The University of Southern Indiana and The Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (SU  COPHS) have announced a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) pathway agreement allowing students to receive a degree in a timelier and more affordable timeframe than the traditional path. 

Under the newly announced pathway agreement, eligible undergraduate students at USI who have completed three years of all prerequisite courses in biology, chemistry or biochemistry can matriculate into the SU COPHS PharmD program. 

Upon completion of specific PharmD courses at SU COPHS, credits will be transferred back to USI so students can be granted a Bachelor of Science degree. 

“Our partnership with Sullivan University underscores USI’s commitment to finding innovative approaches to assure the best possible educational and lifetime outcomes for our students” says Dr. Mohammed Khayum, USI Provost. 

"Under the pathway program, students can complete both their undergraduate degree and Doctor of Pharmacy degree in as few as six years," says Dr. Dale English, SU COPHS Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor in the Pharmacy Practice Department. "This allows students to enter the workforce as a pharmacist one to two years quicker than traditional Doctor of Pharmacy programs, and the current job market continues to show a demand for the services of a pharmacist throughout most of the United States, including Kentucky, Indiana and surrounding states." 

USI began exploring a partnership with SU COPHS because an increasing number of students have selected the school for their PharmD studies. 

"These students will follow coursework that allows them to work toward a Bachelor of Science degree at USI while preparing them for application to, and matriculation into, the Pharm.D program," says Dr. Kenneth Walsh, Chair of the Chemistry Department and Associate Professor of Chemistry. "In the past, these students may have left USI after three years, but now they can complete their Bachelor of Science degree upon completion of the first year of the PharmD program at Sullivan without adding extra coursework or time. This is a perfect example of USI’s value proposition to transform the lives of our students through exceptional learning and intentional innovation."   

Through the new program, undergraduate coursework will occur on the USI campus and all professional level coursework will occur on the SU COPHS Louisville campus.  

"With small class sizes and faculty dedicated to teaching, students at USI in the biology and chemistry majors benefit from close interactions with instructors," Walsh says. "The PharmD program at Sullivan has similar priorities and class sizes, and our students will find Sullivan to be a smooth transition and a great continuation of their USI education."