General Information
The Faculty has a broad-based admission policy that takes into consideration academic performance and evidence of other characteristics and qualities to select the most competitive students for the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences program. As part of this process, academically competitive applicants will be required to participate in an interview.
UBC's procedures, policies, and general admission requirements are specified in Admissions. Further admission information is available from the Faculty.
Meeting the minimum prescribed admission requirements means only that the applicant is eligible for selection but in no way guarantees admission. As enrolment in the program is limited, the average required for admission is higher than the published University minimum.
Admission from Secondary School
Admission from Secondary School is to Year One of the program. Admissibility is determined on the basis of a number of factors including performance in specific high school courses, evidence of relevant learning and achievements both in and out of school, as well as other indicators of suitability for the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences program at UBC. As a part of the admissions process, all applicants are required to submit a personal profile.
Admission as a Post-Secondary Transfer
Admission as a post-secondary transfer applicant is to Year Two of the program. Post-secondary transfer applicants must meet competitive admission requirements for entry. Full details on admission as a post-secondary transfer student are described under “Applicants from a Post-Secondary Institution”. Applicants are not admitted into the third or fourth year of the program.
Students must have completed the following UBC courses (or their equivalents):
- BIOL 112 and one of BIOL 153 or BIOL 155
- CHEM 121 and CHEM 123
- One of MATH 100, MATH 102, MATH 104, MATH 120, MATH 180, MATH 184
- One of MATH 101, MATH 103, MATH 105, MATH 121
- WRDS 150
- 3 credits of electives
Transfer credit will be assessed after admission has been achieved. Note that only transfer credits that fulfill the B.P.Sc. program requirements will be applied to the degree. For more information, see Maximum Allowable Transfer Credit. Once admitted, students are required to take PHAR 180 in addition to Year Two requirements.
Once admitted, students are required to take PHAR 180 in addition to Year Two requirements.
Transfer from another UBC Program
UBC students, including Vantage College students, who wish to transfer to the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences program must follow the procedures, policies, and admission requirements specified in Change of Degree Program, Change of Campus, or Readmission.
Students applying for admission from another UBC program are subject to the requirements noted above under Admission as a Post-Secondary Transfer.
Second-Degree Studies
Students with a recognized undergraduate degree may be eligible to pursue a B.P.Sc. as a second degree if they have a focus of study that is distinct from the discipline(s) of the first-degree (i.e. they have not previously been awarded a degree in the area of the pharmaceutical sciences). Eligible second-degree students will be admitted and evaluated in the same manner as post-secondary transfer students.
For a second degree, students must satisfy all UBC and program requirements with a combination of first- and second-degree credits and must earn a minimum of 50% of the credits required while enrolled at UBC Vancouver in their second-degree program. For the B.P.Sc., this will mean earning at least 60 new credits; more will likely be required if the Lower-level Requirements of the B.P.Sc. were not fulfilled with first-degree studies. Second-degree students are required to complete all PHAR course credits at UBC Vancouver.
Courses used to fulfill requirements for a prior degree or earned subsequently (e.g., through Unclassified study) may exempt the student from equivalent courses required for the second degree, but will not normally reduce the minimum credit requirements. The Faculty reserves the right not to grant exemptions if the course(s) in question was completed more than five years prior to starting the second-degree B.P.Sc. program and only in exceptional cases will exemptions be granted if courses were completed more than eight years prior. Only with approval of the Program Director and the Faculty’s Director of Student Services will any credits earned before entering the second-degree B.P.Sc. be applied to its credit requirements.
Students admitted to a second-degree must consult the Faculty’s Academic Advisors regarding specific second-degree requirements prior to commencing the program. Students are expected to complete a second-degree in a timely manner.