The University of Texas at Austin
College of Pharmacy

  1. Contact Information ↑ 

  2. Program Deadline ↑ 

    PharmCAS Application and Transcript Deadline for the class entering fall of 2018:  November 1, 2017

  3. Accreditation Status ↑ 

  4. Program Information ↑ 

    • Do you follow the AACP Cooperative Admissions Guidelines? Yes
    • Institution Type: Public
    • Is your institution part of an academic health center? No
    • Type of academic term: 
      • Semester (two terms per academic year)
    • Dual Degree Programs Yes
    • If Yes, Check all that apply: 
      • PharmD/Ph.D.
    • Structure of your PharmD program: 2-4 (two years prepharmacy required)
    • Is a Baccalaureate degree preferred for admissions? No
    • Open House Information:
      • Dates:  
      • Details:  
    • Does your institution participate in the Early Decision Program (EDP)? Yes
    • Alternative enrollment options available
      • Other
      • If Other, please list: Students living in the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo regions of Texas may become part of the Cooperative Pharmacy Program between UT Austin and UT Rio Grande Valley. Please see the following website for additional information: http://www.utrgv.edu/pharmacy/
    • Is your institution participating in the Centralized Criminal Background Check (CBC)? Yes
    • Is your institution participating in the PharmCAS-facilitated Drug Screening Service? Yes
    • Satellite/Branch Campuses:
      • Prior to the third professional year, students assigned to UTHSC at San Antonio and those students who are part of the Cooperative Pharmacy Program at UTRGV will relocate to those campuses.  

  5. Program Description ↑ 

    For information: http://sites.utexas.edu/pharmacy-admissions/

    General Information on The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy: Provides education and training to more than 500 professional students as well as approximately 130 graduate students, post-graduate residents and post-graduate fellows. The college makes its home in a two-building complex on the main campus of UT Austin and has a joint program with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and a cooperative program with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

         UT pharmacy students receive high quality instruction in the basic pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy administration, and pharmacy practice. Clinical education sites are available in the Austin/Temple/Waco area, the Rio Grande Valley, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Honors Program and a Pharm.D./Ph.D. are available for students who show interest in academic and/or research careers.

           Mission / Vision: The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy strives to provide exemplary pharmacy education, training and research programs for professional students, graduate students and post-graduates by: educating Pharm.D. professional students, M.S./Ph.D. graduate students and post-graduate trainees to be leaders in their profession; conducting exceptional basic, translational, clinical, health policy, and health services research; advancing scientific discovery and the health care of patients through innovations in the practice of pharmacy; partnering with pharmacy and other health care communities to provide innovative experiential education and service; advocating for improvement in public health; and building a collaborative, diverse environment that values and rewards innovation, productivity and critical thinking.

         Curriculum: The Pharm.D. program requires two years of pre-pharmacy coursework and four years of work within the college in the pharmaceutical and clinical sciences.  The curriculum is designed to provide the state and nation with pharmacists who are scientifically trained and clinically competent to deliver a full spectrum of pharmaceutical services in all areas of practice and to be leaders in the profession. The curriculum features a discipline-integrated approach to the management of disease states, and a case-based team approach to the design of patient-specific therapeutic planning.

       Admissions: Students may begin the professional curriculum only after they have been admitted to The University of Texas at Austin and to the professional program in pharmacy. To be accepted to the professional pharmacy program, applicants must complete at least 65 semester hours of prerequisite coursework. The Admissions Committee conducts a holistic review of application materials including an assessment of overall academic achievement as indicated by grade point average and PCAT scores. In addition to academic credentials, the committee also considers other factors such as, but not limited to, letters of recommendation, oral and written communication skills, extracurricular involvement, knowledge of the profession, work in health care, community service and leadership, and special life circumstances.

         Other Programs: [a] Health Outcomes and Pharmacy Practice [M.S./Ph.D.]; [b] Pharmacology & Toxicology [Ph.D.]; [c] Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery [Ph.D.]; [d] Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry  [Ph.D]; [e] Pharmacotherapy [M.S./Ph.D.]; [f] Translational Sciences  [Ph.D.].

