Pre-Professional Programs

Pre-Dentistry: 34 units recommended

Entrance into dental school requires from two to four years of pre-dental training. Ordinarily a pre-dental student should plan on pursuing a bachelor's degree program. It is not necessary that this degree be in one of the sciences.

Details about entrance requirements differ considerably from one dental school to another. Further information should be sought from one of the pre-dental advisors and from the booklet entitled, Entrance Requirements of American Dental Schools.

The following list represents the California State University equivalent of the requirements and recommendations common to practically all of the American Dental Schools.

Recommended Courses

BIOL 151 Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: Recommend CHEM 111 or concurrent enrollment.
BIOL 152 Principles of Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology 4.0 SP
Prerequisites: BIOL 151 or faculty permission; recommend CHEM 112 or concurrent enrollment.
CHEM 111 General Chemistry 4.0 FS *
Prerequisites: Second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)
CHEM 112 General Chemistry 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 111 with a grade of C- or higher.
CHEM 270 Organic Chemistry 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 112.
CHEM 370 Organic Chemistry 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 270 with a grade of C- or higher.
ENGL 130 Academic Writing 3.0 FS *
Prerequisites: English Placement Test.
PHYS 202A General Physics 4.0 FS *
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. High school trigonometry and second-year high school algebra or equivalent (MATH 051 and MATH 118 at CSU, Chico).
PHYS 202B General Physics 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A.

Pre-Medicine

It is recommended that pre-medical students plan to obtain a degree in a field of science, such as chemistry or biology. While students may apply for admission to medical school any time after their junior year, the majority of those admitted have completed a four-year degree, and a sizable number are admitted only after additional graduate work. The bachelors degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry, therefore, is also appropriate for those seeking advanced training in graduate schools or employment in fields related to medicine. See also the Pre-Medicine program under Biological Sciences.

Lower-Division Courses

BIOL 151 Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: Recommend CHEM 111 or concurrent enrollment.
BIOL 152 Principles of Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology 4.0 SP
Prerequisites: BIOL 151 or faculty permission; recommend CHEM 112 or concurrent enrollment.
CHEM 111 General Chemistry 4.0 FS *
Prerequisites: Second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)
CHEM 112 General Chemistry 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 111 with a grade of C- or higher.
CHEM 270 Organic Chemistry 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 112.
MATH 120 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 4.0 FS *
Prerequisites: Completion of ELM requirement; both MATH 118 and MATH 119 (or high school equivalent); a score that meets department guidelines on a department administered calculus readiness exam.
MATH 121 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: MATH 120.
PHYS 202A General Physics 4.0 FS *
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. High school trigonometry and second-year high school algebra or equivalent (MATH 051 and MATH 118 at CSU, Chico).
PHYS 202B General Physics 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A.

Upper-Division Courses

CHEM 320 Quantitative Analysis 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 112 with a grade of C- or higher..
CHEM 370 Organic Chemistry 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 270 with a grade of C- or higher.
CHEM 370L Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 370 may be taken as a prerequisite or concurrently with CHEM 370L.
CHEM 451 Biochemistry 3.0 FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 370 with a grade of C- or higher.

Recommended Upper-Division Electives

BIOL 360 Genetics 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: BIOL 153 or permission of instructor.
BIOL 416 Vertebrate Physiology 4.0 FS
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 153; CHEM 108 or CHEM 270.
BIOL 426 Embryology 4.0 SP
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 153, or faculty permission.
BIOL 430 Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates 4.0 FA
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 153.

Pre-Optometry

The requirements for optometry schools vary widely. The student should see the pre-optometry advisor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the catalog of the school of his/her choice. The prospective student is encouraged to consult the Department Chair for further information.

Pre-Pharmacy

The requirements for pharmacy schools vary widely. The student should see the pre-pharmacy advisor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the catalog of the school of his/her choice. The prospective student is encouraged to consult the Department Chair for further information.

Pre-Physical Therapy

See the listings under Biological Sciences.

Forensic Science and Graduate Programs in Criminalistics

Entry-level employment and graduate programs in criminalistics commonly require a major in one of the physical or biological sciences, including a year of general chemistry and a course in quantitative analysis. Please see the Anthropology section for a program in Forensic Identification.