Pharmacy Technician

Program Overview

Designed for rapid workforce integration, this program prepares students for pharmacy practice in retail, hospital, compounding, long-term care, and institutional settings. Blended online and on-campus learning combines pharmacology, pharmaceutical calculations, prescription processing, pharmacy law, compounding, inventory management, and pharmacy software.

• Duration: 12 months across Fall, Spring, and Summer
• Delivery: Blended online and on-campus
• Total credits: 36 semester credit hours
• Clinical experience: 160-hour supervised externship

Open the complete Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program Plan (PDF)

Learning Outcomes

• Calculate accurately: Calculate dosages, flow rates, dilutions, ratio strengths, alligations, and day supplies.
• Process prescriptions: Process outpatient and inpatient medication orders, enter prescriptions, identify drug interactions, and use pharmacy management software.
• Compound safely: Prepare sterile and non-sterile products in alignment with USP <795>, USP <797>, and USP <800> standards.
• Apply pharmacy law: Navigate the Controlled Substances Act, DEA regulations, State Board rules, HIPAA, and FDA guidelines.
• Manage operations: Support inventory control, cold-chain storage, recalls, third-party billing, and medication-error prevention.

Admissions Requirements

• Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
• Prerequisites: High school Algebra and Chemistry or Biology, or passing scores on institutional math and science placement assessments.
• Background clearance: Comprehensive criminal background check and 10-panel drug screening for State Board registration and externship placement.
• Health clearance: Proof of Hepatitis B series, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, annual PPD/TB test, and State Pharmacy Technician Trainee Registration.

12-Month Curriculum

The curriculum spans three continuous semesters and combines online theory, simulation laboratory compounding practice, and a 160-hour clinical externship.

Semester 1: Pharmaceutical Foundations and Calculations

12 credits

• PT 101: Introduction to Pharmacy Practice and Terminology — 3 credits. Community, hospital, and institutional practice; terminology, dosage forms, drug classifications, and brand/generic identification.
• PT 103: Pharmaceutical Calculations and Dosage Mathematics — 3 credits. Metric conversions, ratio and proportion, alligation, IV flow rates, pediatric dosing, and business calculations.
• PT 105: Pharmacy Law, Ethics, and Federal Regulations — 3 credits. Federal and state law, Controlled Substances Act, DEA guidance, HIPAA, FDA regulations, and State Board rules.
• PT 107: Prescription Processing and Pharmacy Software Lab — 3 credits. Prescription entry, sig codes, third-party adjudication, automated dispensing, and EHR systems.

Semester 2: Advanced Pharmacology and Compounding

15 credits

• PT 201: Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians I — 4 credits. Drug actions, indications, contraindications, side effects, and interactions across cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal systems.
• PT 203: Non-Sterile Compounding and Extemporaneous Prep (USP <795>) — 4 credits. Compounding creams, ointments, oral suspensions, capsules, and suppositories using USP <795> quality assurance guidelines.
• PT 205: Sterile Compounding and Aseptic Technique (USP <797> and <800>) — 4 credits. Aseptic technique, IV admixtures, TPN, chemotherapy safety handling, and cleanroom protocols.
• PT 207: Pharmacology II and Body System Pathophysiology — 3 credits. Anti-infectives, endocrine medications, central nervous system agents, oncology therapeutics, and biological response modifiers.

Semester 3: Pharmacy Operations and Externship

9 credits

• PT 301: Pharmacy Inventory, Billing, and Supply Chain — 3 credits. Purchasing, storage and cold-chain management, formulary management, recalls, claim resolution, and medication safety systems.
• PT 303: National Certification Board Review (PTCE/ExCPT Prep) — 2 credits. PTCE content review, practice exams, resume building, and career strategies.
• PT 305: Pharmacy Technician Clinical Externship (160 Hours) — 4 credits. Supervised placement in retail, hospital, compounding, or institutional pharmacy settings.

Tuition and Estimated Costs

Direct Institutional Costs

• Tuition: $16,200 ($450 per credit × 36 credits)
• Institutional program fee: $1,200 for student services, library access, technology, and LMS infrastructure
• Pharmaceutical lab and compounding fee: $900 for sterile supplies, PPE, chemicals, and USP testing kits
• Pharmacy software and simulation fee: $350 for dispensing simulation software, drug-interaction databases, and calculation suites
• Total direct institutional costs: $18,650

Estimated Indirect Expenses

• Textbooks and digital calculations suite: $450
• Cleanroom scrubs and safety attire: $200
• State Board trainee registration: $100–$150
• Background check and drug screening: $120
• PTCE or ExCPT national exam fee: $129–$140
• Total estimated indirect costs: $999–$1,060

Grand total estimated program investment: $19,649–$19,710.

Financial Aid and Payment Options

• Institutional monthly payment plans: Interest-free installments across the 12-month program.
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): State and federal workforce development funding for eligible allied health certificate candidates.
• Veterans’ educational benefits: GI Bill® and VA educational funding streams.
• Private health education financing: Specialized loan options for short-term pharmacy technician certificate students.

Professional Certification Pathway

Upon completion, graduates are prepared to pursue nationally recognized credentialing and state registration pathways.

• CPhT (PTCB): Certified Pharmacy Technician through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
• CPhT (NHA/ExCPT): Certified Pharmacy Technician through the National Healthcareer Association.
• CSPT (PTCB): Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician pathway.
• State registration: Registration as a Licensed Registered Pharmacy Technician with State Boards of Pharmacy.