Shady Grove Campus
Frequently Asked Questions about the Shady Grove Campus
How is the curriculum taught?
The curriculum for the PharmD program at Shady Grove is both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Most of the didactic coursework is recorded live at the Baltimore Campus, then posted online afterwards for Shady Grove students to watch. Recorded courses are posted for students to access by 6 pm on the day of recording. Students are required to go to the Shady Grove campus several times a week for labs, case studies, tests, quizzes, and to attend synchronic activities.
How soon is a lecture posted after it is recorded?
Recorded courses are posted online for students to access by 6 pm at the latest on the day of recording. Most times lectures are posted within an our or two after being given.
What is the campus like?
The official name is the Universities at Shady Grove. The campus is part of the University Systems of Maryland and houses several programs from different schools within the system. There are both graduate and undergraduate programs. For example, there is an MBA program, a nursing program, and a social work program all from different schools within the University Systems of Maryland.
While it is still considered an urban campus, it is located in a more residential area than the Baltimore campus. The campus is more traditional in nature in which all the buildings are located within the confines of the campus with trees, grass, and walkways. Students attending the PharmD program at the Universities at Shady Grove will have the opportunity for more interaction with students in different programs. A virtual tour of the facilities at the Universities at Shady Grove is available.
What services are available at the Shady Grove Campus?
There are several administrators and faculty members who work exclusively at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy on the Shady Grove campus. In addition, the Universities at Shady Grove have services for academic support, tutoring, records & registration, student activities, among others.
Is the curriculum any different?
The curriculum for the PharmD program will be exactly the same at both campuses. The only difference is that students at Shady Grove will have most of their didactic coursework as online learning. Students at Shady Grove will have to go to campus several times a week for labs, case studies, tests, and quizzes.
What is the admissions process for the Shady Grove Campus?
The admissions process is the same for both campuses. After all students have been interviewed, the Admissions Committee will meet to identify in ranking order to whom they would like to offer acceptance. Applicants will initially have a choice of campus preference. Once one campus is full, offers of admission will be made for the available campus. If an applicant wishes to decline admission to that campus, they will be put on a waitlist for their desired campus.
How many students are enrolled into the Shady Grove Campus?
The Shady Grove campus has space for 40 students.
What type of student will be most successful at the Shady Grove Campus?
Research indicates that students who are most successful at distance learning campuses are those that are highly motivated self-learners. Distance learning students are typically those that need more flexibility in their time, have a real understanding of time-management, and study skills. At a distance learning campus, there is no room for procrastination as it is easy to fall behind without specific deadlines from faculty.
What research opportunities are available for students?
Students will be able to do research at the Shady Grove campus in the interest areas of faculty who are based in Shady Grove. Students can choose to work with faculty members based on the Baltimore campus doing a combination of on-site lab work and computer research. In addition, the Biotechnology corridor in the DC Metropolitan area offers a wealth of research opportunities.
To what level are faculty available for students?
The school has discussion boards in which faculty members are able to have specific "office hours." During these times students are able to converse directly with coursemasters online. In addition, faculty members will be available via email, telephone, and in-person appointments on the campus where the coursemaster is based. For the majority of courses based on the Baltimore campus, a faculty facilitator at Shady Grove is available to answer questions.
How often will I have to come to the Baltimore Campus?
There are several labs and events that will require attendance at the Baltimore campus. It is estimated that in one year, Shady Grove students will need to travel to Baltimore approximately 5 times. There are additional optional opportunities to participate in events on the Baltimore campus.
Will there be transportation available between the two campuses?
For mandatory sessions on the Baltimore campus, transportation will be provided between campuses. For optional events on either campus, students must arrange their own transportation.
What housing options will be available for incoming students?
There is no on-campus housing at the Shady Grove campus. Housing options include apartment or housing rentals in the surrounding area. The cost of housing will be approximately the same in Rockville as it is in Baltimore City (approximately $1000-1500 for a shared apartment or house). In addition, a message board will be created for all accepted applicants to aid in the communication of identifying potential roommates.
I'm officially a Shady Grove student, can I also attend classes at the Baltimore campus?
The primary reason for opening the Shady Grove campus was to expand enrollment in the PharmD program beyond the Baltimore campus capacity. However, the required courses will all be recorded and placed on a secure Web site. Therefore, the online courses can be viewed from any location and students are not required to go to Shady Grove to attend lectures. In fact, the schedule of required attendance at Shady Grove will average only two days a week. Seeing an average Shady Grove student's schedule may also help you get an idea of what the experience would be like.
But what if somebody at Baltimore drops out - can I transfer in later? Is there a waitlist for this?
Students cannot transfer campuses once they have been accepted. During the application cycle, if a student is offered acceptance into the Shady Grove campus but would rather attend the Baltimore campus he/she can deny the offer of admission into Shady Grove and opt to go on the waitlist for the Baltimore Campus. However, he/she will not be able to reserve the spot at Shady Grove in the event that nothing becomes available at the Baltimore campus. The slot at Shady Grove will be filled by the next person on the waitlist.
What social and professional activities are available to students at the Shady Grove campus?
Students are able to participate in many social and professional organizations offered through the Universities at Shady Grove. Also, students are able to join any of the social fraternities or professional organizations that are available on the Baltimore campus. In some instances, however, this will require the student to travel to Baltimore for activities. Many organizations beam their meetings live to the Shady Grove campus using synchronous technology.
At present, there are no pharmacy fraternities on the Shady Grove campus. However, as the number of students at the Shady Grove campus increases, it is most likely that social fraternities will become available.