Regulations and Academic Requirements
The practice of pharmacy is an integral part of total health care. The pharmacist serves as a vital source of drug use information for other health care professionals and members of the community. The special knowledge of the pharmacist can maximize the effectiveness of disease treatment and minimize the possibility of adverse effects that could develop during drug therapy of diseases.
Pharmacy practice environments are diverse and challenging. While many graduates pursue careers in community and hospital pharmacy, others choose careers in the pharmaceutical industry, research, government service, consultant pharmacy or other diverse professional specialties.
The principal goal of the pharmacy program, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, is to provide an educational experience that prepares graduates for careers in pharmacy. The curriculum provides a balance between theoretical principles, practical applications and structured practice experience. Since 1984, pharmacy graduates have enjoyed a placement rate near 100%.
Drake College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 135 South LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603, 312/664-3575; FAX 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org
The first college of pharmacy in Des Moines was the Iowa College of Pharmacy. It was organized in 1882. This college affiliated with Drake University in 1887 and operated as one of the colleges of the University until 1906 when it was discontinued.
The Highland Park College of Pharmacy was organized in Des Moines in 1889. Highland Park College, in 1918, changed its name to Des Moines University, with the college of pharmacy continuing as an integral part of the university.
In 1927, the faculty of the College of Pharmacy of Des Moines University organized an independent college of pharmacy, the Des Moines College of Pharmacy. This college operated as an independent institution from 1927 until 1939, when the Des Moines College of Pharmacy Corporation was dissolved and the college’s staff and facilities became part of Drake University.
The purpose of the Pharmacy Professional Program is to provide the graduate with the relevant knowledge base, skills, attitudes, ethics and values to engage in the entry-level practice of pharmacy. The curriculum is designed to provide the graduate with competence in the following areas established by the Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education (CAPE):
1.1. Learner (Learner) - Develop, integrate, and apply knowledge from the foundational sciences (i.e., pharmaceutical, social/behavioral/administrative, and clinical sciences) to evaluate the scientific literature, explain drug action, solve therapeutic problems, and advance population health and patient-centered care.
2.1. Patient-centered care (Caregiver) - Provide patient-centered care as the medication expert (collect and interpret evidence, prioritize, formulate assessments and recommendations, implement, monitor and adjust plans, and document activities).
2.2. Medication use systems management (Manager) - Manage patient healthcare needs using human, financial, technological, and physical resources to optimize the safety and efficacy of medication use systems.
2.3. Health and wellness (Promoter) - Design prevention, intervention, and educational strategies for individuals and communities to manage chronic disease and improve health and wellness.
2.4. Population-based care (Provider) - Describe how population-based care influences patient-centered care and influences the development of practice guidelines and evidence-based best practices.
3.1. Problem Solving (Problem Solver) – Identify problems; explore and prioritize potential strategies; and design, implement, and evaluate a viable solution.
3.2. Educator (Educator) – Educate all audiences by determining the most effective and enduring ways to impart information and assess understanding.
3.3. Patient Advocacy (Advocate) - Assure that patients’ best interests are represented
3.4. Interprofessional collaboration (Collaborator) – Actively participate and engage as a healthcare team member by demonstrating mutual respect, understanding, and values to meet patient care needs.
3.5. Cultural sensitivity (Includer) - Recognize social determinants of health to diminish disparities and inequities in access to quality care.
3.6. Communication (Communicator) – Effectively communicate verbally and nonverbally when interacting with an individual, group, or organization.
4.1. Self-awareness (Self-aware) – Examine and reflect on personal knowledge, skills, abilities, beliefs, biases, motivation, and emotions that could enhance or limit personal and professional growth.
4.2. Leadership (Leader) - Demonstrate responsibility for creating and achieving shared goals, regardless of position.
4.3. Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Innovator) - Engage in innovative activities by using creative thinking to envision better ways of accomplishing professional goals.
4.4. Professionalism (Professional) - Exhibit behaviors and values that are consistent with the trust given to the profession by patients, other healthcare providers, and society.
Upon graduation from the Drake University pharmacy program, the graduate also shall fulfill the outcomes of the Drake Curriculum.
