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College of Pharmacy

Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2013–2015 Undergraduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 6, 2013 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved. Please see www.uic.edu/ucat for the most up-to-date requirements.

Introduction
Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
Accreditation

Admission


Degree Requirements
College Policies


Academic Advising

Students with Disabillities


Academic Honors


State Registration of Pharmacists
Student Organizations

Dean, Jerry L. Bauman
145 College of Pharmacy (PHARM)
(312) 996-7242
pharmosa@uic.edu
http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/

Administration:
Executive Associate Dean, Janet P. Engle
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Marieke Dekker Schoen
Associate Dean for Business Development and  Administrative Affairs, James D. Bono
Associate Dean for Diversity and Director of Urban Health Program, Clara Awe
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, Steven M. Swanson
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Thomas TenHoeve III
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Suzanne Rabi Soliman
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Debra Agard

Departments:
Head, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, William T. Beck
Head, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Judy L. Bolton
Head, Department of Pharmacy Administration, Nicholas G. Popovich
Head, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Janet P. Engle

 

Introduction

Founded in 1859, the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy is currently the 3rd oldest college of pharmacy in the nation and the oldest college in the entire University of Illinois system. It has a long distinguished legacy for excellence in education and research and is considered one of the very best colleges of pharmacy in the U.S. The college’s six-story building provides classrooms, multimedia lecture halls and auditoriums, research, teaching, and dispensing laboratories. A learning resources center including up-to-date computers is housed in the college. A lounge and locker space are available for student use.

In addition to its educational activities, the College of Pharmacy provides clinical and distributive services to patients seeking care at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. This service function is coupled with the educational programs of the college to provide maximum exposure to contemporary pharmacy practice. Inpatient, outpatient, and satellite pharmacies in community health centers are part of the network of pharmacy services in which the college is engaged.

In direct response to the continued shortage of pharmacists in Illinois and the need to train pharmacists to practice throughout the state of Illinois, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy created the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy at Rockford as a regional campus. The Rockford campus is located on 20 park-like acres in a residential area of Rockford near the Rock River. The campus opened in 1970 as a regional site for the University of Illinois College of Medicine and now houses regional campuses of the College of Nursing and the College of Pharmacy. A 58,000 square foot building addition dedicated in August 2010 allowed for the regionalization of the College of Pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy at Rockford has modern classrooms with state-of-the-art distance education equipment, new compounding and dispensing laboratories, standardized patient suites and a new library and computer labs. The Rockford campus also has research laboratories for faculty members conducting state-of-the art research contributing to the research mission of the college. The Rockford Program admitted its first class in the fall of 2010 and will graduate its first class in the spring of 2014. The college provides all four years of pharmacy education at the Rockford campus. The first three years are didactic with early practice experiences, followed by a series of six, six-week advance rotations conducted at sites in the Rockford area as well as throughout Illinois.

The College of Pharmacy is viewed as a single institution with one accreditation but two campuses: Chicago and Rockford. Students in Rockford complete the identical curriculum as students on the Chicago campus. The core classes are taught via distance education using state-of-the-art technology. Laboratory and recitation sessions, as well as many electives, are taught locally by faculty at the Rockford campus. Select students are admitted to the Rural Pharmacy (RPHARM) program. This program takes the regular PharmD program and adds a rural emphasis to it. These students have rural backgrounds and receive training and mentorship focusing on the healthcare needs of rural communities in Illinois. Students in this program train collaboratively with medical students from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Rural Medicine (RMED) program to help prepare them to meet the health care needs of rural communities. The College of Pharmacy also offers an Urban Pharmacy (UPHARM) program, the regular PharmD program with an urban emphasis, to educate select students who are willing to serve urban residents in Illinois. The UPHARM fits into the urban mission of the University.The UPHARM curriculum is designed to represent an innovative approach that takes advantage of our location in Chicago to address the many challenges of healthcare disparities in underserved communities.

Doctor of Pharmacy Degree

To earn the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree at UIC, a prospective applicant will have to complete a minimum six years of study. The first two years of pre-pharmacy/prerequisite course work can be accomplished at any regionally accredited college or university. The final four years of professional education are to be completed at the UIC College of Pharmacy. The prospective applicant is advised to contact the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) at the College of Pharmacy for further information at (312) 996-7242 or to obtain information at the OSA website http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/student_affairs.

