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General Program Information When will the program begin? What degree will be offered? How many students will be in the program? How many years does it take to complete the program? Do I have to be a full-time student? Can I start the program in the spring semester? Is the program accredited? What kind of technology can I expect? Program Costs What are the costs of attendance? What is the enrollment deposit? Pre-pharmacy Coursework Where may I complete the pre-pharmacy coursework? What's the deadline for completing all my prerequisites? What are the academic updates that are required? Will you accept AP credits to satisfy the pre-pharmacy course requirements? Pharmacy: Admissions When does the application cycle for the incoming class of fall 2012 class begin and end? What is the minimum GPA? Does the College of Pharmacy participate in the PharmCAS Early Decision Program? How are GPAs calculated? Is the PCAT required? How many letters of recommendation should I submit? Who is required to take the TOEFL or IELTS? Do I need to work in a pharmacy before applying? Are all applicants interviewed? Does Western New England University's Joint Admissions Program or articulation agreements apply to the pharmacy program? I have some more questions. Who do I reach out to? Q:  When will the program begin? A:  The two year pre-pharmacy program began in fall 2009. The Pre-pharmacy program is offered by the College of Arts and Sciences, and is designed for learners who do not have any post-secondary education, The College of Pharmacy welcomed its founding class to the four-year professional program in fall 2011. Q:  What degree will be offered? A:  Learners will earn the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.). Q:  How many students will be in the program? A:  The program is being designed so that a cohort of 75 learners will begin the professional phase of the program each fall. Q:  How many years does it take to complete the program? A:  The professional phase of the pharmacy curriculum will take four years to complete. Q:  Do I have to be a full-time student? A:  Yes; learners admitted into the College of Pharmacy must enroll as full-time students. Q:  Can I start the program in the spring semester? A:  No. Learners can only begin the professional phase of the program in the fall. Q:  Is the program accredited? A:  Precandidate accreditation status has been granted by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). An on-site evaluation has been scheduled for April 2012 for purposes of gathering additional information to be considered in the ACPE Board of Directors consideration of advancement to Candidate accreditation status. In compliance with ACPE standards, we will seek Candidate accreditation status in summer 2012 and full accreditation following graduation of the first class. Q:  What kind of technology can I expect? A:  The Center for the Sciences and Pharmacy boasts state-of-the-art technology, and is equipped with a ''demonstration pharmacy'' which will be utilized to train students in community care pharmacy. The Center is designed to ensure a close learning environment that facilitates faculty-student interactions and small group activities. A robust and innovative technology plan, consisting of the following, is included in tuition and fees: student tablet computing devices, human simulation mannequins, lecture capture, learning management systems, interactive classroom technology, online testing, and electronic portfolios. Q:  What are the costs of attendance? A:  Tuition for the College of Pharmacy is $34,878 for the 2011-2012 academic year. The total fee amount (including the University comprehensive fee, University student activity fee, and College of Pharmacy technology fee) for 2011-2012 is $2,034. Q:  What is the enrollment deposit? A:  Students who are accepted into the College of Pharmacy are required to submit a non-refundable deposit of $750.00 within fourteen days of notification of acceptance. Students are also required to submit a second non-refundable deposit of $750.00 by May 15. These deposits will be credited towards fall tuition. Students who fail to submit these deposits in a timely manner will forfeit their seat within the College of Pharmacy. Q:  Where may I complete the pre-pharmacy coursework? A:  Pre-pharmacy coursework can be completed at any accredited college or university. Q:  What's the deadline for completing all my prerequisites? A:  You must complete ALL pre-pharmacy courses with a 'C' grade or higher before enrolling in the College of Pharmacy. All academic updates are due to the College of Pharmacy in August before you can begin classes in the professional program. Q:  What are the academic updates that are required? A:  When you apply via PharmCAS, you are required to list the courses you are taking in the fall semester, as well as the courses you plan to take