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College of Pharmacy

Academic Policies

Student Responsibility:

Students are responsible for assuring the faculty that they satisfy the qualifications for the profession of pharmacy. The faculty reserves the right to dismiss from the college at any time a student who, in its judgment, is academically unqualified or is mentally or morally unsuited for a career in pharmacy.

Student Recovery Program:

The Student Recovery Program is designed to address alcohol and other chemical addiction/dependency issues. A seminar provides education about alcohol and drug abuse and dependency. This required seminar is offered as part of the first professional year skills program.

State Registration:

Students graduating with either the Doctor of pharmacy degree or the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree are eligible to sit for the Texas State Board of Pharmacy examination.

Internship Requirement:

Under the Texas State Board of Pharmacy Rules and Regulations, a student is required to register as a student pharmacist-intern prior to performing student internship duties and only after completing at least 30 credit hours of work toward a professional degree in pharmacy. The agreement for registration requires a student to reveal personal history (i.e., conviction of a felony or any misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation). For more information contact:

Texas State Board of Pharmacy
William P. Hobby Building, Suite 3-600
333 Guadalupe, Box 21
Austin, Texas 78701-3942.

1. Students who earn below a 2.00 cumulative grade point average in professional courses will be placed on probation at the close of that semester.

2. Students who earn less than a 2.00 in professional courses while on probation will be suspended at the close of that semester.

3. Students who earn a 1.00 grade point average (all digits significant) or less in any semester will be suspended from the college.

4. The college academic dean may place on probation, retain on probation, or suspend any deficient student. Similarly, the college dean may remove from academic probation or suspension any student whose academic progress warrants such action.

5. Any student placed on suspension must apply to the Admissions and Retention Committee for re-admission to the college. Suspension lasts for a period of at least one semester. A student may be denied re-admission to the college but granted re-admission to the university to pursue a different major, provided the general university requirements have been met.

1. A grade of C or better must be earned in pharmacy experiential courses to apply toward progression or graduation.

2. Pharm.D. students must satisfactorily complete all required courses during the first three professional years (B.S.: first two years) with a 2.00 minimum grade point average to progress to the final professional year. At the end of each semester, the Admissions and Retention Committee will review the academic records of all students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.00 or with a total of more than one grade below a C in required pharmacy courses. These students may be required to repeat courses specified by the Admissions and Retention Committee prior to progression into the next professional semester, or the student may be suspended at that time (according to the suspension rules). If, after repeating the designated courses, a student's cumulative grade point average in required courses is below 2.00, the student may be suspended from the pharmacy program. A student normally will not be allowed to repeat courses in which they have made a grade of C or better.

3. Students must have prior permission to register for less than a full load as published in the university catalogs. In addition, a student wishing to drop a course or courses during the semester may do so in accordance with university policy as published in the Undergraduate Studies catalog. Students will also need permission from the college undergraduate advisor and approval of the Associate Dean for Professional Programs.

4. The college will not grant credit for any course taken without the proper prerequisites.

5. Students will not be permitted to register for any course in the professional program more than two times. The student who fails a course twice or whose grade fails to meet minimum grade requirements, as described in rule 1 of this section or as specified by the Admissions and Retention Committee, is ineligible to continue in the professional program.

6. Applicant is accepted into the University of Houston College of Pharmacy programs must present proof of adequate immunization against rubeola (common measles), rubella (German measles), mumps, and tetanus prior to the beginning of the first professional year. The Hepatitis B immunization series must be initiated prior to the beginning of the first professional year and completed by January 31 of the second semester of the first professional year.

Thereafter a student must submit documentation of a negative TB skin test or chest clearance annually to the University of Houston College of Pharmacy Admissions Office.