You are in the official 1998-99 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Preprofessional Preparation
Preprofessional Preparation
Preprofessional programs are available for students who plan to transfer to other institutions for the completion of professional curricula in such fields as law, medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, forestry, architecture, theology, librarianship, chiropractic therapy, osteopathic medicine, and podiatric medicine. Some of these programs are described in the text that follows.
Students planning to complete a pre-professional program and degree at California State University, Fresno must complete a major offered at this university. They should include their preprofessional area plus their university major on all registration forms; for example, premedical-chemistry, premedical-biology, prelaw-history, prelaw-political science. There are no preprofessional majors per se. Instead, preprofessional students work toward various university degrees and while doing so, incorporate into their college programs courses required for entry into professional schools.
Careful program planning is important in order to select proper classes and complete requirements in a timely way. Regular advising is essential since professional schools change their requirements occasionally. Preprofessional students should contact their respective major and preprofessional advisers before enrolling in classes each semester to stay abreast of current developments.
A current list of preprofessional advisers is available in the Office of Advising Services, Joyal Administration Building, Room 121. For more information, call Advising Services, (559) 278-2924.
Prehealth careers. Advisement is available for students interested in preparing for health careers in occupational therapy, in chiropractic medicine, in radiological technology, as a physician's assistant, and related areas. These programs are not offered at California State University, Fresno, although most, if not all, prerequisites can be found on this campus. Admission requirements vary widely for health career programs, not only from field to field, but from institution to institution. It is recommended that students seek academic and career advisement early in their academic programs.
Contact the School of Health and Human Services for information on the Prehealth Careers Advisement Program:
Ms. Georgia Porcella, Coordinator
Nursing/Physical Therapy Admissions
San Ramon 2, Room 21
(559) 278-6579
Premedical. Students interested in preparing for medical school should declare their intent at the time they apply for admission to California State University, Fresno. To do this, it is necessary that students use a term such as premedical-sociology, premedical-zoology, premedical-chemistry or premedical-general on all application, admittance, and registration papers. In case premedical-general is chosen, a specific subject major should be selected as soon as possible and not later than the sophomore year from the list of approved California State University, Fresno majors in the Degree Requirements section in this catalog.
Requirements for admission to medical school vary considerably from one medical school to another and change from time to time, but a well-balanced liberal education is usually specified. Some aptitude and university training in science and English are essential in medicine. The minimum requirements in these subjects specified by most medical schools can be satisfied by specific courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and English. Also calculus is required by some medical schools. Because of competition for admission to medical schools, a grade point average above 3.5 is highly desirable. The Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT) is required before students can be accepted into medical school. It is recommended that the MCAT be taken and application for medical school be made at the end of the junior year.
Freshmen, transfer, and all other students who are entering the program are advised to contact a premedical adviser prior to registration. (See Advising Services. ) Each student is assigned to a member of the premedical advisory committee who assists him or her in planning a program of courses and advises him or her concerning preparatory procedures for application to medical school.
The Premedical Advisory Committee will mail to any interested student
material that covers the operation of our premedical program, courses required
and medical school admissions procedures. Write to:
Premedical Advisory Committee California State University, Fresno
2555 E. San Ramon
Fresno, CA 93740-0070.
Predental. The minimum training for dentistry is a seven-year course -- the first three years (90 units) of predental training in a liberal arts college and the remaining four years (dental training) at a school of dentistry.
However, most students are not accepted by dental schools until four years of college are completed. Due to the large number of applicants, students who do not have better than a 3.5 cumulative GPA should earn a bachelor's degree before applying to a dental school. Majors that are most compatible with required classes are in the sciences, particularly biology and chemistry. However, as long as the required preprofessional courses are completed, any major is acceptable.
The minimum predental program required by accredited dental schools is
one year each of English, general chemistry, physics, and biology, plus
one semester (and often one year) of organic chemistry. Check with each
dental school for specific requirements like psychology. The Dental Aptitude
Test (DAT) and evidence of physical fitness and good moral character are
usually required. Many dental schools also require a personal interview;
some schools administer additional tests. For other information, see the
predental adviser and consult dental school catalogs.
