Program Details
Program Length
The MS program is approximately 24 months divided over five or six terms (fall, spring, summer).
The combined PharmD(three year)/MS program is approximately 46 months divided into four years, with the additional year dedicated to a research-focused curriculum.
Licensure Requirements
Not applicable for MS. If in joint program, any PharmD licensing requirements are required.
Accreditation
The School of Pharmacy is fully accredited by Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Board of Directors. Information on the accreditation process may be found on the Council’s website at www.acpe-accredit.org. The ACPE Board of Directors reviewed the Doctor of Pharmacy program for purposes of continued accreditation at its January 2015 meeting. The accreditation term granted for the Doctor of Pharmacy program extended until June 30, 2025.
Pacific University received institutional accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities (NASC), Commission on Colleges and Universities, in 1929. In 1945 the University requested permission and received approval from NASC to offer the doctoral degree. Pacific University is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which until the year 2003 was part of NASC.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree program trains students interested in discovery-based research, who are motivated to disseminate new knowledge in the biomedical sciences. The following program learning outcomes (PLOs) describe how students in our program demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes critical to discipline mastery. Graduates of the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree program will be able to:
- Knowledge: Apply foundational concepts related to pharmaceutical sciences (pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacokinetics, and pharmaceutics) to complex scientific scenarios
- Skills: Perform multiple research techniques that provide the foundation for discovery-focused lines of inquiry
- Research Design: Design a research project that includes the collection, organization, and analysis of data in order to address a research hypothesis; this includes an adherence to scientific ethics, where honesty and integrity permeate all stages of scientific practice
- Communication: Effectively communicate scientific concepts to an audience as an author, presenter and peer reviewer
- Professional Development: Cultivate a professional identity that facilitates integration into the broader scientific community
Policies: School of Pharmacy
See the School of Pharmacy’s Student Handbook for all program policies.
Time limits on program completion
A student may take up to five (5) years to complete the three year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at Pacific University. A student may take up to three (3) years to complete the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree (MS). For the joint PharmD/MS, all requirements must be completed within six (6) years of matriculation. All forms of leave (voluntary withdrawals, administrative withdrawals, or leaves of absence) may be extended to a maximum of 24 months total (either consecutive months or cumulative time) with approval from the AD for Student Affairs (ADSA) and/or the AD for Educational Outcomes (ADEO). A student will be dismissed from the program five (5) years for the PharmD program, four (4) years for the standalone MS, or six (6) years for the PharmD/MS program from their start date if they have not completed program requirements, unless the Dean approves an alternative plan based on student-specific situations. The student may choose to re-apply for admission to the School as a first-year student.
Transfer Credits
Pacific University School of Pharmacy will consider transfer students for admittance to advance standing only after careful review of all available information. The School will evaluate students who wish to transfer on a case by case basis, and will include a student interview. Student prerequisites, course descriptions and syllabi from the previous institution, hours completed, transcripts, and other significant data will be used in making a decision.
Normal Load
9 credits or higher is a full-time course load; 5 credits is half-time.
Auditing
Auditors enroll in and attend classes, but are not required to complete assignments or take examinations. No credit is received for audited courses. Students must declare the audit option before the end of the add-drop period; once the audit option has been declared, the course cannot revert back to the graded option. See the catalog section on Business Policies on Tuition and Fees for payment information.
Grading
The School uses a combination of A-F grades and Pass/No Pass system of recording student achievement. Letter Grades will be assigned using the following scale. Grades will be calculated by the following point allocation with no rounding.
A = 93 & above
A- = 90 to <93
B+ = 87 to <90
B = 83 to <87
B- = 80 to <83
C+ = 75 to < 80
F = below 75 or academic dishonesty, unprofessional conduct, unsatisfactory clinical progress, unsafe clinical practice
P = Pass
N = No Pass
Students must complete all coursework with satisfactory grades. If the student earns a single grade of “F” or “N” in any required/core course in any given semester, the student will be required to retake the course one more time or will be dismissed from the program.
Academic Standing
Good academic standing in the School of Pharmacy is defined as:
- satisfactory academic performance
- sound practice skills
- adherence to University and School rules and procedures
- behavior that leads to professional competence and positive interpersonal and professional relations
See the Student Handbook for details regarding unsatisfactory standing, withdrawals, suspensions, dismissals, appeals, and LOA.
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