Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the CSU-COP, a prospective student must do the following:
Complete, or be in the process of completing, non-remedial, prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited US college or university. All pre-pharmacy coursework requirements must be completed in the spring semester prior to matriculation. While the College has traditionally required 65 prerequisite hours, beginning in Fall 2022, the college will require 54 credit hours of prerequisite course work.
If a student has completed course work at a foreign institution, the student must provide acceptable proof of degree equivalency. International students must complete 30 semester hours of prerequisite course work (including at least 15 semester hours in the sciences) at an accredited institution in the United States.
Prerequisite Course Requirements (Prior to Fall 2022)
- English (composition) Credit Hours: 6
- Biology (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Anatomy, human (All systems) Credit Hours: 6
- General Chemistry (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Organic Chemistry (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, force, and motion must be included. May be non-calculus based) Credit Hours: 3
- Calculus (integration and differentiation) Credit Hours: 3
- Speech (public speaking) Credit Hours: 3
- Economics (micro, macro, or general) Credit Hours: 3
- Statistics (must include probability testing, population statistics, and hypothesis testing up to simple regression) Credit Hours: 3
- Psychology or Sociology Credit Hours: 3
- Additional Course work (divided among the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, fine arts, foreign language, business or computer sciences) Credit Hours: 11
Prerequisite Course Requirements (Starting in Fall 2022)
- English (composition) Credit Hours: 6
- Biology (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Anatomy, human (All systems) Credit Hours: 6
- General Chemistry (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Organic Chemistry (with laboratory) Credit Hours: 8
- Physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, force, and motion must be included. May be non-calculus based) Credit Hours: 3
- Calculus (integration and differentiation) Credit Hours: 3
- Speech (public speaking) Credit Hours: 3
- Economics (micro, macro, or general) Credit Hours: 3
- Statistics (must include probability testing, population statistics, and hypothesis testing up to simple regression) Credit Hours: 3
- Psychology or Sociology Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite Requirements
All required (prerequisite) courses must be completed with a letter grade of C or better prior to entrance into the professional pharmacy program. Grades of C- or less are not acceptable.
Students must meet the following requirements:
Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale), a minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale) in the required pre-pharmacy course curriculum, and a minimum prerequisite science and math GPA of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale) in the required science and math pre-pharmacy course curriculum.
The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) is not required, but candidates are welcome to submit scores if they feel it will support their application.
Reflect a people/service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
Reflect proper motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer, or other life experiences.
Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
Submit a completed supplemental application containing a personal statement; and Complete CSU-COP’s on-campus interview process (by invitation only).
Application Process
All applicants must file an application through PharmCAS, a web-based Pharmacy College Application Service, by June 1st, at http://www.PharmCAS.org. PharmCAS must receive ALL official college transcripts by June 1st. PharmCAS will not release applicant information to the School of Pharmacy until all transcripts, from every institution attended, are received.
Two letters of reference should be completed on the Letters of Reference form included in the PharmCAS application and submitted to PharmCAS by June 1st. Applicants must adhere to the specified requirements regarding letters of reference criteria:
One letter must be from a pharmacist or other licensed health care professional. The second letter should be from a science professor or pre-health advisor from the pre-pharmacy curriculum
* If out of school for more than three years, this letter may be substituted by a supervisor or an employer.
** The supervisor/employer must have supervised/employed the applicant for a minimum of one year.
International Applicants
If an applicant completed course work at a foreign institution, the applicant must also submit an official, detailed course-by-course evaluation of this course work. The student must obtain this evaluation from one of the following services:
Education Credential Evaluators (ECE): www.ece.org.
World Education Service (WES): www.wes.org.
Selected applicants will be invited to participate in an interview process.
For additional questions, please call our office at 773/821-2500.
After the College of Pharmacy receives and processes the completed application, the application/file is evaluated to determine whether or not the student will be offered an on-campus interview.
Interview
The COP Office of Student Affairs coordinates the interview process with interviews occurring throughout the selection process.
The COP Admissions Committee reviews a prospective student’s completed file to determine the student’s interview eligibility. If the committee considers the student eligible for an interview, an invitation for an on-campus interview will be extended to the applicant.