Students who complete their prerequisite coursework at another regionally accredited institution or in a major other than pre-pharmacy at Drake may apply to our PharmD program by meeting the following requirements. Please note that these are the requirements applicants must meet in order for their applications to be considered complete. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the PharmD program. These requirements can also be found on our PharmCAS School Directory page.
Subject | Credit Hours | Drake Courses |
---|---|---|
General (Inorganic) Chemistry |
8 credit hours (including labs) | CHEM 001, 002, 003, 004 |
Organic Chemistry |
8 credit hours (including labs) | CHEM 097, 098, 108, 110 |
Biological Sciences A complete year course sequence in the biological sciences is required. Must include topics in human anatomy. Additional courses may include ecology, evolution, anatomy/physiology, cell biology, and biological diversity/structure. Labs are required. |
8 credit hours (including labs) | BIO 012, 012L, HSCI 141, 141L |
Microbiology A one-semester course in microbiology is required. A course intended for health care majors is recommended. A lab is not required. |
3 credit hours | BIO 095 |
Statistics A one-semester course in general statistics is required. Business statistics, psychology statistics, or biological science statistics courses are accepted. |
3 credit hours | STAT 060 or HSCI 060 |
Calculus A one-semester course in calculus is required. Business calculus, applied calculus or calculus courses designed for the social sciences will NOT be accepted. |
3 credit hours | MATH 050 (or MATH 070 or 100) |
English Composition/Writing A complete year course sequence in college-level English writing or composition is required. The sequence can be made up of a one-semester college-level composition course and a one-semester intensive writing course. |
6 credit hours | FYS and Written Communication AOI |
Public Speaking A one-semester course focused on public speaking is required. Interpersonal speaking and interpersonal communication courses will NOT be accepted. |
3 credit hours | ENG 052 |
General Electives 22 semester credit hours in general electives are required; Drake requires students to complete a minimum of 2 years of undergraduate coursework (at least 64 credit hours). |
22 credit hours |
Students must earn a grade of C or higher in order to receive transfer credit and fulfill prerequisite courses. Please see Drake University's Transfer Credit Information page or contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at (515) 271-3018 for more information. Students who wish to fulfill prerequisites using Advanced Placement (AP) scores must earn a 4 or higher on the AP exam. Please contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for more information.
Drake University's Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program operates on a rolling admission process. We will interview and admit students until the P1 class is full and a sufficient number of applicants have been identified for the wait list. We recommend submitting application materials early in order to ensure your application is processed and considered in a timely manner. Students with strong applications and academic credentials will be invited to complete the second phase of the admission process, which includes a required virtual or on-campus admission interview.
Students currently in a PharmD program at another University who wish to transfer and pursue advanced standing in the PharmD program at Drake are encouraged to complete an official request form on our website. "Advanced Standing Students" must be in good academic and professional standing at their current school. If there are seats available in a class, an evaluation will be completed to determine admissibility and qualified candidates will be offered an interview. If admissible, a curricular evaluation will be conducted by Drake CPHS which will determine one’s class standing in our program on a case-by-case basis. Due to didactic and experiential curriculum differences between PharmD programs, transfer students who enter the professional pharmacy program may experience delays in completing their degree. Questions may be directed to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Enrollment Services team at dupharm@drake.edu.
210 credits required.
The four-year professional program is preceded by two years of pre-professional coursework. The curriculum for the pre-pharmacy and professional programs can be viewed at http://www.drake.edu/pharmacy/doctorofpharmacy/pharmdcurriculum/. Please note that courses in the professional program may change.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
Drake Curriculum / General Electives | 26 |
Pharmacy Professional Electives | 5 |
Total | 210 |
General Education Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework:
Professional Electives: Five credits are required and completed during the professional program.
P1 students are required to complete 40 hours of IPPE for Hospital/Institutional Practice I during the summer between the P1 and P2 years, and complete 80 hours of IPPE for Community Practice II during the summer between the P2 & P3 year.
Students may elect to earn both a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a Juris Doctor (law) degree in a joint degree program offered in cooperation with the Drake Law School. The program allows students to focus their education on legal and health care issues. Participating students are admitted first to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. A student pursuing this program should plan to take the LSAT and formally apply to the Law School during the spring semester of the first professional year. Each student’s schedule is tailored individually in consultation with the joint degree adviser.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
LAW --- - Law Courses | 24 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
Total | 223 |
A total of 210 credits are required to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. LAW coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by LAW coursework.