  6. Program Statistics and Criteria ↑ 

    • Estimated number planning to interview for fall 2018 entering class: 250
    • Estimated number planning to accept for fall 2018 entering class: 125
    • Estimated fall 2018 entering class size including early assurance: 125
    • Estimated number of early assurance students advancing to the professional program in 2018: 0
    • Is preference given to in-state applicants vs. out-of-state applicants? No
      • Number of IN-STATE seats available for fall 2018 entering class: Not limited
      • Number of OUT-OF-STATE seats available for fall 2018 entering class: Not limited
    • Minimum overall GPA considered: 3.5 is the average; No minimum >= 2.8 preferred
    • Minimum prerequisite GPA considered: 3.5 is the average; No minimum >= 2.8 preferred.
    • Minimum composite PCAT score considered: 85% is the average; No minimum. >= 65% preferred
    • Previous college experience prior to enrolling in the school/college of pharmacy: 1 to 2 years, no degree (1-60 sem hrs)
    • Estimated percent of males in 2017 entering class: 35%
    • Estimated percent of females in 2017 entering class: 65%
    • Estimated average GPA of accepted students in 2017 entering class: 3.5
    • Age RANGE of entering students for fall 2017 class: 20-43
    • Ratio of applications received to the number of first-year students enrolled in fall 2017 class: 4 : 1

  7. Program Prerequisites ↑ 

    • Total number of college SEMESTER HOURS that must be completed prior to matriculation: 65
    • Total number of basic science college SEMESTER HOURS that must be completed prior to matriculation: 33
    • Total number of college QUARTER HOURS that must be completed prior to matriculation: 102.5
    • Applicants must successfully complete ALL course prerequisites by the end of the: Summer 2018 term
    • Course Prerequisites Table:
      Course Title Semester Hours Quarter Hours
      Total 65  102.5 
      Physics w/ Lab - science major pre-req; should include thermodynamics  4  6 
      Calculus I  3  5 
      Cell & Molecular Biology (Biology I) - science major pre-req  3  5 
      Organismic Biology (Biology II) - science major pre-req  3  5 
      Genetics - science major pre-req  3  5 
      Inorganic Chemistry w/ Lab (General Chemistry I and II) - science major pre-req  8  12 
      Organic Chemistry w/ Lab (Organic Chemistry I and II) - science major pre-req  8  12 
      English Composition - pre-req  3  5 
      Microbiology w/ lab - science major pre-req  4  6 
      Literature (American, English or World) - pre-req  3  5 
      Statistics (descriptive & inferential) - pre-req  3  5 
      American History - core graduation requirement  6  9 
      American Government - core graduation requirement (1 hour of Texas govt is also required and can be completed in a variety of ways; see below)  5  7.5 
      Social & Behavioral Science - core graduation requirement  3  5 
      Visual & Performing Arts - core graduation requirement  3  5 
      First Year Signature Course - core graduation requirement (courses in several areas of study may be appropriate)  3  5 
    • Additional Information: 

      Math and science courses must be for science majors.

      Non- Math / Science courses listed are also CORE graduation requirements.


      Foreign Language - two years of high school or two semesters of college in the same language, or passing a proficiency exam
      For more information: http://sites.utexas.edu/pharmacy-admissions/getting-started/coreflag-course-requirements/

       

      1 hour of Texas consitution is required as part of the 6 hours of government. This can be completed in a number of ways, including UT Extension and testing out.

    • Does your program accept AP credits for prerequisite coursework? Yes

  8. Supplemental Application ↑ 

  9. Tests ↑ 

    • PCAT required? Yes
      • The oldest PCAT considered: 3 years
      • Details: 

        The oldest PCAT considered: July 2014

        The PCAT should be taken no later than September 2017 test dates.

        Early Decision Applicants: July 2014 to July 2017 are the only PCAT scores accepted for Early Decision. However, we will accept September 2017 PCAT for Early Decision if this is a retest and not first time taking the PCAT. Preliminary September 2017 PCAT scores should be submitted to the Pharm.D. Admissions mailbox (PharmDAdmissions@austin.utexas.edu) via email within 48 hours of the test date. Please note in your email that this is for your Early Decision application. Official September scores should also be submitted to PharmCAS for application update.

