The Pharm.D. degree has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, which is no longer awarded. At least two years of specific professional study is required before an applicant can be admitted to a Pharm.D. program. Doctor of Pharmacy programs generally take four years to complete, and graduates must also become licensed by passing exams administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
The School of Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco, was ranked as the top school of pharmacy in the United States in U.S. News and World Report's 2008 rankings of schools of pharmacy. The curriculum consists of four years of full-time study. All students must complete a core curriculum before selecting an emphasis in one of the following areas: pharmaceutical care, health services and policy research, or pharmaceutical sciences.
The Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina, founded in 1897, is one of the oldest schools of pharmacy in the nation. The school was ranked number two in U.S. News and World Report's 2008 rankings of schools of pharmacy. The Doctor of Pharmacy degree program is a four-year program, requiring six semesters of classroom coursework and 10 months of experiential learning.
The Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Minnesota is offered at both its Twin Cities campus and its Duluth campus. The program was ranked third in the nation in U.S. News and World Report's 2008 rankings of schools of pharmacy. The program's courses are offered by five departments within the University of Minnesota: medicinal chemistry; pharmaceutics; pharmaceutical care and health systems; experimental and clinical pharmacology; and pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences (Duluth campus only). The program also offers a dual Pharm.D./MBA degree.