Starting this fall, Cornell University undergraduate students will have a new path to pursue a pharmaceutical degree — through Binghamton University.

A new agreement between the two universities, announced in July, will allow Cornell University students majoring in plant sciences — a major that has overlap with the program requirements — to take part in a 3 + 4 joint degree program with BU’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS).

Students in the program will receive a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from BU and a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University. Selected students will finish their fourth year bachelor’s degree requirements during their first year at SOPPS.

Kathryn Boor, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, said the connection between plant sciences and pharmaceutical sciences will enable students to work more effectively in the future.

“This partnership supports the crucial need for innovative professionals in today’s pharmacy environment,” Boor said. “By connecting world-class scientific learning in the plant sciences with pharmaceutical sciences, we are preparing students to serve their communities by providing evidence-based pharmaceutical care and innovative research.”

To qualify for the program, students will need to complete prerequisite courses and maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout their time at Cornell University. If students maintain the GPA requirement, the Pharmacy College Admission Test will be waived.

Students can also enter SOPPS by completing prerequisites throughout the earning of their standard bachelor’s degree or participating in a two-year pre-professional educational program.

Rachael Perry, assistant dean for enrollment management and student affairs at SOPPS, wrote in an email that the first Cornell University students enrolled in the program should make the transition to BU in two to three years.

SOPPS also offers 3 + 4 entry programs through BU’s biology, chemistry and biochemistry majors, and offers a 3 + 4 program for undergraduates at Wells College in Aurora, New York. According to Perry, the school is interested in continuing to expand the programs.

“I think if this program is successful, we will work with Cornell to see if there are other majors that may be able to work as 3 + 4 programs as well,” Perry wrote. “We are looking to expand our 3 + 4 programs with other colleges and universities in the region.”