Technical Standards for Admission
The educational mission of the CSU-COP is to educate and graduate competent pharmacists who will provide patient-centered care in a variety of pharmacy practice settings. The technical standards for admission set forth by the CSU-COP outline the nonacademic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by the faculty and by the ACPE, the pharmacy-accrediting agency, to obtain the PharmD Degree.
It is expected that all students admitted to this program will:
- possess the coordination and motor and visual skills required to function in a clinical and laboratory setting where they will engage in pharmaceutical preparations and use instrumentation such as microscopes and balances.
- possess sufficient visual and auditory perception and the mental capacity to assimilate technically detailed and complex information presented in lectures and in professional practice settings.
- possess sufficient communication skills to present information accurately and effectively to faculty and patients.
Candidates for admission to the CSU-COP who are invited for an on-campus interview are required to certify that they understand and meet the technical standards detailed above. Candidates must provide such certification on the day of their interview. Candidates who may not meet the technical standards are encouraged to contact the COP Office of Student Affairs to discuss and identify what accommodations, if any, the CSU-COP would need to make in order that the candidate might be able to meet the standards.
Reapplication Process
After receiving either a denial or end-of-cycle letter, a prospective student may reapply to the CSU-COP in the next admissions cycle. To initiate the reapplication process, the student must submit a new application. The application is then processed in the same manner as any other application.
Readmission after Dismissal for Poor Academic Performance
Students dismissed for poor academic performance may reapply for admission to the CSU-COP if they fulfill the following requirements:
- Generally, students should complete 30 or more credit hours in advanced coursework (The majority of courses should be science-focused).
- For students who have struggled in intensive, advanced science-based courses we encourage you to complete credit hours in courses such as microbiology, immunology, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology/toxicology, and pathophysiology.
- For students who have struggled in math-based courses we encourage you to complete credit hours in application-based mathematics courses including biostatistics, advanced algebra,
- For students who have struggled with English comprehension, writing based activities, and reading comprehension we encourage you to complete credit hours in technical writing.
Students who successfully fulfill these requirements will be permitted to reapply to the university and college and will be treated as new applicants. The CSU-COP Admissions Committee will review the application for evidence of improved academic potential. No guarantee of admission is implied, and questions related to advanced standing and similar issues will be addressed as they are for any new applicant. The recommendation of the Admissions Committee will be forwarded to the Office of the Dean. Readmission can be granted only once. Please note, this policy will expire on August 1st, 2021, after which time readmission candidates will be treated as new candidates and be required to apply via PharmCas.
Transfer Admission from Another College of Pharmacy
The CSU-COP may accept transfer students from other accredited pharmacy colleges and schools as long as these students are in good academic standing and have legitimate reasons for seeking a transfer.
All requests for transfer information should be referred to the CSU-COP Office of the Dean 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. The applicant must also submit the following:
A letter to the CSU-COP Office of the Dean indicating why the applicant wishes to transfer and explaining any difficulties encountered at his or her current institution.
Official transcripts from all schools attended (undergraduate, graduate, and professional);
A catalog and a detailed syllabus for any courses for which advanced-standing consideration is requested.
A letter from the dean of the pharmacy college or school in which the student is enrolled. The letter must indicate the student’s current academic status and/or terms of withdrawal/dismissal.
Additional documents or letters of recommendation as determined necessary by the Dean of the CSU-COP.
If the review is positive, the Dean will instruct the Admissions Committee to interview the transfer student applicant. The Admissions Committee will provide its recommendation for admission to the Dean.
Advanced Standing
Advanced standing will be considered on a case-by-case basis for students transferring into CSU-COP. Advanced standing will only be considered for applicants who are able to demonstrate evidence of successful coursework at a different ACPE accredited Doctor of Pharmacy program. The curricular structure at individual programs varies, and classes within the CSU-COP curriculum build upon each other are sequential in nature. To achieve a CSU-COP diploma, graduates must complete a substantial component of their Doctor of Pharmacy education within the curricular design and rigor of the program. Therefore, transfer credits and advanced standing will be granted on a very limited basis and will be determined prior to matriculation into the CSU-COP program. There is no guarantee that students that transfer from other academic institutions will receive advanced standing or that they will matriculate into the same professional year.
