Dual Degree Programs
Curriculum
The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has an ability-based outcome and assessment-driven curriculum. Our students' progress is continuously evaluated in mastering the 14 ability-based outcomes with the goal of developing competent pharmacists of the future.
We also offer academic opportunities above and beyond our PharmD curriculum to help students grow their careers. Dual Degree Programs, the Honors Program and Independent Study opportunities all give students a competitive advantage as they enter the pharmacy workplace.
PharmD Honors Research Program
Independent Study
The purpose of the curriculum is to prepare graduates to be competent, ethical, contemporary and compassionate entry-level pharmacists. They will be committed to active involvement in the advancement of the pharmacy profession and dedicated to fulfilling the public trust by assuming responsibility for optimizing patient care through provision of appropriate drug therapy and by assuring the safe, effective and efficient use of drug products and drug delivery systems.
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| PHRD 5010 | Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) Community (2 Credits) | This is the first in a series of experiential-based courses, providing 80 hours of community pharmacy practice experience. Students will participate in all facets of community pharmacy practice, with a particular focus on the development of communication and professionalism skills. |
| PHRD 5025 | Applied biological chemistry (2 credits) | Course builds upon student knowledge of biochemistry to explore applications of biochemistry to diseases, drug actions, and drug development. Knowledge gained from this course is used as a foundation for understanding the rationale for the therapeutic uses of drugs. |
| PHRD 5055 | Pharmacy Practice Fundamentals & Drug Information (4 Credits) | Course provides students with tactics necessary to perform dispensing duties in most pharmacy settings. Fundamentals of the practice of drug information are introduced. Pharmacy practice and drug information fundamentals are presented with the context of the history of pharmacy and contemporary pharmacy practice. |
| PHRD 5075 | Pharmacotherapy Self-Care (4 Credits) | Course prepares students to be able to 1) collect appropriate patient data to make an assessment for self-care (e.g. nonprescription products), 2) conduct a patient-centered assessment, and 3) design, implement, evaluate and adjust a patient-centered self-care plan. |
| PHRD 5920 | Medicinal Chemistry (3 Credits) | This course explores medicinal chemistry concepts using clinically relevant case studies, designed to examine mechanism(s) of drug action, structure-activity relationships, drug metabolism, drug resistance and other concepts related to the pharmacology and clinical use of therapeutic drugs. |
| PHRD 5925 | Pharmaceutics (4 credits) | Students introduced to biophysical and chemical considerations in development of pharmaceutics and products and compounding various dosage forms, principles of parenteral drug preparation and administrations. Knowledge gained allows students to understand formulation development and optimize dosage forms for individual patients. |
| PHRD 5935 | Pharmacology & Toxicology (4 Credits) | This is an introductory course to pharmacology, the study of therapeutic drug effects, and toxicology, the study of adverse drug effects. Basic principles of these topics will be explored using several drugs and drug classes as examples. |
| PHRD 5965 | Patient-Centered Communication (4 Credits) | Students develop skills to communicate effectively with patients, caregivers and healthcare providers to facilitate optimal patient outcomes. These courses cover all aspects of professional communication, including gathering, organizing, conveying and documenting patient-related information. |
| PHRD 5985 | Pharmacotherapy 1 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: pulmonology, dermatology, ophthalmology, otic diseases, OB/GYN, Urology, ED. |
| IPCP 5000 | Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (1 Credit) | A one semester course required of health professions students from the, dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs on the Anschutz Medical Campus. |
| PHRD 6015 | Clinical Pharmacokinetics (3 Credits) | The influence of physiological and pathophysiological factors on drug levels is considered. Knowledge gained allows students to calculate appropriate dosing of drugs in patients and anticipate how drug doses should be adjusted in disease and the presence of other drugs. |
| PHRD 6065 | Evidence-based Medicine & Literature Evaluation (3 Credits) | An introduction and step-wise approach to evidence-based medicine. Students understand commonly-used statistical tests and evaluate statistical results for statistical versus clinical significance. Students demonstrate by answering short drug information questions, presenting a journal club and writing a drug information paper. |
| PHRD 6085 | Pharmacotherapy 2 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: nephrology, cardiology 1. |
| PHRD 6095 | Pharmacotherapy 3 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: endocrinology, gynecology, urology. |
