There are four steps required to get an online pharmacy degree: locate an accredited online school, apply for admission, pay the tuition fee, and complete the course work. Both dedicated online schools and traditional post-secondary institutions offer online courses in pharmacy. Online degrees have the exact same educational requirements as traditional degrees, but all the course materials are provided over the Internet.
When selecting an online pharmacy degree program, it is important to select an accredited online school. An accredited school has completed a review by an independent third party. This agency is responsible for evaluating the academic and administrative policies of the institution against a minimum standard. Only courses completed at accredited schools can be transferred to other institutions or used toward a professional license or designation. In addition, only accredited schools are able to offer government student aid, which can be very important for a pharmacy degree.
The pharmacy profession is highly regulated, so it is essential to ensure that any courses are completed at an accredited institution. In order to obtain a pharmacist license to work in any state, the candidate must submit his academic transcript for evaluation to the Pharmacy Licensing Board. This information is reviewed, and if any courses are from an unrecognized school, the candidate will have to take that course again from an accredited institution.
The admission criteria for an online pharmacy degree varies by institution, but typically requires high school credits in calculus, algebra, physics, chemistry, biology and English. Pharmacy degrees are popular and the marks required to gain admission may be quite high. Many students work with tutors to get the highest marks possible. People who are very detail oriented and enjoy working independently have the greatest success and satisfaction with this program.
The student tuition fees for an online pharmacy degree may be slightly different from a traditional degree program. These fees are often assessed on an individual course basis. Instead of a fixed tuition bill, due at the start of each semester, online programs can be paid for one course at a time. This flexibility allows students additional opportunities to manage their cash flow and workload. Many online programs qualify for student aid programs, but this may vary, depending on the course load.
The course work in an online pharmacy degree can be quite heavy. The first year courses typically include calculus, statistics, organic and synthetic chemistry, and biology. Each year, the courses build on the material from the previous year and expand the level of detail.
