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Chemistry, Pre-Pharmacy Concentration, B.S.

Shippensburg University students majoring in chemistry with a pre-pharmacy concentration will graduate with a chemistry degree with coursework that is required for admittance into pharmacy programs.

What Will I Learn?

ACS LogoAs part of the concentration, students will receive faculty advisement catered towards appropriate course selection for pharmacy school and monitoring of their progress.

What are the requirements for this degree?

A minimum of 60 credits (two years) of specific college prerequisites is required for entry into most four year Doctorate of Pharmacy programs. However, most Shippensburg University pre-pharmacy students have chosen to first earn their four year undergraduate degree (usually as a chemistry or biology major) prior to matriculating at a pharmacy school. If you choose to complete only the two year minimum of prerequisite coursework, you will not be able to earn a baccalaureate degree from Ship. Few pharmacy programs award an undergraduate degree midway through the four years of pharmaceutical study. Prerequisites for entry into pharmacy programs typically include: eight credits of biology, 16 credits of chemistry, eight credits of physics, mathematics through college algebra/trigonometry, and one course in calculus. To be competitive when applying to pharmacy schools, students should accumulate a GPA of 3.3 or higher. It is also important that students have some pharmacy internship experience. If students are pursuing the 2+4 option, it is particularly vital to receive advisement from health science faculty at the very beginning of the first year or, if possible, before the freshman year begins because they will only have two semesters of work before applying to pharmacy programs (in the fall of their sophomore year). You are expected to complete general education courses, including humanities, social sciences and courses emphasizing communications such as English composition and speech. Course prerequisites vary among pharmacy programs; therefore, pre-pharmacy students early in their first semester at Ship are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from a pre-pharmacy advisor and to examine the book, Pharmacy Schools Admissions Requirements, which is located in the Health Sciences Office. Faculty-directed undergraduate research is highly encouraged at Ship. Each year, between six and 12 undergraduate science students present results of their research at regional, state or national conferences. Pre-pharmacy students are also encouraged to participate in an internship in a pharmacy setting in order to become acquainted with the field prior to making formal application to selected professional programs.

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What Types of Careers Could I Get With This Degree?

Successful completion of our program and acceptance into pharmacy school can lead to rewarding careers in pharmacy such as staff, clinical or consumer safety office pharmacists.

What Career Outcomes Do Alumni Have With This Degree?


A list of of the top job titles for Chemistry alumni
The estimated salary for Chemistry alumni

What Kinds of Experiences Could I Have?

Most pre-pharmacy concentration classes are small at Shippensburg University, usually having no more than 16 students per laboratory section. Tenured professors, not graduate students, teach lectures and laboratories. State-of-the-art laboratory equipment is available to students, giving them hands-on experience with current techniques. Faculty-directed undergraduate research in chemistry or biochemistry is highly encouraged. Each year, between six and 12 undergraduate majors present results of their research at regional, state or national conferences. Pre-pharmacy students are also encouraged to participate in internship experiences or apply for pharmacy technician positions in a pharmacy setting in order to become acquainted with the field prior to making formal application to selected professional programs.

Contact the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 327 Franklin Science Center 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257 Phone: 717-477-1629 Fax: (717) 477-4048