The PharmD curriculum offers seven areas of concentration:

  • Comprehensive Medication Management and High-Risk Populations
  • Education
  • Health Systems and Care Management
  • Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Pharmacy Entrepreneurship
  • Research
  • Sports Pharmacy

Twelve units are required for each area of concentration and can be completed as part of the regular PharmD curriculum. These units include six units of elective didactic coursework, six units of Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) coursework and participation in co-curricular activities relevant to their chosen Area of Concentration.

To pursue an area of concentration, you must:

  • Have completed your first year in the PharmD program.
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in PHRD coursework; students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in PHRD coursework to remain in an AoC.
  • Submit an admissions application. Applications are reviewed once per semester.

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 655 Geriatric Pharmacy I (3 units, fall)
  • PHRD 656 Geriatric Pharmacy II (3 units, spring)
  • PHRD 628 Interprofessional Collaboration (3 units with 2-year IPE experience)
  • PHRD 680 Cannabis User Safety (2 units)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 731 Advanced Geriatrics APPE (6 units)
  • PHRD 750 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 555 Pharmacy Education 1 (2 units, fall)
  • PHRD 556 Pharmacy Education 2 (1 unit, spring)
  • PHRD 671 Pharmacy Education Seminar (3 units, fall, P3 students only)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 653 Principles of Managed Care (3 units, fall)
  • PHRD 674 Acute Care I (3 units, fall)
  • PHRD 654 Acute Care II (3 units, spring)
  • PHRD 670 Marketing and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry (3 units, spring)
  • MPTX 510 / PHRD 678 Topics in Pharmacology: The Other Side of Drugs (3 units, fall)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 750 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE) (6 units)
  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 653 Principles of Managed Care (3 units, fall)
  • PHRD 663 Pharmaceutical Development (3 units)
  • PHRD 670 Marketing and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry (3 units, spring, prerequisite: PHRD 653)
  • HCDA 501 Fundamentals of Healthcare Insurance Design (3 units, summer)
  • HCDA 507 Foundations of Product Development and Commercialization (3 units, spring)
  • MPTX 511 Introduction to Medical Product Regulation (3 units)
  • MPTX 512 Regulation of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products (3 units, spring/summer)
  • RSCI 533 Safety and Evaluation During Drug Development (3 units, fall)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 738 Pharmaceutical Industry APPE (6 units)
  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 651 Community Pharmacy and Business Management I (3 units, restricted to P3 students only; at least 3 units must be earned from one of these courses for the Pharmacy Entrepreneurship AoC)
  • PHRD 663 Pharmaceutical Development (3 units)
  • PHRD 673 Spanish for Pharmacists

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 750 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE) (6 units)
  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 657L Basic Research Design (3 units, fall)
  • PHRD 657L Basic Research Design (3 units, spring)
  • PHRD 790 Directed Research: Summer Research Fellowship (3 units, summer)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 750 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE) (6 units)
  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC

Didactic Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 599 Sports and Dietary Supplements (2 units)
  • PHRD 640 Sports Pharmacy (3 units)
  • PHRD 641 Focused Sports Physical Assessment and Drug Management (3 units)

Experiential Courses (6 units)

  • PHRD 750 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Elective (APPE) (6 units)
  • PHRD 751 Non-Traditional Advanced Pharmacy Elective (APPE) (6 units)
  • PHRD 704 Primary Care APPE (6 units)
  • PHRD 705 Community Pharmacy Practice (6 units)
  • Or a thesis course in sports pharmacy (4-6 units, for licensed pharmacists only)

Co-Curricular Requirements

  • One major and two minor co-curricular activities as assigned on engageSC