MUN School of Pharmacy -- Frequently Asked Questions
1. What pre-requisite courses do I need for admission?
2. How do I know if a course taken at another university/college is equivalent to the pre-requisite courses at MUN?
3. Is there a minimum grade requirement for the pre-admission courses?
4. Which courses can I do before getting into the Pharmacy Program that can be used later for credit if I do get admitted to the program?
5. Can I take pre-admission courses in the spring/summer semester and be considered for admission in September that same year?
6. How is my application affected if I’ve repeated a course?
7. Do I have to take a full course load (i.e. five courses per semester) during the pre-Pharmacy year(s) to be considered for admission?
8. How many years does it take to complete the Pharmacy Program?
9. How many people apply to the program and how many are accepted?
10. Is it true the Pharmacy Program will be expanded to accommodate 60 students per year?
11. How and when do I apply for admission to the Pharmacy program?
12. What happens after I submit my application for admission?
13. What determines whether or not I get an interview?
14. How is the Academic Score calculated?
15. How can I prepare for the interview?
16. How important is the interview in getting admitted to the program?
17. What is an Admission Score and how is it calculated?
18. When will I hear if I have been admitted to the School of Pharmacy?
19. Is there a wait list and if so how many are actually moved off the list and offered admission?
20. If I’m not admitted to the program after an interview will I be able to find out my Admission Score and/or how I performed on the interview?
21. What should I do if I don’t get an offer of admission, but I’m interested in re-applying?
22. Do I hurt my chances of being admitted to the program if I apply several times?
23. What happens after I am offered admission and I accept the offer?
24. Is the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) used for admission purposes?
25. Are applicants who have completed more than the one year of university study given preference?
26. Can I apply directly to an upper year if I have already completed several years of university or have completed one or more degrees?
27. Are applicants who complete the pre-admission requirements at Memorial University given preference over those who attend another post-secondary institution?
28. What will you accept as an “unofficial transcript”?
29. My academic performance in first year of university was poor but it improved in upper years. Will the upper year with advanced level courses be weighted differently?
30. What is the definition of a Newfoundland and Labrador Resident? The following criteria will be used to determine resident status. Individuals will be deemed residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.
1. What pre-requisite courses do I need for admission?
You must have completed the following courses at MUN, St. John’s campus (or received transfer credit for equivalent courses completed at another institution):
· Biology 1001 and 1002
· Chemistry 1050 and 1051, or equivalent
· English 6.0 credits at the 1000 level
· Mathematics 1000 and 1001
· Physics 1020 or 1050, and Physics 1021 or 1051
The following courses completed at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College campus, MUN are also acceptable for admission:
· Biology 1001 and 1002
· Chemistry 1200 and 1001, or equivalent
· English 6.0 credits at the 1000 level
· Mathematics 1000 and 1001
· Physics 1020 or 1050, and Physics 1021 or 1051
2. How do I know if a course taken at another university/college is equivalent to the pre-requisite courses at MUN?
For students who have completed courses outside of Memorial and would like information about potential transfer credits, please contact the Registrar's Office at this link.You must provide the following information:
• Name of the post-secondary institution
• Course name(s)
• Course number(s)
• Course title(s)
If the information is available in the Registrar's database, it will be made available to you. If not, your application will proceed through the normal channels at which time courses will be assessed for transfer credit.
3. Is there a minimum grade requirement for the pre-admission courses?
A passing grade (i.e. 50%) is required for all pre-admission courses but applicants should recognize that it is important to have a strong background in in these courses to be successful.
4. Which courses can I do before getting into the Pharmacy Program that can be used later for credit if I do get admitted to the program?
Courses that can be completed before being admitted to the program that would be eligible for credit once in the program include: Biochemistry 2101 (=Pharmacy 2004), Biochemistry 3106 (=Pharmacy 3111), Psychology 1000 and 1001, Chemistry 2440 and two 3.0 credit hour elective courses. If these courses are completed prior to getting into the program, students will carry a lighter course load. It is not possible for students to reduce the total number of years of study. Students who have credit for courses which are in the Pharmacy program should also be aware that they may want to take additional elective courses (which do not count towards the degree) if they want to qualify for student loans, bursaries or scholarships.
5. Can I take pre-admission courses in the spring/summer semester and be considered for admission in September that same year?
Unfortunately not. Spring and summer session final grades are issued too late to be considered for September admission of the same year. Applicants must complete the required pre-admissions courses by the end of the winter semester (April) prior to September admission.
6. How is my application affected if I’ve repeated a course?
For repeated courses, the highest grade achieved will be used in calculating the academic score. The Admissions Committee will, however, give consideration to the student’s ability to handle an academically challenging program. This may include consideration of such factors as the course load taken throughout university, and the number and frequency of repeat course attempts.
7. Do I have to take a full course load (i.e. five courses per semester) during the pre-Pharmacy year(s) to be considered for admission?
The Pharmacy programme is academically challenging; therefore successful candidates must demonstrate their ability to handle an academically challenging program by taking five courses per semester in a least two semesters. Given the competitive nature for admission, the Admissions Committee may consider such factors as the course load taken throughout university, and the number and frequency of repeat course attempts in making their recommendations for admission.
8. How many years does it take to complete the B.Sc. Pharmacy Program?
The program takes a minimum five years to complete – one year of pre-requisite courses before being admitted and four years once in the pharmacy program.
9. How many people apply to the program and how many are accepted?
We receive approximately 260 applications each year and 40 applicants are offered a seat for admission.
