To be eligible for the PharmD program, you must meet certain academic requirements.
You must complete the following prerequisites as an undergraduate student prior to enrollment in the PharmD program. We recommend that you take the physiology and microbiology prerequisites at a four-year university or college. Biochemistry as an upper-division course must be taken at a four-year institution. For equivalent courses offered at your institutions, please visit our Course Equivalencies list.
Requirements are subject to change.
Only courses designed for science majors are accepted. We recommend that math and science courses be completed during the regular academic year rather than during a summer/abbreviated term.
The following recommended courses will strengthen your background and your application’s competitiveness:
Send one official transcript from each higher education institution you have attended to PharmCAS when you apply to our school. Transcripts should be sent to PharmCAS as soon as you begin your PharmCAS application. When you complete additional coursework, please send updated transcripts to the PharmCAS Academic Update. After the end of PharmCAS Academic Update (June 30), you will need to send in any new or updated transcript(s) directly to USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Please see How to Apply — Submit Your Final Transcripts below for more information.
Three letters of recommendation are required.
Letters of recommendation must be submitted online as part of the PharmCAS application.
Any online prerequisites taken prior to spring 2020 can be reviewed by the Admissions Committee: Email a link to the course description to pharmadm@usc.edu with a request for consideration.
Pass/no pass grading of prerequisites is only acceptable if taken in 2020. Pass/no pass courses taken any other time may be acceptable upon verification by the Admissions Committee: Email a link to the course description to pharmadm@usc.edu with a request for consideration.
We accept PharmD students seeking transfer on a case-by-case basis. If you are enrolled in an accredited PharmD program at another institution and want to seek advanced standing at USC Mann, send your request letter to: pharmadm@usc.edu
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an American immigration policy that allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthday, and before June 2007, to receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation. If you are an undocumented applicant, we welcome your application to the PharmD program.
The Admissions Committee will not accept College Level Examination Program courses. Our Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs may consider Advanced Placement (AP) exam and International Baccalaureate (IB) credit if you have a bachelor’s degree.
An AP score of 3, 4 or 5 or IB scores of 5, 6, or 7 may be used toward the statistics requirement and the first quarter or semester of a one-year series of pre-pharmacy courses, such as general biology or general chemistry. AP calculus BC can be used to satisfy the calculus requirement. Please submit a copy of all AP scores through your PharmCAS application (Program Materials section) if you are using them to satisfy pre-pharmacy required courses.
The Admissions Committee may accept you “conditionally” if you have one or more incomplete pre-pharmacy course(s), if your bachelor’s degree is not yet completed or if your final degree is not yet posted to your transcript.
As you complete the missing course(s), please submit your updated transcript(s) to PharmCAS Academic Update. Please mail new/updated transcript(s) after the end of Academic Update directly to USC Mann Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs, 1985 Zonal Avenue, PSC 206A, Los Angeles CA 90089-9121. If you cannot complete all pre-pharmacy course requirements by August of your enrollment year, contact Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs right away.
Once you confirm you have met the eligibility requirements listed below, your next steps are:
We use PharmCAS so you can complete one application for multiple pharmacy schools. We don’t require a separate USC supplemental application.
The regular PharmCAS application deadline for fall entrance is April 1
The Priority Application deadline is November 1
Applicants are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline, which qualifies you for selection for early interview dates and admissions decisions, scholarship considerations, and a reduced deposit fee if admitted.
It is advisable that you submit your PharmCAS application as early as possible. Generally, PharmCAS takes two to five weeks to process your application and send it to USC Mann. You may use PharmCAS Applicant Help Center for further assistance.
After you have submitted your PharmCAS application, we’ll invite qualified and competitive candidates to an admissions interview. You will be notified one to three weeks in advance in order have time to prepare.
Your admissions interview will consist of:
Interview Dates
IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS
In-person interviews are available from 12:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days:
Friday, October 14, 2022
Friday, November 11, 2022
Friday, December 2, 2022
Friday, January 20, 2023
Friday, February 17, 2023
Friday, April 21, 2023
VIRTUAL (ZOOM) INTERVIEWS
Virtual interviews are available from 3 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. on the following days:
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Thursday, May 25, 2023
*All interview dates are subject to change
Once you are admitted to the USC PharmD program, you must submit:
Since PharmCAS will no longer verify your transcripts after June 30, you will need to send in your transcripts directly to the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, either electronically or by mail.
You may have your transcript(s) emailed through your school of Parchment to us at: pharmadm@usc.edu. Note: Do not use the default USC choice. You need to manually type in the email address, pharmadm@usc.edu; otherwise, it will get delayed.
Or, mail your transcript(s) to:
USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs
1985 Zonal Avenue, PSC B10
Los Angeles CA 90089-9121
Applicants must be interviewed before admission to the PharmD program. The purpose of the interview is to assess your oral communication skills, writing skills, leadership ability and your motivation or potential to be a pharmacist.
If you are offered an interview, you will be notified one to three weeks in advance. Please keep the following dates available because, except for rare circumstances, appointments are not rescheduled.
In-Person interviews are hosted 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days:
Virtual interviews are hosted 3 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on the following days:
Interview dates are subject to change.