Doctor of Pharmacy Pharm.D.

The College of Pharmacy offers a six-year course of study leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The Pharm.D. is a professional degree which enables our graduates to pursue diverse career opportunities and ensures that their pharmacy education prepares them for future changes in the profession. It is an exciting opportunity for students who want to make a significant contribution to the health care needs of our society.

Curriculum Format 

 System General Education Requirements*: 34

• Goal #1 Written Communication: ENGL 101*, andENGL 201*Credits: 6
• Goal #2 Oral Communication:  SPCM 101*Credits: 3
• Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity:  ECON 202*Credits: 6
• Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/DiversityCredits: 6
• Goal #5 Mathematics:MATH 121-121L*Credits: 5
• Goal #6 Natural Sciences: CHEM 112-112L*, and CHEM 114-114L*Credits: 8

Institutional Graduation Requirements**: 5

• Goal #1 First Year Experience: PHA 109** Credits: 2
• Goal #2 Cultural Awareness and Social and Environmental Responsibility Credits: 3

Major Requirement Credits: 179^1,2

• BIOL 151-151L - General Biology I and Lab* (COM) Credits: 4
• BIOL 221-221L - Human Anatomy and Lab(COM) Credits: 4
• CHEM 328-328L - Organic Chemistry II and Lab(COM) Credits: (3, 1)
• BIOL 325-325L - Physiology and Lab (COM) Credits: 4
• CHEM 326-326L - Organic Chemistry I and Lab(COM) Credits: (3, 1)
• MICR 231-231L - General Microbiology and Lab (COM) Credits: 4
• STAT 284 - Biostatistics for the Health Sciences Credits: 3
• PHA 109 - First Year Seminar - Pharmacy** Credits: 2
• PHA 320 - Introduction to Pathophysiology Credits: 3
• PHA 323 - Pharmaceutical Biochemistry Credits: 4
• PHA 324 - Biomedical Science I Credits: 4
• PHA 331 - Pharmaceutics I Credits: 3
• PHA 332-332L - Pharmaceutics II and Lab Credits: 4
• PHA 340-340L - Medicinal Chemistry I and Lab Credits: 4
• PHA 341-341L - Medicinal Chemistry II and Lab Credits: 4
• PHA 367-367L - Pharmacy Practice I and Lab Credits: 2
• PHA 368-368L - Pharmacy Practice II and Lab Credits: 3
• PHA 410 - Introductory Practice Experience I Credits: 3 ³
• PHA 415 - Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Credits: 4
• PHA 425 - Biomedical Science II Credits: 3
• PHA 430 - Pharmacy Practice Law Credits: 3
• PHA 442 - Pharmacology I Credits: 5
• PHA 443 - Pharmacology II Credits: 4
• PHA 444 - Toxicology Credits: 2
• PHA 445 - Pharmacotherapeutics I Credits: 2
• PHA 446 - Pharmacotherapeutics II Credits: 3
• PHA 467-467L - Pharmacy Practice III and Lab (AW) Credits: 3
• PHA 468-468L - Pharmacy Practice IV and Lab Credits: 3

Must have a bachelor’s degree to begin the P3, 600-700 level courses⁴ 

• PHA 610 - Introductory Practice Experience II
    Credits: 3 ⁵
• PHA 714 - Community Pharmacy Practice Experience
    Credits: 5
• PHA 716 - Hospital/Institutional Pharmacy Practice Experience
    Credits: 5
• PHA 723 - Ethics in Healthcare Practice
    Credits: 2
• PHA 727 - Professional Resources Management
    Credits: 3
• PHA 741 - Public Health and Wellness
    Credits: 2
• PHA 742 - Patient Assessment and Self Care
    Credits: 2
• PHA 756 - Pharmacotherapeutics III
    Credits: 4
• PHA 757 - Pharmacotherapeutics IV
    Credits: 4
• PHA 761 - Pharmacotherapeutics V
    Credits: 5
• PHA 762 - Pharmacotherapeutics VI
    Credits: 5 
  
• PHA 767-767L - Pharmacy Practice V
   
  and Lab
    Credits: 3
• PHA 768 - Pharmacy Practice VI
   
  and Lab
    Credits: 3
• PHA 772 - Internal Medicine I Practice Experience
    Credits: 5
• PHA 774 - Ambulatory Care Practice Experience
    Credits: 5
• Assigned Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences
   ⁺: Credits 10
• Elective Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences   ⁺: Credits: 10

Elective Credits: 10

• General Electives⁶ Credits: 6
• Pharmacy Electives, PHA 700 level, nonAPPE Credits: 4

Total Required Credits: 218

Curriculum Notes

• * The 30 credit Board of Regents System General Education Requirements (SGRs) must be completed as part of a student’s first 64 credits.
• ** South Dakota State University has a 5 credit Institutional Graduation Requirement (IGRs).
• (G) Globalization Requirement.
• (AW) Advanced Writing Requirement.
• Students must take the proficiency examination after completing 48 credits. English 101, and a course in each of the General Education areas of social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities and arts must be taken prior to taking this exam.