Students should complete the LSAT and apply to the Drake University Law School during the spring semester of their first professional year.
Students will complete their remaining requirements for the law program after attaining their Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Students may earn a Master in Business Administration in conjunction with the Pharm.D. Students who pursue this combination have opportunities in management and administrative positions. This program requires a careful selection of prerequisite courses for the M.B.A. degree as electives in the pharmacy curriculum. Students start at Drake in pharmacy and apply to the Zimpleman College of Business after completing the foundation courses. The combined degree program typically takes an extra semester to complete beyond the pharmacy degree, rather than an extra two years.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
MBA 2XX - MBA Courses | 27 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
Total | 226 |
Optional summer coursework
Students who wish to complete both degrees in the four professional years will need to plan to complete M.B.A. courses during the summer sessions. This program requires a careful selection of courses for the M.B.A. degree as electives in the pharmacy curriculum. Students may enroll in additional summer coursework or complete final M.B.A. courses after Pharm.D. completion. If the dual curriculum requires more than 18 credit hours in the fall or spring semesters, a credit fee waiver will be requested on the student’s behalf. If students wish to take beyond the required credit hours for the semester, they will need to request an “Over 18 Hours Request Form," which can be found in the CPHS Forms Library, and the additional course work will not qualify for an overload fee waiver.
A total of 210 credits are required to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. MBA coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by MBA coursework.
Students must complete the GMAT and be admitted to the M.B.A. program prior to enrolling in M.B.A. courses. Following completion of 90 credit hours and admission into the M.B.A. program, students may enroll in M.B.A. course work.
Students may earn a Master in Public Administration through a joint program established in cooperation with the Zimpleman College of Business. Students are admitted to the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and during their first professional year may seek admission to the M.P.A. program. Students who pursue this option have management and administrative opportunities in the public sector.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
MPA 2-- - MPA Courses | 27 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
Total | 226 |
Students in the combined program also complete two electives of three credits each.
Optional summer coursework
Students may enroll in additional summer coursework or complete final MPA courses after PharmD completion. If the dual curriculum requires more than 18 credit hours in the fall or spring semesters, a credit fee waiver will be requested on the student’s behalf. If students wish to take beyond the required credit hours for the semester, they will need to request an “Over 18 Hours Request Form," which can be found in the CPHS Forms Library, and the additional course work will not qualify for an overload fee waiver.
A total of 210 credits are required to complete the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. MPA coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by MPA coursework.
Designed to maximize graduates' opportunities in the rapidly growing fields of healthcare informatics and data analytics, the PharmD/MS HIA dual degree program allows students the opportunity to complete HIA coursework in place of elective course work within the pharmacy curriculum. Students begin at Drake in pharmacy and apply to the Masters of Sciences in Health Informatics and Analytics Program during their first professional year or when they are nearing the completion of 90 credit hours.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
HSCI 285 - Practicum/Capstone | 3 |
MS HIA 2XX Courses | 27 |
Total | 226 |
Program Notes:
Following completion of 90 credit hours and admission into the MS HIA program, students may enroll in MS HIA coursework.
RECOMMENDED SUMMER COURSE WORK: Students who wish to complete both degrees in the four professional years will need to plan to complete MS HIA courses during the summer sessions. This program requires a careful selection of courses for the MS HIA degree as electives in the pharmacy curriculum. Students may enroll in additional summer coursework or complete final MS HIA courses after PharmD completion. If the dual curriculum requires more than 18 credit hours in the fall or spring semesters, an overload credit fee waiver will be requested on the student’s behalf. If students wish to take beyond the required credit hours for the semester, they will need to request an “Over 18 Hours Request Form," which can be found in the Forms Library, and the additional course work will not qualify for an overload fee waiver.
A total of 210 credits are required to complete the pharmacy degree.
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. MSHIA coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by MSHIA coursework.
Professional Electives Policy: Core curricula of CPHS degree programs may require professional elective courses that permit exploration of and/or advanced study in areas of professional interest within the student’s primary degree. Professional electives provide the student with an opportunity to not only pursue areas of intellectual interest, but also to develop an individual “brand” that may benefit them in their professional or academic future. Students who desire to have a non-approved electives count toward professional elective credit should apply for an exception to program policy prior to taking the course whenever possible. Professional electives must be taken for a grade unless the course is designed as credit/no credit. Students should refer to their degree audit for determination of the total number of required professional electives. Students should review the student handbook for the complete professional elective policy and details specific to their degree program.
