Yes, you can major in chemistry and graduate with a B.S in four years, then apply to pharmacy school, which is also four years. They also have pre-pharmacy tracks at some schools. On pre-pharmacy tracks, it is typically a 2 year program in which you take prerequisite courses to pharmacy school. In the 1st semester of your sophomore year, you would start applying to pharmacy school and take the pcat. You would have an answer from the pharmacy school by end of the 2nd semester of your sophomore year, then enter into pharmacy school the following year. So instead of spending 8 years to become a pharmacist, you would spend 6 years. The only thing difference from the path that you are on, is that after the 2 years of pre-requisites you will not have a degree, but you’ll get one anyway when your done with pharmacy school.

A tip is to start looking for pharmacy schools that you would like to attend and take a look at their list of pre-requisites.

I am guessing something like bio-chemistry would be best, but you really need to talk to an advisor at Sacramento State and find out about your options. There are not that many colleges that offer the pharmacy major. You should find out which ones do and then find out their admissions requirements. That way you won’t end up taking classes that won’t count or have your admissions delayed while you catch up on the pre-requisites. University of the Pacific (UOP) is really close to Sac State, and it has a pharmacy program. You should contact them and see what they have to say about it. Good career choice…pharmacists make a lot of money right out of school and they are in high demand. Good luck.

The answer from “its Love” is right on target, but also, you can get detailed information about the programs for pharmacy at the website of the Association of American Colleges of Pharmacy AACP – they’re easy to search online. They have links to the websites of every accredited American college of pharmacy arranged by state, so you can check the exact details for whatever schools you are interested in.

In the USA there are no longer undergraduate degrees in pharmacy. All the pharm schools now give the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree as the professional degree for pharmacy. You can not become a pharmacist with a PhD in pharmaceutical science. That is a research degree for laboratory scientists, not health care professionals.

High school courses in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics will help to prepare you for your future educational endeavors as a pharmacology student. The principal pathway to a career in pharmacology is a course of study leading to a Ph.D. in pharmacology. This takes four to five years after earning a bachelors degree.

To become a pharmacologist, a person earns an advanced degree, or Ph.D., in pharmacology or in another science.

I don’t think there is one “right” major. You just need to take the prerequistes that are necessary to get into pharmacy school. Biology and chemistry would be excellent choices for majors, though.

It might work — but lots of colleges have pharmacy schools where you can actually major in pharmacy.

pharmacy- The school i go too has a fantastic pharmacy school however it is a 6 year program….