Online Doctor of Pharmacy Program

The Doctor of Pharmacy degree can be earned in four years through the Online Pharm.D. Program (OPP). Students must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses prior to entry into the OPP. The majority of OPP courses are taught online through synchronous and asynchronous technology. In the first three years of the OPP, students come to campus one to two times per academic year to complete the laboratory and professional development components of the curriculum with three-to-four-week introductory experiential learning occurring in the summers. The fourth and final year of the OPP is comprised of onsite advanced experiential learning. 142 credits are required for graduation.

Admission Requirements for Applicants with a Bachelor's Degree:

Prerequisite Courses (34 Credits)
These courses must be taken at an accredited 4-year college/university or 2-year community college Grades of "C" or better are required.

Course Credits
General Biology I W/ Lab 4
Intro to Microbiology W/Lab 4
General Chemistry I W/ Lab 4
General Chemistry II W/ Lab 4
Anatomy and Physiology I and II 3
Organic Chemistry I W/ Lab 4
Organic Chemistry II W/Lab 4
Calculus I 4
Statistics 3
Total Prerequisite Credits 34

Complete background check conducted by Castle Branch required prior to matriculation.

Selected applicants will be invited to interview.

Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Applicants:

Prerequisite Courses (64 Credits)
These courses must be taken at an accredited 4-year college/university or 2-year community college Grades of "C" or better are required.

Science Credits: 27

Course Credits
General Biology I W/ Lab 4
Intro to Microbiology W/Lab 4
General Chemistry I W/ Lab 4
General Chemistry II W/ Lab 4
Anatomy and Physiology I and II 3
Organic Chemistry I W/ Lab 4
Organic Chemistry II W/Lab 4

Math Credits: 6-7

Calculus 3-4
Statistics
Biostatistics Accepted		 3

English Credits: 6

English Composition I 3
English Composition II OR Literature Course 3

Humanities Credits: 24

Humanities Credits (must include one Ethics course)

24

Total Prerequsite Credits: 64

Additional Prerequisites:

  • Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)
    Optional, Not Required
  • Complete background check conducted by Castle Branch required prior to matriculation.

142 Credits

OPY1 Fall

Fall: Online

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHAR 300 Doctor of Pharmacy Orientation 0
PHBA 340W Pharmaceutical Law and Ethics 2
PHBM 350 Biochemistry I: Peptides & Carbohydrate Metabolism 3
PHBM 330 Pathophysiology and Clinical Assessment 4
PHCE 360, 360R Pharmaceutics I 3
PHEX 301 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) I   0.5
PHPR 300 Pharmaceutical Calculations 1
PHPR 341W Pharmacy Practice I: Patient Care Skills I (Partial) 2

OPY1 Spring

Spring: Online

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBA 311 Public Health & Epidemiology 2
PHBM 351 Biochemistry II: Metabolism, Protein Synthesis, & Nucleic Acids 3
PHBM 352 Foundations in Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry 3
PHBM  331 Immunology and Pathophysiology 3
PHCE 361, 361R Pharmaceutics II 3
PHEX 302 Continuous Professional Development II 0.5
PHPR 342W Pharmacy Practice II: Patient Care Skills II  1
PHPR 444 Pharmacy Practice III: Self-Care in Pharmacy Practice 2

OPY1 Summer

Summer: Online

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHIN 321 Ability-Based Laboratory Experience (ABLE) I   0.5
PHIN 322 ABLE II 0.5
PHEX 372 Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) I 0.5

OPY2 Fall#

Fall (A): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 401 Problem-Based Learning (PBL) I (Partial) 0
PHBM 436 Biomedical Sciences and Therapeutics (BMST): Respiratory, Dermatology, and Ophthalmic Disorders 2
PHCE 430 Biopharmaceutics 3

Fall (A): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 403 CPD III (Partial) 0.5
PHIN 423 ABLE III (Partial) 0.5

Fall (B): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 401 PBL I (Partial) 0
PHBM 432 BMST: Cardiology 5
PHPR 448 Pharmacy Practice IV: Drug Literature Evaluation 2
PHPR 499 Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training & Certificate Program 1