Therefore, to request such consideration, a student should submit a letter of request for advanced standing with their initial transfer request letter to the Dean that highlights which courses for which advanced standing is being requested. Advanced standing will only be considered for courses where the student achieved a grade of “B” or better. A “B-” letter grade is not acceptable for advanced standing consideration. The student is required to provide an official course description(s) and a syllabus(syllabi) of the course(s) previously taken at the time of submission of their admissions application. For some courses, a student may be required to take a comprehensive challenge exam/interview to exhibit competency in material. Individuals are required to complete at minimum their P3 and P4 years at CSU-COP to be eligible for a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from CSU-COP and must have equivalent coursework in P1 and P2 years. Advanced standing will not be considered for the experiential component of the curriculum. Applications for advanced standing will be reviewed and determined by the Office of Academic Affairs. The decision to offer advanced standing will be provided at the time of an admissions offer and will be listed in their offer letter.
Matriculation Process
The matriculation process begins after a student receives notification of his or her acceptance. The student must return his or her signed matriculation agreement. The student must also meet the following requirements:
Submit a nonrefundable deposit totaling $500 by the dates designated in the matriculation agreement. The entire $500 is applied toward the student’s first semester’s tuition if applicant matriculates.
Submit an official copy of all college transcript(s) verifying that the student has satisfactorily completed all prerequisite course requirements for admission.
Complete a medical file that includes proof of immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Proof of immunity must be provided for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B. Evidence of a recent (within three months) negative tuberculin test is also required.
Submit proof of medical insurance coverage or enroll in plan offered by CSU.
Successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screening.
Be eligible for licensure as a pharmacy technician in the State of Illinois; and
Submit additional documents as requested by the Office of the Dean.
If a student either fails to satisfy the above matriculation requirements or omits/falsifies information required on official admissions documents, the student automatically forfeits his or her seat at CSU-COP.
CSU-COP Professional Curriculum (Class of 2022 and Class of 2023)
Total Credit Hours: 16-18
Total Credit Hours: (17-19)
Fall P4
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
Total Credit Hours: 19-21
Total Credit Hours: 17-19
Total Credit Hours: 16-18
CSU-COP Professional Curriculum (Class of 2024 and beyond)
Fall P4
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
- PHAR 64XX - Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Credits Hours: 5
Professional Electives
During their years of study at the CSU-COP, students complete a minimum total of 8 credit hours of approved pharmacy electives. A minimum of 2 credit hours must be completed in the P-2 Spring, P-3 Fall, and P-3 Spring semesters.
Professional Practice Experiences
Students must successfully complete 40 credit hours of practical experience during the academic program. Students are required to complete 10 credit hours of introductory pharmacy practice experiences during the first through third professional years and 30 credit hours of advanced pharmacy practice experiences during the fourth professional year. During these experiences, students will spend time in a variety of pharmacy practice settings to develop the necessary skills for contemporary pharmacy practice.
The CSU-COP reserves the right to alter its curriculum, however and whenever it deems appropriate.
Enrollment Status
Full-time enrollment is required of all students in the college, except for visiting (at-large) students (see below). Enrollment begins in the fall semester only. It is not possible to begin the program in the spring semester.
Admission Information and Application Procedures for Professional Student at Large (Visiting Students) at the College of Pharmacy
A professional student at large is a non-degree student at the College of Pharmacy who is taking one or more credit courses for professional development. This student can be a degree-seeking student at a different institution, or a student seeking additional coursework to qualify for pharmacist’s licensure examination(s).