Accreditation

The University of Illinois at Chicago Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education,  135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, Illinois 60603-4810, (312) 664-3575; fax: (312) 664-4652, http://www.acpe-accredit.org/.

Admission

New students may begin only in August each year. Students are admitted to the college one of three ways: (1) new student; (2) Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) student; or (3) transfer student.

High School Preparation

Biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics are the foundations for courses at the College of Pharmacy. Humanities, social studies, and communication skills are also important. Prospective students should take the highest level of a challenging college preparatory course of study that includes at least one year, preferably two years each, of precalculus mathematics that includes algebra, trigonometry, and geometry; calculus; biology; chemistry; and four years of English or speech. Physics is highly recommended. Computer literacy is a valuable asset to all college students.

Admission Policy

The College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee is responsible for admitting students to the program. Committee members are nominated by the faculty and, upon recommendation of the dean, are appointed by the chancellor. The committee is charged with the responsibility of formulating admission requirements, with the approval of the faculty, the University Senate, the University Admissions Committee, and the Board of Trustees. The goal of the committee is to identify candidates with the greatest potential for mastering both the knowledge and clinical competencies required for innovative clinical pharmacy practice and to admit students across all geographic, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups.

Admission to the college is selective and highly competitive. Admission criteria include demonstrated academic ability in pre-pharmacy programs, good moral character, proficiency and clarity in both written and spoken English, strong potential for professional outlook and behavior, evidence of leadership and maturity, and complete mental and physical competence to perform all tasks regularly expected of a registered pharmacist.

A conscious effort is made to select students to ensure a broad geographical distribution throughout the state of Illinois. The college seeks to admit applicants who can reasonably be expected to become educated graduates able to assume responsible positions in the healthcare profession and be leaders in civic and public affairs. Positive actions shall be taken to ensure, as far as possible, that applicants admitted to the college remain within the state and are willing, if necessary, to practice in areas with low pharmacist-to-patient ratios.

Students seeking a return to the college after an absence of one or more semesters are considered for readmission on the basis of the curriculum effective at the time of their return.

Applicants accepted for admission who fail to enroll and who wish to enter in a subsequent year must reapply for admission through Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) and must meet all requirements in effect at the later time.


Matriculation and Continued Enrollment Policies
If selected for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the student must be willing:

  1. To provide verification of immunity status as dictated by University immunization and clinical education requirements;
  2. To be in possession of a valid Illinois pharmacy technician license in good standing at all times or such licenses as required by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR);
  3. To provide one’s own transportation to off-campus pharmacy practice experience sites;
  4. To be in compliance with HIPAA requirements;
  5. To agree to and abide by the college's policy on audio/video recordings of curricular content for distance education; and
  6. To meet any other requirements, such as criminal background checks and drug screenings.

Failure to comply with the conditions above will result in refusal of further registration for course work.

Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA)

The GPPA gives highly motivated and academically outstanding senior high school students an opportunity to be guaranteed admission into the College of Pharmacy. Students must demonstrate superior academic performance prior to their application and continued academic success prior to enrollment in the College of Pharmacy.

Students must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for GPPA pharmacy admission:a

College of Pharmacy GPPA Conditions of Acceptanceb
 Students must:

*The College of Pharmacy will accept AP credit and will allow prospective GPPA students to take college courses, taken through spring term/end of the academic year of high school graduation, that are accepted as transfer courses by UIC.

In addition, students must:

Every semester, students must:

Upon satisfactory completion of all College of Pharmacy Conditions of Acceptance Requirements, a seat will be reserved at the UIC College of Pharmacy’s Chicago campus. Requests to attend the UIC College of Pharmacy’s Rockford campus will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in the academic year prior to matriculation.

To obtain an application and more information, contact the University’s Office of Admission and Records, (312) 413-7628. For information, an application, or application status questions visit the website http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/spec_prog/gppa/contact.html.