Potential Professional Electives:
**Students may choose a max of 3 (9 credits) of the following electives:
Designed to maximize graduates’ development of their leadership strengths, the PharmD/M.S.L.D. allows students the opportunity to complete M.S.L.D. coursework in place of elective course work within the pharmacy curriculum. Students begin at Drake in pharmacy and apply to the School of Education during their first professional year.
Graduates of this program will also learn about opportunities for developing leadership capacity in others, making this an excellent pathway for pharmacy students interested in pursuing management roles, positions of leadership, or academic careers. Graduates can expect to master relational competencies including effective communication, inspiring and involving others, intercultural intelligence, and interpersonal relationships.
This dual degree option prepares pharmacy students for successful careers in a variety of health care and academic settings.
Students who pursue this program should expect to master competencies that include adaptability, critical thinking and decision making, integrity and ethics, professionalism and strategic thinking.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
LEAD 2XX - MSLD Coursework | 21 |
Total | 220 |
A total of 210 credits are required to complete the pharmacy degree.
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. MSLD coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by MSLD coursework.
-PHAR 174 can be substituted for LEAD 201
-PHAR 172 can be substituted for LEAD 205
-PHAR 173 can be substituted for LEAD 210
Students will typically apply for admission to the M.S.L.D. program during the spring of the P1 year. Additional information, including the admission process, can be obtained at http://www.drake.edu/leadership/. The admission process and criteria area listed on the MSLD program website: http://drake.edu/soe/admission/.
There is a 5-year time limit for completing the M.S.L.D. degree from the date of admission to the M.S.L.D. program.
Designed to maximize graduates' opportunities in the public and non-profit sectors, the Pharm.D./M.P.H. allows students the opportunity to complete M.P.H. course work in place of elective course work within the pharmacy curriculum. Students begin at Drake in pharmacy and apply to the Des Moines University Masters in Public Health during the fall semester of the second professional (P2) year. The combined degree program typically takes an extra semester to complete beyond the pharmacy degree, rather than an extra two years if the two programs were completed individually. Students who wish to complete both degrees in six years will complete M.P.H. courses during the summer sessions.
Course | Credits |
BIO 012 - General Biology I lecture | 3 |
BIO 012L - General Biology I lab | 1 |
BIO 095 - Medical Microbiology | 3 |
CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II lecture | 3 |
CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II lab | 1 |
CHEM 097 - Organic Chemistry I lecture | 3 |
CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I lab | 1 |
CHEM 108 - Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II lab | 1 |
FYS 0-- - First Year Seminar | 3 |
HSCI 141 - Human Anatomy | 3 |
HSCI 141L - Human Anatomy Lab | 1 |
MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
MPH 2-- - DMU MPH Courses | 12 |
MPH 6-- - DMU MPH Courses | 15 |
PHAR 011 - CAPS I (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 031 - CAPS II (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | 1 |
PHAR 051 - CAPS III (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 071 - CAPS IV (Career, Academic & Professional Success) | .5 |
PHAR 122 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I | 1 |
PHAR 123 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) II | 1 |
PHAR 125 - Physiology | 4 |
PHAR 130 - Biochemistry | 4 |
PHAR 131 - Intro to Pharm Science | 3 |
PHAR 132 - Pathophysiology | 4 |
PHAR 133 - Principles of Drug Action I | 5 |
PHAR 134 - Principles of Drug Action II | 5 |
PHAR 135 - Principles of Drug Action III | 4 |
PHAR 138 - Pharmaceutical Calculations | 2 |
PHAR 140 - Pharmaceutics I | 2 |
PHAR 141 - Pharmaceutics II | 3 |
PHAR 142 - Kinetics | 3 |
PHAR 143 - Therapeutic Drug Monitoring | 2 |
PHAR 144 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 145 - Basic Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 149 - Immunizations | 1 |
PHAR 154 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 155 - Intermediate Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 162 - Pharmacy Law & Ethics | 3 |
PHAR 167 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) III | 1.5 |
PHAR 168 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) IV | 1.5 |
PHAR 169 - Self-Care and Non-Prescriptive Products | 3 |
PHAR 171 - Health Care Systems and Policies | 3 |
PHAR 172 - Literature Evaluation Methods | 3 |
PHAR 173 - Applied Social and Administrative Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 174 - Management in Pharmacy | 3 |
PHAR 175 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) V | 2 |
PHAR 176 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) VI | 2 |
PHAR 184 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications I | 2 |
PHAR 185 - Advanced Pharmacy Skills & Applications II | 2 |
PHAR 190 - Therapeutics I | 3 |
PHAR 191 - Therapeutics II | 5 |
PHAR 192 - Therapeutics III | 5 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 22 |
PHAR 285 - Rotations | 18 |
ENG 052 - Public Voices | 3 |
HSCI 060 - Statistics in Health Sciences | 3 |
Total | 226 |
General Electives: Students complete the Drake Curriculum requirements and other credits for a total of 26 credits. Drake Curriculum requirements not fulfilled through required coursework are the Artistic Literacy, Historical Foundations, Global and Cultural Understanding, and Written Communication AOIs. MPH coursework will count towards the general elective requirement.