| PHRD 6910 | Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) Health System (2 Credits) | This experiential-based course provides 80 hours of health-system pharmacy practice, focusing on the delivery of patient care and systems used to provide care to multiple patients. Course further develops professionalism, communication, and skills needed for advanced experiential training. |
| PHRD 6925 | Medicinal Chemistry (2 Credits) | This course is an application of medicinal chemistry concepts using clinically relevant case studies, designed to examine mechanism(s) of drug action and resistance, structure activity relationships, and other concepts related to the pharmacology and clinical use of modern drugs. |
| PHRD 6945 | Public Health & Health Outcomes (3 Credits) | Introduces students to health care delivery systems and discusses the social, political, economic factors that influence these systems. Students will link various medication use systems to their role in development and participation in health promotion, disease prevention, public health policy. |
| PHRD 6965 | Clinical Problem Solving Skills (2 Credits) | This course builds upon the principles and skills from PHRD5055/6065 and includes application inside and outside the classroom of drug information, effective search strategies and literature evaluation, critical appraisal of scientific literature, and applying evidence in clinical practice. |
| PHRD 6985 | Pharmacotherapy 4 (5 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: cardiology 2, infectious diseases 1. |
| PHRD 6995 | Pharmacotherapy 5 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: psychiatry, neurology. |
| IPHE 6000 | Interprofessional Healthcare Ethics & Health Equity (1 Credit) | A one semester course required of health professions students from the, dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs on the Anschutz Medical Campus. |
| PHRD 7015 | Seminar Research (1 Credit) | Students will apply their ability to retrieve, evaluate, and utilize professional information in a critical and scientific manner. Students independently determine how to best solve a pharmacy-related question using scientific principles, and present their findings to a large audience. |
| PHRD 7025 | Pharmacogenomics (2 Credits) | Course provides students with an understanding of how genetic factors influence drug efficacy. Knowledge gained from this course enhances students’ ability to select the most effective therapeutic intervention. |
| PHRD 7045 | Public Health & Health Outcomes (3 Credits) | Course concepts are medication safety, drug usage, pharmacoeconomics, and pharmacoepidemiology. Students analyze medication systems by using population data and risk management strategies. Students discuss the social, political, economic factors that influence health care delivery systems. Links their role in development & participation in health promotion, disease prevention, public health policy. |
| PHRD 7055 | Pharmacy Management (2 Credits) | The course provides an introduction to management in community pharmacy practice, hospital pharmacy management, and other business and management skills needed to be successful in a variety of different practice settings. |
| PHRD 7085 | Pharmacotherapy 6 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: infectious diseases 2. |
| PHRD 7095 | Pharmacotherapy 7 (4 Credits) | This 7 course series includes pathophysiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of a range of system based physiological conditions. Standards of care, controversial issues, pharmacotherapy advances, and patient management are covered. Areas covered in this course: hematology, oncology, rheumatology, transplantation. |
| PHRD 7905 | Advanced IPPE (6 Credits) | Students are placed in a 6-week, full-time (40 hours per week) patient care experience in which they can begin to apply their didactic knowledge. In this advanced IPPE students demonstrate competency to meet pre-APPE core performance domains and abilities. |
| PHRD 7995 | Clinical Capstone (6 Credits) | Course is designed to be a capstone that integrates essential core pharmacy practice topics. The philosophy of this course is to facilitate student learning, and holding students accountable for prior learning in an integrated manner using complex patient scenarios. |
| PHRD 8045 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) - Medication Therapy Management (3 Credits) | Three-week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This experience will take place in a community pharmacy practice setting. Students will participate in medication therapy reviews, pharmacotherapy consults, anticoagulation management, and other clinical services that optimize therapeutic outcomes for individual patients. Required number of rotations: 1 |
| PHRD 8055 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) - Elective (6 Credits) | Six week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This experience will take place in various practice settings. Students may participate in various activities that focus on medication-related problems dealing with various populations, with or without direct patient contact. Required number of rotations: 2 |