Program contact is Office of Student Affairs at the College of Pharmacy (154 PHARM) at pharmosa@uic.edu.

a Not all students meeting the minimum requirements for the GPPA program are admitted. Admission is competitive and space is limited each year.
bThese conditions are subject to change. The most current list can be found online http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/spec_prog/gppa/conditions.html.

New Students

Applicants to the College of Pharmacy must complete a minimum of 60 semester hours of pre-pharmacy course work. Pre-pharmacy courses may be taken at the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (see the Preprofessional Studies section of the catalog) or at any regionally accredited college or university (see the appropriate pre-pharmacy guides online http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/prepharmacyguides) and must be completed by the end of the spring semester the year the applicant wishes to matriculate. The pre-pharmacy course work includes the following:

Pre-Pharmacy Requirements
Minimum Semester Hours
 Minimum Quarter Hours
Written communication
6
9
Verbal communication
2
3
General biology, with laboratory
8
12
General chemistry, with laboratory
8
12
Organic chemistry, with laboratory
8
12
Physics, with laboratory
(may be noncalculus based)
8
12
Calculus (integral and differential)
3
4
Human anatomy (all organ systems)
4
5
General educationa
Social or behavioral sciencesb
3
4
Economicsb
3
4
Humanitiesb
3
4
Electives
0–4
0–9
Total Pre-Pharmacy Course Work
60
90

a Students completing an undergraduate degree at UIC must complete the General Education requirements. Students should consult the General Education section and their college/department sections of the catalog for more information on fulfilling these requirements.
b Students completing an undergraduate degree at UIC should meet with their academic advisor to select courses in the social or behavioral sciences, economics, and humanities that are approved for Exploring World Cultures, Understanding the Creative Arts, Understanding the Individual and Society, Understanding the Past, and Understanding U.S. Society General Education categories.

General Education Core

Students completing an undergraduate degree at UIC must complete the General Education Core. Students should consult the Preprofessional Studies, General Education, and their college/department sections of the catalog as well as their advisor for more information on completing the General Education Core as part of their pre-pharmacy course work and chosen degree program.

General Education Proficiencies—University Writing Requirement

Students meet the requirement by achieving a passing grade in English 160 and 161.

New Student Admission

To be considered for admission to the PharmD Program, candidates must:

  1. Complete all pre-pharmacy course work with a C grade or better by the end of the spring semester of the admission year. C- (C minus) grades must be repeated. All pre-pharmacy courses must be taken on a graded basis.
  2. Have cumulative, pre-pharmacy requirement/prerequisite, and science/math grade point averages of 2.75/4.00 or better at the time of application and thereafter. Repeated classes must be calculated into the cumulative and science/math grade point averages, but not the pre-pharmacy requirement/prerequisite grade point average.
  3. Complete a PharmCAS application and keep the PharmCAS record up to date at all times (http://www.PharmCAS.org).
  4. If invited, complete and submit supplemental materials directly to the UIC College of Pharmacy.
  5. Take the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admissions Test). All applicants must take the version of the PCAT offered June 2012 or after. Scores must be submitted directly to PharmCAS.
  6. If an International applicant, demonstrate English competency by obtaining a score 550 (paper-based)/213 (computer-based)/80 (IBT, minimum subscores are writing 21, speaking 20, listening 17, reading 19) or better on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if most of the applicant’s college education was completed in a non-English speaking country OR by scoring a minimum of 6.5 on the IELTS (minimum subscores are listening 6, writing 6, reading 6, speaking 6). TOEFL and IELTS results must be submitted to PharmCAS .  Scores over two years old are invalid.
  7. If selected, participate in an on-site admission interview and assessment of written and verbal communication skills.

