Pharmacy Technician

Certificate Program

Delivered in Hybrid or Self-Paced Online Format

This comprehensive 50-hour program will prepare you to work as a pharmacy technician in a retail or other pharmacy setting. You will learn about dosage calculations, drug classifications, top 200 drugs, IV flow rates, sterile compounding, dose conversions, aseptic technique, the handling of sterile products, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, and billing and reimbursement.

Once you've earned our certificate of completion, this certificate qualifies you to take the national exams, which are separate from our program, and can be taken at additional costs. Upon successful completion of this program, students will be eligible to sit for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT) national examination or take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board's PTCB exam.

This program is presented in partnership with a third-party provider and is not taught by California State University, Long Beach faculty. The course is not offered for academic credit and is not degree-eligible.

Please Note

This course is offered in two separate delivery formats. One is the hybrid online format, featuring asynchronous online curriculum, live online Zoom lectures with an instructor in real time, and five in-person hands-on lab sessions that are held on campus.

The second delivery method is our self-paced online program that does not meet live or in person. The program is completely online and has a program coordinator to answer any questions you may have as you complete the program in a self-paced time frame.

Clinical externship opportunities are available for both programs at a local healthcare provider of your choosing at the completion of the program.

Choose one of the programs below to get started:

This program is for those seeking work in retail or other pharmacy settings, and prepares you for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam through a hybrid format combining online curriculum, live Zoom lectures, and in-person lab sessions.

This program is for those seeking work in retail or other pharmacy settings, and prepares you for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam through a self-paced online program that does not meet live or in person.

Program Outline

  • Pharmacy and Healthcare Practice in Multiple Environments
  • Drug Regulation and Control
  • Pharmaceutical Terminology and Anatomy
  • Prescriptions
  • Pharmacy Calculations
  • Routes and Formulations
  • Parenterals
  • Compounding
  • Basic Biopharmaceutics
  • Factors Affecting Drug Activity
  • Information and Pharmacy Resources
  • Inventory Management
  • Lab Skills

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a non-credit, certificate program. There are no application requirements. You must have a high school diploma.

No, you do not need to be a matriculated student to register for the program.

Unfortunately, we do not offer financial aid or payment plans for this program. Full payment is due prior to the 1st day of class.

Yes. Textbooks are included with the tuition.

No, unfortunately there are no externship opportunities for this program.

We do not assist with job placement upon successful completion of the program.  Although we will forward any job opportunities that are sent to us from various companies, we cannot secure or guarantee employment for our students.

We offer this program during the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.

Yes, we accept high school diplomas from countries outside the U.S.

No, there is no required dress code.

All courses offered through CPaCE are approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).