Pharmaceutical Sciences BS
Prepare for high-demand research careers that help people and communities. The bachelor’s in pharmaceutical sciences at ACPHS opens the door to rewarding professions with strong starting salaries.
Doctor of Pharmacy – PharmD
Help change the landscape of human health. With our Doctor of Pharmacy - PharmD degree, you’ll learn the science of medicine and how to connect with communities you serve.
Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Overview
ACPHS offers opportunities unlike any you’ll find in other pharmacy degree programs. It’s why our graduates excel as health-care leaders wherever they choose to go.
Gain firsthand experience in one of our affiliated pharmacies under the supervision of a practicing pharmacist. Participate in cutting-edge research with faculty in a wide variety of areas: study antibiotic dosing in patients with kidney disease, the impact of a patient education campaign, the rate of side effects from a new medication, the cost-benefit analysis of medications, epigenetics and more. Explore more than 500 rotation sites that meet experiential education requirements.
Our pharmacy program allows you to obtain your pharmacy intern permit and help immunize patients after the first year of professional studies (P1 year).
High-school graduates who enter the Pharmacy Early Assurance Program at ACPHS are guaranteed a seat in the four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy program. Transfer students with some college credits can apply for entry into the first or second, pre-professional year of the six-year doctoral program. Students who completed prerequisites elsewhere may apply directly into the first professional (P1) year of the PharmD program via PharmCas.
“My mentors allowed me to grow clinically and understand my professional goals with immense support. I was able to find myself.
Soo Kang
2023
Program Details
Doctor of Pharmacy Coursework
As a pharmacist, you must have a thorough understanding of the scientific disciplines required for the discovery, development and evaluation of new drugs, and the clinical expertise to provide top-notch health care to your patients. Our rigorous and focused curriculum will help you do just that.
Our curriculum is designed to help you develop, integrate and apply knowledge from 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.
Learning Goals and Outcomes
Upon completion of the degree program, you will be prepared to fulfill the following key duties, among other things:
- Seek, analyze, integrate and apply foundational knowledge of medications and pharmacy practice.
- Use problem solving, critical thinking, an innovative mindset, communication skills and a patient-centered focus to provide care, advocate for patients, improve medication-use systems and promote positive change.
- Exhibit attitudes and behaviors that embody a commitment to building and maintaining trust with patients, colleagues, other health-care professionals and society.
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a proud supporter of “We’re Your Pharmacist,” a national campaign creating awareness about the many ways pharmacists contribute to patient care and public health.
Visit: www.yourpharmacist.org
Facts & Stats
- $137,480 average median salary
- 78% of the 2025 PharmD Class graduated on time
- 78% of the 2024 PharmD Class passed the NAPLEX on their first attempt
- 75% is the percentage of graduating students reporting employment in either a pharmacy-related setting or training
What is a Doctor of Pharmacy - PharmD?
A PharmD is a professional doctorate degree that prepares you to work as a pharmacist. Pharmacists are the medication experts on the health-care team. Pharmacists work in a variety of settings including hospitals, medical offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and more.
Pharmacy is a diverse and rewarding career. Pharmacists play key leadership roles in the health-care system. With a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ACPHS, you'll be prepared to provide top-quality patient care, conduct scientific research and effect policy innovation.
Earning your Doctor of Pharmacy degree is more than preparing for a career. It’s gaining the skills to take on challenging and fulfilling work done to improve the health, the care and the quality of life for your patients. As a PharmD student, you'll be joining an educational community focused on the future of health care.
Experiential Learning in the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
At ACPHS, you'll have opportunities to apply your classroom knowledge and gain skills in real pharmacy settings, working alongside licensed health-care professionals.
Clinical rotations are a required component of the pharmacy program. You'll find 500+ rotation sites that meet our experiential education requirements around the world. Stay local, head out to another part of the country or go abroad!
PharmD graduates interested in obtaining additional training, specializing in a specific area of pharmacy, pursuing careers in academia or simply hoping to differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace, should consider a pharmacy residency.
In recent years, ACPHS has matched over 30 first-year residents on average at prestigious institutions like the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and the VA Boston Healthcare System.
Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Careers
Our graduates take leadership roles at community pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes. You could also work for managed-care organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, public-health organizations or the federal government.
A PharmD will prepare you for a variety of roles, including but not limited to: community pharmacist, clinical pharmacist, hospital pharmacist, pharmaceutical industry pharmacist, veterinary pharmacist, geriatric pharmacist, and infusion and compounding pharmacist.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pharmacists’ salary was $137,480 in 2024.
Questions?
Department of Pharmacy Practice
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