Fall (B): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 401 PBL I (Complete) 0
PHEX 403 CPD III (Complete) 0
PHIN 423 ABLE III (Complete) 0
  OPY2 Fall Total 16

OPY2 Spring

Spring (A): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 402 PBL II (Partial) 0
PHBM 418 BMST: Infectious Disease I 3
PHBM 431 BMST: Psychiatry & Neurology 4

Spring (A): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 404 CPD IV (Partial) 0.5
PHIN 424 ABLE IV (Partial) 0.5

Spring (B): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 402 Public Health & Epidemiology 0
PHBM 419 BMST: Infectious Disease II 3
PHBM 435 BMST: Pain, Musculoskeletal, & Connective Tissue Disorders 2
PHPR 498 Pharmaceutical Science & Practice of Immunization 1

Spring (B): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 402 PBL II (Complete) 0
PHEX 404 CPD IV (Complete) 0
PHIN 424 ABLE IV (Complete) 0
  OPY2 Spring Total 14

OPY2 Summer

Summer: Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 437 BMST: Endocrine Disorders 3
PHCE 431 Pharmacokinetics 3

Summer: Experiential

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 468 IPPE II 0.5
  OPY1 Summer Total 6.5
  OPY1 Total 36.5

OPY3 Fall

Fall (A): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBA 411 Pharmacy Management Concepts 2
PHBM 403 PBL III (Partial) 0
PHBM 441 BMST: Principles of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation 3
PHEX 405 CPD V (Partial) 0.5
PHPR 443 Pharmacy Practice V: Clinical and Physical Assessment 3
  Elective
*Can be moved in curriculum based on course selection		 3

Fall (A): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHIN 425 ABLE V (Partial) 0.5

Fall (B): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 403 PBL III (Complete) 0
PHBM 442 BMST: Gastroenterology 3
PHEX 405 CPD V (Complete) 0
PHPR 442 Pharmacy Practice VI: Innovative Pharmacy Services and Strategies for Health Outcomes (Partial) 3
  Elective
*Can be moved in curriculum based on course selection		 3

Fall (B): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 403 PBL III (Complete) 0
PHIN 425 CPD V (Complete) 0
  OPY3 Fall Total 18

OPY3 Spring

Spring (A): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBA 413W Management Theory and Applications (Partial) 1
PHBM 404 PBL IV (Partial) 0
PHBM 443 BMST: Therapeutics in Special Populations 4
PHEX 406 CPD VI (Partial) 0.5
PHIN 469 Health Promotion and Disease Management 1
  Elective
*Can be moved in curriculum based on course selection		 3

Spring (A): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHIN 426 ABLE VI (Partial) 0.5
  Interprofessional Education (IPE) Seminar 0

Spring (B): Online (Weeks 1-7)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBA 412W Advanced Law and Ethics Applications (Partial) 1
PHBM 404 PBL IV (Partial) 0
PHBM 444 BMST: Therapeutics in the Critically Ill 3
PHEX 406 CPD VI (Complete) 0
PHIN 490 Personalized Therapeutics 2
  Elective
*Can be moved in curriculum based on course selection		  

Spring (B): On Campus (Week 8)

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHBM 404 PBL IV (Complete) 0
PHIN 426 ABLE VI (Complete) 0
  OPY3 Spring Total 16

OPY3 Summer/OPY4

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 482-483 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE): Blocks A & B 4-8
PHPR 500 Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network (PPCN) Certificate 1
  Certificate Menu 1
  OPY3 Summer Total 10
  OPY3 Total 44

OPY4 Fall

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 407 CPD VII 1
PHEX 482-488 APPE: Blocks C, D, E, & F (8-16 credits) 16

OPY4 Spring

Course Number Course Title Credits
PHEX 408 CPD VIII 1
PHEX 485-488 APPE: Blocks G, H, & I (8-16cr) 4
  OPY4 Total 22

# The sequence of courses will change in the OPY2 and OPY3 year based on a curricular revision. This will include the movement of courses except for ABLE and IPPE out of the summer block. No additional credits will be added to the curriculum.