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. 

White Coat Ceremony

Each year, the College of Pharmacy holds a special ceremony to welcome its newest Doctor of Pharmacy class into the college family. The White Coat Ceremony is a tradition that marks the beginning of a student's first semester and their formal entry into the pharmacy profession. During the ceremony, students receive their white coat, which symbolizes their commitment to the profession and their patients' health. 

P1 year

P1 Fall Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8130Foundations of Pharmacy Practice IIntroduction to contemporary pharmacy practice, small-group discussion, application of core concepts. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8131Engagement: Professional Skills and ValuesDevelop as a professional prior to the beginning of classes, meet faculty, become acquainted with the college. (1 s.h.)
PHAR:8134Foundations of Health ServicesFoundation issues for pharmacist practice related to social, economic, organizational design, etc. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8135Health Information Retrieval and InformaticsIntroduction and overview of health care information retrieval, organization, and dissemination. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8136Foundations of Pharmaceutical SciencesIntroduction and overview of foundations of pharmaceutical sciences. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8152Fundamentals of CompoundingIntroduction to personalized drug delivery systems through the art of compounding. (1 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development1Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection.
PHAR:8133IPPE Career Exploration2On-site exposure to various pharmacist career opportunities in four different pharmacy practice patient care settings. (1 s.h.)

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.

P1 Spring Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8151Clinical Investigation IResearch, Study Design, and Methods (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8140Foundations of Pharmacy Practice IIIntroduction to contemporary pharmacy practice for first-year pharmacists. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8148Pharmacokinetics and Dose Optimization(2 s.h.)
PHAR:8149Foundations of Pharmacology and ToxicologyPrinciples of pharmacology and toxicology. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8150Health, Wellness, and DiseaseOverview of basic processes of good health and practices that promote wellness. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8153Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Dermatology and SensoryKey elements of science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner, focused on organ systems or disease states. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development1Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection.
PHAR:8133IPPE Career Exploration2Hands-on exposure to various pharmacist career opportunities in four different pharmacy practice care settings. (1 s.h.)

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

P2 Fall Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8260Integrated Pharmacotherapy: CardiovascularKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on cardiovascular diseases and conditions. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8256Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Renal, Fluids, and ElectrolytesKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8254Integrated Pharmacotherapy: EndocrineKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on endocrine diseases. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8250Applications of Pharmacy Practice IExpands 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 s.h.)
PHAR:8276Clinical Investigation IICreate and disseminate new knowledge related to pharmacy or health care with emphasis on design methods and data collection. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development1Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection.
PHAR:8207IPPE Community2Exposure 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 s.h.)
PHAR:8209Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Hospital3Exposure 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 s.h.)

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.

P2 Spring Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8261Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Neurology and PsychiatryKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on neurological and psychiatric diseases and conditions. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8263Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Infectious DiseasesKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on infectious diseases. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8265Applications of Pharmacy Practice IIExpands 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 s.h.)
PHAR:8275Advanced Health ServicesExploration of advanced topics in health service. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development1Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection.
PHAR:8207Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Community2Exposure 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 s.h.)
PHAR:8209Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences Hospital3Exposure 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 s.h.)
*May be taken in a different session.

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

P3 Fall Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8370Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Respiratory and AllergyKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8372Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Gastroenterology and NutritionKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. (3 s.h.)
PHAR:8352Integrated Pharmacotherapy: MusculoskeletalKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on musculoskeletal and musculoskeletal-related conditions. (4 s.h.)
PHAR:8374Applications of Pharmacy Practice IIIExpands 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 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development1Engagement with the pharmacy profession and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. 
PHAR:8301IPPE Clinical2This 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 s.h.)

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.

P3 Spring Course List

Course NumberCourseDescription
PHAR:8353Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Genitourinary and ReproductiveKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8371Integrated Pharmacotherapy: Oncology and HematologyKey elements of the science and practice of pharmacy presented in an integrated manner focused on particular organ systems or disease states. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:8378Pharmacy Law and EthicsTopics include ethical behavior for pharmacists and student of pharmacy law. (2 s.h.)
PHAR:83XXApplications of Pharmacy Practice IVExpands 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 s.h.)
 Professional Electives1(4 - 6 s.h.)
PHAR:8132Continuing Professional Development2Engagement with profession of pharmacy and community through service and leadership activities and reflection. (1 s.h.)

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

P4 Summer

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

P4 Fall

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

P4 Spring

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

Graphic overview of all four years of the PharmD curriculum for the Class of 2029. This information is also available in a PDF download as well as in a summary document.

Curriculum Overview

See a visual overview of the four-year curriculum.

Image of Curriculum Summary excerpt

Curriculum Summary

See a summary of required courses by semester and year.

P4 providing immunization

Personalize Your Education

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

Graduates with diplomas

PharmD Educational 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.

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.

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.  

Student Health Fair 2

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.

Students in Belize

Global Opportunities

Experience the world outside of Iowa and the United States.

College of Pharmacy students may participate in one of five regularly occurring international advanced pharmacy practice experiences in Belize, Dominica, two locations in Japan, and Romania.