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Academic requirements

Important note: High school students who are interested in applying for the Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP) program should refer to the CAP section of this website.

The entry-to-practice Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) is a second-entry program requiring that students complete a specific set of courses at the university level prior to entering the Pharmacy program. In order to complete the required courses you will normally need to have been enrolled in a university-level undergraduate Bachelor of Science (BSc) program. Unfortunately applicants with only a community college background are not admissible to the Pharmacy program.

The courses required for admission provide a foundation of knowledge that the Pharmacy program builds upon.

Students can complete the course requirements at any accredited university. No preference will be given to Waterloo students. Students planning to apply from another university are required to ensure that the courses taken are equivalent to those listed below. To determine course equivalency, please review the course descriptions linked to each of the required courses and ensure that the course you are planning to take mirrors the description of the course offered at Waterloo. For confirmation of course equivalencies, prospective applicants are strongly advised to E-mail us at pharmacy@uwaterloo.ca.

Due to the rigorous nature of the Pharmacy academic program, the Pharmacy Admissions Committee prefers applicants to show evidence of taking a full course load (five courses per term) during their previous or current BSc studies.

The Admissions Committee discourages applicants from opting to have required courses assessed on a credit/no credit (CR/NCR) basis, where this is permitted by their home institution. For further information on how such courses are handled from an admissions perspective, please consult our frequently asked questions on this website.

Completion of required courses

You are responsible for completing all the required courses and having your final transcripts submitted to the Registrar's Office by the deadline specified, typically early June. However, you may begin the application process before completing all the required courses for admission.

Courses completed between the end of May and the beginning of your Pharmacy program cannot normally be used to meet admissions requirements and will not normally be considered by the Admissions Committee. Students who have completed all required courses will have a competitive advantage.

In all cases, all of the required courses must be completed before you can commence the Pharmacy program.

Minimum overall University average of 75%

The grade achieved in every university course you have taken since entering university will be included in the overall average calculation. The average is not limited to the required courses only. This average must be at least 75%.

Prerequisites

Course eligibility

If you are currently taking required courses at an institution other than Waterloo, we strongly encourage you to contact the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy undergraduate advisor for confirmation of course equivalencies.

Required courses for admission in January 2014

NOTE: These are slightly changed from the January 2013 academic requirements.

The specific course requirements listed below will ordinarily necessitate a minimum of two full years of university-level science. Note: One term is equal to 4 months.

Biology

Chemistry

English

  • Any one ENGL course (0.5 credit)

Mathematics

  • Calculus 1 for the Life Sciences (MATH 127) or Calculus 1 for Honours Mathematics (MATH 137) or Calculus 1 Advanced (MATH 147)
  • Calculus 2 for the Life Sciences (MATH 128) or Calculus 2 for Honours Mathematics (MATH 138) or Calculus 2 Advanced (MATH 148)
  • Introductory Statistics for Scientists (STAT 202)

Humanities or Social Sciences

  • 2.0 full credits (four half credits) from different subject areas in Humanities and/or Social Sciences; no more than 1.0 full credit (two half credits) in any one subject area; no more than one additional 0.5 credit (one half credit) in English may be used to satisfy this Humanities/Social Sciences requirement.

† These courses include a lab component

Additional questions about admission to the School of Pharmacy can be directed to pharmacy@uwaterloo.ca.

For questions relating to admission to a Bachelor of Science program please contact science@uwaterloo.ca.

View additional information about programs of study in Waterloo's Faculty of Science.