Doctor of Pharmacy

Pre-Pharmacy Requirements

All courses listed on the Pre-Pharmacy Course List below are considered prerequisites and may not be taken during the first professional year. Also, all prerequisites must be completed with a C- or higher. You may complete your pre-pharmacy work at WSU, a community college, or any accredited four-year university.

If you have any questions about pharmacy prerequisites or applying to the WSU Doctor of Pharmacy program you can also book an admissions advising appointment.

Transcript Evaluations

The course information on this page is intended to serve as a guide and is not an official evaluation of transcripts. You can contact us for transcript evaluations, course equivalencies, or to arrange a campus visit at pharmacy.admissions@wsu.edu or 509-368-6605.

In addition, your transcripts will be evaluated during the admission process and you will be notified if the courses taken meet the prerequisites for the program.

Pre-Pharmacy Course List

Organic Chemistry*

Semester School 7-8 credits | Quarter School 15 credits

WSU series is Chemistry 345 and 348

Must complete full series with labs for science majors. Two semesters (7-8 credits) or three quarters (15 credits) of an organic chemistry series is required including at least 1 lab Comprehensive organic course covers structure, bonding, molecular properties, an overview of organic reactions, and stereochemistry, with emphasis on the properties and chemical reactivity, mechanisms, nomenclature and spectroscopy (IR, UV, NMR, MS) of the following organic functional groups: alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, alkynes and alkylhalides, aromatic compounds (benzene), alcohols, thiols, ethers, epoxides, sulfides, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives (acid halides, acid anhydrides, esters, amides, and nitriles), carbonyl alpha-substitution reactions, carbonyl condensation reactions, aliphatic amines, arylamines and phenols, biomolecules (carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, lipids, heterocycles and nucleic acids).

Biochemistry*

Semester School 4 credits | Quarter School 5 credits

WSU course is MBioS 303

One semester (4 credits) or one quarter (5 credits) biochemistry for undergraduate science majors: Structure and function of proteins, nucleic acids and biological membranes; principles of enzymology; major metabolic pathways, DNA structure and repair, RNA structure and transcription, regulation of transcription, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, basic population genetics. Must be upper-division to fulfill the requirement, or evaluated to be equivalent.

Microbiology*

Semester School 3-5 credits | Quarter School 5 credits

WSU course equivalent is MBios 305

One semester (3-5 credits) or one quarter (5 credits) of a general microbiology course. Introduction to the study of bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, spirochetes, fungi and protozoa with emphasis on structure, function, nutrition, physiology, and genetics of microbes and their application to immunology, pathology, microbial diversity, and environmental microbiology.

Human Anatomy with lab*

Semester School 4 credits | Quarter School 5-10 credits

WSU course is Biol 315

One semester course (4 credits) that includes gross and microscopic anatomy of the human body. Must include lab. May take integrated Anatomy and Physiology (2 semesters, 8 credits or 3 quarters, 15 credits) with labs. See Physiology below. Upper division course is preferred.

Physiology*

Semester School 4 credits | Quarter School 5-10 credits

WSU course is Biol 353 or Neuro 425 and Neuro 426

One semester course ( 4 credits) examining function and control at the cell-tissue level, and at the organ-organismic level including each of the major organ systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, neural and gastrointestinal) as well as basic concepts of cellular physiology. Must include lab. Emphasis on mammalian/human physiology. May take integrated Anatomy and Physiology (2 semesters, 8 credits or 3 quarters, 15 credits) with labs. See Anatomy above. Upper division course is preferred.

Algebra, Pre-Calculus or Higher*

Semester School 3-4 credits | Quarter School 5 credits

WSU courses are Math 106, 140, 171 or 202

One semester (3-4 credits) or one quarter (5 credits) of Algebra, Pre-Calculus or higher level math class.

Statistics*

Semester School 3-4 credits | Quarter School 5 credits

WSU course is Stat 212

One semester (3-4 credits) or one quarter (5 credits) of a Statistics course. Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics. Interpretation of estimates, confidence intervals, and significance tests. Elementary concepts of probability and sampling; binomial and normal distributions. Basic concepts of hypothesis testing, estimation, and confidence intervals; t-tests and chi-square tests. Linear regression theory and the analysis of variance.

Arts and Humanities Courses**

Semester School 12-15 credits | Quarter School 12-15 credits
At least one course must be an English Writing/Composition class. Other courses may be selected by choice.

*The science courses on this list must be completed by the end of the spring term before beginning the PharmD program.
**These courses may be completed by the end of the summer term before beginning the PharmD program.

What if I took a prerequisite course several years ago?

As a general rule, upper-division science coursework should be no more than seven years old at the time of application. However, each situation is reviewed on an individual basis. Please contact us at (509) 368-6605 for more information.