A special program for entering freshmen

The USC School of Pharmacy is recognized as one of the foremost pharmacy schools in the United States. Its innovative curriculum prepares graduates to be experts in pharmaceutical care and drug therapy in a variety of health care settings. Developed in 1987, the Trojan Admission Prepharmacy (TAP) program allows talented students to complete prepharmacy requirements as USC undergraduates with guaranteed admission to the School of Pharmacy's four-year Doctor of Pharmacy program. All TAP students are required to earn a bachelor's degree.

Program
Application
Timeline
Suggested TAP Program Course Planner

Program
TAP students will complete their prepharmacy coursework while earning their bachelor's degree at USC and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.2. All prepharmacy courses must be taken for letter grades. TAP students are provided with individual advisement, membership to the USC Pre-Pharmacy Society and access to the School of Pharmacy Student Affairs Office.

Application
New Student Application: To be eligible for the TAP program you must apply to USC for undergraduate admission, and must initially submit an Undergraduate Application directly to the University of Southern California, Office of Admission (213) 740-1111. A separate TAP Application must also be submitted directly to the USC School of Pharmacy for admission to the TAP program. Admission to any USC undergraduate program as a freshman is required for participation in the TAP program.

Continuing Student Application: USC undergraduates may also apply to the Trojan Admission Prepharmacy program after completing one to five semesters at USC. A minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA is required for admission.

Transfer Student Application: Students transferring to USC from other colleges are eligible to apply for the TAP program. Transfer students must study at USC for a minimum of two years and earn their bachelors' degee. A minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA is required for admission.

Required Application Items

1. 2010 TAP Application
2. Two Letters of Recommendation: One recommendation letter is required from an individual who can speak on your potential as a pharmacist. The second recommendation letter is required from an individual who can speak on your past and future academic success. Each recommendation letter must be enclosed in a sealed, taped envelope with the signature of the letter writer across the back seal. Please address letters to the "Admission Committee, USC School of Pharmacy" and make sure that your letter writers include your full name and social security number (or USC ID number) on each page.
3. Resumé of activities and achievements: On a separate sheet, please submit a resumé listing activities and achievements. Please include dates of participation, average number of hours per month, positions, and responsibilities.
4. Response to the application issues: Please respond to all three of the application issues in no more than two pages total. Your response may be single or double spaced with a 10 font or larger.

Timeline
Regular USC Undergraduate Application Deadline: Please call USC Admission at (213) 740-1111 for information.

TAP Program Application Deadline: March 1, 2010

TAP Program Admission Decision: Freshman applicants will be informed of their admission decision after notification from the Office of Admission and before the May 1 deadline. Current USC students will be notified in June or early July. Transfer student applicants will be informed 2-4 weeks after notification from the USC Office of Admission.

Suggested TAP Program Course Planner

First Year
Fall Semester:

• General Biology, BISC-120Lg, or Advanced General Biology, BISC-121Lg
• General Chemistry , CHEM-105aLg, or Advanced General Chemistry, CHEM-115aLg
• Writing and Critical Reasoning, WRIT-140
• Social Issues, GE Category VI

Spring Semester:

• General Biology, BISC-220L, or Advanced General Biology, BISC-221L
• General Chemistry, CHEM-105bL, or Advanced General Chemistry, CHEM-115bL
• Arts and Letters 100, GE Category V
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Second Year
Fall Semester:

• Organic Chemistry, CHEM-322aL or CHEM-325aL
• Molecular Biology, BISC-320L
• Calculus I, MATH-125; or Statistics I, PSYC 274; or Introduction to Statistics for Biologists, BISC 305; or Health Behavior Statistical Methods, HP 340L; or Statistical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, BME 423
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

• Organic Chemistry, CHEM-322bL or CHEM 325bL
• Biochemistry, BISC-330L; or General Physiology, BISC 307L
• Elementary Probability & Statistics, MATH-208x; or Health Behavior Statistical Methods, HP-340L
• Cultures and Civilizations, GE Category I (with Diversity)

Third Year
Fall Semester:

• Physics for the Life Sciences, PHYS-135aL, or Fundamentals of Physics, PHYS-151Lg
• Principles of Microeconomics, ECON-203
• Advanced Writing and Critical Reasoning, WRIT-340
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

• Introduction to Microbiology, BISC-300L; or Biochemistry, BISC 330L
• Cultures and Civilizations, GE Category II
• Introduction to Psychology, PSYC 100; or Introduction to Sociology, SOCI 200m
• Elective or foreign lanaguage or major requirement

Fourth Year
Fall Semester

• Investigations in Science, GE Category IV
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement

Spring Semester:

• General Physiology, BISC 307L
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement
• Elective or foreign language or major requirement

1. Lower division courses (course numbered 100-200) may be taken in the summer and transferred to USC
2. Non-science courses may be rearranged into other semesters