About Our School

Pharmacy at UConn isn't just about books. Your professors all conduct research in their field so you'll be getting the most up-to-date knowledge available. UConn is one of only thirteen federally-designated Evidenced-based Practice Centers in the country, and the only one in a pharmacy school instead of a medical school.  This means our faculty are helping medical professionals around the country understand the latest medication therapies. UConn is also a leader in medication therapy management, training pharmacists to help patients manage their medications more effectively. You'll get real knowledge and real-world practical skills during your introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences because you'll be working with pharmacists at practice sites around the state, and sometimes, the nation.

Our faculty in the pharmaceutical sciences are experts in the medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, and pharmacology and toxicology fields; several hold national and international offices and recognitions. They are also recognized for drug development, particularly through the $10 million Program in Innovative Therapeutics for Connecticut’s Health collaboration with Yale University and UConn Health. The school is known for its commitment to community engagement with a focus on improving the health of Connecticut’s citizens.

Universities, generally, and schools of pharmacy, specifically, are defined by the quality of their people: students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The exceptional people who comprise the UConn School of Pharmacy “family” are ultimately what make us one of the nation’s truly great schools of pharmacy. See what makes us Unique UConn.

Discovery 

At UConn, research isn't just for graduate students. Every September the school hosts Pharmacy Research Day, a showcase of research happening in the School. The day includes professors presenting honors and research opportunities for professional pharmacy students. Pharmacy students also have the opportunity to follow a pharmaceutical sciences track, preparing them for careers in research or the pharmaceutical industry.  Many of our student who choose to engage in research have presented at national conferences or have been published in industry journals.

Potential 

UConn pharmacy students have assisted patients with the implementation of Medicare Part D as well as the Connecticut insurance exchange as part of the Affordable Care Act. They've won awards for public engagement and received congressional recognition for their work.  Some have held national office in student organizations or represented the profession of pharmacy in Washington D.C. 

Innovation 

At UConn, students have the opportunity to take their education to the next level. In addition to university honors and research offerings, the School of Pharmacy offers many options for inter-professional development and study including three dual degree programs the Pharm.D./MBA, Pharm.D./MPH and Pharm.D./Ph.D. Students also can apply to one of our specialty tracks of study in leadership, pediatrics, pharmaceutical sciences or urban service. Want even more? You can choose to participate in one of UConn’s many study abroad programs or one developed specifically for pharmacy students. Check out a student or faculty blog from the Summer Program in Traditional Chinese Medicine to see what it’s really like to spend 5 weeks studying in Beijing.

Spirit

The School of Pharmacy is located on the beautiful Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut, a U.S. News & World Report Top 25 school and the leading public university in New England. The Pharmacy-Biology Building, a state-of-the-art research facility, is located in the center of the University Science Quadrangle, facilitating inter-disciplinary collaborations. We house a dedicated pharmacy library with our own research librarian as well as research laboratories and specialized research facilities. Our world-class faculty, cutting edge research, and innovative graduate and professional programs position the School of Pharmacy as one of the top choices for pharmacy education in the United States, thereby attracting the best and brightest national and inter-national students. In fact, we are one of the most diverse school on the UConn campus.

The central location of the university allows students to enjoy the cultural, athletic, and social activities in nearby Hartford, New York City, Providence, and Boston. Students may also add to their classroom experiences by participating in a number of university and pharmacy-related clubs and organizations. Many cultural activities are available on campus through the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, the von der Mehden Recital Hall, and the William Benton Museum of Art. Downtown Storrs Center is just steps away from campus and offers additional dining, shopping, entertainment, health care, and living options for students.

For more than a century, the exciting and competitive spirit of athletics has been a significant part of campus life at the University of Connecticut. That spirit, known as “Huskymania,” involves a deep sense of pride in the achievements of our student-athletes and community, both on and off the playing fields and venues. Not to mention, how cute is our mascot?

Doctor of Pharmacy Program

At UConn, you spend your first two years taking pre-requisite courses before you even have to apply to the School of Pharmacy. This allows you to fulfill many of UConn’s general education requirements while concentrating in science and math courses. If you don’t think pharmacy is right for you, you can easily transfer to another science program without wasting 2 years of school. Once you’ve been accepted, you’ll spend 4 years in the Doctor of Pharmacy professional program earning both a B.S. and Pharm.D. degree, a combination not available at many schools.

Admission to the School of Pharmacy is based upon: your grade point average (GPA) in required pre-pharmacy courses; your Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores; leadership, service, and work experience; critical thinking and written communication appraisal; letters of recommendation; and an interview. Why is it such a complicated process? We want you to be successful. On average, 97 percent of our students graduate with their class of origin. A few step out into dual degree programs, occasionally a student falls ill or takes a semester off for personal reasons, and sometimes a student needs to repeat a course. We make every effort to get you the help you need to stay on track and graduate on time. In fact, our 95 percent on-time graduation rate is the best in New England.

What happens after graduation? Ninety-eight percent of our students pass rate the national licensing exam, the NAPLEX, on their first try. Ninety-six percent pass the Multi-state Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE) on the first try. We even have a special law review session for our recent graduates to help them prepare for this exam.

For student who want to pursue a residency after graduation, we have good news. Our placement rates rival those of the very best schools in the nation. This makes UConn a top choice school for those who want to pursue a clinical pharmacy career as well as those who want to work in community pharmacy. UConn students head to some prestigious programs including Yale-New Haven and Hartford hospitals, several VA hospitals in New England and New York, as well as Tufts, Brigham and Women’s, and Johns Hopkins.