Clinical Pharmacy, MS

Timeline

New students will meet with their academic advisor prior to starting the program to complete an advising call. During the advising call, the student will develop an individualized course completion plan with their advisor.

Admissions

Admission requirements and deadlines vary based on the program. In addition, you will have different requirements depending on if you are a first-time student, a transfer student or an international student.

Learn more about the admissions process by filling out the form above or contacting an Enrollment Navigator today.

Career Outlook

Globally, there is a growing need for pharmacists who can serve as an integral member of a health care team and who are trained in the wide-ranging patient care spectrum. The advanced knowledge and skills necessary to deliver patient-centered pharmacy care has been an expectation in the U.S. for many years, and the field is rapidly expanding globally. Hospitals, health systems and government agencies continue to seek highly trained pharmacists focused on improving health outcomes through clinical pharmacy practice.  

Courses

The Master of Science in Clinical Pharmacy program requires the completion of 33 semester credit hours of online coursework. The program is designed to provide students with the fundamentals to succeed in any clinical pharmacy setting and includes coursework in pharmacy practice, applied clinical pharmacy practice, pharmacotherapy and healthcare systems. In addition to the didactic coursework, there are two practice-based, longitudinal portfolios on drug information and professional skills and a capstone thesis project.

Required Courses — 18 Credit Hours

• Foundational Core — These courses serve as the foundation for clinical and applied practice courses. Courses in this category are prerequisites for other courses.
• Pharmacy Practice Core — These courses provide knowledge and skills relating to practice as a clinical pharmacist including communicating and partnering with other healthcare professionals. Within this category, students gain experience applying skills in their own practice setting with guidance from a faculty member through online, longitudinal portfolios.
• Applied Clinical Pharmacy Practice Core — These courses build on the above categories and Pharmacotherapy courses, providing students the knowledge and skills to provide patient-centered pharmacy care. Examples include Evidence-based Medicine and Literature Evaluation, and Clinical Reasoning and Decision Making.

Required-Choice Courses — 10 Credit Hours

Students complete courses from the following sub-categories, selecting those relating to their practice and professional goals. 

• Pharmacotherapy — Complete eight credit hours of the 15 credit hours offered in several therapeutic areas. Courses include significant skills-based activities, thereby preparing students to succeed in advanced application of skills in the clinical capstone course and future patient-centered pharmacy care practice.
• Healthcare Systems — Complete two credit hours of the five credit hours offered. Courses in this area provide students an understanding of U.S. based healthcare systems issues (e.g., Healthcare Informatics).

Elective Courses — 5 Credit Hours

Electives allow students to design a program to meet their professional needs. Students may select additional courses from the pharmacotherapy or healthcare systems categories described above, or from additional elective courses, such as pharmacogenomics.