The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites. For a Doctor of Pharmacy program offered by a new College or School of Pharmacy, ACPE accreditation generally involves three steps: Precandidate status, Candidate status, and Full accreditation.
Precandidate accreditation status denotes a developmental program, which is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period. Precandidate status is awarded to a new program of a College or School of Pharmacy that has not yet enrolled students in the professional program, and authorizes the college or school to admit its first class.
Candidate accreditation status is awarded to a Doctor of Pharmacy program that has students enrolled, but has not yet had a graduating class.
Full accreditation is awarded to a program that has met all ACPE standards for accreditation and has graduated its first class. Graduates of a class designated as having Candidate status have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program. ACPE conveys its decisions to the various boards of pharmacy and makes recommendations in accord with its decisions. It should be noted, however, that decisions concerning eligibility for licensure, by examination or reciprocity, reside with the respective state boards of pharmacy in accordance with their state statutes and administrative rules.
Accreditation Status of the UMES School of Pharmacy
The Doctor of Pharmacy program of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy was awarded full accreditation on June 26, 2013 by the ACPE Board of Directors.
For more information on the ACPE accreditation process, consult the Office of the Dean at 410-651-8327 or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education 135 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL 60603-4810, 312/644-3575; FAX 312/664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org.
