New program helps reduce financial barriers to higher education while building a stronger, more robust pharmacy workforce
WOONSOCKET, RI / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2026 / Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) and WGU today announced a new online pre-pharmacy degree program designed to help address the national need for pharmacists through flexible, affordable education. Developed in collaboration with CVS Health, WGU's fully online Associate of Science-Health Science (ASHS), Pre-Pharmacy degree program helps CVS Health colleagues complete foundational academic prerequisites at a lower cost than comparable programs. The program supports colleagues pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and is part of CVS Health's broader investment in building the next generation of pharmacists.
"This collaboration expands access to affordable education for our colleagues while strengthening the future pharmacist workforce," said Lucille Accetta, Chief Pharmacy Officer and Head of CVS Specialty Operations, CVS Health. "By reducing financial barriers and creating clear pathways to pharmacy careers, we're helping colleagues advance professionally while supporting the long-term needs of the profession."
Flexible coursework, maximum savings
CVS Health colleagues enrolled in WGU's ASHS, Pre-Pharmacy degree program complete foundational science, mathematics, and professional communication curriculum designed to prepare students for admission to PharmD programs. With personalized support from a WGU program mentor, colleagues have the flexibility to progress at their own pace while continuing to work.
Colleagues may apply for support through the CVS Health Enterprise Tuition Assistance Program, administered by EdAssist by Bright Horizons, which offers up to $3,000 in tuition reimbursement per year throughout the duration of the two-year program. With an exclusive tuition rate of $3,989 per six-month term, participants can complete the program with an out-of-pocket cost of $9,956 when they receive the maximum reimbursement amount. The 26-course program is eligible for transfer credits.
Supporting future pharmacists
The program is especially designed for CVS Health colleagues - including pharmacy technicians - seeking a clearer path to becoming pharmacists.
A CVS Health 2025 Rx Report revealed that 40 percent of pharmacy technicians surveyed are interested in becoming pharmacists, and 77 percent of them say that tuition assistance would increase their likelihood of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.
As the nation's largest employer of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians - spanning community, mail, specialty, and pharmacy benefits - CVS Health supports the next generation of pharmacists through collaborations, tuition assistance, structured internships, training programs and continuing education opportunities, including, a 50 percent tuition discount toward the CVS | Duquesne University Tuition Advantage Program.
"Pharmacists are the most accessible clinicians in any community," said Ryan Gates, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean, Michael O. Leavitt School of Health, WGU. "This is particularly true in communities that suffer from severe shortages of health care providers. CVS Health sees this reality every day across thousands of their locations. This collaboration gives CVS employees, who have long aspired to become a pharmacist, a real path forward without having to choose between their career and their education. This partnership with CVS is a shining example of how industry and higher-education can work together to solve some of the most urgent and meaningful workforce shortages facing our country."
CVS Health colleagues can apply for the program, with courses expected to launch in summer 2026.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 88 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated more than 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.
About WGU
WGU's mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. That mission drives lasting impact for individuals and communities while strengthening the talent economy of tomorrow.
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors, the nonprofit was founded on the belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not, and that education is a powerful catalyst for upward mobility and workforce resilience. Purpose-built as a tech-enabled, competency-based university, WGU expands access to affordable, high-quality education through workforce-aligned programs and pathways that deliver value for students, particularly those not well served by traditional higher education.
By continually reimagining how education is designed, delivered, and accessed, WGU connects talent to opportunity and advances economic mobility for individuals and families. This model prepares learners for in-demand roles and supports a workforce equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving economy. Learn more at wgu.edu.
Media contacts
Shannon Dillon
346-291-7131
Shannon.Dillon@CVSHealth.com
Chris Jones
801-503-6705
Chris.Jones1@wgu.edu
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SOURCE: CVS Health
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/cvs-healthr-and-wgu-launch-online-pre-pharmacy-degree-program-for-fut-1168204
