Please CLICK HERE for a pdf version of the latest Academic Policies.

The profession of pharmacy has earned the title “the most respected healthcare professional” due to years of professionalism displayed to patients, colleagues, and society in general. The goal at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy is to continue this tradition by providing a community of scholars and learners where core values of Christlikeness, truth, excellence and service integrate our faith and ethics with the practice of academic pursuits. 

The goal of the curriculum is to prepare student pharmacists to optimize medication outcomes in an ethical and compassionate manner; to satisfy pre-licensure requirements of Boards of Pharmacy; to develop student pharmacists into effective practitioners with excellent patient care skills; and to be able to manage ethical, cultural, and socioeconomic challenges that will be faced in everyday practice.

CLEP / Advanced Placement Credit
Grading Scale
Academic Integrity
Textbooks
Computers and Computer Skills
Class Attendance
Dress Code
Degree Requirements for Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.)
Transfer Requests
Student Pharmacist Records

 

CLEP / Advanced Placement Credit

 

Advanced placement (AP) and CLEP credit (credit by examination) may be used to satisfy prerequisite coursework provided that the credit is accepted by the applicant’s institution and is posted on the applicant’s official academic transcript. Acceptance of credit is at the discretion of Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy based upon course equivalency standards.  Back to top.

 

Grading Scale

All work in the Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy is graded by letters. Each letter is in turn assigned a quality-point value according to the list provided below. 

 

 

The College has adopted a numerical scoring system where a 70% score is the minimum passing score. Student pharmacists obtaining scores less than 70% will be subject to course remediation per a plan as developed by the course coordinator and the Academic Progression Committee. The following is the grading scale:

 

 

Student pharmacists must maintain a cumulative and per semester GPA in all professional coursework of at least 2.3. A student who fails to attain a 2.3 GPA in any academic semester will be placed on Academic Probation. Additionally, student pharmacists with a GPA of 3.0 or less during their advanced practice experiences (APPEs) may be subject to remedial work, based on recommendation from the Academic Progression Committee and the Experiential Education Committee. Students earning less than a 3.0 GPA during the fourth professional year must meet with the Associate Dean for Experiential Education, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and at leas one of their preceptors. Student Pharmacists achieving a GPA of 4.0 will be recognized on the Dean’s List. Those with a GPA of 3.5-3.99 will be recognized on the Dean’s Honor Roll.  Back to top.

Academic Integrity

 

As citizens of the Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy community , student pharmacists, along with the faculty and staff, share the responsibility of promoting a climate of integrity.  While we accept student pharmacists from any religios background, our faculty is exclusively Christian, and as a distinctive Christian university, our culture will be based on Christian Values.  The pursiut of truth is a core value of the College and lays the foundation for lifelong integrity. In every facet of our work, we seek excellence in the pursuit of knowledge and the courage to make difficult choices even at personal cost. In our service to this community, our actions should reflect the secod great command "to love your neighbor as yourself." This command compels us to respect others, to treat others fairly and honestly, and to assume personal responsibility. Our life is built on the foundation of serving others and living in truth. A community built on these principles cannot accept cheating, lying, fraud, theft, and other dishonest behaviors that jepardize the rights and welfare of the community and diminish the worth of academic integrity of the community. The Community of Faith sets out broad principles.  From these broad principles flow policies and practices for members of the Lipscomb University Community.  The Acaemic Integrity Policy identifies specific policy infrations, provides a listing of sanctions which students may face, and identifies the specific steps in the process. Please see the separate policy relating to Academic Integrity for specific information.  Back to top.

Textbooks

Student pharmacists will be provided a listing of all required and recommended textbooks well in advance of the next academic semester. The student pharmacists will be provided ISBN-13 identification numbers and are responsible for acquiring the textbook prior to the start of the next semester’s courses. Student pharmacists bear all responsibility regarding their purchases. The College will assure that the University Bookstore stock a sufficient number of textbooks to accommodate all student pharmacists desiring to purchase their books on campus.   Student pharmacists in the Fall semester of the first professional year will have all required textbooks bundled and available for pickup prior to the start of the semester.  The College may also utilize online textbooks (e-texts) as part of course requirements.  In such cases where an online textbook is used, the faculty must assure that sufficient access to the text can be achieved by any computer that meets the minimal requirements for personal notebook (laptop) as described by the College.  Back to top.

 

Computers and Computer Skills

Computer literacy is an entry requirement for Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy. Student Pharmacists will not be able to complete the coursework in the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) curriculum without a solid foundation in basic computer skills, which we define as confidence in using:

·         Microsoft Word (or equivalent word processor)

·         Microsoft Excel (or equivalent spreadsheet program)

·         Microsoft PowerPoint

·         Adobe Reader

·         E-Mail

·         Internet Web Browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Mozilla)

Student pharmacists will be required to document that they possess these minimal skills during orientation of the first professional year. Student pharmacists requesting supplemental training will be accommodated. All student pharmacists will be required to have a personal notebook (laptop) computer with wireless networking capability and software that meets a minimum set of specifications. Computer specifications are located on the College’s website under the “Computer Requirements” tab.  For more information about computer requirements, please click here.  Back to top.

