Ithaca College Signs Agreement with Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy

By IC News staff, December 18, 2019

The 3+4 program will ease the transition of IC graduates into pharmacy school.

Ithaca College students can pursue a 3+4 doctor of pharmacy program at Binghamton University.

(Photo courtesy of Binghamton University)

Ithaca College has entered into an articulation agreement with the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences that will allow students to transfer into Binghamton’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program after three years of undergraduate study at IC. This 3+4 program will give qualified students the opportunity to complete their Bachelor of Science degree through coursework taken in their first professional year at Binghamton.

“Ithaca College students who meet the requirements for admission to the BU pharmacy program will benefit from the ability to complete their doctoral degree in an accelerated fashion, entering their professional study at Binghamton in year four rather than having to wait until after the receipt of their undergraduate degree,” said La Jerne Terry Cornish, Ithaca College provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

As a result, the students in the program will have a lower cost of attendance, and they will benefit from the cross-sector collaboration between the private and public institutions, two main objectives of the Ithaca Forever strategic plan.

“We believe this program will benefit both campuses by attracting academically promising students into our programs, ultimately yielding well-prepared professionals for the field.”

Linda Petrosino, dean of IC’s School of Health Sciences and Human Performance

“We believe this program will benefit both campuses by attracting academically promising students into our programs, ultimately yielding well-prepared professionals for the field,” said Linda Petrosino, dean of IC’s School of Health Sciences and Human Performance (HSHP).

This articulation agreement follows a similar agreement signed last spring with SUNY Schenectady that allows students to transfer into Ithaca’s accounting and business administration programs. IC has articulation agreements with six other colleges in New York.

“This agreement solidifies the mutual commitment Binghamton University has with Ithaca College to support the preparation of outstanding pharmacy professionals who will focus on patient-centered care,” said Gloria Meredith, founding dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “As we expand our reach throughout New York state, it is gratifying to have developed these strong connections, and we look forward to enrolling highly qualified students from Ithaca College.”

Students must have successfully completed the prerequisite credits from Ithaca College and apply no later than Jan. 1 of the year they plan to enroll at Binghamton. They must also carry a minimum cumulative and math/science GPA of 3.0. The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) will be waived for students who meet those qualifications. Any major in the School of HSHP can qualify by taking the required courses, and biology majors who take certain electives or courses beyond their major can qualify. Find out more about the required courses.

Candidates in good standing will have the option of spending their fourth year at Ithaca College to complete their bachelor’s degree, rather than at Binghamton University in the first year of the PharmD program. This option will necessarily extend the length of the program to eight years, rather than the seven years of the 3+4 program.