At USC Mann, we are committed to delivering a rigorous, relevant, and student-centered PharmD education that not only reflects current pharmacy practice but anticipates the future of healthcare. Our comprehensive assessment plan uses a systematic, data-informed approach to evaluate program quality, student achievement, and teaching effectiveness while also identifying emerging trends and workforce needs. Through ongoing assessment, we measure outcomes, gather feedback, and make meaningful improvements to ensure our program prepares graduates to thrive in a rapidly-changing healthcare landscape.
What Assessment Means for You
Assessment is not just a behind-the-scenes process—it directly enhances your experience as a student. Through continuous evaluation and improvement, we:
- Update courses to reflect current pharmacy practice and emerging science
- Improve teaching effectiveness based on student and peer feedback
- Strengthen academic and wellness support services
- Ensure you are prepared for experiential education (IPPEs and APPEs) and diverse pharmacy career pathways
How We Continuously Improve the Program
Our Office of Academic Affairs leads a comprehensive and systematic assessment process to evaluate and improve the PharmD program. This process includes:
- Collecting feedback from multiple stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, preceptors, and alumni
- Monitoring student learning outcomes and program-level outcomes over time
- Using multiple sources of evidence, including direct and indirect measures of student learning
- Reviewing course and instructor evaluations each semester
- Aligning the curriculum with Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) standards
- Applying continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes to implement and evaluate changes
This structured approach allows us to “close the loop” by using assessment data to inform decisions, implement improvements, and evaluate their impact over time.
Stakeholder Feedback: Multiple Perspectives That Inform Improvement
Assessment at USC Mann incorporates input from multiple stakeholders to ensure a well-rounded understanding of program effectiveness. Students play a central role, and throughout your time in the PharmD program, you will have opportunities to provide feedback through:
- Course and instructor evaluations each semester
- Experiential readiness and program feedback surveys
- Co-curricular and student experience surveys
In addition, feedback from faculty, preceptors, and alumni helps us evaluate real-world preparedness and program relevance. We actively review this input and use it to refine courses, enhance support services, and strengthen the overall program.
Innovative Tools That Support Learning and Assessment
USC Mann uses custom-developed tools and faculty-driven innovations to support both teaching and assessment. These tools facilitate data collection, curricular alignment, and evaluation of learning outcomes, enabling more effective program improvement.
Together, these efforts create a learning environment that is structured, innovative, and continuously improving to support your success, both in the classroom and in your future pharmacy practice.
Examples include:
Accordion Content
An innovative syllabus development platform that ensures courses are clearly structured and consistent across the program. It supports alignment between learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessment measures, helping both students and faculty understand expectations and progression across the curriculum.
USC Mann faculty continuously develop and implement new approaches, including the use of artificial intelligence and educational technologies, to enhance feedback, personalize learning, and improve student engagement.
An emerging initiative that uses data-informed approaches to better understand factors that contribute to student success. Insights from this work support targeted interventions and ongoing program improvement.
Accreditation and Quality Assurance
The PharmD program at USC Mann is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). This signifies that the program meets rigorous national standards for curriculum, student learning outcomes, and continuous quality improvement.
Our comprehensive assessment plan is central to maintaining accreditation. Through systematic evaluation of program effectiveness, documentation of student achievement, and ongoing improvements informed by data, we ensure alignment with ACPE standards and the evolving needs of the pharmacy profession.
If you have questions about assessment, curriculum quality, or how we support student success, feel free to contact our Office of Academic Affairs:
- Kari Franson, PharmD, PhD, BCPP, senior associate dean for student and academic affairs: kfranson@usc.edu
- Maryann Wu, EdD, assistant dean for assessment: maryann@usc.edu
- Edith Mirzaian, PharmD, BCACP, associate dean for curriculum: emirzakh@usc.edu
- Jennifer Hsu, program administrator – PharmD curriculum: hsujenni@usc.edu