Fall (Term 1)

• RX312 – Clinical Biochemistry (4)
• RX316 – Pathophysiology (3)
• BI323 – Immunology (2)
• RX361 – Approval to Administration: How Drugs Get to Patients (3)

Spring (Term 2)

• RX314 – Genetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology (3)
• RX324 – Pharmacist Assessment and Immunization (2)
• RX351 – Basic Pharmaceutics (4)*
• RX301 – IPE and Professional Development (1)
• RX415 – Self Care & Health Promotion 1 (3) – blood pressure assessments in spring P1 on-campus immersion

*RX351 requires a five-day, on-campus lab immersion after final exams and includes the blood pressure assessment for Self-Care and Health Promotion 1 and vaccination assessment for Pharmacist Assessment and Immunization.

Summer (Term 3)

• RX318 – Introduction to Principles of Drug Action (PDA) (4)
• RX319 – Introduction to Healthcare Analytics (2)
• RX321 – Social Justice & Diversity (SJD) – Diversity and Inclusivity in Healthcare (3)
• IPPE 1 – Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (Community) | [160 hrs] (Experiential) (credit hours tied to IPE RX400s course)

All RX courses numbered 300 or higher require official acceptance into the pharmacy program and P1 standing (or higher).

Must earn a passing grade in RX312 to be eligible to take RX314, RX318, and RX324.

Must earn a passing grade in RX314 to be eligible to take RX411, RX412, and RX511.

Must earn a passing grade in RX316 to be eligible to take RX318 and RX324.

Must earn a passing grade in RX318 to be eligible to take RX411, RX412, and RX511.

Must earn a passing grade in RX324 to be eligible to take RX403 and RX413.

Must earn a passing grade in RX351 to be eligible to take RX421.

Fall (Term 4)

• RX427 – Pharmacy Applications of Biostatistics and Research Design (2)
• RX416 – Self Care & Health Promotion 2 (3) – labs online
• RX400s – IPE and Professional Development 2 (1)
• RX411 – PDA 1 (4)
• RX413 – Therapeutics 1 (4)

Spring (Term 5)

• RX401 – IPE and Professional Development 3 (1)
• RX412 – PDA 2 (4)
• RX414 – Therapeutics 2 (4)
• RX421 – Introduction to Dosage Forms (4)*

*RX421 requires a five-day, on-campus lab immersion after final exams.

*Course grade will not be assigned until successful completion of the on-campus lab portion.

Summer (Term 6)

• RX432 – Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Management (2)
• RX422 – Advanced Dosage Forms (4)*
• Professional Electives – 600 level (4-5)
• IPPE 2 – Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (Institutional) | [160 hrs] (Experiential) (1 credit hour tied to IPE RX501 course)

* RX422 requires a five-day, on-campus lab immersion after final exams.

* Course grade will not be assigned until successful completion of the on-campus lab portion.

RX416 will fulfill the core requirement for Speaking Across the Curriculum.

RX 403 and RX411 are co-requisites for RX413.

RX404 and RX412 are co-requisites for RX414.

Must earn a C or better in RX413 to be eligible to take RX414.

Must earn a C or better in RX414 to be eligible to take RX513 and RX522.

Must earn a passing grade in RX415 to advance to RX416.

Must earn a passing grade in RX421 to advance to RX422.

Fall (Term 7)

• RX501 – IPE and Professional Development 4 (1)
• RX513 – Therapeutics 3 (4)
• RX511 – PDA 3 (4)
• PX531 – Evidence Based Medicine (2)
• RX526 – Pharmacy, Policy, and the Law (3)

Spring (Term 8)

• RX502 – Introduction to Rotations (1)
• RX517 – Therapeutics & Case Studies 4 (4)
• RX523 – Clinical Pharmacokinetics (4)
• RX527 – Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics (2)
• Professional Electives (2-3) [Must have a minimum of 7 hours of professional electives by the end of the P3 year].

Official P3 standing and anticipated P4 standing in May are required for RX500.

Official P3 standing is required for RX526.

RX511 is a co-requisite for RX513.

RX517 is a co-requisite for RX523.

Must earn passing grades in RX511 and RX513 to be eligible to take RX523.

Must earn a passing grade in 513 to be eligible to take RX517.

RX517 will fulfill the university core requirement for a writing-intensive course.

