Explore the science behind the medicines of tomorrow.

Are you curious about how medicines are made and want to make a difference in health care? Pharmaceuticals play a vital role in human health—and understanding them opens doors to dynamic career paths. The Minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences equips future scientists, health care professionals, and innovators with a foundational understanding of how medicines are discovered, approved, and improved.

Program Details

Minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Applications open in late August and are due in early October. Decisions are made before Fall Break. Currently admitting 14 students each year.

ADMISSIONS requirements

Program Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Pharmaceutical Sciences

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Unlock your career potential

Gain a competitive edge for roles in biopharma industries, health care professions, or health-related graduate programs

Build a community

Join others who share your interest in drug development and passion for making a positive impact on patients and society

Learn from the best

Take courses with graduate students and learn from faculty experts at the nation’s #1 pharmacy school

Engage in research

Opportunities to participate in pharmaceutical sciences research spanning the drug development cycle

Program overview

Minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences

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Student Profile

The minor is ideally suited for sophomores and juniors in STEM majors such as biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering. These high-achieving students aspire for careers in pharma or biotech, or to pursue an advanced health-related degree (PharmD, MD, PA, MPH, MS, PhD).

Pre-requisites

To enroll in the minor, students must complete Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 261) and Calculus (MATH 231), and be enrolled in Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 262). Cell Biology (BIOL 240) and Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 252), or comparable courses, are strongly recommended for success in the program.

Curriculum

The minor offers undergraduate students a 15-credit curriculum that builds foundational knowledge in drug discovery, development, and delivery. With two required core courses and flexible electives, students explore key areas like medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacology, regulatory science, and more.

Application

The minor is available to all undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill. Applications are accepted during the first six weeks of the fall semester. Students must meet prerequisites, have a 3.0 GPA, and submit a brief statement of interest (approx. 500 words) about the field of pharmaceutical sciences.