The College of Pharmacy at UNE: Our Accreditation Status

We are very pleased to learn of your interest in pharmacy and in our Doctor of Pharmacy program.  As you do your research in gathering information about schools and colleges of pharmacy there is one facet of their operation that should not be overlooked and that is their accreditation status with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).  This is especially important with new or emerging academic programs such as ours at the University of New England.

July 2010

THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AT UNE: 
OUR ACCREDITATION STATUS

A critical component of opening a new college of pharmacy is attaining the various levels of accreditation necessary at the appropriate time in the college’s academic program development.  The first step in the three step process is called Precandidate Status.  The College was granted this status by the ACPE Board of Directors in June 2009.  This action permitted the College to admit the accepted students in our inaugural class to the Doctor of Pharmacy program in September 2009.  Our College’s application for the Doctor of Pharmacy Program to be granted candidate status was acted upon favorably by the ACPE Board of Directors in June 2010.   The final step in the accreditation process is the granting of Full Accreditation for the Doctor of Pharmacy Program by the ACPE Board of Directors after the inaugural class graduates in May 2013.

ACPE requires that all Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy utilize the following Accreditation Disclosure Statement documentation:

Accreditation Disclosure Statement

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs offered by Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy in the United States and selected non-US sites. For a Doctor of Pharmacy program offered by a new College or School of Pharmacy, ACPE accreditation generally involves three steps: Precandidate accreditation status, Candidate accreditation status, and Full accreditation status.

Precandidate accreditation status denotes a developmental program that is expected to mature in accord with stated plans and within a defined time period. Precandidate accreditation status is awarded to a new program of a College or School of Pharmacy that has not yet enrolled students in the professional program and authorizes the College to admit its first class.

Candidate accreditation status is awarded to a Doctor of Pharmacy program that has students enrolled but has not yet had a graduating class. Full accreditation status is awarded to a program that has met all ACPE standards for accreditation and has graduated its first class.

Graduates of a class designated as having Candidate accreditation status have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program. ACPE conveys its decisions to the various boards of pharmacy and makes recommendations in accord with its decisions. It should be noted, however, that decisions concerning eligibility for licensure by examination or reciprocity reside with the respective state boards of pharmacy in accordance with their state statutes and administrative rules.

The Doctor of Pharmacy program of the University of New England College of Pharmacy was awarded Candidate accreditation status during the June 23-27, 2010, meeting of the ACPE Board of Directors based upon an on-site evaluation conducted April 27-29, 2010, and discussion with University and College officials. If the program continues to develop as planned, Full accreditation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program will be considered by the Board following the graduation of students from the program.

Precandidate Status

Granting of Precandidate accreditation status brings no rights or privileges of accreditation as associated with either Candidate accreditation status or Full accreditation status. Precandidate accreditation status indicates only that planning has taken into account ACPE standards and guidelines and suggests reasonable assurance of moving to the next step, that of Candidate status. Since Precandidate accreditation status does not create any rights of accreditation under the ACPE standards, it is the opinion of ACPE that graduates of programs of Colleges or Schools of pharmacy that bear Precandidate accreditation status do not meet the educational requirements for licensure.

Candidate Status

With respect to clarification of the meaning of Candidate accreditation status, graduates of a program so designed would, in the opinion of ACPE, have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program. The Candidate accreditation status denotes a developmental program that is expected to mature in accord with stated plans within a defined time period. It should be underscored, however, that decisions concerning eligibility for licensure by examination or reciprocity reside with the respective state boards of pharmacy in accordance with their state statutes and administrative rules. Should Candidate accreditation status be awarded to a program, ACPE would, however, make its position known and make recommendations consistent with that position. 

For further information contact the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 135 S. LaSalle Street,, Suite 4100, Chicago, IL, 60603-4810; 312-644-3575; FAX 312-664-4652, web site www.acpe-accredit.org.