Pharmacy Assistant

Admission requirements

Program requirements

Completion of the following courses or equivalents with an overall average of at least 60%:

• Math 30-1 or Math 30-2, AND,
• English Language Arts 30-1 or English Language Arts 30-2.

All applicants, including students educated in Canada, must demonstrate English language proficiency.

SAIT accepts high school course equivalents for admission. If you don't meet the requirements, consider Academic Upgrading.

SAIT evaluates international documents for admissions. After applying, consider our international document assessment service if your education is from outside Canada. SAIT may also accept courses completed at certain international post-secondary institutions.

Practicum requirements

The School of Health and Public Safety has many practica partners located within Alberta and across Canada. Practicum placements in Calgary are limited, and you may be required to travel or relocate outside of the city.

Successful applicants will be assigned their practicum placement. While we'll strive to assign your practicum location based on your preference, it is not guaranteed. Special considerations will not be given. You will be responsible for fees associated with the practicum, such as entrance requirements, relocation and travel costs.

In compliance with the practica agreements with our clinical partners, you will be requested to provide proof of the following requirements:

• Police Information Check, including Vulnerable Sector Check
• Health and wellness status

Learn more about practicum requirements

Spring intakes: rural cohort

The rural stream of the Pharmacy Assistant program, offered in spring, addresses a need for services in Edmonton and rural Alberta. As such, all practicum placements will occur within Edmonton and rural Alberta.

Only applicants with a home address (living) in those regions will be eligible for admission to the program. Calgary addresses are not eligible to apply.

In this intake, you'll attend your lectures online and laboratories on campus and subsequently complete a practicum placement. To accommodate students with significant distances to travel, on-campus lab days will be scheduled in groups of four to five consecutive days and occur approximately once per month.

Practicums will be arranged outside of the Calgary area in collaboration with SAIT’s partner pharmacies. Though the location is not guaranteed, you are encouraged to consider your ideal practicum location beforehand. There is a high demand for pharmacy assistants in Edmonton and the surrounding area.

Direct entry: four-step process 

Step 1:  Read the program information to see the qualities needed for student success. 

Step 2:  Ensure that you meet all of the admission requirements listed above. 

Step 3:  Apply to the program and submit your transcripts. 

Admission will be extended on a first-qualified, first-offered basis until the program is full. 

Step 4:  Continue to monitor your application status through the application portal.

You must submit final transcripts/grades to show you have completed the courses and met the minimum admission requirements by the transcript deadline or your seat will be rescinded.

Communication during admission

Email is the primary source of communication during the admission process. Ensure your personal email account is managed appropriately to receive our emails, files and communications. 

We recommend you add hps.info@sait.ca domain to your safe senders' list or you risk missing critical email messages. 

When do classes start?

Classes for this program adhere to the following year start and end dates based on the semester the student begins their program.

Courses

Program outline

Looking for course descriptions and requisites? Visit the course catalogue

Semester 1

Semester 2

Progression

Students must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better in each semester and pass the necessary prerequisite courses to progress through the program. To qualify for graduation, students must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Review our grading and progression procedure >

Transfer options

The opportunity to advance your education by transferring in, within or on from SAIT is available.

Learn more about program and institution partnership agreements.

Costs 2023/24

Tuition and fees

The following costs are effective as of July 1, 2023. They are an estimate of tuition and fees based on the recommended course load per year. *

Domestic students

_{*For a detailed breakdown of tuition costs per course, visit the domestic fee table.}

 This program is eligible for Canada Alberta Job Grant funding.

Fees

Your fees are calculated based on the number of course credits you take per semester (approximately 16 weeks of study). In most cases, your fee is determined based on whether you're taking more or less than nine (9) course credits (more than nine credits in a semester are considered full-time studies.)

Fees are adjusted for programs with start dates outside of the typical 15-week program.

Learn more about what your fees are for

Books and supplies*

Books and supplies are approximately $500.

Students are responsible for any additional expenses related to their practicum, including pre-practicum requirements as outlined by the program, and relocation costs to practicum sites outside of Calgary.

There is a fee associated with obtaining a Police Information Check including Vulnerable Sector Check and is payable to the Police or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

There is a fee, approximately $50-$100, associated with an Electronic Student Permit Checking submission which is required for clinical practicum placements, payable to Synergy Gateway through the Verified software platform.

For an estimate of the costs associated with purchasing a computer that meets the program's hardware and software requirements, see our computers and laptops page.

_{*Tuition, fees, books and supply costs are subject to change.}

Learn more about your tuition and financial aid options

Next steps for incoming students

Have you been accepted to this program? Here's what you'll need for your first day of classes.

✅ Plan ahead ❗️

You are required to complete several health, confidentiality and consent forms before starting your program. All completed and signed paperwork is needed on orientation day.

Get started on practicum requirements

Orientation

Program orientation for students beginning in Fall 2023 will take place on campus August 30. Look for ORNT 118 in your schedule in mySAIT for the time and exact location.*

You can also prepare by attending Big SAIT Welcome, online information sessions, international or Indigenous orientation, and completing the preparation courses below.

_{*If your orientation takes place on the first day of classes, you will not see a separate ORNT 118 in your schedule. Students registering in classes via open registration will need to enroll themselves in ORNT 118.}

How to register for classes

You'll need to register for your classes ahead of each semester.

You’ll receive an email from us indicating what registration process you’ll use to enroll in your classes.

Learn how to register for your classes and find important registration deadlines.

Registration and schedule

Computers and laptops

This is a bring your own device program with a standard hardware and software requirement. See the specific requirements on our computers and laptops page. 

Mac computers are not compatible with the software used in this program. 

Required personal protective equipment (PPE) and uniforms

Students are required to wear scrubs to their labs. Scrubs must be cleaned and pressed. 

All lab equipment will be provided and a lab fee will be charged to students at the SAIT Bookstore.

Preparation courses

To support your success, short courses are available to you to help prepare you for the academic year: 

PERS 050: Student Rights and Responsibilities

This course is designed to introduce you to student rights and responsibilities at SAIT. You will learn about SAIT's rich and diverse community, become familiar with guidelines and procedures that create a safe, respectful learning experience for you, and gain practical tips for how you can engage in the SAIT community in a positive and responsible way. PRES-050 must be completed within 30 days from the start of the semester.

PREP 100: The SAIT Experience

Get tips and insider information on time management, exam preparation, effective notetaking and more through this free, online short course for new students. Plus, learn about discussion boards, online communication and submitting assignments online. Course completion is recommended by the end of your first semester.

Both courses can be accessed through Brightspace (D2L) before the first day of classes.  

Students taking a full-time course load, or more than nine (9) credits per semester, will be automatically enrolled in these courses.

They are optional for students taking a part-time course load (9 or fewer credits per semester). Part-time students can register by emailing academic.coaching@sait.ca. 

Required textbooks

Find your booklist on the SAIT Bookstore's website. The booklist will be available closer to the program start date.

Can’t find your program or course? The bookstore didn't receive a textbook list. Contact your program directly to determine if they’re still refining course details or if you're in luck, no textbook purchase is required this term.

Contact 

Phone: 403.284.8481 
Email: hps.info@sait.ca

Next steps for all students

Here's what else you'll need to do to get ready!

Next steps for accepted students

Important dates and deadlines

Find important dates applicable to all students, including your transcript and tuition payment deadlines on our Important Dates page.

Important dates