General Admission FAQ

The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree is a four-year professional degree program.  This four-year program consists of three years of on-campus pharmacy coursework (with some practical experiences) followed by a full year of rotations in various pharmacy settings.  

Prior to being admitted to the PharmD program, Drake pre-pharmacy students complete a two-year pre-pharmacy curriculum, for a total of six years.  

Students who complete their prerequisite coursework at another institution or in a major other than pre-pharmacy at Drake can also apply to our PharmD program.  The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences' Admission Committee does not give preference to applicants based on whether or not they complete an undergraduate degree.  Some applicants have a bachelor’s degree while others do not.  This can lead to variations in the amount of time it may take students to complete the prerequisite courses, and if admitted, the PharmD coursework.

No, the PharmD curriculum is a four-year curriculum.  There is no opportunity to accelerate the program and graduate in less than four years.

Drake does not offer the PharmD degree through evening, weekend, or online courses.

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.

The PharmD is a clinical entry-level doctorate degree that allows graduates to sit for the national licensing examination.  The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences does not offer a master's or PhD in any pharmacy related field.