The College offers to qualified applicants a professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.). The Doctor of Pharmacy program develops a highly qualified expert in pharmacotherapy who is prepared to provide professional leadership in the practice of pharmacy.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program is competitive and the following criteria are used to evaluate applications from prospective students. Admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee. The committee evaluates all factors, including interview evaluation. Admission granted to students while they are in the pre-professional program will be contingent upon their completion of that program.

1. Completion of prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of "C" or better (2.0 on a 4.0 grade scale). Completion of prerequisites with minimum grades does not guarantee admission.
2. The WSU PharmD program does not require minimum cumulative or prerequisite GPAs; however, these GPAs will still be considered in the overall review for admission.
3. Promise of success in a professional curriculum. Transcripts are evaluated for evidence of continued success in a full-time, science-based curriculum. Patterns of course repetition and excessive withdrawals are considered. It is recommended that applicants repeat not more than two mathematics and science courses in order to improve grades.
4. All applicants must complete the Wayne State University English Proficiency Requirement during the winter semester prior to fall admission. Applicants not enrolled at Wayne State University may arrange for out-state testing to satisfy this requirement at their present educational institution; for information, call the Testing and Evaluation Office: 313-577-3400.
5. A personal interview is required.
6. Nonacademic factors including work experience, community service and leadership abilities will be evaluated.
7. A criminal background check is performed on all accepted applicants and is evaluated prior to an applicant matriculating into the program.

Admission: Students are admitted to the Doctor of Pharmacy program for the fall semester only. Enrollment is limited to applicants who have met the general requirements for admission to the University by the stipulated deadline and present evidence of professional admissibility and promise of academic and professional competence in pharmacy.

The applicant must have completed (or be pursuing completion of) pre-professional core courses at the undergraduate level and demonstrated competency in computer literacy, critical thinking, and oral communication.

For complete information on admission, and pre-professional and professional undergraduate program requirements, consult the Wayne State University Undergraduate Bulletin.

Application: Deadline for submission of all application materials is November 1 each year. Applications are available through the Pharmacy College Application Service. 

The Doctor of Pharmacy requires a minimum of 125 credits in the professional program. All course work must be completed in accordance with the academic procedures of the Graduate School governing graduate scholarship and degrees and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

A student must complete all curriculum and program requirements, remove any marks of ‘I’ or ‘Y’, and be recommended for the degree. The student must complete the required minimum number of credits, elect courses in the proper sequence in the curriculum shown below, and meet all course prerequisites and corequisites, unless excused from doing so by the Dean.

A graduate of the following four-year professional curriculum earns a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and is eligible for the NAPLEX exam leading to licensure as a pharmacist. Students should also note that they may apply for a Bachelor of Health Sciences with a concentration in Pharmaceutical Sciences after completion of their first year of the Pharm.D. program. Students are eligible once they have completed a minimum of 120 credits, including all university general education requirements, professional courses in the P1 year, and any electives needed to reach that 120 credit minimum. The B.H.S. degree will allow students the opportunity to enter other fields of advanced study which require a baccalaureate degree, but granting of the B.H.S. degree does not qualify for licensure; application for licensure will occur after completion of the Pharm.D. degree.

Pharm.D. Professional Curriculum

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A total of 6 credits of professional electives must be taken between the start of the Second Year Winter Semester and completion of the Third Year Winter Semester; only Directed Study electives may be taken prior to the Spring/Summer of the Second Year. Students in the Research Scholars Track will fulfill the professional elective requirement with 4 credits of PHA 5195 (Research Scholars Elective) in addition to PHA 4395 Research Scholars: Research Development, subject to the provisions outlined in the Research Scholars Concentration.

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PPR 6165 and PPR 6175 are offered in both Fall and Winter terms; students will be assigned to one of these courses in the Fall and the other in the Winter.

Pharm.D. Practice Experiences

To provide the pharmacy student with education in the application of knowledge he/she has gained in courses in the curriculum, pharmacy practice experiences are scheduled throughout the Pharm.D. program. Pharmacy practice experiences give the student the opportunity to apply his/her pharmaceutical education directly to patients in a variety of pharmacy settings: community, ambulatory, and institutional locations. Practice experiences are required of all students.

During the fourth professional year (P4), required pharmacy practice experiences include General Community Practice, General Hospital Practice, Ambulatory Care, and Inpatient/Acute Care General Medicine. An additional experience involving patient care is also required. Students have two elective experiences which may be in patient care or non-patient care settings, such as pharmaceutical sciences or pharmacy practice research, managed care, pharmacy organizations, institutional or community management, or pharmaceutical management.

Requirements: Before students are scheduled to visit practice environments, they must provide health clearance documentation, proof of professional liability insurance, personal medical insurance, and Basic Cardiac Life Support certification; and sign a travel waiver. Students provide their own transportation to practice sites. A criminal background check may also be required by a practice site before a student can visit that site. Additional information on practice experience requirements and when they are required may be obtained from the College. These change regularly. View the most recent requirements.

Research Scholars Concentration

The Research Scholars concentration is offered to students who desire to complete a focus aimed at the development of research related knowledge and skills. There are a limited number of seats available and interested students must apply and be accepted to take this Concentration. Students are selectively offered a position in the Research Scholars Concentration and complete a longitudinal research project as part of that concentration. This program requires completion of PHA 4395 Research Scholars: Research and Development. In subsequent semesters, 4 credit hours of Research Scholars elective (PHA 5195) must be taken between Winter P2 and Winter P3 year, as agreed upon by the faculty research mentor and Research Scholars Program Director. Students electing to and being accepted into this concentration must also complete 1 additional mandatory research focused Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (PPR 7195) for 4 credit hours in the place of an elective Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience offering.