Just the second institution in the state to offer the PharmD degree, and the only private college, Notre Dame educates pharmacists who will transform patient care. The School is dedicated to preparing leaders in the field of pharmacy who will provide compassionate, quality care for the diverse patient populations of today and tomorrow.

The Right School for Students

With its first class entering in Fall 2009, the School of Pharmacy’s program reflects the most up-to-date practices and philosophies in the field. Experienced administrators and faculty members have come together from across the country, energized by the opportunity to launch a new addition to the nation’s selection of pharmacy programs.

The focus is on excellence in teaching, learning, service and scholarship at Notre Dame. A challenging academic program prepares students for the rigors of the field, concentrating on the human elements of patient care, along with the science, technology and practical elements of pharmacy management. Dynamic coursework coupled with community outreach projects result in professionals well-prepared to care for individual patients and to help insure the health of the public.

Students will directly apply lessons from class into professional environments. Notre Dame of Maryland University has well-established partnerships with businesses and organizations throughout the area, providing exceptional opportunities for community outreach in the School of Pharmacy.

Consistent with the private college atmosphere, students receive individualized attention from faculty. Each academic advisor guides each student based on his/her distinctive talents and interests.

Students will work with Johns Hopkins nursing and medical students to help develop inter-professional relationships early in their careers.  Students will have the opportunity to be placed at sites including: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, CDC, FDA, APHA, FIMRC (international rotation), and more.  

Key Faculty

Nicole S. Culhane, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS
Dr. Nicole Culhane is currently the Assistant Dean of Experiential Education and Professor of Clinical and Administrative Sciences at Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy. She received her B.S. in pharmacy from Rutgers University and Doctor of Pharmacy from the Medical University of South Carolina. Following the completion of her degree, she completed a one-year specialty residency in Family Medicine at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She then joined Wilkes University in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Adjunct Faculty at the Wyoming Valley Family Medicine Residency Program where she worked for 11 years before joining the administration at Notre Dame of Maryland University School of Pharmacy to help build her second new pharmacy school program. In her current position, Dr. Culhane is responsible for curricular development in Experiential Education; recruitment, retention, and development of experiential sites and preceptors; assessment and quality assurance of the experiential program; and overall experiential program administration.

Asish K. Dutta, Ph.D.
Dr. Asish K. Dutta received his B.S. in pharmacy from Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy. He has over 3 and ½ years of experience as a scientist and sr. scientist in drug development and formulation in the pharmaceutical industry. He also brings several years of academic experience as an Instructor of Pharmaceutical calculations, Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics to Notre Dame of Maryland University. He is currently serving as the representative of Student and Post-doc Outreach and Development (SPOD) Committee of Manufacturing and Science (MSE) section of American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientist (AAPS). He is also serving as a member of the leadership team of Greater Maryland Discussion Group (GMDG), an affiliate of AAPS.

Research and Labs

Susan M. Love, M.D. and Helen S. Cooksey, M.D. Faculty Cell and Molecular Pharmacology Laboratory
The Faculty Cell and Molecular Pharmacology Laboratory, 1,000 sq ft. research space, has been specifically designed to allow faculty and student pharmacists to engage in cutting edge research. Outfitted with two positive pressure cell culture rooms and state-of-the-art research equipment, this space is uniquely designed to foster collaborative investigation of disease states and drug action on a cellular
and molecular level.

Pharmaceutics Laboratory
Located in the newly renovated lower level of the Knott Science Center, the Pharmaceutics Laboratory is a 980 sq. ft. teaching space designed to allow student pharmacists to explore and learn the art and science of drug compounding and formulation. Outfitted with the latest instructional technology and designed specifically to enhance
student-faculty interactions, this lab is an ideal space for students to learn the skills necessary to produce various drug dosage forms.

Pharmacists Care Lab
The Pharmacist Care Lab is the primary instruction area for skills-based instruction and application and is used during all three years of the didactic curriculum. The central area accommodates 1/3 of the class for group discussion. The six breakout rooms, equipped with technology for two-way interaction with the instructor from a control room, for experiential learning application, role-play, and small group demonstration and clinical skills development. Videotaping of student performance in simulated patient encounters addresses the requirement to measure student mastery of crucial skill sets necessary for patient-centered care that will result in positive patient care outcomes.

Tuition and Other Financial Information

How and When to Apply for Aid?
Prospective students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1, each year. The FAFSA is available on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Our school code is 002065.

When will I receive an award letter for the Pharmacy program?
You will receive a financial aid award letter for the Pharmacy Program after the Office of Financial Aid has received your FAFSA and any other documentation that was requested (such as proof of citizenship, tax forms, selective service letter) and you have paid your admissions deposit to the Pharmacy School.

How much will the program cost?
For commuter students entering to the program in Fall 2023, the total direct cost for the year is 40,350.

How are Pharmacy students packaged for financial aid?
All students awarded at Notre Dame of Maryland University are packaged to their total Cost of Attendance. The cost of attendance will include a budget for tuition, fees, books, room, board, transportation, and personal expenses. Students may accept any portion of their aid (for example just to cover the direct costs of their tuition and fees). Cost of attendance information is available on line at www.ndm.edu/financialaid.

What types of aid are available?
Students who have excelled academically and who have demonstrated through their extracurricular activities the potential to be an outstanding pharmacist are eligible for a limited number of scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.

Out of state residents, and some in state residences, are eligible for complementary housing on campus.

Students who meet the federal requirements for financial assistance based on their FAFSA application may apply for:

• Federal Student Loans
• Stafford-limit of $33,000 for professional students
• Grad PLUS-limit is up to cost of attendance/budget for program

Students who are residents of Maryland and file a FAFSA by March 1 may receive:

• Senatorial and Delegate Scholarships -through the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). See www.mhec.state.md.us for more information on how to apply.
• Graduate and Professional Scholarship – through MHEC- all Pharmacy students who are residents of Maryland will automatically be considered for limited awards. No application is required and funding is not guaranteed.

Requirements for Applicants Seeking Admission

To be considered for admission to the School of Pharmacy, an applicant must:

1. Have completed or be in the process of completing 52 semester hours or 68 quarter hours of non-remedial, prerequisite coursework from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. The student must earn a grade of C or better in each pre-requisite course.
2. International applicants must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of non-remedial pre-requisite coursework from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 hours must be in the sciences, six hours in non-remedial English composition, and three hours in speech/public speaking. This additional requirement is waived for applicants who completed their pre-requisite coursework at a post-secondary Canadian institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction and documentation.
3. All pre-pharmacy coursework requirements must be completed by the end of summer session I prior to matriculation to the School of Pharmacy.
4. Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average and science grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. PharmCAS calculates the overall and science grade point average. Grades from all non-remedial courses completed post-high school are used to calculate the grade point average.
    
5. Note: PCAT test scores not required or considered.
6. Possess a people/service orientation as demonstrated through community service or extracurricular activities.
7. Possess the proper motivation for and commitment to the pharmacy profession as demonstrated by previous work, volunteer, or other life experiences.
8. Possess the oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with patients and colleagues.
9. Complete the School of Pharmacy’s on-campus interview process (by invitation only).
10. Pass the School of Pharmacy criminal background check.
11. Abide by Notre Dame of Maryland University Substance Abuse Policy.