Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO)
University of Mississippi

Pharmacy

Pre-Pharmacy students will pursue The Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (B.S.P.S.) degree program. This degree program includes coursework for the professional Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program and prepares students to apply for pharmacy school.  Pathways into the professional program include the Early Entry program and the Pre-Pharmacy program. At minimum, seven years is required to obtain the Doctor of Pharmacy degree after high school graduation. The first three years are the student’s pre-professional component, the following four years consist of the professional component. Students will obtain their Bachelors of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree (B.S.P.S.) after successfully completing their first year of the Pharm.D. program. Once students are awarded their B.S.P.S. they will move on to complete the remaining three years of professional school.  

The University of Mississippi’s first and second years of professional school coursework are on the Oxford campus, while the third year of a student’s professional component is housed at our sister campus, University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, MS. The fourth and final year of professional school, consists of 10-month long rotations in advanced practice experiences in a variety of practice sites throughout the country. The entirety of the four-year Professional Pharmacy Degree Program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education. 

To enter professional pharmacy school, you will need: 

  • Successfully obtain a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (B.S.P.S.) or a bachelor’s degree that fulfills the specific courses required by the professional school 

  • Complete The Pharmacy College Application Service and coursework on (PharmCAS) **PharmCAS is the application service for students to utilize to apply for professional pharmacy school, this is a good website to get familiar with 

  • Volunteer experience in a pharmacy setting may be an essential factor in the admissions process 

  • A personal statement 

  • 1-4 letters of recommendation are often part of the pharmacy admission process 

  • Interviews are part of the admission process to professional school **the interview process may vary by institution 

  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher 

  • Drug screen 

  • Specific immunization records 

  • Criminal background check 

Careers in Pharmacy: 

As patients’ most accessible health care provider, pharmacists are medication experts, playing a critical role in sustaining, developing and improving overall patient health and medication use. A Pharm.D. degree is versatile and will prepare you to pursue many dynamic career pathways in multiple sectors of the health-care system. Considering multiple employment settings, the various positions within these settings, and the opportunity to specialize, there are hundreds of different positions for pharmacists, providing lifelong career possibilities.  

Find more career avenues within pharmacy  here, and additional pharmacy information on pharmacyforme.org.