FAQs

Chicago State University School of Pharmacy awards the Pharm. D. degree. The Pharm. D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree is a professional degree that prepares the graduate for pharmacy practice. It is awarded after four years of pharmacy school, including one year of experiential rotations.
The PharmD requires a minimum of 6 academic years. Two years of prescribed prepharmacy courses and four years of full-time attendance in the professional program. The last year is composed of experiential rotations in pharmacy practice sites.
Once a year, fall semester only
CSU-SOP admits up to 45 students each fall.
The total student to faculty ratio is 7:1.
No, you are not required to major in science in college to be eligible for admission to a pharmacy degree program.  Biology and chemistry are common majors for pharmacy applicants because many of the course prerequisites for pharmacy are often incorporated into the standard curriculum. Student pharmacists, however; come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds, including those who majored in English, business, communications, etc. If the pharmacy prerequisite courses are not required as part of your undergraduate major, you will need to complete these courses as electives.
A bachelor’s degree is not required.  We welcome exceptional non-degree students to apply as long as they have completed a minimum of 54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours and meet the minimum GPA requirement.
Students must have a minimum 2.50 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) for the following GPA's: Cumulative GPA, Prerequisite GPA and Prerequisite Math/Science GPA (all repeated coursework will be included). The average GPA of the entering class was above 3.1.
PCAT is not required.
Applications for the 2025 entering class are available via PharmCAS beginning July 11, 2024. The priority deadline for applicants that want to be considered early for Merit Scholarships is December 2, 2024. Regular deadline date is June 2, 2025.
Yes, an interview is required (by invitation only).
Contact the Office of Prehealth Professions at (773)995-3981 for information on the Pre-Pharmacy program, visit our website at https://www.csu.edu/pharmacy/index.htm or attend one of our prospective student informational meetings.  Dates for an upcoming prospective student informational meeting can be found on the events page of the college of health sciences and pharmacy.
Please e-mail a brief course description along with the course title and credit hours to pharmacy-admissions@csu.edu. The admissions staff will review it and let you know whether it will be acceptable.
No, prerequisites can be pending when the Admissions Committee evaluates your application. An official transcript showing successful completion of all prerequisite coursework with a passing grade of “C” or better must be received by our office by the end of the spring semester or a student's acceptance will be jeopardized.
The mission of Chicago State University School of Pharmacy (CSU-SOP) is the development of student and faculty scholars who will impact the health care needs of people in the region, state, and the nation. The School will provide a strong foundation in the knowledge, integration, and application of the biomedical, pharmaceutical, social/behavioral/administrative, and clinical sciences resulting in practitioners who are committed to humanistic service, capable of providing patient-centered care and leaders in advancing the pharmacy profession.

Throughout the admissions process, CSU-SOP’s Admissions Committee will be evaluating your application from all aspects. Your cumulative, prerequisite and prerequisite math/science GPA's will be considered. Please note, that the Admissions Committee will also examine any patterns in your grades. In addition to the "numbers-side" of your application, the Committee is also looking for applicants who have researched the field, are highly motivated, and confident that pharmacy is the career they want to pursue.

The CSU–SOP may accept transfer students from other accredited pharmacy colleges and schools as long as these students are in good academic standing and provide reasons for seeking a transfer. All requests for transfer information should be referred to the CSU-SOP Office of Student Affairs so that the potential transfer applicant can be counseled prior to submitting an application.

To be considered for transfer, a student must meet the College’s general requirements for admission. He/she must also submit the following:

  1. A letter to the CSU-SOP Office of the Dean indicating why he/she wishes to transfer and explaining any difficulties encountered at his/her current institution
  2. A completed CSU-SOP Supplemental Application (will be provided after counsel);
  3. Official transcripts from all schools attended - undergraduate, graduate, and professional;
  4. A catalog and a detailed syllabus for any courses for which advanced standing consideration is requested;
  5. A letter from the dean or designee of the pharmacy college or school in which the student is enrolled. The letter must indicate the student’s current academic status in good standing;
  6. Additional documents or letters of recommendation as determined necessary by the Dean of the CSU College of Health Sciences and Pharmacy.

If the review is positive, the Admissions Committee will interview the transfer student applicant. The Admissions Committee will provide its recommendation for admission to the Dean. 

Chicago State University College of Health Sciences and Pharmacy

Douglas Hall 3083

Tel. (773)821-2679

E-Mail: pharmacy-admissions@csu.edu