Prelegal. Most fully accredited law schools require a bachelor's degree for admission. Since a prelegal program providing a broad cultural background is recommended by the law schools, any baccalaureate major, depending on the student's interest, may be chosen from the university offerings. (See Degree Programs, Majors and Minors. ) Law schools suggest courses, but not necessarily a major, in the following: written and oral English, American and English constitutional history, world history, accounting, business administration, elementary logic, mathematics, statistics, economics, political science, philosophy, science and foreign language. A score on the Law School Admission Test (L.S.A.T.) is required before students can be accepted into law school. It is recommended that the L.S.A.T. be taken no later than December of the student's senior year. In addition, most law schools require a personal statement and letters of recommendation that address academic skills and preparation for the study of law. For further information consult a prelaw adviser and law school catalogs.
Prelibrarianship. Accredited graduate schools of librarianship require a bachelor's degree for admission. A major in any subject is acceptable. A reading knowledge of at least one modern foreign language is a requirement for admission to most graduate schools of librarianship; this requirement is normally satisfied by the successful completion of two college years of the language. Also, many schools now require a course in mathematics or statistics. In addition, a course in computer concepts is advisable. Students considering librarianship as a career should consult the prelibrary program adviser in the Henry Madden Library.
Preoptometry. California State University, Fresno provides courses for the completion of preprofessional requirements of an optometry program. Most professional schools require junior standing and coursework which includes two years of biology, one year of chemistry, mathematics, physics and English, and one semester of psychology and statistics with above average scholarship. For further information, see optometry school catalogs and consult the preoptometry adviser in the Department of Physics.
The Optometry Admission Testing Program (OAT) exam is required before application can be made to optometry school. Application should be made one year in advance of anticipated enrollment.
Prepharmacy. California State University, Fresno provides prepharmacy coursework to prepare a student for admission into a four-year pharmacy program. All new and transfer students should indicate an interest in prepharmacy on application, admittance, and registration papers. Admission to most pharmacy schools now requires a B- average or better in a minimum of 60 semester units, including one year each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, calculus, biology, and English composition. Certain schools may have additional specified requirements. Although some students gain admission to pharmacy school after two or three years of undergraduate study, most students are not accepted until they have completed four years of college. Students without high cumulative grade point average should graduate with a bachelor's degree before applying to a pharmacy program. Majors that are most compatible with required classes are in the sciences, particularly biology and chemistry. However, as long as the required preprofessional courses are completed, any major is acceptable. For further information, see the prepharmacy adviser and consult pharmacy school catalogs.
Preveterinary. Students preparing for the veterinary profession can satisfy their preveterinary curriculum requirements at California State University, Fresno. A minimum of 60 semester units of required courses (see below) must be taken prior to acceptance into a veterinary school program. Most students combine the required science courses with General Education and major requirements as they work toward a bachelor's degree in either animal sciences or biology. In addition to performance in required classes, prospective veterinary students are evaluated by their performance on the general portion of the Graduate Records Examination which is to be taken within five years of veterinary school application.
All students interested in veterinary medicine are encouraged to take Preveterinary Orientation (a class taught each fall in the Department of Animal Science and Agricultural Education) for updated information regarding admission requirements and policies. Courses recommended by the Department of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Education for its majors preparing for veterinary school include A Sci 65A, 125, 135, 145, and 165; BioSc 1A, 1B; Chem 1A, 1B, 8, 109, and 150; Micro 20; PhyAn 135; and Phys 2A. In addition, a statistics class, two writing classes, and a speech class are required by most veterinary schools.
The School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is equipped to provide
valuable experience with large animals through the labs and projects at
the university farm laboratory. Admission to veterinary school in California
requires about 4.5 week equivalents (180 hours) of relevant veterinary experience
in activities that specifically give the applicant an appreciation and understanding
of the profession of veterinary medicine. For further information, contact
the chair of the Animal Sciences Department, the campus veterinarian, and/or
the adviser in the Biology Department.
Admissions, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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