• Any combination of courses offered by the School of Pharmacy and/or outside the School on the approved pharmacy professional elective list can be used to fulfill the required nine professional elective credits.
• These nine credits of professional electives must be taken for a grade. Electives beyond these nine may be taken as pass/fail.
• Independent study credits can be used to fulfill pharmacy professional elective credits.
• Credits from the Traditional Chinese Medicine study abroad experience can be used.
• Courses taken in fulfillment of a Pharm.D./MBA or Pharm.D./MPH dual degree program can be used to fulfill the nine credits of professional electives.
• Courses taken in fulfillment of a pharmacy curricular track can be used to fulfill the nine credits of professional electives.
• Courses taken in fulfillment of a minor or undergraduate dual degree, that are not already on the approved professional elective list, may be used after consulting with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
• Courses already approved as a direct equivalent to a UConn course, taken at a Connecticut institution, and on our professional elective list may be used.
• You may not count a course that was used to fulfill a general education requirement (such as a content area or competency) as a pharmacy professional elective.

If you would like to take a course that is not on the approved pharmacy professional elective list, you must first meet with the Professional (Pharm.D.) Staff Academic Advisor (not your faculty advisor) to submit the approval request form for non-approved electives to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for review and approval. Forms must be submitted by the 10th day of the semester. A separate form must be submitted for each individual class. Examples of non-approved electives include:

• UConn courses offered outside the School of Pharmacy.
• Online or in-person courses taken at a non-Connecticut Institution must be approved through UConn’s Transfer Admissions Office prior to approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
• A foreign language beyond the one year of required foreign language.
• A graduate course.
• Other study abroad experiences.

All professional electives approved by the School of Pharmacy must support outcomes for pharmacy education, as outlined in the ACPE Standards 2025 for the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Please review the educational outcomes below before filling out the Professional Elective Approval Request Form.

2.1.a Scientific Thinking (Learner) – The graduate is able to seek, analyze, integrate, and apply foundational knowledge of medications and pharmacy practice (biomedical; pharmaceutical; social, behavioral, administrative; and clinical sciences; drug classes; and digital health).

2.1.b Problem Solving Process (Problem-Solver) – The graduate is able to use problem solving and critical thinking skills, along with an innovative mindset, to address challenges and to promote positive change.

2.1.c Communication (Communicator) – The graduate is able to actively engage, listen, and communicate verbally, nonverbally, and in writing, when interacting or educating with an individual, group, or organization.

2.1.d Cultural and Structural Humility (Ally) – The graduate is able to mitigate health disparities by considering, recognizing, and navigating cultural and structural factors (e.g., social determinants of health, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) to improve access and health outcomes.

2.1.e Person-Centered Care (Provider) – The graduate is able to provide whole person care to individuals as the medication specialist using the Pharmacist’s Patient Care Process.

2.1.f Advocacy (Advocate) – The graduate is able to promote the best interests of patients and/or the pharmacy profession within healthcare settings and at the community, state, or national level.

2.1.g Medication-use Process Stewardship (Steward) – The graduate is able to optimize patient healthcare outcomes using human, financial, technological, and physical resources to improve the safety, efficacy, and environmental impact of medication use systems.

2.1.h Interprofessional Collaboration (Collaborator) – The graduate is able to actively engage and contribute as a healthcare team member by demonstrating core interprofessional competencies.

2.1.i Population Health and Wellness (Promoter) – The graduate is able to assess factors that influence the health and wellness of a population and develop strategies to address those factors.

2.1.j Leadership (Leader) – The graduate is able to demonstrate the ability to influence and support the achievement of shared goals, regardless of one’s role.

2.1.k Self-awareness (Self-aware) – The graduate is able to examine, reflect on, and address personal and professional attributes (e.g., knowledge, metacognition, skills, abilities, beliefs, biases, motivation, help-seeking strategies, and emotional intelligence) that could enhance or limit growth, development, and professional identity formation.

2.1.l Professionalism (Professional) – The graduate is able to exhibit attitudes and behaviors that embody a commitment to building and maintaining trust with patients, other health care providers, and society.

Students may choose to concentrate in a specific department and/or category of professional electives, or elect an interdisciplinary generalist approach.

LIST OF APPROVED PROFESSIONAL ELECTIVES