Transfer Students

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy will consider for transfer admission students who began their pharmacy education at other ACPE-accredited schools of pharmacy if they meet the criteria and if they are willing to accept curricular adjustments as a result of changing schools. Credit for, and waivers from enrolling in, certain courses may be awarded to transfer students who have already completed courses evaluated as equivalent to comparable courses in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy PharmD curriculum. Pharmacy school curricula vary considerably. As a result, transfer students are often required to repeat courses in order to fulfill graduation requirements. Students may only transfer into the didactic curriculum. No consideration will be given to students who wish to transfer solely to complete their clerkships at University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy sites. In addition, a minimum of 3 years in enrollment residence as a full-time student in the College of Pharmacy is required to receive the PharmD degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Transfer students will only be considered for fall semester admission. Application materials must be submitted to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, Office of Student Affairs, 833 South Wood Street, Room 154 (MC 874), Chicago, IL 60612 by February 15. See the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs website for full details http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/student_affairs.

Degree Requirements

To earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UIC, students need to complete didactic course work, introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE), and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE). These degree requirements are outlined below.

Summary of PharmD Hours
Hours
Total core hours (excluding IPPE and APPE)
85
Total professional elective hours
12
Total experiential hours (IPPE and APPE)
36
Total Required for PharmD
133


Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum Requirements

First Year
Fall Semester
Hours
PHAR 331—Fundamentals of Drug Action I
5
PHYB 301—Human Physiology and Pathophysiology I
5
PHAR 321—Drug Delivery Systems I
3
PHAR 441—Roles, Environments, and Communications
3
Electivesa
0–2
Total Hours
16–18
   
Spring Semester
Hours
PHAR 332—Fundamentals of Drug Action II
4
PHYB 302—Human Physiology and Pathophysiology II
5
PHAR 322—Drug Delivery Systems II
3
PHAR 400—Pharmacokinetics
3
PHAR 342—Experiential I–IPPE
2
Electivesa
0–1
Total Hours
17–18
   
Second Year
Fall Semester
Hours
PHAR 333—Fundamentals of Drug Action III
4
PHAR 323—Drug Delivery Systems III
3
PHAR 401—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics I
3
PHAR 402—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics II
4
PHAR 352—Experiential II–IPPE
2
Electivesa
0–1
Total Hours
16–17
   
Spring Semester
Hours
PHAR 324—Contemporary Pharmacy Practice
3
PHAR 343—Pharmacy Systems Management
2
PHAR 455—Drug Information and Statistics
4
PHAR 403—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics III
3
PHAR 404—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics IV
3
PHAR 344—Social and Behavioral Pharmacy
2
Electivesa
0–1
Total Hours
17–18
   
Third Year
Fall Semester
Hours
PHAR 405—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics V
3
PHAR 406—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics VI
3
PHAR 346—Pharmacy Services and Reimbursement
2
PHAR 445—Pharmacy Law
3
PHAR 353—Experiential III–IPPE
2
Electivesa
2–5
Total Hours
15–18
   
Spring Semester
Hours
PHAR 407—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics VII
4
PHAR 408—Principles of Drug Action and Therapeutics VIII
3
PHAR 354—Experiential IV–IPPE
2
PHAR 365—Nonprescription Pharmaceuticals and Herbal Medicinals
3
PHAR 356—Principles of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Treatment Outcomes
2
Electivesa
2–4
Total Hours
16–18
 
Summer Session
Hours
PHAR 357—Experiential V–IPPE
4
Total Hours
4
   
Fourth Year
Requirements
Hours
Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences–APPEb
24
Total Hours
24

a Students are required to take a total of 12 semester hours of didactic electives during the P-1 to P-3 years.
b Students must provide transportation to and from pharmacy practice experience. Some pharmacy practice experience sites may not be in the Chicago area or accessible by public transportation.

Other Requirements

Elective Credit

Students are required to take a total of 12 semester hours of didactic electives during the P-1 to P-3 years.

Full-Time Enrollment

All students are expected to attend full-time. Only in extenuating circumstances may students attend part-time. Because of its prerequisite structure, the pharmacy curriculum cannot be completed in a reasonable amount of time on a part-time study basis. Classes are usually scheduled Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. However, a few campus-wide elective offerings are taught in the early evening. Pharmacy practice experience courses may require that student schedules coincide with patient care or other practice activities, thus, students must be available to participate on a flexible schedule.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement

To qualify as a candidate for graduation, a student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00.

