Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum
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The Pacific University doctor of pharmacy program's contemporary curriculum is a semester-based schedule with concurrent semester-long courses. Students take a total of 160 credits in either the accelerated three-year program or the extended five-year program.

The entire curriculum is housed within the School of Pharmacy, so there is no risk of conflicting class schedules. We also work to minimize overlapping exams to ensure that students can manage their courseload successfully. Students also have protected time each week to proactively schedule personal appointments and engage in self-care.

The curriculum:

  • Prioritizes the advancement of pharmacy and engagement in the profession
  • Fosters connectedness between students, pharmacists, other professions, and the community
  • Cultivates adaptability and integrity in personal and professional development through self-aware reflection
  • Develops informed professional judgment through integrated learning and an emphasis on practice
  • Challenges all learners to solve problems, critically evaluate conventional perspectives, weigh and interpret evidence, and generate novel approaches to practice

In addition to the standard curriculum, students complete at least one elective credit, as well as three required APPE electives. Students also are required to attend an introductory interprofessional course, and all first- and second-year students have the option of attending an Interprofessional Case Conference (ICC) each academic year.

There also is an opportunity for students to earn additional specializations.

  • Specialization in Research and Scholarship:  This is an opportunity for student pharmacists to be involved in research throughout their three years of the program.  Students will develop skills in problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and research design, while experiencing 1:1 mentorship with faculty. The skills acquired can increase students' marketability for residency and job search and open additional opportunities for industry employment.  Ideal outcomes for both students and faculty include dissemination of scholarship in the form of posters, presentations, and/or publications.
  • Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars Program: The AHEC Scholars Program is an opportunity for student pharmacists to increase awareness of the healthcare disparities and challenges faced by rural and medically-underserved communities. Students will engage in advocacy and service initiatives designed to promote the health of underserved populations.  This nationally recognized program will prepare students to practice in a rural or medically-underserved community as part of an interprofessional team.

Full course descriptions and degree requirements are listed in the academic catalog.

Learn more about the Pacific University School of Pharmacy's student learning outcomes

Three-Year Doctor of Pharmacy

The three-year accelerated doctor of pharmacy program provides students an opportunity to save money and get into their careers faster than the traditional four-year program offered at many schools. Students in the three-year program take several courses at a time through each semester. Here is a sample of the year-by-year course plan, as well as what a weekly schedule might look like for students in the three-year track.

The three-year pharmacy program is a year-round program, with students balancing a mix of classroom learning, labs and clinical placements. The academic calendar will look a bit different during each year of the program. The following are the academic calendars for 2024-2025 for each class:

Five-Year Doctor of Pharmacy

Pacific was the first school to offer a five-year extended doctor of pharmacy program. This pathway allows students to slow down their studies in order to devote more attention to each course and to balance their studies with other obligations, like work.  Here is a sample of the year-by-year course plan, as well as what a weekly schedule might look like for students in the five-year track.

The three-year pharmacy program is a year-round program, with students balancing a mix of classroom learning, labs and clinical placements. The academic calendar will look a bit different during each year of the program. 

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