Class Attendance

It is the responsibility of student pharmacists and faculty to maintain an atmosphere in classrooms and laboratories that are conducive to teaching and learning.  Behavior is expected to adhere to professional standards and to contribute in a positive way to the learning process.  Behavior that is rude, disruptive, or that infringes on the rights of faculty, staff, or student pharmacists to effectively engage in the teaching/learning process will not be tolerated.  A critical part of student pharmacist professionalism is showing respect to faculty and the opportunity to gain knowledge. 

As part of demonstrating this professionalism, student pharmacists are required to attend class.  Course coordinators and instructors have the authority to routinely or randomly monitor and document class attendance by any verbal, written, or electronic method utilized at the beginning, during, or end of the scheduled class period.  The College of Pharmacy has established an attendance policy which states that student pharmacists can miss no more class hours within an individual course than twice the number of course credit hours without penalty (i.e., four class hours of absences for a two semester credit hour course).  There are no excused or unexcused absences; student pharmacists suffering illnesses or if there is another valid reason for the absence can utilize the aforementioned days (i.e., no more than twice the number of course credit hours) for these absences.  The College strongly discourages missing class haphazardly and it is deemed to be a breach of professionalism.  If the student pharmacist reaches the limit of allowed absences and then, due to illness, needs to miss an additional day, the penalty described below will be enforced.  Makeup of missed assignments will be allowed if the student pharmacist is within the allowed number of absences.  Some graded assignments are not conducive to makeup (i.e., group projects, presentations) and in those cases the course coordinator will exercise judgment whether course content makeup can be performed.  In some cases, a modified version of the missed assignment will be assigned for make up and this is at faculty discretion.  Course content make up of missed work should not disrupt the overall course schedule. 

It is understood that there may be instances where a student pharmacist is unable to attend class for an extended period (defined as being absent for classes the equivalent of one week) due to illness or other valid personal reasons.  The student pharmacist should notify the course coordinator prior to the absence, if known, or promptly thereafter to inform the coordinator of the circumstances.  Extended absences need to be validated and cleared through the Office of Academic Affairs.  It is likely that the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will require documentation of illness from your health care provider if illness is the reason for the extended absence.  The course coordinator will help the student pharmacist develop a plan to make up any missed class work or assignments.  In cases where the absence is more pronounced, the Academic Progression Committee will work collaboratively with the course coordinators to schedule the make up process.

The policy for managing attendance issues for individual student pharmacists is as follows:

• Student pharmacists who miss class more than two times the number of credit hours for an individual course will be required to meet with the Director for Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before being readmitted to class and have their final letter grade for the course reduced by one letter grade and no makeup of missed graded assignments will be allowed.  If course remediation is required, the plan will be developed by the course coordinator and approved by the Academic Progression Committee.
• Student pharmacists who miss class more than three times the number of credit hours for an individual course will be required to meet with the Director for Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before being readmitted to class and have their final letter grade for the course reduced by two letter grades and no makeup of missed graded assignments will be allowed.  If course remediation is required, the plan will be developed by the course coordinator and approved by the Academic Progression Committee.
• Student pharmacists who miss class more than four times the number of credit hours for an individual course will be required to meet with the Director for Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before being readmitted to class and have their final letter grade for the course reduced by three letter grades.  This will require remediation of the course content per the College’s Academic Policies.  The plans for remediation will be developed by the course coordinator and approved by the Academic Progression Committee.

The policy for managing attendance issues for the entire class is as follows:

• The course coordinator has the authority to discontinue the electronic availability of lectures on the audio/video lecture capture system for the remaining portion of the semester if attendance for the entire class drops below 80% more than two times the number of credit hours for an individual course.

Dress Code

Professional standards include appropriate dress and proper attention to personal hygiene. Specific activities and settings require particular attire and appearance. Student pharmacists, faculty, and staff must be aware of and adhere to these expectations and requirements.

·         All members of the College community are expected to maintain standards of modesty and decency in dress appropriate to the Christian lifestyle and consistent with professional employment expectations. For these reasons, student pharmacists, faculty, and staff are expected to adhere to the broad guidelines listed in this section. Violations of these guidelines for student pharmacists will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs. Violations of these guidelines for faculty or staff will be referred to the respective Department Chair or supervisor.

·         Clothing must be neat, clean, and relatively free of the tattered and worn look.

·         Clothing must be modest in style and length to demonstrate professionalism.

·         Clothing that is unusual or displays materials inconsistent with the mission and values of the College are prohibited.

