Overview
The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is awarded after successful completion of four years of didactic and experiential professional study. Two years (62 semester credits) of pre-pharmacy education is required for admission, followed by four years of professional studies.
Note: The Pharm.D. degree curriculum can be completed by one of two available pathways: a campus pathway and an online pathway.
The professional curriculum is designed such that courses integrate information, building upon one another, and encompass both didactic and experiential learning. To provide the foundations of drug actions, physiology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology are integrated to allow the student to see a broad view of how the physiochemical properties of medications interact with human physiology and apply to different disease conditions.
The courses are taught by organ systems (e.g., cardiovascular, neurological, renal). Medications and human physiology pertinent to each system are team-taught by faculty in their respective areas of expertise. Starting in the second year, courses provide the foundations of the application of drug therapy to disease. Also taught by systems ( e.g., cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases ), the pathophysiology and application of drug therapy is team-taught by faculty in their respective areas of expertise.
Throughout the first three years of the curriculum professional courses provide the student with an opportunity to integrate and apply information. Students work in small groups and interprofessional teams to complete projects and assignments, develop critical thinking skills, and foster collaboration. These courses provide laboratory experience in compounding and an opportunity for further development of both verbal and written skills. Each year, interprofessional education is provided through didactic and experiential courses as well as co-curricular activities.
During the second and the third year of the professional program, students are required to complete a broad range of introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences at various pharmacy practice sites. These experiences are student-centered, activity-based, and outcome-oriented, and they are designed to develop and reinforce attitudes, values, and skills that foster the effective delivery of patient-centered and team-based health care.