Graduation Declaration/Filing to Graduate

Students declare their intent to graduate online using my.UIC. The deadline for submission to the Pending Degree List is the end of the third week (fall and spring) or second week (Summer Session 2) of the term in which graduation is sought. Failure to submit the request at this time may delay the awarding of the degree. A final review will be made following the close of the term. If a student has satisfactorily completed all the degree requirements, the student’s name will be placed on the official degree list.

To qualify as a candidate for graduation, a student must be of good moral character, pass all required courses in the curriculum, pay all indebtedness to the University, and be certified by the faculty of the College of Pharmacy.

Enrollment Residence Requirement

A minimum of three years in enrollment residence as a full-time student in the College of Pharmacy is required to receive the PharmD degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

College Policies

Academic policies related to the College of Pharmacy curriculum may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs or on the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs website http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/student_affairs.

Professional Honor Code

The students of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy recognize that honesty, truth, and integrity are core values to the development of professionalism and underpin the college’s mission as an institution of higher education. They also recognize that professionalism is nurtured and developed as a student progresses through the Doctor of Pharmacy program and becomes socialized into the profession of pharmacy. This student growth is developed through reflective introspection and exposure/interaction with one’s fellow students, faculty, alumni, and the profession of pharmacy. To facilitate this professional growth, a subcommittee of the ad hoc Academic Integrity Committee of the College of Pharmacy composed of students, faculty, and administrators has created an Honor Code built upon current University policies and procedures as these relate to professionalism, inclusive of academic integrity. The Code describes the responsibilities of Doctor of Pharmacy students, graduate students, faculty, and the administration in upholding academic integrity while creating an environment that respects the rights of individuals to the due process offered by administrative hearings and appeals. It is expected that all individuals who are enrolled in courses and/or programs conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, and all individuals responsible for student learning act in accordance with the provisions of this policy.

Academic Probation, Dismissal and Continued Enrollment

Probation Rules

A student failing to obtain either a semester grade point average (SGPA) or a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.00/4.00 in courses completed at the University of Illinois at Chicago will be placed on probation. Probation is removed at the end of any semester when the SGPA and CGPA for courses completed at the University of Illinois at Chicago equal or exceed 2.00.

Refusal of Further Registration

A student will be denied further registration under any of the following conditions:

  1. A student is 10 or more grade points (hours down) below a 2.00/4.00 CGPA for courses completed at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
  2. A student remains on probation for two consecutive semesters (excluding summer semester) and fails to remove himself/herself from probation status after the second semester.
  3. If a student does not obtain a passing grade after taking core courses or required pharmacy practice experience courses twice.
  4. Any student who does not meet the conditions of the Matriculation and Continued Enrollment Policies (found under Admission earlier in this section of the catalog).

Students refused further registration for poor scholarship may petition the Academic Standing Committee of the college for readmission. Students must present clear evidence of improved scholarship potential before the Academic Standing Committee will consider the petition.

The review and reconsideration of a student dismissed because of poor scholarship are no guarantee of admission.

Except in unusual circumstances, students will be readmitted only once. If a student’s petition is denied, the student will be dismissed from the University.

Class Attendance

Student attendance is essential and expected in all courses offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Regular and punctual attendance at all scheduled classes, laboratories, and recitations is expected of all College of Pharmacy students. In addition to prompt arrival to class, each student is expected to remain in class for the entire length of each session. At the discretion of the faculty member, student attendance may be incorporated into the course grade.

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences Registration Requirements

All students are considered eligible to begin the advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) when they satisfy requirements for 109 semester hours with a University of Illinois at Chicago cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00 or higher. In addition, all students are required to satisfactorily complete, with a grade point average of 2.00 or better, all core courses before entering APPE. If a student has a cumulative grade point average below 2.00, the student will be required to repeat selected core courses, as determined by the Academic Standing Committee, for which grades of D were received. In addition, the Academic Standing Committee also may require that the student repeat elective courses offered by the college for which grades of D were received. The student must receive sufficiently high grades in these courses to obtain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or above. The student will be allowed one calendar year to complete these courses. In extreme cases, the Academic Standing Committee can extend this time period to two calendar years.

