Deans and Faculties

Accreditation is the public recognition accorded a professional program that is judged to meet established qualifications and educational standards through initial and subsequent periodic evaluations. Accreditation applies to professional programs and is distinguished from certification or licensure, which applies to individuals. Professional programs in pharmacy are those leading to the baccalaureate in pharmacy and the doctor of pharmacy degrees. Those programs accredited by the ACPE are published in the annual Directory of Accredited Professional Programs of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy. Recognition of the baccalaureate in pharmacy or the doctor of pharmacy program in the Directory denotes overall compliance with the standards of the respective degree program. It does not imply or infer that all baccalaureate in pharmacy or all doctor of pharmacy programs in the Directory are totally equivalent. Accreditation standards include both quantitative and qualitative parameters.

A professional program is evaluated on the extent to which it accomplishes its stated goals and is consistent with the concept that pharmacy is a unique, personal service profession in the health science field. In the application of these standards, literal conformity in every detail is not required. Variations are to be expected, and superiority in certain qualities may compensate, at least in part, for deficiencies in others. Many college and school programs exceed Council standards in one or more of the various elements comprising accreditation. In pharmacy education, as in American education generally, there is diversity. In this diversity there is potential strength. The accreditation process, therefore, seeks to maximize potential strengths while assuring basic expectations for quality pharmacy education.

Map of Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy with ACPE-Accredited Programs click here!