Frequently Asked Questions

Pharmacology is a biological science and academic discipline that deals with the properties, uses and action of drugs and chemicals in living systems. A degree in pharmacology is a science degree that does not enable you to practise as a pharmacist. 

Pharmacy, which does require knowledge of pharmacology, is a profession that requires registration with a provincial regulatory college in order to practice as a pharmacist. Only by obtaining the PharmD degree are you eligible to register and thus practice as a pharmacist. Subjects studied in pharmacy include the pharmaceutical sciences (pharmacology, pharmaceutics, drug metabolism, medicinal chemistry and pharmacokinetics), but also pharmacotherapy, law, communications, pharmacoepidemiology, management, and others focused on the skills you need to provide patient care. The main responsibility of a pharmacist is to ensure safe and effective use of medication for the patient. A pharmacist is also responsible for the legal distribution of scheduled drugs.

We admit 130 students per academic year.

If you are a student attending a university or college in Alberta, there is an Alberta Transfer Equivalency Guide available online at www.acat.gov.ab.ca. If you attend a postsecondary institution outside of Alberta, please compare your course descriptions with those listed in the course catalogue.

In taking these prerequisites at another post-secondary institution, it is your responsibility as the applicant to make sure they are transferable to the University of Alberta.

Our office does not keep a record of transferable courses from outside Alberta.

We do not ask or recommend letters of reference in the application procedure.

Official transcripts are due by June 15 of the year you wish to apply. If you are currently a U of A student, we will automatically pull your transcripts. Transcripts will also be sent on your behalf if you apply through ApplyAlberta. However, out-of-province students must request their transcript be sent directly from the issuing institution to:

University of Alberta
Administration Building
11487 89 Ave NW
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E6

Prerequisites can be taken in the spring or summer term. However, final transcripts must be in to the University by June 15 of the year you apply, so it is not possible to take spring and summer term courses the year that you are applying.

No. The Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences requires specific pre-professional courses taken at the university and/or college-level.

Students who present an overall GPA lower than 3.1 will not be considered for admission. Alberta students who present an overall GPA of 3.5 or out-of-province students who present a 3.7 or higher, are best placed for competitive admission.

Yes. All highly ranked out of province students are considered for admission.

No. However, a minimum GPA of 3.7 is suggested for out-of-province applicants (i.e., those attending a Canadian post-secondary institution outside of Alberta).

No. However, it is deemed to be very important and helpful to have an awareness of the pharmacy profession and the responsibilities of being a pharmacist before you apply.

No. To complete the pharmacy prerequisites courses, you will enrol in another faculty wherein you can take the required classes, e.g., Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences.

If you are applying to the Faculty of Science for your prerequisites, you are not expected to declare a major or minor but may choose to do so.

This is variable. Please see the Government of Alberta, Wage Information webpage.

No. We do not discriminate based on the school you come from, as long as the courses are approved as university-level courses or equivalent to our prescribed prerequisite courses.

Like domestic applicants, international students need to complete the required pre-pharmacy coursework and also meet the English Language Proficiency and Spoken English Proficiency requirements. These prerequisites can be taken at any university.

Applications must be received by March 1 of the year you wish to apply. Once you have applied, your application will be reviewed by an admissions advisor in the Office of the Registrar and they will let the applicant know what additional documents will be required for submission. Your transcripts would also be assessed for the required prerequisite courses.

Unfortunately, due to differences in pharmacy practice, it is not possible to transfer from a pharmacy program at another university outside of Canada or the United States and receive transfer credit for the Pharmacy program offered by us.

The Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) is responsible for all requirements, processes and decisions pertaining to the registration of pharmacists in Alberta. Please refer to the ACP website for current information and to obtain support related to Applying to ACP.