University Of Southern Nevada

The University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy curriculum emphasizes a student-centered, active learning environment where students participate in experiential education in the first year of the program. Rather than semesters or quarters, the curriculum is organized into blocks that allow students to take one course at a time. Students are in class from 8 am to 3 p.m. 4 days a week allowing them time to concentrate and focus on achieving the desired professional outcomes. It provides opportunities for students to be active participants in the learning process by facilitating the incorporation of a variety of learning activities other than the traditional lecture format. In 2 weeks a student covers the same material given in 1 semester. Every other Friday students are tested on the material covered during those two weeks. There are no grades given at USN, it's pass/no pass - 90% or higher to pass. 1 day every other week is devoted to the introductory pharmacy practice experience which is designed to enhance and support the didactic curriculum by allowing students to actually see, feel, and understand what was presented in the classroom in an actual pharmacy setting. By restructuring the curriculum in the block format, students can complete the requirements for the Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree (PharmD) in three years, rather than the traditional four.

The University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy offers a doctorate of pharmacy (PharmD) program at two campuses, Henderson, Nevada and South Jordan, Utah. The educational philosophy, policies and procedures are the same for both campuses.

Our application for classes beginning fall of 2009 will be available on the website in September to download, type on, printout and return. The deadline to apply is December 8, 2008. For fall of 2008 we received almost 1600 applications for 227 available positions. USN graduates exceed national averages on licensure exams.

The Admissions Office in Henderson, Nevada is responsible for admissions to the pharmacy programs for both the Nevada and Utah campuses. For more information about both programs and to schedule a tour of the Henderson, Nevada campus please contact:

Laurie Briggs
Administrative Assistant
Admission and Student Affairs
USN College of Pharmacy
11 Sunset Way
Henderson, Nevada 89014
702-968-2007 phone
702-968-1644 fax
Email

DIRECTIONS TO NEVADA CAMPUS:  From I-15 take Tropicana Exit going EAST (approximately 5 miles).  Turn RIGHT onto Mountain Vista then LEFT onto Sunset Way.  11 Sunset Way is at the end of the Green Valley Business Park on the LEFT.  The main entrance is on the east side of the building.

To schedule a tour only of the South Jordan, Utah campus, please contact:

Jacklyn Perry
Administrative Assistant
South Jordan Campus Dean’s Office
USN College of Pharmacy
10920 S. River Front Parkway
South Jordan, UT 84095
801-878-1054 phone
801-302-0768 fax
Email

DIRECTIONS TO UTAH CAMPUS:  From I-15 take 10600 South / West South Jordan Parkway Exit 293 going WEST.  Turn LEFT onto River Front Parkway.  The building is 0.2 miles ahead on the right side of the street.

• Orientation & Registration: August 20 -22
   
• Classes Begin: August 25
   
• Labor Day - No Classes: September 1
   
• Thanksgiving Break - No Classes: November 26-28
   
• Winter Break - No Classes: December 22 - January 4
   
• Classes Resume: January 5
   
• Spring Holidays (Pending Approval): March 23-24
   
• Classes End: May 22
   
• CPPE Rotation I and P3 Yr Begins: May 25 - July 3
   
• Memorial Day - No Classes: May 25
   
• USN COP Graduation: June 5
   
• Independence Day - No Classes: July 4
   
• Summer Remediation: July 6 - August 14

• USN is a private institution.  There is no in-state or out-of-state tuition difference.  We accept applicants from all 50 states and abroad.
   
• USN College of Pharmacy has two Campus Locations:
  Henderson, Nevada - 11 Sunset Way, Henderson, NV 89104 (702-990-4433)
  South Jordan, Utah - 10920 South River Front Pkwy, South Jordan, UT 84095 (801-878-1054)
   
• All applicants must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher in order to to be eligible for admission.
   
• The Admissions Office ranks applicants using a formula based on their Academic Achievement and Interview scores.
   
• The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT), letters of recommendation, pharmacy experience or a prior degree are NOT required.
   
• Application for Fall 2009 will be available in September, 2008.  Applications must be postmarked by Monday, December 8, 2008. Students only need to complete one application to apply to both the Henderson and South Jordan campuses.
   
• YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL WITHIN THREE (3) WEEKS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR APPLICATION.
     
• Interviews are conducted between January and April. The Office of Admissions will notify you of its decision by mail by May.  Enrollment begins the third week of August.
   
• 2007 Application Statistics:  1611 applications received; 227 students admitted (145 Nevada Campus and 82 Utah Campus); Overall GPA of admitted students was 3.7.

In order to be eligible for admission to the PharmD program, applicants must:

• Complete a minimum of 60 semester credit hours (90 quarter hours) of study at an accredited college or university in the United States or its equivalent.
• Achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.8/4.0 or its equivalent.
• Receive a grade of “C” (or its equivalent) or better in all science & math prerequisite courses and a grade of "B" or better in English Composition 1 and Speech.
   