10. How and when do I apply for admission to the Pharmacy program?
Once you have completed the pre-requisite courses required for admission you can apply. You do not have to take all the courses in one academic year, nor do you have to take all the courses in the year immediately prior to the year in which you would like to be admitted. However, courses must be completed by the end of a winter semester preceding September admission. We will not wait for final grades from courses taken in the spring session or summer semester for admission in September of that same year. The application deadline is February 1 for admission in September of that same year. Late applications will not be accepted.
If you have never attended Memorial University or if you have been away from MUN for two or more consecutive semesters, you must also complete a General MUN Undergraduate Application for Admission/Re-admission. This is available on the university’s web site at http://www.mun.ca/regoff/admission/UGAdmApp.pdf.
11. What happens after I submit my application for admission?
For current MUN students, all correspondence will be through the MUN email account. For applicants not current MUN students, correspondence will be through the email account provided on the application form.
You will receive an acknowledgement from the School that your application has been received. By May 1st you must provide the School with your unofficial transcript/course marks for all winter semester courses. In mid to late May, you will be advised whether or not you have advanced to the interview stage based on your Academic Score. Applicants not offered an interview will be notified usually by the end of May or early June. Offers of admission are generally made by mid-June. Applicants not offered admission are usually notified by early-July.
12. What determines whether or not I get an interview?
The Academic Score is used to determine whether or not you advance to the interview stage. However, both academic and non-academic factors are considered in making the final decision regarding admission, therefore it is important for applicants to perform as well as possible on both.
Typically, the minimum Academic Score needed for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador has ranged from approximately 74% - 75%. For applicants other than Newfoundland and Labradorians, the minimum has been higher, generally between 80% - 82%. These ranges vary with each admission cycle since the applicant pool varies from year to year. Due to the academically challenging nature of the Pharmacy program, students with an Academic Score of less than 70% will not be granted an interview or be admitted to the program.
13. How is the Academic Score calculated?
The academic score is the average of your:
1. Pre-requisite average and
2. Cumulative average.
For those with more than one year of post-secondary schooling (university or college), the cumulative average used is as of the end of the fall semester in the year prior to applying. For those with only one year of post-secondary schooling the cumulative average will be as of the end of the winter semester in the year in which admission is sought.
14. How can I prepare for the interview?
An excellent start would be to investigate the profession of Pharmacy. Although it is not a specific admission requirement, if you have direct related work or volunteer experience you may be better prepared for your interview. If you cannot gain direct experience, you could explore other options (such as speaking with pharmacists in different practices, reading about the profession, etc.). Although there is no “magic” formula, you want to present yourself as a mature, responsible individual who is not only motivated toward a career in Pharmacy, but who displays attributes important to being a successful professional.
The type of interview we use is called a Behavioural Interview. Questions generally involve asking you to reflect on an experience and explain what you did in a particular situation. To prepare for this type of interview, it is helpful to think about situations you have encountered in the past so you have some experiences to draw upon to respond to the interviewer’s questions. With behavioural type questions, there is no right or wrong answer to a question. Rather it gives you a chance to talk about yourself and some of the things you have done. The interview consists of both oral and written components.
MUN's Centre for Career Development on the 4th floor in the University Centre will assist students with this type of interview. Go to http://www.mun.ca/cdel/career/
15. How important is the interview in getting admitted to the program?
Each oral and written answer in the interview is weighted and scored. An applicant’s interview score is 35% of the overall Admission Score.
16. What is an Admission Score and how is it calculated?
The Admission Score is used to rank applicants and determines the list of 40 applicants to be offered admission. It is calculated as follows:
The Academic Score represents 65% of the Admission Score
The Interview Score represents 35% of the Admission Score
The Admission Score for all applicants is calculated based on the above breakdown and then ranked from highest to lowest. The top 40 are offered a seat in the program with a minimum of 75% of the seats going to applicants that are residents from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
17. When will I hear if I have been admitted to the School of Pharmacy?
The Admission Scores of applicants who are interviewed are calculated as soon as all data are received and processed. Once applicants are ranked, the Admissions committee meets to make recommendations on who should be offered a seat. Usually, applicants are notified by mid to late June. Individuals have ten days from the date of the offer to respond to the offer of admission.
A small number of students will be placed on a wait list and will be informed of their status by late June. If an applicant declines the offer of admission, the next person on the wait list is contacted. Generally, the admission process is complete by mid-August. Once the 40 seats are filled, all remaining applicants on the wait lists will be notified.
18. Is there a wait list and if so how many are actually moved off the list and offered admission?
Yes, a waitlist is created. The number of individuals on the wait lists who are actually offered admission varies each year.
19. If I’m not admitted to the program after an interview will I be able to find out my Admission Score and/or how I performed on the interview?
Results of the interview and Admission Scores are not released. However, if you would like some general feedback on your interview performance contact Csop Glew at to set up an in-person or phone appointment.
20. What should I do if I don’t get an offer of admission, but I’m interested in re-applying?
Since the number of applicants far exceeds the number of available spaces, the School recommends that prospective applicants take a program of study which will not only meet the requirements for entry to Pharmacy, but will make them eligible for entry to an alternative program. It is not necessarily helpful to take courses that are included in the Pharmacy program, unless these courses also can be applied to another program of study. If you wish to continue your studies at the university and strive to improve your academic average, you would be well advised to take courses in which you can do well. You should also think about developing or improving your overall skills and to investigate the Pharmacy profession. No preference is given to applicants who have completed several years of study nor to those who may have already completed a degree(s). Each year you are competing and are ranked relative to the performance of the others