A professional student-at-large at the College of Pharmacy is not eligible for:
- Financial aid, which includes loans
- Course credit evaluation
- Degree audit
Admission Requirements
Applicant with a Pharmacy Degree
Applicants who have a pharmacy degree (BPharm, MPharm or PharmD) from a regionally and professionally, (ACPE) accredited college/school of pharmacy, seeking additional coursework to qualify for licensure examination must submit verification of degree by submitting the following documentation:
- College/University official transcript showing proof of graduation
- Letter from licensure granting agency showing requirements for additional coursework identifying areas of deficiency or need
Applicant without a Pharmacy Degree
Applicants who do not have a pharmacy degree (BPharm, MPharm or PharmD) must prove good academic standing at a regionally and professionally (ACPE) accredited college/school of pharmacy. This student may attend Chicago State University as a professional Student-at-large. This student may transfer this earned credit to the College of Pharmacy at the Chicago State University. This transfer will be subject to their successful acceptance to the College of Pharmacy following the regular admission process. Applicants must submit verification of good standing by submitting the following documentation:
- College/University official transcript
- Letter of good academic standing from the Registrar or Dean of the College
Admission / Registration Process and Restrictions
Professional-at-large students must complete the appropriate admissions application, obtain permission from the Dean of the College, and meet with a counselor, as needed, to obtain approval to enroll in 6000 level professional courses from the College of Pharmacy. At-large students may not enroll more than 18 credit hours of coursework per semester. Under any circumstances, the Dean of the College of Pharmacy will make the final decision.
Academic Standards for the Pharm.D. Program
A professional year grade point average will be used as the primary measure of academic performance. It is calculated from all courses for a particular professional year. Grades earned for courses prior to matriculation in the professional program and grades earned for courses taken outside the CSU-COP while enrolled in the professional program are not included in the calculation of this grade point average.
Academic Probation
A student must maintain a professional year grade point average of 2.00 in the professional program to remain in good academic standing.
A student is placed on academic probation for any of the following reasons:
- A student’s professional year grade point average falls below 2.00.
- A student earns any grade below a C in any courses.
- A student failed to complete successfully any non-course graduation requirements (Drug Card Assessments, MileMarker Exams, Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), Portfolio)
A student is notified, in writing, when being placed on academic probation.
Academic probation represents notice that continued inadequate academic performance may result in dismissal from the College. If the student is placed on academic probation, the Academic Standing Committee will determine actions to return the student to good academic standing. These may include but are not limited to:
- Completion of remedial work (except in any instances in which a student earns an F grade in any courses)
- Repeat of the course(s)
- Dismissal from the pharmacy program
In addition to the above actions, the Academic Standing Committee may determine that the student should be dismissed from the college. A student may also be dismissed for academic dishonesty, judicial misconduct, professional misconduct, or a felony conviction. Additional information on the College of Pharmacy progression requirements can be found in the College of Pharmacy Student Handbook.
Academic Standards for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences
If a student fails to earn a grade of C or better on an advanced pharmacy practice experience, the student must repeat the same type of experience. After consideration of the circumstances, the Academic Standing Committee may grant the re-take with additional requirements which can include:
- The student to undergo a period of directed independent study to correct knowledge deficiencies
- The student being placed on a leave of absence before repeating the experience
Actions of the Academic Standing Committee are not limited to the above and decisions will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The time of the repeat will be as early as possible once the student has satisfied the Committee’s requirements and is subject to availability of experiential sites as determined by the Office of Experiential and Continuing Professional Education. The repeat, if granted, must be completed within 12 calendar months. Students are allowed only one repeat of an advanced pharmacy practice experience while enrolled at CSU-COP. Failure to earn a C or better on a second advanced pharmacy practice experience may result in a recommendation for dismissal.
Graduation Requirements
To qualify for graduation, a student must fulfill the following requirements:
- Successfully complete a minimum of 65 semester hours credit of prerequisite course work (prior to fall 2022), and then 54 hours starting in fall 2022 and beyond, as stipulated for admission to the program.
- Successfully complete the program of professional and experiential course work as approved by the CSU-COP Faculty and Dean.
- Attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all professional course work at the CSU-COP.
- Complete, at a minimum, the last two didactic semesters and all advanced pharmacy practice experiences at the CSU-COP.
- Successfully complete a capstone project in the fourth professional year.
- Successfully complete all non-course requirements as approved by the CSU-COP Faculty and Dean.
- Settle all financial accounts with the institution; and
- Attend the commencement exercises, unless excused by the Dean of CSU-COP.
Candidates for graduation must be of good moral character consistent with the requirements of the pharmacy profession and the CSU-COP faculty. It is the position of the faculty that anyone who illegally uses, possesses, distributes, sells, or is under the unlawful influence of narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances, or who abuses alcohol or is involved in any conduct involving moral turpitude, or fails to meet the ethical and moral requirements of the profession may be dismissed from any program or denied the awarding of any degree from CSU-COP.
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