600 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4495

Students interested in becoming a pharmacist, look no further than Philadelphia college of Pharmacy (PCP). Founded in 1821, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy was the first college of pharmacy in North America and has produced many leaders in the pharmaceutical field, including alumni such as McNeil, Lilly, Rorer, Wyeth, Warner, Burroughs and Wellcome, who all went on to found some of the world's largest drug companies.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy offers both graduate and undergraduate degrees (students can earn a PharmD, PhD, MBA, MS or BS) in areas such as pharmaceutical marketing and management, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmaceutical business, and pharmacology and toxicology. The educational program at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy prepares students for careers in pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, drug marketing and sales, research, government agencies or regulatory affairs. Instructors at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy have real-world experience and regularly publish and present research, and there are opportunities for students to participate in clerkships and work with noted institutions and partners in the pharmaceutical industry. The student/faculty ratio at PCP is 14 to one, which makes for a personalized education.

The University of the Sciences (of which Philadelphia College of Pharmacy is a part) occupies 18 buildings on 35 acres in the Philadelphia's university city neighborhood. Facilities include a 78,000-square-foot athletic and recreation center and the 77,000-square-foot McNeil Science and technology Center. The Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy is also located on campus. Visitors can view the museum's collection of historical pharmaceutical items, including tools and instruments for drug preparation, apothecary jars, patent medicines and homeopathic treatments.

Students at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy can opt to live in one of four residence halls on campus. Extracurricular activities include organizations such as Hillel, Muslim Student Association, Asian Student Association, Hindu Student Council, Circle K, Atheist, Agnostic and Freethinking Students' Association, and the Badminton Club, as well as number of Greek organizations and dozens of varsity and intramural sports. Services available to PCP students include a writing center, career services, health services and counseling.

Quick Facts

90 percent of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy students have jobs or have been accepted into Graduate School by the time they graduate.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy has an alumni network of more than 11,000 individuals.

Graduates of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy discovered the gene for colon cancer and helped to pioneer the use of X-ray technology.

More than 250 medical facilities are located near the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and more than 80 percent of the world's major pharmaceutical firms can be reached within two hours.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.