With the increased amount of funding for pharmaceutical research and the aging baby boomer population in the United States, a ever-growing range of opportunities are becoming available for pharmacy careers. The options for obtaining a pharmacy degree are increasing as well.
These days, you can obtain a pharmacy degree through a traditional pharmacy college, pharmacy university or an online pharmacy school. When choosing a pharmacy degree program, consider the following:
1. The various colleges and universities offering pharmacy degree programs.
2. Rankings and ratings of pharmaceutical universities and colleges.
3. Online options for obtaining a pharmacy degree.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Locate traditional programs that offer a college program in pharmacy
To obtain a degree in pharmacy, most people choose to attend a traditional pharmacy college or pharmacy university for their training. Some pharmacy schools offer pharmacy technician degree programs, and some offer the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.). Other pharmacy schools even offer programs in pharmacology and biotechnology.
I recommend: Look for schools with a
pharmacy technician program in your area. Find pharmaceutical colleges and pharmaceutical universities in the United States that offer the
Pharm.D. degree. Search by state for pharmacy schools that have membership in the
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Find a variety of programs in the pharmaceutical sciences from
Pharmacy Schools online.
Get information on rankings and ratings for colleges with pharmaceutical programs
Before deciding to apply to a particular pharmacy school, you should research its exact degree offerings, requirements, faculty and overall student satisfaction.
I recommend: Go online to obtain information, such as student survey results and admission requirements, on pharmacy school members of the
AACP. Purchase U.S. News and World Report's
Premium Online Edition to America's Best Graduate Schools to obtain the rankings and ratings of the top pharmaceutical colleges and pharmaceutical universities in the United States.
Consider online programs for obtaining a pharmacy degree
For the non-traditional student, online pharmacy degree programs often work well. Many online colleges and universities offer programs in the fields of pharmacy technician and pharmacy assistant. Even some traditional colleges and universities offer distance-learning programs in various pharmacy specialties.
I recommend: Seek
online pharmacy technician programs by state. Find information about online pharmacy programs from
World Wide Learn. Request information on the
Biotechnology Distance Education program from the Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Make sure that you know all of the prerequisites for admission to the pharmacy schools that interest you.
- Do your best to anticipate all of the costs of attending pharmaceutical colleges or universities, not just the tuition. The website for the AACP has some useful information on financial aid and internships for pharmacy students.
- Consider the job placement rates for pharmacy graduates from any of the schools you consider. Most schools offer job placement assistance to graduates.
The official source of Pharmaceutical Colleges and Universities is
the Pharmaceutical Colleges and Universities page at Business.com
Subscribe to
Try our free weekly WhatWorks newsletter, with business how-to advice
& resources from Work.com.
Related Resources from Business.com
Comments
Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please 
