The School of Pharmacy successfully hosted a focused accreditation visit by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) on April 16 - 17, 2025. This visit was initiated by ACPE to evaluate the School’s newly launched 5-Year PharmD pathway, which began in Fall 2023. As a reminder, this program is the first extended 5-year PharmD pathway in the United States, developed to increase access to pharmacy education for students who may be unable to pursue traditional three- or four-year programs due to work or family responsibilities.
Students enrolled in the five-year pathway work, on average, 32 or more hours per week year-round, demonstrating a strong commitment to balancing professional, academic, and personal obligations. The School currently supports two active student cohorts in this extended pathway.
The ACPE team also evaluated the School’s compliance with Standard 18, which pertains to adequate faculty and staff resources. The goal was to assess whether the School is sufficiently resourced to support both the long-standing three-year PharmD pathway (established in 2006) and the new 5-Year PharmD pathway.
During the 1.5-day site visit, the ACPE team met with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Dean, the Executive Committee, standing faculty committees, and students from both pathways. Following the visit, the review team submitted a formal report to the ACPE Board of Directors, which convened on June 11-13, 2025.
We are pleased to report that the School of Pharmacy has been granted continued accreditation by the ACPE, with a scheduled renewal following the full term in 2030–2031. This includes the two years granted after the full accreditation visit in 2023, completing the full eight-year accreditation cycle.
This outcome is a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and excellence of our entire School community. It affirms the quality and integrity of both our accelerated and extended PharmD pathways and reinforces our commitment to offering flexible, high-quality education that meets both student needs and accreditation expectations.
Looking forward, the School remains committed to innovation, advancing academic excellence, expanding research opportunities, and fostering a positive, collaborative environment for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners.
-Written by
Marketa Marvanova, PharmD, PhD, BCGP, BCPP, FASCP | Dean & Professor | School of Pharmacy