About ACPE
ACPE sets standards for the education of pharmacists to prepare them for the delivery of pharmacist-provided patient care. Since 1932, ACPE has worked with educational institutions and organizations to assure excellence is available for people in the pharmacy profession.
Our 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. In 2000, ACPE 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’s International Services Program (ISP) was established in February 2011. The program was created to strengthen ACPE’s ability to assist international stakeholders who seek guidance related to quality assurance and advancement of pharmacy education.
ACPE has been recognized continually by the US 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.
A PDF of the historic listing of members of the ACPE Board of Directors and executive staff is found below.
The Value of Accreditation
Accreditation in the United States is a means to assure and improve higher education quality, assisting institutions and programs using a set of standards developed by peers. An institution or program that has successfully completed an accreditation review has in place the needed instructional, student support and other services to assist students to achieve their educational goals. Accreditation has helped to provide the conditions necessary for the United States to develop diverse, flexible, robust and often admired higher education.