All applicants that meet the minimum criteria will have their file evaluated. The file evaluation process will be competitive and the most competitive applicants will be invited for an on-campus interview. It is recommended (but not required) that all coursework be completed within six calendar years of the time of application to the program. Applicants must complete four of the Science Prerequisites listed below by the end of December so that the Admissions Office can calculate the Science Prerequisite Grade Point Average.

The College requires the following Science/Math and Humanities prerequisite coursework:

SCIENCE & MATH PREREQUISITES:

General Chemistry I with Laboratory
4 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of Chemistry I and 4 quarter hours of Chemistry II

General Chemistry II with Laboratory
4 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of Chemistry III

Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory
4 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of Organic Chemistry I and 4 quarter hours of Organic Chemistry II

Organic Chemistry II with Laboratory
4 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of Organic Chemistry III

Calculus 1
3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours

Microbiology
3 semester hours or 3 quarter hours

Human Anatomy

Human Physiology
The College requires a total of 6 semester hours or 8 quarter hours of Human Anatomy and Human Physiology. These prerequisites can be fulfilled by completing one of the following options:

• 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and 3 semester hours of Physiology
  OR
• 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and Physiology I and 3 semester hours of Human Anatomy and Physiology II
  OR
• 6 semester hours of Human Physiology
  OR
• Anatomy and physiology courses with modifiers other than "human" (e.g., mammalian, vertebrate) will be considered on a case-by-case basis through a syllabus review. Only courses that primarily emphasize human anatomy and human physiology will be considered for evaluation.
   

HUMANITIES PREREQUISITES:

English Composition I
(Freshman Level) – 3 semester hours or 3 quarter hours

Speech
3 semester hours or 3 quarter hours (CANNOT BE ON-LINE COURSE)

Applicants who have completed coursework from a country other than the U.S. must submit transcript evaluations from one of the following services:

• World Educational Services (WES), P. O. Box 5087, Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274-5087; Phone: 212-966-6311
  OR
• Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JSA), International Education Consultants, 7101 SW 102 Avenue, Miami, FL  33173; Phone:  305-273-1616; Fax:  305-273-1338; Translation Fax:  305-273-1984; Email

TOEFL scores are NOT required.  A grade of "B" or better is required for the English and Speech prerequisites.

• Applicants may not disregard any part of their college-level educational history. An applicant who fails to report all institutions attended will forfeit his/her eligibility for admission to the University or will be dismissed. All credentials submitted for admission to the University of Southern Nevada become the property of the University and will not be returned or released.

• Applicants are encouraged to apply well before the application deadline (Monday, December 8, 2008). The Admissions Office will process and evaluate applications before the application deadline. A set of transcripts from each college attended must be received by February 12, 2009.
   
• You will be notified of receipt of  your application via email WITHIN THREE (3) WEEKS.
   
• It is expected that interviews for the College of Pharmacy will begin in late January and will continue until April. The Admissions Office typically contacts selected applicants by phone or email to schedule an interview date and time. Therefore, it is essential that you notify the Admissions Office if you change your phone number, email address, or other contact information after you submit your application.
   
• The Office of Admissions will notify you of its decision by May.
   
• NOTE: We will accept applications with coursework in progress. Four of the eight science prerequisites must be completed by December and all prerequisites must be completed by the time of enrollment (3rd week of August). You must submit an official transcript documenting final grades earned in any classes that were not completed when you submitted your application.
   

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact:

Michael DeYoung, RPh, PhD
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs
Phone: 702-968-2006
Email

Laurie Briggs
Administrative Assistant for Admissions and Student Affairs
Phone: 702-968-2007
Email

All information regarding the University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy, including the application - available in September, can be easily accessed on our website.   Candidates only need to complete one application to apply to both the Henderson and South Jordan campuses as the admissions process is the same for both campuses. The Admissions Office will rank applicants using a formula based on their Academic Achievement, Interview scores and if you are a resident of Nevada or Utah.

The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT), letters of recommendation, pharmacy experience, a BS/BA degree and Nevada or Utah residency are not required to apply.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SCORE
The Admissions Office reviews an applicant’s official transcript(s) to determine her/his academic achievement score. The academic achievement score is determined by evaluating the applicant’s:

• overall grade point average
• science prerequisite grade point average (applicants must complete four of the required eight science prerequisites by the end of December so that the Admissions Office can calculate the science prerequisite grade point average)
• completed prerequisite coursework
• additional points will be awarded if you have received a Baccalaureate, Masters or other doctoral level degrees  
  Applicants with the highest academic achievement scores will receive an invitation to interview for the program.

INTERVIEW
The Admissions Office, after ranking applicants according to their academic achievement scores, invites applicants with the highest scores to an on-campus interview. The College typically interviews from January until April.  Candidates are interviewed by a panel that can consist of two faculty members and one student from the College of Pharmacy. Through various questions the panel assesses the candidate's abilities in oral communication skills, working within a team, compassion, leadership, motivation, problem-solving, and professionalism.

