Pharmacy Dual Degree Program

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Fill the prescription for your future

What is Pharmacy?

Pharmacy is the science and practice of preparing, dispensing, and managing medications to improve patient health. Pharmacists play a critical role in healthcare by ensuring safe medication use, advising patients and providers, and contributing to disease prevention and treatment.

Why study Pharmacy?

The dual degree pharmacy program is ideal for students who want to interact with patient care while solving problems at the intersection of science, medicine, and community health. Pharmacy is a stable, flexible and strong source of income because pharmacists are in demand across hospitals, clinics, research labs, public health systems, and industry.

Why study for Pharmacy at Beloit College?

Beloit College partners with the Medical College of Wisconsin to offer a highly personalized dual degree pharmacy pathway that leads to a Beloit College bachelor’s degree and a PharmD in as few as six years. Students complete either a 3+3 biochemistry-centered pathway or a 4+3 flexible major pathway before entering pharmacy school.

In this dual degree pathway, students complete undergraduate study at Beloit College, exploring biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology, while preparing for advanced clinical and scientific training. The program culminates in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), the professional degree required to become a licensed pharmacist.

Students benefit from early mentoring by Beloit College and Medical College of Wisconsin pharmacy faculty, shadowing and clinical exposure, and potential undergraduate research opportunities. Small classes, individualized advising, and structured preparation make students highly competitive applicants. This program combines strong acceptance outcomes with close academic support from day one.

Pre-pharmacy students also benefit from extensive support through Beloit College’s Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC). HPAC advisors help students plan prerequisite coursework, prepare for admissions exams, coordinate clinical shadowing and internships, and guide the professional school application process. Students also receive institutional committee letters and personalized feedback that strengthen their applications and readiness for pharmacy school.

Details

Degree Level

Undergraduate, Professional Doctorate

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Specialization

Dual Degree Program

Format

In-person

Partner Institutions

Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)

Related Departments & Schools

Related Offerings

Pharmacy curriculum

Students complete a rigorous science-based pre-pharmacy curriculum at Beloit College, followed by an accelerated three-year PharmD at Medical College of Wisconsin. The pathway emphasizes chemistry, biology, physiology, statistics, and communication.

Pharmacy Dual Degree Program

Beloit College students must formally apply to the Medical College of Wisconsin dual degree pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program. Applications are due at the end of January each year. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the time of application.

The following Beloit College courses are the prerequisites for the program:

All Beloit College domain, skills, and experience (“E”) graduation requirements.
At least 23 units of Beloit College credit with no more than 8 units of transfer credit.
General Biology (2 units)
- Biology 111, 121, 172, or 208.
- Biology 237, 256, 257, or 289.
Advanced Biology (2 units)
- Protein Biochemistry (Biology 300).
- One additional Biology unit numbered 200 or above.
General Chemistry (3 units)
- Chemistry (Chemistry 117).
- Environmental, Analytical, and Geochemistry (Chemistry 220).
- One additional Chemistry unit numbered 200 or above.
Organic Chemistry (2 units)
- Organic Chemistry I (Chemistry 230).
- Organic Chemistry II (Chemistry 235).
Statistics (1 unit)
- Biometrics (Biology 247).
Calculus (1 unit)
- Mathematics 110 or 115.
English Composition (1 unit)
- Writing 100 or equivalent course.
Public Speaking (1 unit)
- One public speaking, speech, communication, or equivalent course.
General Education (4 units)
- Physics 101 or 102, OR Geology 100, 105, or 110.
- Three additional units, not including studio art, theater, or physical education.

Additional Notes:

Equivalent courses may be substituted in many cases. Consult with your advisor and the registrar.
Students must earn a C or better in each of these courses.
Students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and at least 16 Beloit College units.
After successful completion of the first-year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at MCW and receipt of an MCW transcript, Beloit College will transfer 7 units of credit from MCW. MCW grades do not contribute to the Beloit College grade point average.

Foundational coursework spans general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, statistics, communication, and applied laboratory sciences.

[CHEM 117] Chemistry: Why is chemistry important to other sciences, technology, and society? What processes do chemists use when dealing with real problems? What conceptual models do chemists use to understand and explain their observations? The focus of this course is on the reasons for doing science, the intellectual and instrumental tools used, the models developed to solve new problems, and the assertion that chemistry has a tremendous effect on personal life and on the decisions made by society.
[BIOL 257] Human Physiology: An investigation of physiological concepts, such as structure-function relationships and homeostasis, in the human body. While the primary focus of this course is the regulation of human physiological systems in normal and diseased states, animal models are used for comparative analysis.
[CHEM 300] Protein Biochemistry: At the fundamental chemical level, how do cells maintain and extract information from DNA to build and utilize proteins? Considerable emphasis on the chemical basis of biological information storage and processing, structure and function of proteins, enzyme catalysis theory, and quantitative analysis of enzyme kinetics.
[CHEM 365] Medicinal Chemistry: This course examines the organic chemistry of drug design, development, and action with an emphasis on the chemical mechanisms of biologically important reactions. Particular attention is paid to the interaction between a drug and its receptor, looking in detail at enzyme inhibition and inactivation and interactions between drugs and DNA.

Pharmacy outcomes

Beloit College students graduate with doctoral-level pharmacy training and experience in patient-centered healthcare environments. The program combines scientific rigor, communication skill, and clinical preparation.

Students completing the dual degree pharmacy program can:

Apply biochemical and physiological knowledge to medication selection and patient care.
Demonstrate strong laboratory, analytical, and data interpretation skills.
Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals and patients.
Evaluate drug safety, interactions, and therapeutic outcomes.
Integrate ethical reasoning into clinical decision making.
Collaborate across healthcare teams in professional environments.

Chemical Research & Development: Design studies, test materials, and analyze results to advance scientific understanding and innovation. ($55,000 → $110,000+)
Laboratory Science & Analysis: Conduct experiments, operate instruments, and interpret data across academic, clinical, or industrial labs. ($45,000 → $90,000+)
Pharmaceuticals & Drug Development: Assist in testing, formulation, and analysis that support medication discovery and production. ($45,000 → $110,000+)
Pharmacy & Medication Management: Support safe medication use, review treatment needs, and contribute to pharmaceutical care decisions. ($40,000 → $130,000+)
Public Health & Community Research: Study health trends, gather data, and support programs that improve community well-being. ($45,000 → $90,000+)
Science Communication & Outreach: Explain scientific ideas through writing, presentations, or public engagement programs. ($40,000 → $100,000+)

Reviewed on November 2025. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salary figures shown here are estimates. Actual pay will vary by position, industry, location, education, and experience. Some pathways and positions may require additional education or certifications. For more detailed information, please explore reputable career and salary resources.

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