you
- Pharmacy College Application Service: Where you’ll apply to your chosen programs
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy: Hosts both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) for national and state licensure requirements
Pre-Health Professions Support at Asbury
Asbury’s depth of programming in the sciences and opportunities for mentorship with expert faculty make it an incubator for future healthcare professionals. We offer numerous pathways that prepare our students for popular careers in medicine and health.
Explore the pre-health professions preparation programs at Asbury.
Contact Us
Like the guiding hand of the pre-pharmacy program curriculum, our program directors and advisors are here to guide you through becoming a pre-pharmacy track student at Asbury.
For more information or to further assistance in preparing for a career in pharmacy, please contact our Health Professions advisor.
How to Apply to the Pre-Pharmacy Program at Asbury University
The pre-pharmacy program at Asbury University lays the groundwork that empowers you to help others stay healthy and get the best results possible from their medications.
If you’re interested in pre-pharmacy career preparation at Asbury, you can apply to your preferred major as an undergraduate.
Review undergraduate admissions details and request more information today. Or, start your application.