        Please see the following url for additional informaiton: http://sites.utexas.edu/pharmacy-admissions/getting-started/

      • Note: select PharmCAS Code 104 to report PCAT scores directly to PharmCAS. 
    • TOEFL® required? Yes
      • Details: 

        Foreign applicants should take the TOEFL if English is your second language, even if you have been in the U.S. for several years.

        When applying for admission, submit an official score from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Academic Examination of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Although the Graduate and International Admissions Center accepts either the TOEFL or IELTS, the TOEFL iBT is preferred because of the intergrative nature of the four skills tested and the facility with which scores are transmitted.

        https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/transfer-admission#fndtn-t115-whats-required

      • Note: select code 8246 to report TOEFL scores directly to PharmCAS. 
    • Other required tests or credentials: 

  10. Experience ↑ 

    • Is health care-related experience required? Not required but recommended

  11. Residency ↑ 

    • Is proof of state residency required? No
      • Details: Residency is not considered in admissions decisions. Residency is considered for tuition purposes by the university. See Texas Admissions for additional information:https://admissions.utexas.edu/residency
    • Is preference given to state residents? No
    • Is preference given to residents of other states? No

  12. Foreign Applicants ↑ 

    • Is proof of U.S. residency required? No
    • Are foreign citizens considered? Yes
    • Are U.S. permanent residents considered? Yes
    • Are Canadian citizens considered? Yes
    • Policy for accepting non-U.S. coursework (excluding study abroad): Send a foreign transcript evaluation report (FTER) to PharmCAS
    • Deadline for receiving foreign transcripts/evaluations: November 1, 2017 Received by deadline
    • Details: 

      Once an offer of admission is made, UT Austin does its own foreign transcript evaluations. Residency is not considered for admissions decisions. Residency is considered for tuition purposes.

  13. Letters of Reference ↑ 

    • Are letters of reference (LORs) accepted? Yes
      • Number of LORs you accept: Three (3)
      • Are LORs required? Yes
      • Do applicants send the LORs to PharmCAS, or directly to your school? to PharmCAS
    • Institution Specific Details: 

      Letters from pharmacist supervisors, employer supervisors, and/or math or science professors are strongly encouraged.

    • LOR types that are REQUIRED: 
    • LOR types that are RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED: 
      • Employer
      • Pharmacist
      • Professor (Math)
      • Professor (Science)
      • Supervisor
    • LOR types that are CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED: 
    • Note: please verify the institution specific details regarding CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED LOR types. 
      • Faculty Adviser
      • Health Care Professional
      • Pre-Health Adviser
      • Professor (Liberal Arts)
      • Letters should be from those individuals who know the applicant well professionally or academically. Letters should NOT be from family or friends.
    • LOR types that are NOT ACCEPTED: 
      • Family Member
      • Friend
    • Are Committee Letters accepted? No
    • Are Composite Letters accepted? No

  14. Interviews ↑ 

    • Does your institution conduct interviews? Yes
    • Interview Format:
      • Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
    • Interview Dates:
      • Mid-October for Early Decision 
      • Mid-to-late January for Regular Decision 
    • Details: 

      The college uses the Multiple Mini Interview format. Interviewees will spend half a day at the college participating in a showcase experience to highlight the unique qualities of the UT Austin College of Pharmacy.

      See our website for additional information about interviews:
      http://sites.utexas.edu/pharmacy-admissions/interviews/

       

  15. Accepted Applicants ↑ 

    • When are acceptance letters mailed to regular applicants? Offers go out by the last week of February.
    • When is the response to the acceptance offer due? Applicants are asked to respond within 7 days from receipt of the offer.
    • Is there a deposit to hold an acceptee's place in the class? Yes
      • Amount: $200
      • Due: May 1, 2018
      • Refundable? No
      • Details: The deposit is for transfer students only. The deposit will be applied to the first semester's tuition.
    • New Student Orientation Information: 
      • The week before classes begin in August 
      • Details: Several days of introduction to the Pharm.D. program are provided including meeting the deans, faculty, staff, and other students. Incoming students are informed about the curriculum, student organizations and the profession.
    • First day of classes and/or matriculation: Last Wednesday in August.
    • Are requests for deferred entrance considered? Yes
      • Details: Only for significant extenuating circumstances by decision of the Dean.