Individualized Studies (Pre-Pharmacy) - Bachelor of Individualized Studies
The Bachelor of Individualized Studies (BIS) Pre-Pharmacy concentration is a mechanism for students in the NMSU — University of New Mexico (UNM) Pre-Pharmacy Early Assurance Program (EAP) to earn a Bachelor's degree from NMSU that will show up on their NMSU transcript. The NMSU part of the program takes approximately three years (six academic terms) to complete. Students who subsequently successfully complete the first year of study in the UNM PharmD program can readily apply for readmission to NMSU, transfer the PharmD credits back to NMSU, then apply for the BIS degree.
Requirements
Students must complete all University degree requirements, which include: General Education requirements, Viewing a Wider World requirements, and elective credits to total at least 120 credits with 48 credits in courses numbered 300 or above. Up to 36 upper division credits earned through the UNM PharmD program can be transferred back to NMSU and counted towards meeting these requirements. Developmental coursework will not count towards the degree requirements and/or elective credits, but may be needed in order to take the necessary English and Mathematics coursework.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirement | ||
| Area I: Communications 1 | 9-10 | |
English Composition - Level 1 | ||
English Composition - Level 2 | ||
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Science | 3 | |
or ENGL 2210G | Professional and Technical Communication | |
or ENGL 2210H | Professional and Technical Communication | |
or ENGL 2210M | Professional and Technical Communication for Multilingual Students | |
Oral Communication 2 | ||
| Introduction to Communication | 3 | |
or HNRS 2175G | Introduction to Communication Honors | |
| Area II: Mathematics 3 | 3-4 | |
| Choose either MATH 1220G and MATH 1221, or MATH 1430G | ||
| College Algebra and General Supplemental Instruction II 4 | 4 | |
| Applications of Calculus I | 3 | |
| Area III/IV: Laboratory Sciences and Social/Behavioral Sciences | 11-13 | |
Area III: Laboratory Sciences | ||
| General Chemistry I Lecture and Laboratory for STEM Majors 4 | 5 | |
| General Chemistry II Lecture and Laboratory for STEM Majors 4 | 5 | |
Area IV: Social/Behavioral Sciences (3 credits) | ||
| Macroeconomic Principles | 3 | |
or ECON 2120G | Principles of Microeconomics Honors | |
| Area V: Humanities | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy (preferred) | 3 | |
| Logic, Reasoning, & Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Philosophy, Law, and Ethics | 3 | |
| Area VI: Creative and Fine Arts 1 | 3 | |
| General Education Elective: fulfilled by nondepartmental requirements | 3-4 | |
| Viewing a Wider World courses from two different colleges 5 | 6 | |
| Concentration Requirements (in addition to Gen.Ed/VWW) specific to the concentration | 32-34 | |
| Interdisciplinary Topics (Intro. to Pharmacy.) 6 | 1-2 | |
| Explorations in Chemistry and Biochemistry | 1 | |
| Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Principles of Genetics | 3 | |
| General Microbiology | 3 | |
or BIOL 2320 | Public Health Microbiology | |
| General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 | |
| Pre-Professional Human Anatomy | 3 | |
or SPMD 2210 | Anatomy and Physiology I | |
| Pre-Professional Human Anatomy Laboratory | 1 | |
| Physiology of Humans | 3 | |
or SPMD 2225 | Anatomy and Physiology II | |
| Organic Chemistry I 4 | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry II 4 | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 | |
| Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
or A ST 311 | Statistical Applications | |
| Second Language: not required | ||
| Selective A: Communication 7 | 3 | |
| Selective B: Critical Thinking 8 | 3 | |
| Elective 9,10 | 19-7 | |
| Biochemistry I | 3 | |
Non-professional support courses to bring the total credits to 120 | ||
| Credits transferred from UNM College of Pharmacy 10 | 25-36 | |
| Topics in Pharmacy | 12-18 | |
| Advanced Topics in Pharmacy | 12-18 | |
| Total Credits | 120-126 | |
- 1
See the General Education section of the catalog for a full list of courses
- 2
Any course listed under Oral Communication the General Education section of the catalog may be used
- 3
MATH 1220G College Algebra or MATH 1430G Applications of Calculus I are required for the degree but students may need to take any prerequisites needed to enter MATH 1220G or MATH 1430G first.
- 4
Supplemental instruction (SI) is strongly recommended but credits may be waived in cases in which the student has prior knowledge of the subject or in cases where SI would lead to a scheduling conflict.
- 5
See the Viewing a Wider World section of the catalog for a full list of courses and
- 6
ARSC 1115 or ARSC 2511 or another approved course may substitute for ARSC 2996 if the latter is not offered in the semester indicated on the degree roadmap
- 7
One course from the following, COMM 3120, COMM 3710, COMM 3530, COMM 3610, COMM 4520, COMM 4640, COMM 4530, COMM 4750, or an approved alternative.