Professional Electives: Five (5) professional elective credits are satisfied by MPH coursework.
Professional electives required by the Pharm.D. program (5 credit hours) will be fulfilled by DMU M.P.H. course work.
Students will typically apply for admission to the M.P.H. program during the fall of the P2 year or after completion of 116 credits. The admission process and criteria are listed on the DMU M.P.H. program web site. Pharm.D. students are also required to include a letter of support from the Drake University CPHS Dean's Office or their academic advisor. PharmD students who have completed the PCAT are not required to complete the GRE.
M.P.H. courses fulfilled by the PharmD course work (credit given following the completion of the Pharm.D. degree):
Students may enroll in additional summer coursework while taking their Pharm.D. and may complete final M.P.H. courses after PharmD completion. A 7 year time limit for completing the M.P.H. degree from the date of admission to the M.P.H. program.
Students completing DMU course work are responsible for paying tuition for the M.P.H. courses they take at DMU.
Des Moines University M.P.H. Course List
All M.P.H. courses are offered online at least once/year.
This unique program provides students the opportunity to fulfill their general and professional electives with courses that will assist them in developing expertise in diabetes. The general goal of this concentration is to prepare pharmacy students to be competent providers of diabetes patient care.
The concentration consists of both a didactic and experiential component. A total of 20 credit hours is required for the concentration. The didactic component constitutes a total of 10 credit hours of which 7 credit hours are required (and may also fulfill professional elective requirements) and 3 credit hours are elective. The remaining 10 credit hours are completed through experiential rotations.
Students planning to pursue this concentration should complete the Change of Record Form.
Course | Credits |
Electives - Choose three from the following. Electives must be completed by end of the P2 year. | 3 |
BIO 032 - Wellness and Nutrition | |
EDUC 164 - Perspectives in Race, Ethnicity, and Gender | |
HSCI 103 - Narrative Health Care | |
HSCI 106 - Culture Care and Health Literacy | |
HSCI 148 - Exercise Testing and Prescription | |
HSCI 145 - Health Coaching | |
PSY 030 - Social Psychology | |
PSY 044 - Adult Development and Aging | |
PSY 060 - Principles of Behavior | |
PSY 124 - Health Psychology (Psy 1 prerequisite) | |
PHAR 114 - Advances in Cardiac Disease | |
PHAR 119 - Topics in Neuropharmacology | |
SCSS - Specific courses as approved by the Associate Dean | |
Courses offered through the Global and Comparative Public Health Concentration | |
HSCI 144 - Introduction to Public Health | |
HSCI 142 - Community Health Education | |
HSCI 143 - Epidemiology | |
PHIL 124 - Health and Social Justice, OR PHIL 151 - Environmental Justice | |
POLS 127 - Global Public Health | |
POLS 169 - Comparative Public Health Policy | |
WLC 148 - Intercultural Communication | |
WLC 150 - Spanish for Health Care Providers | |
Required Courses | 7 |
PHAR 126 - Principles of Nutrition | |
PHAR 128 - Advanced Diabetes Care | |
PHAR 129 - Integrated Diabetes Cases | |
Experiential Education Requirements | 10 |
Students will complete two 5-credit APPEs to provide practice-based application of the intensive diabetes coursework required for the concentration. APPEs meeting the requirements of the concentration will be designated by the Experiential Education Office. Students will submit preferences for these placements. Assignments are at the discretion of the Experiential Education Office. | |
Attributes of these APPEs include, but are not limited to, significant prevalence of diabetes in the practice, pharmacist leadership in the patient care process, and active roles for students in assisting the health care team with diabetes management, education, and prevention. |
Pharmacy students should become familiar with the General Information section of this catalog, which covers many regulations that affect all Drake University students. The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences also has a number of specific regulations and requirements that must be met to progress through the pharmacy curriculum. Some of these are listed below; others are available in the Pharmacy Student Handbook at Pharmacy Student Handbook.
