Your Curriculum - Your Future

Pharmacy students participate in a comprehensive curriculum that creates building blocks for success as a practicing pharmacist. 
The state-of-the art building allows students to actively engage with their instruction, instructors, and classmates. The college's close proximity to other healthcare colleges and  University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) allows students to engage in inter-professional experiences with students and practitioners from many disciplines. Student pharmacists have many opportunities to engage in activities outside of the standard curriculum to further their personal and professional development.

First Year

The first year as a pharmacy student is focused on creating a foundation of knowledge and skills to build on. Students have early exposure to a pharmacy career when they observe practicing pharmacists in a variety of settings. 

P1 year

course number Course description semester hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8130 Foundations of Pharmacy Practice I Introduction to contemporary pharmacy practice, small-group discussion, application of core concepts. 4
PHAR:8131 Engagement: Professional Skills and Values Develop as a professional prior to the beginning of classes, meet faculty, become acquainted with the college. 1
PHAR:8134 Foundations of Health Services Foundation issues for pharmacist practice related to social, economic, organizational design, etc. 3
PHAR:8135 Health Information Retrieval and Informatics Introduction and overview of health care information retrieval, organization and dissemination. 3
PHAR:8136 Foundations of Pharmaceutical Sciences Introduction and overview of foundations of pharmaceutical sciences. 6
PHAR:8152 Fundamentals of Compounding Introduction to personalized drug delivery systems through the art of compounding. 1
PHARMACY EXPERIENCES (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development1 Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. ---
PHAR:8133 IPPE Career Exploration2 On-site exposure to various pharmacist career opportunities in four different pharmacy practice patient care settings. 1

Total Required Hours: 18-19

1 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring.
2 50% of P1 students take IPPE Career Exploration in the Fall semester and 50% take it in the Spring semester.

course number Course description semester hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8151 Clinical Investigation I Research, Study Design, and Methods 3
PHAR:8140 Foundations of Pharmacy Practice II Introduction to contemporary pharmacy practice for first-year pharmacists. 4
PHAR:8148 Pharmacokinetics and Dose Optimization   2
PHAR:8149 Foundations of Pharmacology and Toxicology Principles of pharmacology and toxicology. 3
PHAR:8150 Health, Wellness, and Disease Overview of basic processes of good health and practices that promote wellness. 2
PHAR:8153 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Dermatology and Sensory Key elements of science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner, focused on organ systems or disease states. 2
PHARMACY EXPERIENCES (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development1 Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. ---
PHAR:8133 IPPE Career Exploration2 Hands-on exposure to various pharmacist career opportunities in four different pharmacy practice care settings. 1

Total Required Hours: 16-17

1 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring.
2 50% of P1 students take IPPE Career Exploration in the Fall semester and 50% take it in the Spring semester.

Second Year

Second year pharmacy students immerse themselves in Integrated Pharmacotherapy courses. These courses, organized by disease state or organ system are the bridge between the first year of foundational knowledge and the fourth year when students apply their knowledge.

Students participate in real-life pharmacy experiences in a community and hospital setting during their second year as well.

P2 Year

Course description semester hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8260 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Cardiovascular Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on cardiovascular diseases and conditions. 4
PHAR:8256 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Renal, Fluids, and Electrolytes Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. 2
PHAR:8254 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Endocrine Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on endocrine diseases. 3
PHAR:8250 Applications of Pharmacy Practice I Expands on skills and concepts taught in the foundations of pharmacy practice course series and includes skills relevant to the disease states in the specific aligned component courses. 2
PHAR:8276 Clinical Investigation II Create and disseminate new knowledge related to pharmacy or health care with emphasis on design methods and data collection. 2
PHARMACY EXPERIENCES (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development1 Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. ---
PHAR:8207 IPPE Community2 Exposure to the provision of care in a community pharmacy setting; activities focus on those experiences related to the community pharmacy environment, medication distribution, special products and populations, and related professional activities. 3
PHAR:8209 Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Hospital3 Exposure to the provision of care in a hospital pharmacy setting; activities focus on those experiences related to the hospital pharmacy environment, medication distribution, special products and populations, and related professional activities. 3

Total Required Hours: 13-19

1 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring.
2 Students may take IPPE Community the summer preceding their P2 year, winter break of the P2 year, or the summer after their P2 year.
3 Students may take IPPE Hospital the summer preceding their P2 year, during the P2 year, or the summer after their P2 year.

course number Course description semester hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8261 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Neurology and Psychiatry Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on neurological and psychiatric diseases and conditions. 4
PHAR:8263 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Infectious Diseases Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on infectious diseases. 4
PHAR:8265 Applications of Pharmacy Practice II Expands on skills and concepts taught in the foundations of pharmacy practice course series and includes skills relevant to the disease states in the specific integrated pharmacotherapy courses. 2
PHAR:8275 Advanced Health Services Exploration of advanced topics in health service. 2
PHARMACY EXPERIENCES (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development1 Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. ---
PHAR:8207 Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Community2 Exposure to the provision of care in a community pharmacy setting; activities focus on those experiences related to the community pharmacy environment, medication distribution, special products and populations, and related professional activities. 3
PHAR:8209 Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Hospital3 Exposure to the provision of care in a hospital pharmacy setting; activities focus on those experiences related to the hospital pharmacy environment, medication distribution, special products and populations, and related professional activities.
*May be taken in a different session.
3

Total Required Hours: 12-18

1 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring.
2 Students may take IPPE Community the summer preceding their P2 year, winter break of the P2 year, or the summer after their P2 year.
3 Students may take IPPE Hospital the summer preceding their P2 year, during the P2 year, or the summer after their P2 year.

