The school is named after Irma Lerma Rangel, the former member of the Texas House of Representatives.

In 2001, House Bill 1601 was passed, which established its creation as the first professional pharmacy school in South Texas.

It also requires "Irma Rangel" to be part of its official name, and the "primary building in which the school is operated shall be located in Kleberg County".

[2] In 2022, Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks, implemented university-wide administrative restructuring that involved several changes to academic unit names and branding.

[3] They are said to be adding pharmacy technician program to the school in 2024 to address the shortage in Texas.