Pre-Pharmacy Program at NMU

The pre-pharmacy curriculum at NMU is designed to take between two and three years. During this time students complete the admission requirements of a pharmacy doctoral (PharmD) program. In order to be a practicing pharmacist one needs the PharmD degree, hours of practical experience and a passing score on a certification exam.

As each PharmD program varies somewhat in its admission requirements, students are advised to frequently check school Web sites to remain aware of current admission requirements. In the state of Michigan three universities offer the PharmD degree: Ferris State University, University of Michigan and Wayne State University. Other regionally located schools with such a program are the University of Minnesota (both in Duluth and the Twin Cities), University of Wisconsin at Madison and Midwestern University.

Professors Tom Getman and Suzanne Williams are the prepharmacy advisers. Please contact either if you have questions.

An example two-year curriculum taken at NMU to fulfill the requirements at Ferris State University or the University of Michigan are shown below:

Links to the Web sites of various pharmacy programs targeted by NMU students are here:

Ferris State University requirements
University of Michigan requirements
Wayne State University requirements
University of Minnesota-Duluth requirements

The doctor of pharmacy (Pharm D) is the standard degree in the pharmacy area. A Pharm D degree requires six years of study. The first two years of these programs are considered pre-pharmacy and are offered by NMU through the normal undergraduate course offerings listed below. The bachelor’s degree in chemistry or biochemistry may be applied toward admission into any of the above mentioned degree programs.

Each pharmacy school has distinctive pre-pharmacy course requirements, but most pharmacy schools have a heavy emphasis on chemistry and other related science courses. Below are shown typical NMU course schedules for completing the minimum pre-pharmacy requirements of Ferris State University and the University of Michigan within two years.

NMU to Ferris State University - Sample of NMU's 2 1/2-year pre-pharmacy curriculum

Ferris State does not accept AP credit for math or science courses to meet admission requirements of pharmacy school.

* If you do not place into MA 161 you should take precalculas (MA 115) during your first year, but then in order to remain on a two-year schedule you must take a course during the summer.

** The following subject areas satisfy the cultural enrichment requirement: architecture, art, art history, creative writing, foreign language, history, humanities, literature, music and theater. Religion, ethics, and philosophy courses may satisfy this requirement. One of these courses must be at the 200 or higher level. Note: No more than 5 hours of music/theater activity courses can count toward fulfillment of this requirement.

NMU to University of Michigan - Sample 2 1/2-year* NMU pre-pharmacy curriculum to meet Michigan's requirements.

* This 2 1/2-year curriculum represents the minimum entry requirements accepted by the University of Michigan. The assistant dean at the U of M College of Pharmacy suggests that students also complete two additional courses from either Division II or IV before attending the U of M.

** If you do not place into MA 161 you should take precalculas (MA 115) during your first year, but  in order to remain on a two-year schedule, you must take a course during the summer.

*** BI 218 is a prerequisite for BI 312.

These two sample curricula are rather rigorous 2 1/2-year programs and students may wish to alleviate some of the load through summer school or taking a full third year to complete these requirements.