Pre-Pharmacy Minor
Coordinator: Mary Hildebrand
Email: pph@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-6652
Pre-Pharmacy Minor Website
Program Description
The Pre-Pharmacy program provides guidance on courses, experiential activities, and competencies for students that are preparing to be competitive applicants to graduate Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs after completing their Bachelor's degree at James Madison University. The Pre-Pharmacy program is a minor that students complete as part of their baccalaureate degree.
Declaring Pre-Pharmacy (Admission Standards)
Incoming first-year and transfer students can declare pre-pharmacy without verification from PPH Advising. Current students can request to declare the pre-pharmacy minor through MyMadison but will need approval for the request to be granted. If the student has completed fewer than 10 hours of biology, chemistry and physics (BCP) credits, the request will be granted after verification of course work. If the student has completed 10 or more BCP credits, the request will be granted if the BCP GPA is 2.50 or greater.
Pre-Pharmacy Progression Standards
After completing 10 hours of foundational biology, chemistry and physics course work, pre-pharmacy students undergo academic reviews twice a year.
Pre-pharmacy students whose BCP GPA falls below 2.50 are at high risk of not being admitted to pharmacy school and will receive targeted advising focused on academic improvement and career exploration. If a student falls below the standard in a subsequent performance review, the pre-pharmacy minor will be administratively dropped. Students may re-enter the minor upon meeting the 2.50 BCP GPA requirement.
Additional Information
Pre-professional health programs do not ensure that all prerequisites for admission to health professions schools are met. Students should inquire with pharmacy schools of interest to confirm details of admission requirement.
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Courses | ||
| BIO 140 & 140L | Foundations of Biology I [C3NS] and Foundations of Biology I Laboratory [C3L] 1 | 4 |
| BIO 150 & 150L | Foundations of Biology II and Foundations of Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 245 & 245L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| BIO 270 & 270L | Human Physiology [C3NS] and Human Physiology Laboratory [C3L] 1 | 4 |
| or BIO 370 | Human and Animal Physiology | |
| BIO 290 & 290L | Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 131 & 131L | General Chemistry I [C3PP] and General Chemistry Laboratory [C3L] 1 | 4 |
| CHEM 132 & 132L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| CHEM 241 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 242 & 242L | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 5 |
| CHEM 361 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
| PHYS 140 & 140L | College Physics I [C3PP] and General Physics Laboratory I [C3L] 1 | 4 |
| or PHYS 125 & 125L | Physics with Biological Applications [C3PP] and Physics with Biological Applications Laboratory [C3L] | |
| Subtotal | 43 | |
| Intermediate or Advanced BIO Coursework | ||
| Choose one of the following from subjects recommended by pharmacy schools: | 3-4 | |
| Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Cell and Molecular Biology 2 | ||
| Immunology | ||
| Advanced Molecular Biology 2 | ||
| Subtotal | 3-4 | |
| Calculus | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Applied Calculus [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Calculus with Functions I [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Calculus with Modeling I [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Calculus I [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 3-4 | |
| Statistics | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Elementary Statistics [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Introduction to Applied Statistics Using R [C3QR] 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Public Speaking | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamental Human Communication: Presentations [C1HC] | ||
| Fundamental Human Communication: Individual Presentations [C1HC] | ||
| Fundamental Human Communication: Group Presentations [C1HC] | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Writing and Literature | ||
| WRTC 103 | Rhetorical Reading and Writing [C1W] | 3 |
| One literature course from (C2L) ENG or HUM | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 6 | |
| Behavioral Science | ||
| PSYC 101 | General Psychology [C5SD] | 3 |
| or PSYC 160 | Life Span Human Development [C5SD] | |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Social Science | ||
| SOCI 110 | Social Issues in a Global Context [C4GE] | 3 |
| or SOCI 140 | Microsociology: The Individual in Society [C5SD] | |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Economics | ||
| ECON 201 | Introduction to Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 200 | Introduction to Macroeconomics [C4GE] | |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 70-72 | |
- 1
Foundational course for minor.
- 2
BIO 240 is a prerequisite.
Recommended Electives (Not Required)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 366L | Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| PHYS 150 & 150L | College Physics II and General Physics Laboratory II | 4 |