MUSC Pharmacy Students Succeed

Graduating student satisfaction, on-time graduation, and residency placement exceed 90 percent. We are a top academic medical center located in historic Charleston, SC focused on interprofessional education and research.

MUSC College of Pharmacy students in white coats

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Admission Criteria

The MUSC Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program requires 63 hours of prerequisite coursework (typically two years) followed by four academic years of professional study. Some students choose to earn a Bachelor's degree prior to admission to the program, but this is not required. 

Admission to the MUSC College of Pharmacy is competitive and based on the following:

  • Successful completion of prerequisite courses
  • Cumulative and prerequisite GPA
  • Interview evaluations
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Writing evaluation 
  • Pharmacy exposure
  • Research experience
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Leadership experience 


Course

Hours

General Chemistry

8

Organic Chemistry

8

Physics

3

Calculus

3

Statistics

3

Biology

8

English Composition

3

English Lit/Composition

3

Public Speaking

3

Psychology

3

Anatomy/Physiology

6

Microbiology

3

Liberal Arts Electives

9

Totals 

63

 

*The Economics prerequisite has been removed beginning in the 2022-2023 admission cycle. 

Course substitutions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and for select prerequisites.

Frequently Approved Prerequisites

• Calculus: general calculus and calculus for business or life sciences majors will be accepted
• Science courses: must be designated for science majors
• Biology: two general biology courses may be substituted with a combination of botany, zoology, cell biology, or genetics upon approval of MUSC COP admissions
• Human Anatomy and Physiology: may include a 3-hour course in anatomy and a 3-hour course in physiology or 6-hour anatomy integrated with physiology courses; 6 hours of comparative vertebrate anatomy and animal physiology will be accepted; 6 hours must come from two lecture courses
• Microbiology: microbiology lab is not required
• Physics: algebra or calculus based physics will be accepted. A physics lab is not required
• Statistics: introductory statistics or a statistics for life sciences, business, mathematics, etc. majors will be accepted
• Public Speaking: public speaking or speech will be accepted
• Liberal Arts electives: courses in humanities and social sciences are accepted. Examples of humanities include: art, business, ethics, creative writing, fine arts, languages, music, religion, and   theater. Examples of social sciences include: anthropology, additional economic courses, child development, geography, history, management, political science, social work, sociology, and women’s studies
 

The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) is an optional component of the MUSC College of Pharmacy application process. Applicants with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 should consider taking the PCAT to strengthen their academic credentials. If an applicant chooses to submit official PCAT scores, please send to PharmCAS (code 104). For more information on the PCAT, please review Pearson's PCAT test dates. The final PCAT testing cycle will be offered during the 2023–2024 admissions cycle. 

Submission of the PharmCAS and supplemental application are required for international applicants. Please refer to our International Admission Requirements for more information.

• In order to apply, a candidate must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0 (undergraduate and graduate GPAs will be combined) 
• It is the candidate's responsibility to verify that minimum GPA requirements are met. An application fee refund will not be issued if application requirements are not met. Our admissions office is willing to complete a transcript analysis to determine if a candidate's GPA meets the minimum requirements prior to submission of an application. The candidate must supply copies of any and all unofficial college transcripts for an accurate analysis. Please contact Jenny Bagg for more information
• Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended for all coursework (including outside of Pharm.D. prerequisites) taken through the last semester when applying to PharmCAS
• Applicants must submit transcripts of completed fall 2023 course grades to PharmCAS and update the PharmCAS academic update window as soon as grades are available

To accelerate the processing of fall 2023 course grades, applicants should request an official transcript to be emailed to oesadmis@musc.edu, or official transcripts can be mailed to MUSC Admissions in addition to PharmCAS. Please send official transcripts to:

ATTN: MUSC Admissions
Office of Enrollment Management
45 Courtenay Drive, 3rd Floor, Room 359
MSC 203
Charleston, SC 29425-2030

• Applicants must submit transcripts for coursework taken during spring and summer 2024 semesters (if applicable) to the MUSC Admissions Office as soon as grades are available
• PharmCAS prefers electronic transcripts but only accepts these through Parchment and National Clearinghouse. To determine if your registrar participates in any of these services, please check their directories. More information on Transcripts can be found on the PharmCAS website. If your school is not listed in Credential Solutions, Parchment, or National Clearinghouse, arrange for your registrar to mail an official paper transcript directly to PharmCAS
• It can take up to four weeks to process transcripts via PharmCAS. It is recommended that applicants apply early to prevent any delays in processing
• AP scores must be submitted by the applicant to MUSC Admissions, College Code 5407 to the Office of Enrollment Management address above
• AP scores may be requested through College Board

The professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree and eligibility for pharmacist licensure requires a certain level of cognitive, behavioral and technical skill and ability inherent in a professional education. These principles and standards hold for admission, progression, retention and completion of the program. Pharmacy Technical Standards (PDF)

MUSC’s Pharm.D. degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. ACPE accreditation means that our degree program meets or exceeds established standards for a professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Whereas accreditation applies to training programs, licensure applies to individuals. Our program prepares students for and makes them eligible to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), which all individuals must pass in order to practice pharmacy. Passing the NAPLEX is necessary, but it may not be sufficient to practice pharmacy in a given state. You can view additional requirements for practicing pharmacy in each state through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

Use of Marijuana and/or CBD Products

Marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug and is illegal to purchase in South Carolina. Apart from a narrow and limited scope of codified/documented medical exceptions, it is illegal for individuals to use marijuana/tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in South Carolina. Although cannabidiol (CBD) products may be purchased and used in South Carolina, please be aware that CBD products may contain higher levels of THC than represented on packaging and use of CBD products can result in a positive drug screen for THC/marijuana. Be aware that current drug testing methods cannot accurately ascertain the origins of THC metabolites (i.e., whether from marijuana or CBD products). Your academic program has the authority to conduct random and/or scheduled drug testing; if your test result is reported as positive for THC metabolites (even if you only used a CBD product), your ability to be accepted into the program, progress in the program, and/or successfully complete the program may be negatively impacted.

Scholarship Eligibility

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means those scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC’s code: 003438. We encourage you to submit the FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit the FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the Fall.

Application Deadlines

Start Term Application Type Available Deadline
Fall 2024
Regular July 14, 2023 May 1, 2024
Fall 2025
Regular July 14, 2024 May 1, 2025