Many pharmacy courses have prerequisite requirements. Admission to a course is denied if prerequisite courses have not been successfully completed. Therefore, deviations from the curriculum as it is structured require careful consideration. Course prerequisites may be found in the course descriptions area of the catalog.
Pharmacy students may apply a maximum of nine hours of elective coursework on a credit/no credit basis toward graduation. Courses regularly graded on a credit/no credit basis are not included within the nine-hours maximum. The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 before registering in a course on a credit/no credit basis.
Candidates qualifying for the degree must complete the required credit hours for graduation and have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA. The standard grading scale for pharmacy students enrolled in pharmacy-labeled courses is "A", "B", "C", "D" or "F". All courses in the pre-pharmacy curriculum and the first three years of the professional curriculum must be successfully completed before a student enrolls in fourth-year (final year) coursework.
Students may not progress onto rotations unless a "C" or better is earned in each required course. Students are permitted to retake a pharmacy required course for a passing grade (2.0 GPA or "C") one time only. Students who do not obtain a 2.0 (or "C") in a pharmacy required course after two attempts will be dropped from the Pharm.D. program. Once a student enters the professional program, all didactic coursework must be completed in four years. Students who are unable to complete the didactic course work in this time period will be dropped from the program. See current PharmD student handbook for specific progression policies.
All fourth-year pharmacy students are required to complete 40 weeks of experiential rotations (PHAR 285) prior to graduation. During these experiential rotations, students apply pharmaceutical principles related to diagnosis, treatment and patient care; monitor drug utilization and drug therapy and interact with patients, physicians, nurses and other health care providers. Due to regulations at many of the experiential sites, the college will complete a criminal background check and drug screen prior to admission into the professional program and again prior to entering the experiential year. Students who have a history of a felony are referred to the State Board of Pharmacy where they plan to practice pharmacy to determine if their record would prohibit licensure. Experiential sites have the right to refuse to accept a student for rotations based on the results of the criminal background check even if the history would not prohibit licensure as a pharmacist. Many of these sites also require that a copy of the background check is forwarded to them. Students who have positive drug screens and will be entering rotations will be referred to the Chemical Dependency Policy.
Candidates for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree are required to be in residence in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for at least the last 30 credit hours before becoming eligible for graduation. Credit earned by examination may not be counted toward fulfillment of the last 30 credit hours.
Through the blended advising model, students will be assigned a faculty mentor and advising specialist who will support them on their journey to earning their degree. The advising specialist will co-create developmental spaces for students to meet their academic and personal goals. The faculty mentor will provide mentorship and guidance that supports professional aspirations.
The Office of Student Affairs is responsible for coordinating the registration process, verifying appropriate registration of courses, approving educational plan waivers and transfer credit requests, updating degree audits with regard to substitutions, waivers and transfer courses, answering student questions regarding registration, credit completion, course transfer process and study-abroad opportunities, serving as a resource for students in combined degree programs (M.B.A., M.P.A., J.D., M.S.L.D., M.P.H., H.S.H.I.A.) and coordinating and communicating opportunities for internship, study abroad, research and postgraduate study. The final responsibility for completion of graduation requirements, however, belongs to the student and, accordingly, each student should become familiar not only with the curriculum but also with the academic regulations of the college.
The information in this catalog does not constitute a contract between the university and the student. The university reserves the right to make changes in curricula, admission policies and processes, tuition and financial aid, academic standards and guidelines, student services and any other regulations or policies set forth in this catalog without giving prior notice.