Programs & Pathways

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) is pleased to share that the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) has granted approval for CNUCOP to transition to a three-year accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy program. The Class of 2027, entering in the Fall of 2024, will be the inaugural class of the three-year PharmD program.

CNUCOP offers a progressive educational program that emphasizes active learning, direct patient care experiences, and the role of research in advancing the profession of pharmacy. The goal is to graduate highly skilled pharmacists and promote the expanding role of pharmacy through leadership and lifelong services in the health care system.

CNUCOP is a traditional four-year doctor of Pharmacy program dedicated to educating, developing, and training future pharmacists to provide competent, evidence-based care, focused on improving patient outcomes and advancing the profession of pharmacy. CNUCOP provides unique learning experiences to our students through the use of active learning strategies to delivery our curriculum. Working with new team members each semester, students are exposed to a diverse population of classmates from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Students assume a more proactive role in the program as they learn to effectively interact with team members to enhance learning and practical application of the material taught in class. Active learning prepares our students to play a key role in a multidisciplinary team setting, enabling our students to serve as drug information experts, as they work collaboratively to improve patient care and enhance patient outcomes. Students who matriculate into CNUCOP must be prepared to participate in distance or hybrid learning in addition to face-to-face instruction.

The curriculum at California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) is a minimum of four (4) years, post-baccalaureate, and leads to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD). The core curriculum covers a series of courses within the major sub disciplines of biomedical, pharmaceutical, social/behavioral/administrative, clinical, and integrated sciences.

In the first three years, students are enrolled in didactic courses which involve mastery of content, communication, teamwork skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking. The didactic courses emphasize the importance of individual accountability, group collaboration, and the application of basic concepts to work through team assignments. The role of the instructor is to clearly articulate the learning objectives, create challenging problems for students to solve, and probe their reasoning in reaching conclusions.

Admission to the PharmD Program

PharmD/MD

The PharmD/MD is a highly selective curricular pathway in innovative interprofessional health care. Graduates from this program will possess expert knowledge in both pharmacy and medicine to provide state-of-the-art health care for chronic and critical conditions that require deep knowledge from both fields such as heart failure, diabetes, and asthma.

current students in the CNUCOP PharmD program must apply for the program at the conclusion of the P2 year. Selection of students will take place during the P3 year. All the candidates need to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or above in the PharmD program to be qualified for this pathway. The Formal AMCAS application must be submitted in the fall semester of the P4 year. Students must complete the PharmD degree prior to matriculating into the MD program.

Students who are interested in joining the program are urged to make an appointment with Dean Xiaodong Feng (XFeng@cnsu.edu).

Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS)

The two-year Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MPS) program offered by CNU is designed to provide fundamental knowledge and skills in the pharmaceutical sciences field to enable students to pursue careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory affairs, and government positions upon graduation.

This program also provides advanced training in theory and laboratory- based settings to students opting for higher education in the health-related professions (MD/PharmD, MD/Ph.D., and PharmD/Ph.D.) and graduate schools (Ph.D.). In addition, this program provides a sufficient foundation in basic pharmacology, molecular biology and biochemistry to allow the students the flexibility to pursue careers in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as regulatory affairs.

Admission to the MSPS Program

Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctorate in Pharmacy (MSPS-PharmD) Pathway

CNUCOP offers a pathway to the combined degrees of Doctorate in Pharmacy (PharmD) and Masters of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS). In this pathway, students complete the MSPS as they work towards their PharmD (14 credit units from the PharmD program are accepted as part of the MSPS program). Students will complete two degrees in four years. The combination of the PharmD & MPS degrees will increase a student’s chances of receiving clinical residencies and career opportunities in the field of industrial Pharmacy.

Please visit our Master Science of Pharmaceutical Sciences website for more detailed information.

Executive Master of Business Administration / Doctor of Pharmacy (EMBA-PharmD) Dual Degree Program

California Northstate University College of Pharmacy and Sacramento State University College of Business Administration offer a unique dual degree program for PharmD students who would also like to obtain an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) while in the pharmacy program. Our students have the opportunity to earn a degree from an AACSB accredited university with a dynamic history and flourishing alumni. The EMBA Program can be completed in 15 months with very flexible scheduling. Students begin the program during the second semester of the P2 year and complete the EMBA program prior to the fourth year of the pharmacy program. EMBA classes are typically held on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Students may also have the opportunity to travel abroad for one week as part of the EMBA program.

The EMBA program provides students with the opportunity to socialize with business community leaders, University faculty, and top administrators at a variety of events throughout the year. These events include career workshops/coaching, mixers, picnics, golf tournaments, special speaking events, team building expeditions and private receptions. To be eligible for this dual degree program, PharmD students must be in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 3.0) and must submit a letter of intent, letter of recommendation, and official transcripts to the Office of Student Affairs. The process is competitive and shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview. More detailed information about the dual degree program will be available to students during the fall semester. Please contact Please contact Dr. Olivia Phung with any questions.

Please visit Sacramento State’s EMBA website for more detailed information.

CNUCOP PGY-1 Residency Program

The PGY-1 Residency Programs at California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) in association with Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital will welcome one pharmacy practice resident. The pharmacy practice residency program is currently seeking accreditation from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). The residency offers a unique opportunity to train in both clinical and academic pharmacy while providing accelerated growth for residents beyond that of entry level competence.

Bachelors of Science to Doctor of Pharmacy (BS-PharmD) Pathway

The BS-PharmD Pathway allows students to complete prerequisites for admission to pharmacy school while attending the College of Health Sciences (CHS) for two or three years.

Learn more about the BS-PharmD Pathway