This program educates and trains learners who want to work in pharmacy settings as technicians. Students will gain specific knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to work as a valuable clinical team member and  provide safe patient care.

A 16-week version and an 8-week version is available.  Successful completion of the course prepares students to take the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam to become a certified pharmacy technician.  

Learning Outcomes

  • Explain the role of a licensed pharmacy technician.
  • Learn about the top 200 drugs and 15 common dietary supplements.
  • Distinguish federal requirements for prescription processing, handling and disposal of medications.
  • Demonstrate patient safety procedures and quality assurance strategies.
  • Evaluate situations and issues that require pharmacist intervention.
  • Demonstrate procedures to compound nonsterile products.
  • Describe procedures for credit return, return to stock, and reverse distribution.

Textbook Required: Bachenheimer BS, ed. Manual for Pharmacy Technicians 5th Edition. Bethesda, MD. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; 2019. You will have access to the textbook online via Purdue University Libraries since you will receive a Purdue University ID (PUID) when you register for the course; however, if you would like to purchase a hard copy of the textbook in addition to the online version, you can do so online and that cost will be at your expense.

Registration Fee: $860 (which includes the fees for the PTCB practice test and the PTCE exam)

For the full course description and to register for the course: 

For questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions for this course below or contact Kathy Reynolds at reynoldk@purdue.edu.
You can also complete the form to the right for further information.

Frequently Asked Questions

A self-paced, 100% online program enables learners to set their own schedule with no imposed due dates to work through the course. This self-paced structure enables completion within 8 or 16 weeks depending on the version you select.

The course content is the same; the only distinctions lie in the program duration and the weekly time expectations:

  • For the 8-week course, you are expected to complete the program within 8 weeks with a time commitment of 15-20 hours per week.
  • For the 16-week course, you are expected to complete the program within 16 weeks with a time commitment of 8-10 hours per week.

The cost for either the 8-week or 16-week version of the course is $860 since the content is the same. The program requires full payment upfront; installment payment plans are not currently available.

No. This program is open enrollment, meaning that students can enroll at any time and that course access begins on the date of enrollment.

  1. Competitive Price: $860, which includes the $129 fee for PTCB’s national PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam) and the $29 fee for access to PTCB's practice exam. The PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) is one of the 2 national certification organizations for pharmacy technicians.
  2. Exceptional Quality: It is offered through Purdue University College of Pharmacy, which ranks in the top 10 nationwide, ensuring an esteemed educational experience.
  3. Impressive Certification Exam Pass Rate: Our program graduates achieve an 80% pass rate on the PTCE certification exam, exceeding the industry benchmark rate by 10%.
  4. Flexibility: 100% online, self-paced learning.

Yes, the textbook "Manual for Pharmacy Technicians 5th Edition" is required for the course. You will have access to the textbook online via Purdue University Libraries since you will receive a Purdue University ID (PUID) when you register for the course; however, if you would like to purchase a hard copy of the textbook in addition to the online version, you can do so online and that cost will be at your expense.

The Pharmacy Technician Training Program has no prerequisites; it is open to all individuals who want to become certified pharmacy technicians.

Federal government funds are only eligible for degree-seeking students/for-credit programs. Our Pharmacy Technician Training Program is a non-credit offering so it would not be eligible for these funds, i.e., FAFSA.

A private educational loan would be the only option for financial aid for a non-credit course. You can compare your options for obtaining a student loan in INvested or ELMSelect. The borrower must be credit worthy as defined by the student loan companies. If this is an option, a non-degree record would be created for you through the Registrar’s Office. For additional information and/or questions regarding a private educational loan, you can reach out to DFA-online@purdue.edu.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Requirements include:

  • Complete Purdue University’s PTCB-Recognized Pharmacy Technician Training Program.
  • Complete the application process at PTCB.org, which we will coordinate for you.

Additionally, you will want to be aware of the requirements for the state in which you will work. Each state has their own requirements for a pharmacy technician to be certified and licensed, which could include items such as being at least 18 years of age, having a high school diploma or GED, passing the PTCB’s PTCE certification exam, paying a registration fee, passing a criminal background check.

The demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow at a higher than average rate over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 44,900 openings for pharmacy technicians are projected each year, on average, over the next decade. Obtaining certification is crucial for distinguishing yourself from non-certified pharmacy technicians, establishing credibility within the field, and facilitating better career advancement opportunities.