- 8
Choose one from the following: A ST 465, HORT 310, PHIL 316, PHIL 328, PHIL 351 or one of the PHIL general education courses not already used to fulfill the Area V requirement, SPMD 1120, TOX 361, any upper division BIOL course not listed among the concentration requirements, or an approved upper division alternative.
- 9
In addition to the Selective A and B courses, the UNM/NMSU Early Assurance Program for pre-pharmacy students requires as preparation for the UNM PharmD program a total of 21 credits outside of math and core sciences, designated as non-professional support (NPS) credits. Fourteen of these credits are accounted by ARSC 2996 Interdisciplinary Topics (2 cr), General Education Areas IV and VI (6 cr), and VWW (6 cr), leaving seven elective NPS credits to be selected in consultation with an academic advisor. If BCHE 395 Biochemistry I is not completed then ten remaining NPS credits must be taken, with at least three of those credits in an area of health promotion, such as courses under the NUTR or PHLS prefixes.
- 10
Upon successful completion of at least one full year of study in the UNM PharmD program students may transfer back to NMSU up to 36 credits of designated UNM PharmD classwork under the NMSU course numbers ARSC 4550 (up to 18 credits) and ARSC 4555 (up to 18 additional credits). The number of elective credits needed to fulfill the NMSU requirement of 120 total credits will depend on the number of Pharm-D credits transferred back from UNM, the number of credits of supplemental instruction accumulated, and other factors.
A Suggested Plan of Study for Students
This roadmap assumes student placement in MATH 1220G College Algebra and ENGL 1110G Composition I . This plan only includes those credits earned while in residence at NMSU, not the credits to be earned subsequently in the UNM PharmD program and transferred back to NMSU. The contents and order of this roadmap may vary depending on initial math and English placement and other factors. While students need to satisfy prerequisites to enroll in math and science courses, there is some flexibility in when other degree requirements are satisfied. Many courses are offered only once per year. Students are strongly encouraged to consider this when planning for the year ahead.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| MATH 1220G & MATH 1221 or MATH 1430G | College Algebra 1 or Applications of Calculus I | 4 |
| COMM 1115G or HNRS 2175G | Introduction to Communication or Introduction to Communication Honors | 3 |
| PHIL 1115G | Introduction to Philosophy (or other Philosophy General Education course) | 3 |
| ECON 2110G or ECON 2120G | Macroeconomic Principles or Principles of Microeconomics Honors | 3 |
| FYEX 1110 | First-year Seminar (or other elective credit if needed) 4 | 1-3 |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 1215G | General Chemistry I Lecture and Laboratory for STEM Majors | 5 |
| ENGL 1110G | Composition I or Composition I Honors or Composition I | 4 |
| ARSC 2996 | Interdisciplinary Topics (Intro to Pharmacy) | 2 |
| ARTH 2110G | History of Art I (or other Area VI General Education course) 2 | 3 |
| PHED 1230 | Individual Sport: (or other elective credit if needed) 4 | 1 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOL 2110G & BIOL 2110L | Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology and Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory | 4 |
| ENGL 2221G or ENGL 2210G | Writing in the Humanities and Social Science or Professional and Technical Communication | 3 |
| BCHE 140 | Explorations in Chemistry and Biochemistry | 1 |
| CHEM 1225G | General Chemistry II Lecture and Laboratory for STEM Majors | 5 |
| Selective A or B | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 353 or SPMD 2210 | Pre-Professional Human Anatomy or Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIOL 305 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| CHEM 313 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHME 395V | Brewing Science and Society (or other VWW course outside Arts and Sciences) 3 | 3 |
| Non-professional elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 314 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| BIOL 354 or SPMD 2225 | Physiology of Humans or Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 |
| CHEM 315 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| ANTH 357V | Medical Anthropology (or other VWW course) 3 | 3 |
| Selective B or A | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 311 L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOL 311 or BIOL 2320 | General Microbiology or Public Health Microbiology | 3 |
| MATH 1350G or A ST 311 | Introduction to Statistics or Statistical Applications | 3 |
| BCHE 395 | Biochemistry I (or Non-professional elective) | 3 |
| Non-professional electives totalling at least 4 credits | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 92-94 | |
- 1
MATH 1220G or MATH 1430G is required for the degree but students may need to take any prerequisites needed to enter MATH 1220G first.
- 2
See the General Education section of the catalog for a full list of courses
- 3
See the Viewing a Wider World section of the catalog for a full list of courses
- 4
Elective credits may be added if student needs to enroll in at last 15 credits to be eligible for certain types of financial aid. Suitable coursework includes FYEX, PHED and other flexible courses that can be taken for one or two credits.
Students interested in other activities related to pre-pharmacy studies should consider joining the NMSU Pre-Pharmacy society. Please see https://cpp.nmsu.edu/ for contact information.