The purpose of the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program is to prepare entry-level pharmacy practitioners to meet the health care needs of an increasingly diverse patient population, and to constantly strive to add to the knowledge base of the profession of pharmacy. This includes use of the newest instructional techniques, experiential learning and exposure to the latest information concerning pharmacy care as taught by a creative and innovative faculty.

In fulfilling its educational mission, the school provides the environment, opportunities and stimuli for faculty, students and practitioners of the profession to learn, maintain and expand upon the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the health care needs of the patients they serve. Through a combination of traditional instruction, the innovative use of computer technology and the latest concepts of distance education, the school seeks to provide the highest quality instruction to both traditional and nontraditional learners. The School of Pharmacy supports the concept that the mission of pharmacy is to serve society as the profession responsible for the appropriate use of medications, devices and services to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.

Entrance Requirements

Admission into the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Program is determined by the School of Pharmacy Admissions Committee. Consideration for admission requires a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the 63 semester hours of prerequisite coursework. All students are required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). All application processing for the traditional PharmD program is through the PharmCAS Central Application Service at www.PharmCAS.org. Although these applications are processed differently, they are held to the same standards as Shenandoah University’s other graduate programs. Instructions for the admissions process can be found at http://pharmacy.su.edu. After review of completed applications, qualified applicants will be invited for an interview.

Undergraduate Pathways to Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Articulation Agreement Pathway 

The School of Pharmacy has established an articulation agreement with the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences. This agreement provides a pathway into the graduate admission process by reserving a set number of seats in the program for students applying from within Shenandoah.

Taking advantage of this agreement works as follows: Any student currently enrolled at SU as an undergraduate student applies to the Pharmacy program. The graduate program will evaluate the applications from SU students individually, and as long as they meet admissions requirements, will be invited to interview for the graduate program. The program has reserved a certain number of seats for SU students in their program, and those seats will be filled with qualified applicants to the graduate school.

This articulation agreement is designed for applicants who have completed the prerequisites. They have an option to apply without having attained an undergraduate degree. The agreement is available to all students enrolled full time at SU for undergraduate study. If a student applies under the articulation agreement and is not accepted, their application is automatically entered in the pool of traditional applicants. They do not need to reapply that cycle. Students who take a gap year or more will not be eligible and must apply to the graduate program via the traditional pathway.

3+4 Early Assurance Pathway: Doctor Of Pharmacy

First-year student application minimum requirements to qualify to be considered:

• High School GPA: minimum 3.5
• High School courses: minimum grade of B- in both biology and chemistry

COVID-19 Impacts: We understand that the 2019-20 academic year was impacted greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Early Assurance programs have some criteria that may have been impossible to meet due to these restrictions and alterations. Each applicant to an Early Assurance program will have an opportunity to explain barriers to achieving the criteria due to COVID-19, on a case-by-case basis, as part of the application to be reviewed for admission. 

Supplemental Requirements:

• Required interview with School of Pharmacy faculty
• Optional: Brief explanation of any COVID-19-related barriers to achieving admission criteria

If a student qualifies to be considered for the Early Assurance Pathway option, they will be notified via email how to register for the required interview.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply and submit their application materials prior to completing any supplemental requirements.

EA Pathway students:

• 15 seats offered each year
• Suggested undergraduate degree pathways: Chemistry, Biology; Pre-Health Certificate recommended
• Students choosing this pathway will be asked to identify the 3+4 Pathway during Shenandoah Summer Orientation or Welcome Week.

While at Shenandoah a student must:

• By the conclusion of the second semester of the first year, achieve and then maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.
• Follow specific guidelines outlined in the 3+4 Early Assurance Doctor of Pharmacy contract

2+4 Early Assurance Pathway: Doctor Of Pharmacy

Students will not earn a bachelor’s degree; they progress through coursework designed to satisfy prerequisite requirements for pharmacy school.

This pathway is recommended for first-year students bringing with them a significant number of dual-enrollment and/or Advanced Placement (AP) credits that allows them to focus mainly on pharmacy school prerequisites.

First-year student application minimum requirements to qualify to be considered:

• High School GPA: minimum 3.5
• High School Courses: minimum grade of B- in both biology and chemistry

COVID-19 Impacts: We understand that the 2019-20 academic year was impacted greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Early Assurance programs have some criteria that may have been impossible to meet due to these restrictions and alterations. Each applicant to an Early Assurance program will have an opportunity to explain barriers to achieving the criteria due to COVID-19, on a case-by-case basis, as part of the application to be reviewed for admission. 

Supplemental Requirements:

• Required interview with School of Pharmacy faculty
• Optional: Brief explanation of any COVID-19-related barriers to achieving admission criteria

If a student qualifies to be considered for the Early Assurance Pathway option, they will be notified via email how to register for the required interview.

Students are strongly encouraged to apply and submit their application materials prior to completing any supplemental requirements.

EA Pathway Students:

• 15 seats offered each year
• Suggested Undergraduate course of study: Core Studies Track; consider Pre-Health Certificate
• Students accepting this EA Pathway will be asked to identify the 2+4 Pathway during Shenandoah Summer Orientation or Welcome Week.

While at Shenandoah a student must:

• By the conclusion of the second semester of the first year, achieve and then maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.
• Follow specific guidelines outlined in the 2+4 Early Assurance Doctor of Pharmacy contract

Traditional Pathway

A student at Shenandoah completes a bachelor’s degree and applies to the graduate program(s) of their choice following the admissions guidelines and procedure published on the program website.

Any current student or former student, is eligible to apply to the graduate program using this pathway. Students must follow the admission requirements outlined for all candidates found on the individual program web sites.

Degree Requirements

Conferral of the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree requires the successful completion of 148 credit hours in the didactic and experiential curriculum (not including prerequisite courses) with a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average.

Accreditation

The professional pharmacy program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603-4810. Graduates are eligible to sit for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.