Harding University’s Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60603-3446, 312-664-3575; FAX 866-228-2631, web site www.acpe-accredit.org.
The Harding University College of Pharmacy offers a 3.5-year professional doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree pathway. The first cohort to complete this revised curriculum will graduate in December 2024. The following table provides a summary of on-time graduation rates for the last five graduating classes:
| Class of: | % On-Time Graduation | % Cohort Graduating* |
|
2020 |
80 (47/59) |
88 (52/59) |
|
2021 |
80 (44/55) |
96 (53/55) |
|
2022 |
74 (26/35) |
86 (30/35) |
|
2023 |
85 (33/39)§ |
- |
|
2024 |
85 (29/34)§ |
- |
% on-time graduation = # of graduates/# admitted X 100; *total graduate percentage per cohort; § Students still progressing
Thirty-eight Harding alumni took the NAPLEX for the first time in 2023. The first-time pass rate for these individuals was 82%. The 2023 national average first-time pass rate for all graduates who tested between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, was 77.8%. The NAPLEX pass rates for the past three years are reported on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy website.
Forty percent of the class of 2024 obtained post-doctoral residency/fellowship positions upon graduation.
The class of 2023 entered the workforce well prepared and ready for pharmacy practice at a time when health care providers are most in need. Prior to graduation, members of this class received the JR-COSTEP and the SR-COSTEP awards from the U.S. Public Health Service, a scholarship from the Arkansas Medical, Denatal, and Pharmaceutical Association, A NABP scholarship, the United States Public Health Service Award, and was nominated Student of the Year by hospital pharmacists at the state's AAHP Fall Seminar. Eight percent of the class graduated with a dual degree in business (MBA) or Information Systems (Master of Science in Information Systems) MSIS.
Ninety-two percent of graduates from the class of 2022 obtained positions in pharmacy. Since 2017, an average of 19% of students per cohort have obtained PGY1 residency positions upon graduation and 3% per cohort have obtained PGY2 residency/fellowship positions. Alumni have obtained high-ranking pharmacy positions at institutions such as Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Houston Methodist, Baylor Scott and White, Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, and Huntington Hospital in southern California. Locally, alumni serve the patients of Arkansas through innovative clinical pharmacy positions at community and hospital pharmacies throughout the state and within ambulatory care clinics such as ARcare.
Interprofessional experiences are considered key elements for student success at Harding University. As part of the Center for Health Sciences, student pharmacists interact with students from the Colleges of Allied Health and Nursing in activities such as a poverty simulation, a community-wide disaster drill and knight at the round table case discussions.
The College of Allied Health offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a Master of Science in Cardiac Function & Interventional Techonology, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
The College of Nursing offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, a Master's Entry into Professional Nursing degree for initial licensure and a graduate program for nurses seeking various tracks to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.
The inaugural class was seated in the fall of 2008.
The College offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) as its single professional degree.
Our Pharm.D. program is 3.5 years long.
Students may complete their prerequisite courses at Harding University, any accredited U.S. college or university, or at a college or university outside the U.S. Be sure to review the HUCOP admissions information web page for the list of required prerequisite courses. If you have any questions about the equivalency of any prepharmacy course to those required by the College, please contact the College via email at pharmacy@harding.edu.
Anticipated costs of attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year are as follows:
| Summer | Fall/Spring | |
| First - third professional year | $8,861 | $19,908/semester |
| Fourth professional year | $1,181/credit hour | $1,181/credit hour |
Tuition for students taking fewer than 7 hours per summer term or 12 hours per fall/spring term is $1,181/credit hour.
Note: Tuition and fees are subject to change based on the recommendation and approval of the Board of Trustees. Any new tuition and fee schedule is effective at the beginning of the summer term.
Learn more about the Federal Financial Aid Cost of Attendance and find a comprehensive listing of expenses that may be associated with enrollment.
For specific financial aid information, contact the Student Financial Services Office at 501-279-4081.
No student is required to find their own clinical sites. However, if a student knows of clinical sites near their home, there is a process in place to petition the Associate Dean for Experiential Education for site verification and approval. The student should begin the petition process well in advance of the anticipated practice experience in order to allow ample time for appropriate site investigation and preceptor training. Not all potential sites identified by students will be deemed acceptable by the Associate Dean for Experiential Education and approval is at the discretion of the Dean.
The Pharm.D. curriculum includes clinical experiences in all professional years (P1 – P4). The early, or introductory, pharmacy practice experiences are located within a one-hour driving radius of the HUCOP campus in Searcy, Arkansas. The advanced pharmacy practice experiences comprising the professional year may require relocation of the student to sites outside the Searcy area. Students may also petition the Associate Dean for Experiential Education to complete selected experiences at other locations outside the HUCOP network of affiliated clinical sites. Additionally, students will have opportunities to participate in international mission-related clinical experiences.
Yes, students have access to Harding University housing facilities.
Yes, the College requires an on-site (or virtual) interview prior to admission to the Pharm.D. program. All expenses related to travel for the interview are the student’s responsibility, although low-cost accommodations may be available on campus.
