Automatic Advancement

Doctor of Pharmacy Professional Phase ~ Admission Criteria and Procedures
(Effective with the freshman class entering fall 2010)

The Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum requires that students complete two preprofessional years and four professional years. Acceptance into the professional phase of the pharmacy program allows students to begin the first professional year (P1) course work. All students entering the fall semester of the first professional year (P1) must satisfactorily complete all math/science preprofessional course work and all preprofessional coursework required as prerequisites for enrollment in P1 professional courses.

Acceptance of students into the professional pharmacy program by either the automatic advancement option, the internal application option, or the PharmCAS application option is contingent upon enrollment capacity limitations of the pharmacy program. The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences reserves the option to modify its pharmacy program admission and advancement procedures at any time.

Automatic Advancement Procedure for Pre-Pharmacy Students Entering Butler University as Freshmen

Students enrolling as freshmen at Butler University and declaring prepharmacy or exploratory COPHS as their initial major are eligible to be automatically admitted to the P1 year of the professional pharmacy program upon the completion of their THIRD semester of Butler enrollment if they meet the following criteria:

Cumulative grade point average (GPA) at Butler University greater than 3.0.
GPA greater than 3.0 in ten selected, critical prepharmacy courses listed below.
No grade less than C- in any of the ten prepharmacy courses stipulated below. For the purposes of automatic advancement, none of these ten courses may be repeated to improve the student's GPA. If a student must repeat a course in order to satisfy a subsequent course prerequisite, the first grade received in the course is used in the calculation of the student's advancement GPA. (NOTE! See COPHS Student Handbook)
Students must take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) no later than January of their second preprofessional year and achieve a minimum composite percentile score of 55.
Successful completion of an in-person standardized interview including evaluation verbal communication and interpersonal skills, ethical and professional characteristics,intellectual curiosity, leadership and emotional maturity, respect and empathy for others and creativity.

Ten courses that determine the automatic advancement GPA:

CH105	General Chemistry	CH106	General Chemistry
MA106	Calculus and Analytical Geometry	BI105	Introductory Cell Biology
FYS101	Freshman Year Seminar	COM102	Public Speaking
CH351	Organic Chemistry	PX311	Human Anatomy
PX100	COPHS Health Sciences Seminar	PX325	Ethical Issues in Health Care

Eligibility for automatic advancement into the P1 year of the professional pharmacy program ceases after the student's review for professional phase admission at the end of their third semester at Butler University.

Students seeking professional pharmacy program admission by the automatic advancement option may not count more than two courses transferred from another university or awarded through advanced placement (AP) toward the calculation of their automatic advancement GPA.

Students failing to automatically advance to the professional pharmacy program will be considered for admission to the professional program on a competitive, space-available application basis. Application for admission by this process must be made by completing an internal application available from the pharmacy Dean's Office. This process considers the student's cumulative GPA for all coursework completed at all universities and performance on the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and an attribute assessment through an interview.

Professional Pharmacy Program Application Procedure for Transfer Students Entering Butler University as Preprofessional Students

Students who enter Butler University with 13 or more credit hours completed after high school graduation are classified as transfer students. Students entering Butler University as transfer students and declaring prepharmacy as their intended major are not eligible for admission to the P1 year of the professional pharmacy program via the automatic advancement option. Preprofessional transfer students may apply for admission into the P1 class along with all internal applicants on a competitive, space-available basis. This process considers the student's cumulative GPA for all coursework completed at all universities and performance on the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and an attribute assessment through an interview. Application is made by completion of an internal application available from the pharmacy Dean's Office. Criteria for transfer students is a 3.0 GPA and 55 on the PCAT beginning in February 2009.

Professional Phase Application Procedure for Butler University Students not Classified as Pre-Pharmacy or Exploratory COPHS Students Upon Entry into the University as Freshmen

Students enrolling at Butler University as freshmen who declare a major other than prepharmacy or COPHS exploratory are not eligible for the automatic advancement option for entry into the P1 year of the professional pharmacy program. Such students may apply for admission into the P1 class along with all internal program applicants on a competitive, space-available basis. This process considers the student's cumulative GPA for all coursework completed at all universities and performance on the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and an attribute assessment through an interview. Application is made by completing an internal application available from the pharmacy Dean's Office.

Option to Remain a Pre-Professional Pharmacy Student for Six Semesters.

Preprofessional pharmacy students who do not gain admission into the professional pharmacy program by automatic advancement or the internal application process upon their first attempt may remain in the preprofessional pharmacy program at Butler University for a maximum of six semesters. During this time they may repeat the requisite coursework to improve their GPA, and/or they may retake the PCAT examination. If students elect to repeat preprofessional coursework and/or retake the PCAT examination, they may apply for admission into a subsequent P1 class by the internal application process. The admission criteria and curriculum in effect for the P1 class they will be entering will apply. If students fail to achieve admission into the P1 class at the end of six semesters of Butler enrollment, they will be required to change their major.

Professional Phase Application Procedure for Students Transferring to Butler University and into the Professional Pharmacy Program (P1 YEAR)

A student who enters Butler University with 12 or more credit hours completed after high school graduation is classified as a transfer student. Transfer students not currently enrolled at Butler University should contact the Marketing Specialist (317-940-9969) in the Student Services Office PB102 for program admission information.

All students who satisfy the requirements to transfer to Butler University may apply for admission into the P1 class on a competitive, space-available basis. This process considers both the student's cumulative GPA for all coursework completed at all universities and performance on the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) and an attribute assessment through an interview. To be eligible for the P1 year of the pharmacy program, a student must have completed all preprofessional prerequisite coursework prior to beginning his/her P1 professional coursework. Because of the sequential nature of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, transfer students entering the professional phase of the program must enter the program in the fall of the P1 year. Students seeking transfer admission into the P1 year of the pharmacy program must complete a PharmCAS application no later than February 1 prior to the fall semester of desired P1 program admission. Information on the PharmCAS application process may be obtained at www.pharmcas.com.

Students who are admitted into the professional phase of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum must maintain full time enrollment (12 or more credit hours each semester) and make satisfactory progress as defined by the Academic Progress Policy to remain eligible for continued enrollment in the program.