During the fourth year of the professional phase, you will participate in 10 one-month clinical rotations, each consisting of 40 hours per week (160 hours) for four weeks. Clinical rotations can take place at a variety of sites, including community pharmacies, hospitals, and ambulatory clinic practices as well as other nontraditional pharmacy settings, such as clinical work and basic research in the laboratory. A placement coordinator will work directly with you to help you find a placement close to your residence. If a rotation site(s) cannot be secured near your residence, we will place you in one of our existing rotation sites in the Indianapolis area. Travel and housing costs will be the student’s responsibility.

Summer I (Term 9)

• RX 6_Rotation Blocks 1 & 2* (8)

Summer II (Term 9)

• RX 6_Rotation Blocks 3 & 4* (8)

Fall (Term 10)

• RX 6_Rotation Blocks 5–8* (16)

Spring (Term 11)

• RX 6_Rotation Blocks 9 & 10* (8)

*Specific rotations are scheduled through the Experiential Education Office. You must complete 10 rotations during the 10 rotation blocks for a total of 40 credit hours of rotations by the end of the spring semester.

Minimum number of credit hours required for graduation = 139.

Experiential rotations allow you to demonstrate acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a professional setting. You will complete 12 one-month experiential rotations of 160 hours each. You will complete two Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) before commencing a series of 10 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) in the following areas:

• 1 Community (IPPE)
• 1 Institutional (IPPE)
• 1 General Medicine
• 1 Acute Care (In-Patient)
• 1 Hospital/Health System
• 1 Ambulatory Care
• 2 Community Practice
• 2 Patient Care Electives (In-Patient or Out-Patient)
• 2 Elective Rotations (Patient Care or Non-Patient Care)

There are numerous options for rotation sites throughout Indiana, across the nation, and abroad. A placement coordinator will work with you to find placements in your area. If a rotation site(s) cannot be secured near your residence, we will place you in one of our existing rotation sites in the Indianapolis area. Travel and housing costs will be the student’s responsibility.

You may wonder where pharmacists work, if not behind the counter in a drugstore. Earning your degree in Pharmacy can prepare you for multiple career paths. Practitioner-focused pharmacist jobs extend beyond clinical settings and offer opportunities in areas such as research, drug development and testing, and veterinary services. The online PharmD program will also give you the skills to pursue non-traditional pharmacy careers in fields such as pharmaceutical sales, education, and government. 

Explore potential career paths you can pursue with a PharmD:

Source: Payscale, March 2023. Salaries rounded to the nearest thousand.

The NAPLEX, or North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination, measures a candidate’s knowledge of the practice of pharmacy. It is just one component of the licensure process and is used by the boards of pharmacy as part of their assessment of a candidate’s competence to practice as a pharmacist. The first-time pass rate below reflects results for those candidates who graduated and took the exam in the same year reported.

Source: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 2022

*Pass rates are specific to the Butler PharmD on-ground pathway.

**Values rounded to the nearest whole number.

The Doctor of Pharmacy leads to a professional license to practice. Below you will find licensing information for all states and whether the Doctor of Pharmacy meets the educational requirements of the state where you are located. States may have additional requirements such as age, state-specific courses, internship hour requirements, or background information that must be met. Please contact the state where you are located to become fully informed of all requirements. 

We strive to keep licensure information up to date; however, state educational requirements are subject to change and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information. We recommend that you consult with the board of pharmacy or the appropriate regulatory agency in the state where you seek to obtain licensure prior to enrolling in the program. Listed below you will find the contact information for all Pharmacy Boards.

** Students will receive 1,920 rotation hours upon completion of the program. These hours may be used to satisfy the required internship hours. Please contact the Board of Pharmacy where you are located for more information.

Advancing your education is a big commitment and a worthwhile investment at Butler University. Our students invest in us, and we invest in our students by preparing them with the knowledge and skills they need to make an impact in the world.

P1 and P2 students may be eligible for $7,500 federal loans with additional $5,000 federal loan eligibility for independent students. Students can seek out private loans with a credit-worthy borrower or co-borrower.

P3 and P4 students, regardless of whether or not they hold a bachelor’s degree, can qualify for federal loans or private loans up to the cost of attendance. These loans require a credit-worthy borrower or co-borrower.

Scholarship Eligibility

New campus-based and online pathway students with a prior bachelor’s degree starting their program in fall 2023 are currently eligible to receive an $18,000 scholarship over the course of the first two years ($9,000 per year for the first two years).