Third Year

During the third year, pharmacy students continue to immerse themselves in the Integrated Pharmacotherapy courses. The associated hands-on skills training activities create a bridge between knowledge and application. Third-year students spend some time with fourth year students on rotation and practice developing and presenting a patient case.

Early into the Spring semester, students have the opportunity to customize their education with professional electives, dual degree or certificate coursework, or early fourth-year practice experiences.

P3 Year

Course Number Course Description Semester Hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8370 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Respiratory and Allergy Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. 2
PHAR:8372 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Gastroenterology and Nutrition Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. 3
PHAR:8352 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Musculoskeletal Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on musculoskeletal and musculoskeletal-related conditions. 4
PHAR:8374 Applications of Pharmacy Practice III Expands on skills and concepts taught in the foundations of pharmacy practice course series and includes skills relevant to the disease states in the specific aligned component courses. 2
PHARMACY EXPERIENCE (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development1 Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. ---
PHAR:8301 IPPE Clinical2 This third IPPE is completed as an introduction to the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) to which student pharmacists are exposed during their P4 year; the IPPE clinical involves a P3 student observing and participating with a P4 student currently on an APPE rotation. 1

Total Required Hours: 12

1 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring.
2 Some students may complete IPPE Clinical the summer preceding their P3 year.

course number Course description semester hours
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION (Didactic)
PHAR:8353 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Genitourinary and Reproductive Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. 2
PHAR:8371 Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Oncology and Hematology Key elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. 2
PHAR:8378 Pharmacy Law and Ethics Topics include ethical behavior for pharmacists and student of pharmacy law. 2
PHAR:83XX Applications of Pharmacy Practice IV Expands on skills and concepts taught in the foundations of pharmacy practice course series and includes skills relevant to the disease states in the specific aligned component courses. 1
  Professional Electives1   4-6
PHARMACY EXPERIENCE (Experiential)
PHAR:8132 Continuing Professional Development2 Engagement with profession of pharmacy and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. 1

Total Required Hours: 12 3

1 Students must complete 6 semester hours of professional electives to begin APPEs and 24 hours of general education electives to graduate.
2 Continuing Professional Development is a longitudinal course that students engage in during the P1 through P3 years, with credit assigned in the P3 Spring semester.
3 Students must take a minimum of 12 semester hours in the P3 Spring semester.

Fourth Year

Students in their fourth year put the previous three years into practice in real-life pharmacy experiences. Students are fully immersed in the life of a pharmacist as they complete rotations in a variety of settings. Students can customize their education with these rotations according to their interests or career goals.

P4 Year

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. PHAR:94XX
Total semester hours: 12

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. PHAR:94XX
Total semester hours: 18

Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences. PHAR:94XX
Total semester hours: 18

Graphic overview of curriculum by semester and year.

Curriculum Overview

See a visual overview of the four-year curriculum.

Overview
Image of Curriculum Summary excerpt

Curriculum Summary

See a summary of required courses by semester and year.

See Curriculum Summary
P4 providing immunization

Personalize Your Path

Personalize your education through dual degrees, certificates, and elective courses.

Learn More
Graduates with diplomas

PharmD Learning Outcomes

Students will become medication experts who pursue roles as practitioners, scientists, technologists, activists and entrepreneurs. They will have a broad perspective that includes knowledge of healthcare systems, policy, and practice in local, national, and international settings.

View Outcomes
Pharmacy Practice Lab Center

Hands-On Skills Training

Learn skills in the award-winning Pharmacy Practice Learning Center.

Students develop and practice skills such as giving immunizations and counseling patients during a five-part course series: Foundations of Pharmacy Practice I & II and Applications of Pharmacy Practice I, II, & III.

Learn More
Students at Capitol

Service, Advocacy, and Development

Make an impact on your community, profession, and your own professional growth.

There are many opportunities to expand your horizons and further develop as a professional.  

Learn More
Student on APPE

Real-life Pharmacy Experiences

Use your developing knowledge and skills during the Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences.

Pharmacy students get real-life pharmacy experience as they participate in Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) during the first three years and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) during their final year.

Learn More
Student in Xicotepec

Global Opportunities

Experience the world outside of Iowa and the United States.

Pharmacy students have participated in diverse international experiences including yearly service trips to Xicotepec, Fulbright educational opportunities, and rotations in the final year.

Learn More