Grading Policy

An Incomplete (I) grade must be removed within 12 months of the end of the term in which the I was received or prior to the start of APPE, whichever comes sooner. Course instructors may require an earlier deadline. If the student fails to complete the course work within the aforementioned time frame, the instructor will assign an F for the final grade. The Office of Student Affairs will notify instructors when the 12-month time limit (or the start of APPE) will occur.

Class Standing

Class standing is defined as the successful completion of all core courses required for a particular class year. An example is as follows: in order to achieve P-2 class standing, all required core courses in the P-1 year must have been taken and the student must have received a passing grade in those courses. In order to achieve P-3 class standing, all required core courses in the P-2 year must have been taken and the student must have received a passing grade in those courses.

Repeating a Course

In the event that a required course is failed, it must be successfully completed in subsequent registration in the course. The original failing grade and the subsequent earned passing grade will be included in the cumulative grade point average. Core courses and required pharmacy practice experience courses may be taken a maximum of two times. If a student does not obtain a passing grade after taking the core course or required pharmacy practice experience twice, the Academic Standing Committee will be obliged to drop the student from the program. Only under extraordinary circumstances will the Academic Standing Committee make exceptions to this policy. A student may not repeat for credit a College of Pharmacy course in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum for which a grade of C or better has been earned previously.

Transferring

Intercollege Transfer Students

See earlier section on Admission.

Transfer Students from Other Colleges and Universities

See earlier section on Admission.

Academic Advising

Advising Policy

All students are assigned academic advisors from the faculty and staff of the college upon matriculation. The Office of Student Affairs staff is available for referrals and assistance. Students or their advisors may request reassignment at any time.

Students with Disabilities

Any UIC College of Pharmacy student, who has a documented disability, as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, will be referred to the campus Disability Resource Center. The college will make accommodations on a case-by-case basis with advice from the Disability Resource Center. Students with disabilities who require accommodations for full access and participation must be registered with the Disability Resource Center.

Academic Honors

Latin Honors
Students who have a cumulative grade point average in the College of Pharmacy of 3.50/4.00 or higher upon completion of graduation requirements will earn Latin Honors. These honors will appear on their UIC transcripts and are listed below:

Summa cum laude: 3.90 and above (highest praise)
Magna cum laude: 3.75 to 3.89 (high praise)
Cum laude: 3.50 to 3.74 (praise)

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List honors students each semester who have completed a minimum of 12 hours of course work at the College of Pharmacy and have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.50/4.00.

State Registration of Pharmacists

The Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act provides that a candidate for licensure as a registered pharmacist must have attained the age of 21 years or over; must be of good moral character and temperate habits; must be a graduate from a department, school, or college of pharmacy recognized and approved by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations; and must satisfactorily pass an examination prescribed by the State Board of Pharmacy. Questions relating to licensure and administration of the Illinois Pharmacy Practice Act should be directed to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, 320 West Washington, Springfield, Illinois 62786, (217) 785-0800, or the Department of Professional Regulations, James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300, Chicago, Illinois 60601, (312) 814-4500.

Student Organizations

Pharmacy students have a variety of student organizations available to them, ranging from professional and fraternal societies and professional organizations to student government. Involvement in student organizations can enhance the learning experience at the College of Pharmacy and aid in the development of valuable leadership skills. Several professional organizations are represented at the college: Academy of Students of Pharmacy, the student organization of the American Pharmaceutical Association; the Asian Pharmacy Association; the Association of Indian Pharmacists in America; the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International; the Community Drug Education Committee (CDEC), the student outreach organization; the student chapter of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists (ICHP); and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, an organization for minority students in pharmacy seeking to promote self-reliance, self-awareness, and excellence in pharmacy practice.

A number of honorary organizations are represented in the College of Pharmacy: Phi Lambda Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Phi Chapter of Rho Chi.

The college’s four fraternal organizations are both professional and social; they promote the development of the health sciences and the profession of pharmacy, as well as sponsor various social events. They are as follows: Lambda Kappa Sigma, Kappa Psi, Phi Delta Chi, and Rho Pi Phi.

For those students interested in student government, each class in the college has four class officers and two representatives, who represent their class on the Student Council. Students also sit on various college committees.