What Types of Pharmacy Programs and Providers Does ACPE Accredit?

Updated

ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) accredits five categories of pharmacy education and training: Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States, continuing pharmacy education (CE) providers, pharmacy technician education and training programs (in collaboration with ASHP), international pharmacy degree programs through its International Services Program, and—through its Continuing Professional Development program—supports structured, self-directed learning for pharmacists. Which category applies to you depends on whether you are a program administrator seeking accreditation, a learner choosing a program, or a provider of continuing education.

The Five Accreditation Areas at a Glance

Area Who or what is accredited Primary audience
PharmD Accreditation Program Doctor of Pharmacy programs in the U.S. Deans and program administrators
Continuing Education Provider Accreditation Providers of continuing pharmacy education CE providers
Pharmacy Technician Education Accreditation Technician education and training programs, run jointly with ASHP Technician program administrators
International Services Program Professional pharmacy degree programs outside the U.S. International program administrators
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Supports pharmacists' self-directed, ongoing learning Learners and practitioners

PharmD Accreditation

ACPE accredits Doctor of Pharmacy programs, ensuring they meet rigorous educational standards in the United States. This is the core accreditation function most people associate with ACPE. If you are a dean or program administrator, this is the pathway for a professional degree program; if you are a prospective student, an accredited PharmD program is the relevant marker to look for.

Continuing Education Provider Accreditation

ACPE accredits providers of continuing pharmacy education, helping them offer high-quality educational programs that keep pharmacists up to date. This applies to organizations that deliver CE, not to individual pharmacists. The program is described as designed to ensure the quality and integrity of continuing pharmacy education.

Pharmacy Technician Education Accreditation

In collaboration with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), ACPE accredits pharmacy technician education and training programs. Note the joint structure: this is a shared accreditation effort rather than a standalone ACPE program, so expect ASHP to be part of the process.

International Services Program

ACPE offers evaluation and international accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy education outside the United States. This gives non-U.S. programs a pathway to quality recognition on a global scale. It is distinct from U.S. PharmD accreditation and is aimed at international program administrators.

Continuing Professional Development

CPD is described as a self-directed, ongoing, systematic, and outcomes-focused approach to learning that integrates into daily practice. ACPE supports CPD through structured self-directed learning materials and tools, and offers a CPD accreditation program tied to a commitment to improvement. This area is oriented toward learners and practitioners rather than institutions seeking program-level accreditation.

How to Choose the Right Path

  • You run a U.S. PharmD program: start with the PharmD Accreditation Program.
  • You deliver continuing pharmacy education: look at Continuing Education Provider Accreditation.
  • You run a pharmacy technician program: the joint ACPE–ASHP pathway applies.
  • Your pharmacy degree program is outside the U.S.: the International Services Program is the relevant route.
  • You are an individual pharmacist or learner: CPD resources and the directory of domestic accredited programs and providers are the practical starting points.

The site organizes its navigation around these audiences—deans and program administrators on one side, learners on the other—so the fastest way to the right program page is to identify which of these two groups you belong to first.