·         The following are not allowed:

1.         Midriff or off-the-shoulder blouses, sweaters, or dresses;

2.         Tight, sheer, or revealing clothing and garments designed as underwear or sleepwear should not be worn as outerwear.

3.         T-shirts with advertisements, sayings, or logos, with the exception of College-approved University apparel;

4.         Spaghetti strap or strapless shirts or dresses;

5.         Denim jeans;

6.         Shorts or sports attire;

7.         Caps, hats, bandanas, plastic hair bags, and “do-rags” are not permitted in classes, unless worn for medical conditions or safety purposes or established religious or cultural customs.

·         Unusual hair styles, large visible tattooing, or body/facial piercing may not reflect a professional image; therefore, any hairstyle, tatoo or piercing that draws unusual attention to the student pharmacist, faculty, or staff member should be avoided.  

·         For men, beards are to be neatly trimmed.

·         Standard scrub shirts and pants are allowed in classroom settings as long as they are accompanied by a standard Lipscomb College of Pharmacy white coat. Scrub suits may also be appropriate if required at an IPPE, APPE, and are required for certain laboratory settings.

·         During pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs or APPEs), professional dress is expected with a clean, white lab coat with the official College-issued name badge affixed. Men must wear a shirt and tie and women should dress in a skirt, dress, or trousers. No open-toed shoes are allowed on pharmacy practice experiences.

·         The Dean, in consultation with the faculty, staff, and student pharmacists, may designate special “dress-up” or “dress-down” days for a specific event(s) or theme. 
Back to top.              

 

Degree Requirements for Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.)

 

·         Completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum with a passing grade in each course, a passing score in the calculations capstone, and with a 2.3 cumulative grade point average in a maximum of six academic years, unless enrolled in a dual degree program.

·         Forty-six months residence in an accredited school of pharmacy, the final 24 months of which must be completed at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy.

·         Recommendation by the faculty of the College through the Academic Progression Committee.

·         Payment of all financial obligations to the College.

·         Compulsory attendance at graduation exercises.

Back to top.

 

Transfer Requests

 

Student pharmacists requesting a transfer to Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy from another Doctor of Pharmacy program must follow College guidelines. 

·       Each case will be individually assessed on its merit and potential transfer students are to be informed that it is likely that an additional semester or more is likely to fulfill all required coursework. 

·       Student pharmacists must have an official transcript of their work from each school they have attended mailed to the College of Pharmacy’s Director of Admission and Recruitment office. 

·       A recommendation to accept courses will be made by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs after consultation with the University Registrar, Department Chairs, and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Final decision to accept or deny will reside with the Dean. Each course will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to establish whether or not the course work fulfills existing requirements within the College’s curriculum. If components of a particular course that are deemed critical elements by the Department Chairs were not covered by the previous academic institution in their respective curriculum (for a similarly described course), then the transfer student pharmacist will be asked to repeat that particular course upon admission to the College. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will provide the transfer student pharmacist a full listing of his/her curricular requirements prior to enrollment thereby providing opportunity to accept the conditions for transfer. 

·       Transfer candidates will be evaluated for transfer eligibility based on previous academic performance, personal behavior, on-campus interview, and, when applicable, recommendations from faculty from the previous college/school of pharmacy.

·       A grade of “C” or better must have been earned for each course for transfer. 

·       At least 50 percent of the credit hours required for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree must be earned in coursework at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy; therefore, only transfer candidates in the earliest semesters of their respective pharmacy programs are eligible for transfer. 

·       Credit must have been received from an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) approved college of pharmacy before it will be awarded. Additionally, the prospective transfer student pharmacist must complete an onsite interview process arranged by the Director of Admissions and Recruitment. 

·       Transfer student pharmacists may also be asked to complete an assessment consistent with the level of coursework the student pharmacist should have completed prior to transfer. An assessment will be made on the score received to ascertain if the transfer should move forward and at what academic level within the College.

·       Additionally, all applicants to Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy must possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on all previous college work. Grades from all undergraduate coursework attempted are included in the calculation of the overall undergraduate GPA which is the primary GPA used in the admissions process. All previous academic work will be evaluated.
Back to top.

 

Student Pharmacist Records

 

The College follows University guidelines and regulations regarding access to student pharmacist records and is consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Ordinarily, access to records is restricted to authorized personnel, such as deans, the Office of Student Affairs, and all University approved staff per the University policy (such as Provost, Registrar). Faculty must have legitimate academic interest to view student pharmacist records. That principally occurs when faculty serve as a student pharmacist's academic advisor. Faculty also have implied consent to view a student pharmacist's record if asked for a letter of recommendation, or if a student pharmacist asks a faculty member to act as an advisor on a research project. Student pharmacists wishing to deny faculty access to their records under either of the previously cited cases must notify the Office of Student Affairs of their wishes each time a request for faculty action is initiated. Faculty will have access to student pharmacist records in other circumstances only with permission from the College's Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Associate Dean for Student Affairs.  Back to top.