Beginning in fall 2024, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences will offer the six-year Extended Distance Learning Pathway (DLPx). The DLPx follows the same curriculum as our full-time distance and in-person pathways, but at a slower pace that allows you to pursue a career in pharmacy wherever you are and with more flexibility to meet life’s demands.
We have applied for approval from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) for the new PharmD Distance Learning Pathway – Extended. A site visit is scheduled for spring 2024 with approval expected in June 2024. Should the pathway not be approved applicants will be offered a seat in a different pathway or their deposit refunded.
The DLPx is ideal for students who may not be able to commit to a full-time class schedule due to various life responsibilities but possess the drive, intellect, and motivation to pursue a career in pharmacy. The distance pathways allow students to receive the same excellence in education without the need to relocate, as well as a more flexible schedule to allow students to learn when it best meets their life schedule.
Classes will be delivered both asynchronously and synchronously. For asynchronous classes, students do not need to be online attending class at the same time as the on-campus students. The exception to this will be for final exam week in which distance students will be taking exams during weekdays at the same time as campus students. For each semester there will be two consistent scheduled days of synchronous classes. Synchronous days will consist of scheduled discussions, faculty office hours, group work, student organization meetings, laboratories, and assessments. WNE believes in the value of face-to-face interactions with students and faculty, connecting with each other to facilitate engagement and inclusion. On the other three days students can work flexibly on asynchronous coursework that can be completed online at any time. There will be six 1-2 week-long immersive sessions over the 6-year program in which students will be on campus.
On-campus housing will be available during immersive sessions at a daily rate. Additional information on costs can be found on the PharmD page. Should on-campus housing be limited due to campus population needs, a list of economical hotels will be provided.
It is important for students to understand that taking courses online does not mean they will be any less demanding than campus-based learning. The distance pathways encompass the same curriculum and deliver the same excellent education as the campus-based pathway. It will require the same educational commitment but with some added day-to-day flexibility. Successful distance students can communicate well through writing, be self-motivated and disciplined, be willing to ask for help when needed, use effective time management skills, and have basic technical skills. To help determine if an online program will be a good fit for you, take a quick self-assessment.
Candidates will apply through PharmCAS, the same system used for the on-campus PharmD program, and for the PharmD Distance Learning Program. Additional information can be found on the application information page.
Distance Pathway – Extended students will be expected on campus at the following times:
On-campus housing will be available during immersive sessions at a daily rate. Should on-campus housing be limited due to campus population needs, a list of economical hotels will be provided.
The curriculum of the DLPx closely mirrors the campus-based pathway and 4-year Distance Learning Pathway (DLP), with the exception of the Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE) which will take place over the summers and coursework is spread over 6 years versus 4 years. You will be taking your classes with the DLP students. The only difference is that you will have fewer classes per semester, so the DLPx is a 6-year professional program.
All pathways include 146 credits consisting of didactic, laboratory, and experiential coursework. Courses will be offered in 15-week fall and spring semesters. Some of the semester coursework will be completed during the immersive campus-based sessions (1-2 weeks long) scheduled in May and January.
State-of-the-art tablet devices will be provided to all students. All required applications and software will be installed on the devices and fully supported. Upon program completion, ownership of the tablets will be transferred to the student for $1. Technical support is available via phone, email or virtually to assist students.
We currently have affiliated practice sites for experiential education available in many locations throughout the United States and have the ability to add new affiliations. Students will identify potential sites for clinical experiences by submitting a request for the program to add a clinical site at least six months in advance of rotations. Students in the Distance Learning Pathway – Extended will complete 2 credits of IPPE (112 hrs.) in a community or health system pharmacy during each of the summers between PY1b and PY2a, PY2a and PY3a, and PY3a and PY3b for a total of 6 credits (336 hrs.) with a minimum of 112 hours (2 credits) in a health system pharmacy. Every effort will be made to secure sites in your area, but if one is not identified, you may be required to come to campus.
APPE clinical rotations in the distance pathway will follow the same schedule and requirements as the on-campus pathway (eight 6-week rotations). Students may be required to complete one 6-week experience with WNE faculty.
*Due to the limited number of health systems and unavailability of sites in Puerto Rico, students from Puerto Rico will be required to complete health system rotations (one IPPE and at least three APPEs) in the continental United States.
Housing will be made available for students completing APPEs in the Springfield area. Additional costs will apply.
Yes. Both programs offer distance online learning.
Students may be able to transfer (one time) from one pathway to the other for extenuating circumstances.
The tuition and fees for the distance pathways are comparable to the on-campus program. Additional details can be found on our Cost & Aid page.