The interview panel may review an applicant’s answers to the essay questions in the application before the interview. Therefore, each applicant should provide concise answers to the essay questions in the application and be familiar with the written responses he/she provided in the application.

FINAL SELECTION PROCESS
Faculty, after reviewing data collected from applicants during the admissions process, vote to grant admission to qualified candidates. Communication to applicants and candidates regarding their status in the admissions process will originate from the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs with approval of the Dean. It is expected that all applicants will be notified of their final admission status by May.

An applicant can request that the Admissions Office use only your grades from the last five years to calculate overall and prerequisite grade point averages.

Example:  If you apply for fall, 2009, and request academic forgiveness (check box on USN application) grades before January 1, 2004 will not be calculated.  Your credit hours are still valid and any degrees you have received will still be counted.

However, applicants making this request must complete all 10 required prerequisites within the last five years.

Any questions regarding this policy please contact:

Michael DeYoung, RPh, PhD
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs
Phone: 702-968-2006
Email

Because of the block system and the highly integrated nature of the didactic component of the curriculum, the College will consider requests for transfers from other Doctor of Pharmacy programs on an individual basis. The College requires all transfer students to fulfill the experiential learning requirements for the first year of the program (400 hours in a community pharmacy), starting at least by the fourth week of May and finishing prior to starting the second year of USN's program in August. Applicants interested in applying for transfer should:  

• Complete and provide all information requested in the application, including all official transcripts of undergraduate and pharmacy coursework, and the application fee.
• Completed applications should be sent to the attention of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs.
   

Applicants interested in transferring to the program should submit a transfer application no later than March 1. To be considered for transfer, candidates must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 when enrolled in the professional year(s) of the pharmacy program. Email Michael DeYoung, RhD, PhD or call 702-968-2006 for a transfer application.

Individuals with a prior B.S. in Pharmacy will not be admitted with advanced standing into USN's Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Applicants MUST be eligible to obtain a Nevada OR Utah State Board of Pharmacy Intern Pharmacist Certificate of Registration in order to enroll in the program. Applicants MUST check with the Nevada and Utah Board of Pharmacy to determine if they are eligible for an intern pharmacist application:

• Nevada State Board
   
• Utah State Board

USN will help you apply for this license.

Students are required to have reliable transportation to allow them to get to and from campus, attend off campus clinical rotations, and participate in other community activities as required. If a student does not have a means of reliable transportation, they may take public transportation or arrange for private transportation if needed.  Lack of transportation will not be accepted as an excused absence for non-attendance or tardiness at experiential or clinical rotations.

Applicants to the University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy must pay an application-processing fee of $150. This fee is nonrefundable.

Applicants granted admission into the University receive a formal written offer from the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs. Applicants receiving this formal offer have fifteen (15) business days (M-F) to notify the University, in writing, whether they wish to have a place reserved in the class.

Additionally, the applicant’s written acceptance of the University's offer must be accompanied by a check or money order for $1000, payable to the University of Southern Nevada, to reserve a seat in the class and is applied toward the first year’s tuition.

Applicants interested in deferring their offer of admission must make this request no later than three weeks prior to the first day of orientation. Orientation typically occurs in the third week of August, immediately prior to the beginning of classes. Applicants can only request to defer their offer of admission once and that deferral, if accepted, will only be valid for the next academic year.

• Developing Health Care Leaders
• Combine a PharmD with an MBA for a powerful career advantage
   

At USN, students have the opportunity to earn both a PharmD and a MBA degree consecutively or simultaneously. The combined programs prepare pharmacists for senior management careers as well as entrepreneurial success in owning their own independent pharmacy.

PharmD & MBA Benefits:

• Broader Career and Entrepreneurial Opportunities
• Accelerated Program - Complete both programs in 3 years!
• Increased earning potential
• Cost - Effectiveness:  Save $ on fees, financial aid for tuition can be consolidated.
   

Apply to the MBA program during your first year of study in the College of Pharmacy. For more information contact MBA Admissions Office: 702-968-2015 or email.

The College of Pharmacy seeks to admit a diverse student population with demonstrated academic competency and commitment to the profession of pharmacy. In doing so, it follows standard policies and procedures for selecting and admitting applicants in a timely fashion.

The University of Southern Nevada (USN) is an equal opportunity educational institution in all of its activities.  USN, in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 403 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Sections 102 and 302 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, handicap or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures, or practices.  In compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, USN does not discriminate on the basis of age, ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, or because an individual is a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam Era, or because of a medical condition in any of its policies, procedures, or practices.  Within the limits of the law, USN does not discriminate on the basis of citizenship.  This non-discrimination policy covers admission, access, and service in the University programs and activities, and application for and treatment in University employment.