Biology: Concentration in Pre-Health Professional Preparation, B.S.

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120-123 Credit Hours

This concentration takes the place of a minor (see Degrees )

Formal admission into this concentration requires that students go through an application and screening process during the spring semester of the sophomore year.* The application and screening process is carried out by the Pre-Health Advisory Committee. The Pre-Health Advisory Committee meets with pre-health students twice a year on the first Friday of each semester at 11 a.m. in MAC 1291. The expectations of pre-health students, including the application and screening process, will be discussed at these meetings. Pre-health students must attend these meetings if they expect to be admitted into this concentration. Students who are not formally accepted into the Concentration in Pre-Health Preparation will not be allowed to graduate with this concentration.

* Junior or senior transfer students must apply during their first semester at PBA. Students who wish to enter this program after the sophomore year must contact the Pre-Health Advisory Committee immediately.

General Education Requirements - 43 Credit Hours

Biology majors with a Concentration in Pre-Health Professional Preparation must meet the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements as set out in General Education Program , except for the General Education Mathematics and Natural Science requirements. These are met by completing MAT 1863 and BIO 1103 . The additional SAS Natural Science requirements are met by taking BIO 1101 and CHM 1013 /CHM 1011 /CHM 1010 .

Required Mathematics Courses - 6 Credit Hours

MAT 1863 - Trigonometry & Analytical Geometry 3 Credit Hour(s) (or higher)
MAT 2003 - Elementary Statistics 3 Credit Hour(s)

Required Chemistry Courses - 20 Credit Hours

CHM 1013 - General Chemistry I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 1011 - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 1010 - General Chemistry I Recitation 0 Credit Hour(s)
CHM 1023 - General Chemistry II 3 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 1021 - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 1020 - General Chemistry II Recitation 0 Credit Hour(s)
CHM 2013 - Organic Chemistry I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 2011 - Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
CHM 2023 - Organic Chemistry II 3 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 2021 - Organic Chemistry II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
CHM 3303 - Biochemistry I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
CHM 3301 - Biochemistry I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)

Required Physics Courses - 8 Credit Hours

PHY 2013 - General Physics I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
PHY 2111 - Physics I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
PHY 2023 - General Physics II 3 Credit Hour(s) and
PHY 2121 - Physics II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)

Required Biology Courses - 27 Credit Hours

BIO 1103 - Biology I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 1101 - Biology I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 1113 - Biology II 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 1111 - Biology II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3052 - Molecular Biology 2 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3152 - Molecular Biology Laboratory 2 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3103 - Cell Biology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3101 - Cell Biology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3113 - Genetics 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3111 - Genetics Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3503 - Microbiology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3501 - Microbiology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 4913 - Senior Research Project 3 Credit Hour(s)

Required Zoology Courses - 8 Credit Hours *

*Students should check with the medical program in which they intend to enroll to see which course sequence would be most appropriate. Generally, BIO 3303 /BIO 3403 are recommended for students pursuing M.D., D.O., or D.V.M. degrees; BIO 2283 /BIO 2293 are recommended for those entering P.A., P.T., O.T., R.N., O.D., D.D.S., or related programs.

(select one of the following sequences)

BIO 3303 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3301 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3403 - Comparative Animal Physiology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3401 - Comparative Animal Physiology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
OR
BIO 2283 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 2281 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 2293 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 2291 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)

Elective Biology Courses - 7-8 Credit Hours

(Students should plan to take more than the minimum)

BIO 3213 - Botany 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 3211 - Botany Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 4103 - Ecology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 4101 - Ecology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 4303 - Comparative Vertebrate Embryology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 4301 - Comparative Vertebrate Embryology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 3803 - Human Immunology 3 Credit Hour(s) OR
BIO 4013 - Virology 3 Credit Hour(s)
BIO 4003 - Histology 3 Credit Hour(s) and
BIO 4001 - Histology Laboratory 1 Credit Hour(s)

Additional Required Credit Hours - 6 Credit Hours

This is to meet the 120-credit-hour requirement and the 42-upper-level requirement. These must all be upper level if BIO 2283 /BIO 2293 are selected as the Required Zoology Courses; otherwise, 1 must be upper level. An additional 3 hour upper level elective must be taken if a student takes BIO 2283 /BIO 2293 .

Sample Degree Plan

Biology: Concentration in Pre-Health Professional Preparation Degree Plan