| PHRD 8056 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) Elective International (6 Credits) | Six week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This pharmacy practice experience is an opportunity for students to train in various international clinical practice environments. |
| PHRD 8065 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) - Ambulatory Care (6 Credits | Six week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This experience will take place in an ambulatory care, multidisciplinary practice setting. Practice sites may include hospital-based clinics, physician group practices, and community or public health clinics that provide health care directly to patients. Required number of rotations:1 |
| PHRD 8075 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) - Community (6 Credits) | Six week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This experience will take place in a community pharmacy practice setting. Practice sites include independent, large chain or retail pharmacies that provide a variety of services, including administration of immunizations and health/wellness screenings. Required number of rotations: 1 |
| PHRD 8085 | AdvPharPracExp (APPE) | Hospital/Health-System Pharmacy (6 Credits) Six week rotation; 40 hrs weekly. This experience will take place in an inpatient practice setting. Students will be exposed to adult patients with a variety of disease states, and participate in other institutional activities related to clinical pharmacy services. Required number of rotations: 2 |
Graduation Requirements for students graduating before 2027
Students in the University of Colorado Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to complete a minimum of six elective credit hours, in three different courses, of which two credit hours must be "P3 only" electives offered in the spring of the P3 year.
Graduation Requirements for Students Graduating In 2027 or Later
Students in the University of Colorado Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to complete a minimum of eight elective credit hours, in four different courses, of which two credit hours must be "P3 only" electives offered in the spring of the P3 year.
The intent of offering elective courses is to provide students with an opportunity to engage in learning experiences beyond those included in the required curriculum. Consistent with ACPE standards for professional programs leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, multiple opportunities are provided throughout the curriculum for students to take elective courses that
develop areas of personal interest, to expand understanding of professional opportunities, and to achieve the outcomes of the curriculum.
The following policies apply to courses that can be taken for elective credit:
- A course for elective credit can be offered to and taken by any student in the first three years of the curriculum (P1-P3) provided: a) the student has satisfied the prerequisites for the course and b) the course does not conflict with other courses being taken by the student. NOTE: P1s are not allowed to take elective courses in the P1 fall semester.
- Independent study courses may be used to meet elective requirements of the curriculum provided that the course does not conflict with other courses being taken by the student Note: no more than 2 credit hours from any one Independent Study course may be applied toward fulfilling the 6 credit hour elective requirement.
- The content of an elective must outcomes and complement or enhance the core curriculum.
- Students are encouraged to take elective courses in more than one topic area. In addition, students may take more than the required number of credit hours of elective courses.
- For elective courses in which the number of students is limited, those students needing to fulfill their minimal elective requirements (i.e., have less than the required credit hours of elective courses) will be given highest priority and in the following order: P3s first, P2s second, P1s third and lastly any student who has already completed the required credit hours of elective courses. After these criteria have been met, allocation will be on order of registration. Extenuating academic circumstances may dictate a change in this order.
- Additional tuition expenses may be incurred for elective courses taken during the summer.
- All elective course requirements must be completed before a student is permitted to progress to the P4 year.
Elective Course Offerings
Not all elective courses are offered every academic year. The course director’s availability determines when/if the course will be offered. Courses with low enrollment may be canceled prior to the start of the semester.
Independent study is a great way for students to gain additional experience in particular realms of pharmacy practice that interest them and suit their ultimate career goals.
Students are welcome to work with an individual faculty member and propose any other independent study consistent with their career interests.
Submissions for a proposed independent study must be made no later than May 1 (for summer semester), August 1 (for fall semester) or December 1 (for spring semester). Please see the guidelines document for more information.
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