During the first two years of pharmacy education you will study basic sciences and general education courses. The third year is devoted to beginning courses in pharmacy. These courses prepare you to understand the language of pharmacy and the thought processes involved in pharmacy practice. Courses in the fourth and fifth years are the core preparation for professional practice in pharmacy. You also may explore an interest in a specialty area such as osteoporosis, immunizations, nuclear pharmacy, nutritional support or diabetes management.You will complete a final research project during spring semester of your fifth year. At the end of the fifth year, you will take a capstone course, which reviews the entire curriculum and assures you of complete preparation prior to the rotations in the sixth year. After your third year and prior to entering the sixth year, 300 hours of contact time with a health care professional is required. The sixth year is the pharmacy practice year, with rotations in areas such as general medicine, advanced community pharmacy, geriatrics, toxicology and cardiology.