Policy

The School of Pharmacy curriculum is sequenced so that courses taught in the first professional year are prerequisite to courses taught in the second year, second year courses are prerequisite to courses taught in the third year, and so forth. Consequently, the curriculum is not designed to accommodate those who have fulfilled portions of the course requirements at other universities or pharmacy schools. The School does not admit students to advanced standing because they have completed portions of the professional course requirements at other colleges or universities. However, under rare circumstances, students may be given an exemption from a professional course provided that they can demonstrate satisfactory performance in a course equivalent in content to a course offered by the School of Pharmacy.

Course exemptions are granted only for full-time students enrolled in the professional program. Students requesting more than one exemption will be required to enroll in an additional elective course in order to maintain full-time status.

Procedure

Students requesting an exemption from a course in the professional curriculum may petition the Assistant/Associate Dean FOR Student and Academic Affairs before the first day of the University’s add/drop period (usually within the first two weeks of the term). The written petition should provide clear and convincing evidence of satisfactory performance in a course that is substantially equivalent to a course offered by the School. Evidence which might be included in such a petition follows:

Evidence of course equivalence

• A course syllabus
• Class notes
• Copies of examinations, papers, laboratory reports and /or other course evaluations
• The textbook citation

Evidence of satisfactory performance

• Transcript with grade
• Statement from course instructor or department chair

Upon receiving the petition, the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs, in consultation with appropriate faculty members, will determine whether the student may be exempted from a course and will prepare a written response to the petitioner. When an exemption is granted, credits will be transferred from the previous college or university but the grade will not be included in any class rank or quality point calculation.