PROGRAMS FOR FUTURE PHARMACISTS OR PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCHERS
The need for talented pharmacists and pharmaceutical researchers has been accelerated by COVID-19 and the potential threat of future pandemics. Whether you’re interested in helping treat disease through medication or developing new life-saving drugs, Nova Southeastern University’s Dual Admission program in Pharmacy can help you achieve your goals. You’ll save your place in either our Pharm.D. or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program and start preparing for an in-demand career from day one of your college journey.
Being able to travel and study as a part of my pharmacy school experience at NSU has been the highlight of my year.
Reniel N. | Class of 2022
At the heart of NSU’s Barry and Judy Silverman College of Pharmacy is our faculty and staff. They mentor, guide and provide an open environment for students to learn and grow. You’ll benefit from their real-world expertise in the classroom, the clinic and the lab.
With the Silverman College of Pharmacy, the options are endless—no matter if you are interested in the clinical elements of the job or the research side, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get involved and take advantage of our experiential learning opportunities, including travel study programs.
THIS IS OUR HEALING & MEDICINAL GARDEN
Take a look around!
What Can You Do with a Pharm.D. or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences Degree?
While both doctoral programs in pharmacy will give you a deep understanding of pharmaceutical science, they lead to different types of careers.
A Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) will train you to become a pharmacist that can work in a variety of places, from the neighborhood pharmacy to hospitals and long-term care facilities.
A Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is more focused on research and the development of new medicines and vaccines. At NSU, you can specialize your Ph.D. with a concentration in drug development (pharmaceutics), molecular medicine and pharmacogenomics or social and administrative pharmacy.
Related Careers
- Pharmacist (Pharm.D.)
- Pharmaceutical researcher
- Professor
- Medical Writer
Competencies
- Deep understanding of disease and treatment
- Pharm D. competencies include patient care, optimizing medication, immunization and other preventative care
- Pharm D. competencies include knowledge of pharmacology and the complex nature of the use and distribution of pharmaceutical products
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Dual Admission Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program can take seven or eight years to complete.
The seven-year combined program (3+4) allows students to complete three years of a prescribed course of study in any undergraduate major. Students are awarded a bachelor's degree after successful completion of the first year of education in the College of Pharmacy.
The eight-year combined program (4+4) requires students to complete four years of a prescribed course of study in any undergraduate major with a minimum of 120 credits.
Students will receive the Doctor of Pharmacy degree after completion of four years of study in the Pharm.D. program.
The Dual Admission Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.) is a nine-year minimum combined program (4+5) that requires students to complete four years of a prescribed course of study in any undergraduate major with minimum of 120 credits.
Degrees Earned
You can earn any bachelor’s degree and your Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) or earn a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, health science, human services administration, neuroscience, psychology, or public health and your Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.).
Program Length
You can earn your Pharm.D. in seven years (3+4) or eight years (4+4). You can earn your Ph.D. in nine years (4+5), minimum.
Interview Required
Students applying for Dual Admission must interview during Shark Preview Weekend, an exclusive admitted student event.
Deadline to Apply
Fall Admission: February 1
ELIGIBILITY
To be considered for this Dual Admission program, there are some requirements you must meet. Undergraduate Admission Requirements are for first-time freshmen students applying to earn a bachelor’s degree. This Dual Admission program is ONLY for first-time in college students, although college credits earned through advanced high school program may apply ( see “transfer credits through high school section below”).
Graduate Admission Requirements are the standards students need to maintain while earning their undergraduate degree to remain eligible for the graduate or professional program.
Undergraduate Admission Requirements
*Anatomy and Physiology, and Living Environment may be substituted for Biology.
Graduate Admission Requirements
Keep your dual admission status while you earn your bachelor’s.
Dual Admission reserves your seat in NSU’s Doctor of Pharmacy or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program, but you must still complete a graduate application once you finish your bachelor’s degree.
Keep in mind that these are the basic requirements, and final determination of admission into the professional program is at the discretion of the College of Pharmacy.
Degree Required
Pharm.D. candidates must complete a bachelors degree in any major. For the 3+4 program, a degree is not required prior to transitioning to the graduate program. For the 4+4 program, you must complete a bachelor's degree. Pharmacy Ph.D. candidates must earn a bachelor’s in biology, chemistry, health science, human services administration, neuroscience, psychology, or public health. Other prerequisites may be communicated upon admission.
Undergraduate GPA
You must maintain a 3.0 cumulative and science GPA for all pharmacy degrees.
Calculation of cumulative and science GPA for the purpose of program eligibility for Dual Admission will not reflect the "grade forgiveness/repeated courses" policy; all grades for retaken courses will be included. The science GPA for Dual Admission purposes is composed of only those courses with BIOL, CHEM and PHYS prefixes.
Required Test Scores
Pharm.D.: PCAT score no longer required for Dual Admission students.
Ph.D.: GRE no less than the mean score of the previous year’s entering class in each component. No superscoring.
Credits Required
Seven-year track: 93 credits
Eight- and nine-year tracks: 120 credits
Additional Requirements
Transfer students are not eligible to apply to this Health and Medical Professions Dual Admission program. Only students coming to NSU in the fall semester as first-time college freshman applicants are eligible to apply.
College credits that were earned through advanced high school programs such as AP, IB or college academy—or in summer coursework following high school graduation, prior to attending NSU—may transfer to NSU. However, we strongly encourage students to take a majority of their specific science program pre-requisites at NSU to highlight their competency in these critical domains and maximize their long-term profile for future graduate/professional school candidacy.
Students who enter NSU with earned college credits through advanced high school programs may be able to complete their degree and program requirements earlier than scheduled and request to enter their graduate professional programs earlier as well.
Please contact your admissions representative for more details regarding high school transfer credits.
Please be advised that a student's initial course placement in mathematics, science or composition may impact the timing of the completion of all dual admission prerequisites and major courses, and could result in the need to take summer courses.
Ready for the Next Step?
Here’s how to apply.
Dual Admission is just one of NSU’s distinctive Premier Programs. These programs are designed to help highly motivated students accelerate their success.
You can apply for just about any combination of the following Premier Programs:
- Dual Admission
- The Fischler Academy of Education
- Huizenga Business Innovation Academy
- Razor’s Edge Scholars
You may apply for and be admitted into only one Dual Admission program for your first semester. Each program is unique and has its own eligibility requirements.
Apply for Undergraduate Admission
You can use the Shark Select Application or the Common App to apply to Nova Southeastern University.
Submit a Supplemental Application
Complete the supplemental Premier Programs application for fall entry.
Interview During Shark Preview
If you’re admitted to NSU and submit the supplemental application, you will be invited via email to choose which Shark Preview Weekend works for your schedule.