Core Curriculum Overview

Core Curriculum

A minimum of 190 units of professional study is required for the PharmD degree in addition to a set of specific graduation requirements. The core curriculum consists of 130.5 units, approximately 70% of the units required for graduation. In the core curriculum, students complete:

118.5 units of didactic courses
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) and
12 units of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).

Students complete 40 to 43 units of required pathway courses as well as elective coursework to meet the graduation requirement of 190 units. The majority of the core curriculum is completed in the first 7 quarters. A variety of electives are offered to assist students in selecting a pathway and provide exposure to current issues and practices in pharmacy.

Year 1
Fall Quarter	15 core units total	Winter Quarter	15.5 core units total	Spring Quarter	15 core units total
Pharmacy Practice I CP 111	3.5	Pharmacy Practice II CP 112	3.5	Pharmacy Practice III CP 113	3
Biopharmaceutics BPS 111	3.5	Biochemistry Biochem 112	4	Gross Anatomy Anat 116	3
Thermodynamics Pharm Chem 111	4.5	Advanced Organic Chemistry Pharm Chem 113	3	Drug Delivery Systems BPS 113	2
Biostatistics BPS 112	2.5	Histology Anat 115	2	Drug Metabolism PC 114	3
Electives - Pathway Introductions CP 155: Introduction to Pharmacy Pathways and Careers	1	Pharmacy Law & Ethics CP 115	3	Bioinformatics BPS 114	2
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 119	0	Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 119	0	Genetics & Pharmacogenetics BPS 115	2
Pharmaceutical Calculations CP 110	1	Electives	1-2	Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 119	0
Electives	2			Electives	2
Year 2
Fall Quarter	17 core units total	Winter Quarter	16 core units total	Spring Quarter	14.5 core units total
Immunology Micro 121	3	Health Policy CP 123	3	Therapeutics CP 120	6
Pharmaceutical Chem / Pharmacology PC 121 / PCol 121	5	Pharmaceutical Chem / Pharmacology PC 122 / PCol 122	5	Pharmaceutical Chem / Pharmacology PC 123 / PCol 123	4.5
Physiology Physio 121	5	Physiology Physio 122	3	Microbiology Micro 120	4
Pharmacokinetics BPS 121	4	Pharmacokinetics BPS 122	3	Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 129	0
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 129	0	Study Design CP 124	2	Elective	2-3
		Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 129	0
		Electives	1
Year 3
Fall Quarter	15 core units total	Winter Quarter	10.5 core units total	Spring Quarter	12-15 core units total
Therapeutics CP 130	6	Therapeutics CP 131	6	APPEs	0 or 12
Pharmaceutical Chem / Pharmacology PC 131 / PCol 131	4.5	Management CP 134	2	Electives / Pathway	0 or 15
Pathology Path 135	3	Health Economics CP 133	2
Applied Drug Information CP 135A	1.5	Drug Information CP 135B	0.5
Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 139	0	Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences CP 139	0
Elective / Pathway	2	Elective / Pathway	2-7

Comprehensive Examination

A comprehensive examination is administered to all students upon completion of Fall quarter of the third year. The purpose of this examination is to test the readiness of students as they are about to begin their clinical coursework, and it must be successfully completed before any student may begin required Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).

Year 4

In the fourth year, students complete pathway-specific courses and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). See the Pathway Curriculum for additional information on requirements, courses, and sample schedules.

Go To: Curriculum Overview