in the following spring and summer. You should post an academic update with PharmCAS in December when you receive your fall grades. Spring and summer updates should be sent directly to the College of Pharmacy if you are accepted to pharmacy school. Q:  Will you accept AP credits to satisfy the pre-pharmacy course requirements? A:  An unlimited number of AP credits may be used to satisfy pre-pharmacy course requirements for the math and social science requirements. For the physical science requirements (chemistry, biology, physics, and microbiology), a maximum of four classroom/laboratory credits can be earned through AP testing. For more information regarding AP credit requirements and acceptance, please contact the College of Pharmacy Admissions Office or your pre-pharmacy advisor. Q:  When does the application cycle for the incoming class of fall 2012 class begin and end? A:  All applications to the College of Pharmacy will be handled through PharmCAS. The PharmCAS 2011-2012 application cycle (for students beginning the professional program in fall 2012) opened on June 2, 2011. Applications to the Western New England University College of Pharmacy can be submitted to PharmCAS through February 1, 2012. Q:  What is the minimum GPA? A:  To be considered for admission, applicants must have a minimum pre-pharmacy GPA of 2.80. The average pre-pharmacy GPA for the founding class of the College of Pharmacy was 3.34. Q:  Does the College of Pharmacy participate in the PharmCAS Early Decision Program? A:  Yes, the College of Pharmacy does participate in the Early Decision Program. Applicants who have completed 60 or more semester credit hours of college level coursework (including a minimum of 4 semester credit hours of Organic Chemistry with a grade of C or better) in addition to all other application requirements are eligible for consideration in the Early Decision Program. The application deadline for the Early Decision Program is September 2, 2011. Q:  How are GPAs calculated? A:  PharmCAS calculates an applicant's overall GPA using all coursework completed; this value is used by the College of Pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy will calculate an applicant's pre-pharmacy GPA based only on the courses required by the Western New England University College of Pharmacy (67 credits of pre-pharmacy). Q:  Is the PCAT required? A:  Yes, the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admissions Test) is required for all applicants. PCAT scores for tests taken within the last three years will be considered by the admissions committee. The lowest PCAT composite score within the founding class of the College of Pharmacy was 31. Q:  How many letters of recommendation should I submit? A:  A minimum of two letters of recommendation are required and should be submitted on an applicant's behalf directly to PharmCAS; one of these letters must be from a teacher or professor, and the other must be from a health care practitioner (preferably a pharmacist). Up to two additional recommendations may be provided by individuals who can attest to an applicant's abilities and potential to succeed in a College of Pharmacy. Do not have letters of recommendation or other materials sent directly to the College of Pharmacy; these materials will not be included in your application file. Q:  Who is required to take the TOEFL or IELTS? A:  A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) result is required for all applicants (a) who are non-native English speakers who have resided in an English speaking country for less than 10 years, or (b) who completed the pre-requisite courses in a country where English is not the primary language. A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 80 is required for consideration. Please note that having a college degree does not exempt applicants from these requirements. Q:  Do I need to work in a pharmacy before applying? A:  Qualified applicants with pharmacy work experience are preferred for admission. If you do not have pharmacy work experience, you should become familiar with the profession by volunteering at a free clinic or hospital, shadowing a pharmacist, and/or participating in a pharmacy internship. Q:  Are all applicants interviewed? A:  No, applicants will be selected for an interview by the Admissions Committee based on their application materials. Q:  Does Western New England University's Joint Admissions Program or articulation agreements apply to the pharmacy program? A:  No, not at this time. Q:  I have some more questions. Who do I reach out to? A:  To learn more about the admissions process and requirements for the Western New England University Pre-pharmacy program, please contact the Admissions Office at 800-325-1122 ext. 1321 or ugradmis@wne.edu. To learn more about the admissions process for the College of Pharmacy, please contact The Office of Student Affairs at 413-796-2113 or rxadmissions@wne.edu.