History

Founded as the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) in 1932, the agency's name was changed to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education in 2003.  ACPE initially established standards for the baccalaureate degree in pharmacy, and then added the doctor of pharmacy standards as an alternative and in 2000 announced the conversion to the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) as the sole entry-level degree for the profession of pharmacy. In 1975, ACPE developed standards for the approval (now, accreditation) of providers of continuing pharmacy education and in 1999 developed additional standards for the CE providers who were conducting certificate programs in pharmacy.
 
ACPE has been recognized continually by the U.S. Department of Education since the inception of its accreditation agency recognition program in 1952 and was recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in April, 2004.
 
For a historic listing of members of the ACPE Board of Directors and executive staff, please click here.