Resources for Pre-Professional Students (Pre-Med, Pre-Vet, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Optometry, etc.)
Professional Schools
Recommended Biology Degree/Concentration
While you can major in any subject and still be eligible for medical school, the academic requirements that you need to meet to earn a Biology B.S. degree are very well aligned with the prerequisites for medical school (see table below). At CSUEB we have several Biology B.S. concentrations to choose from and any of them would be suitable for students interested in pursuing medical school. Concentrations commonly selected by pre-dental students are the Physiology, Cell & Molecular, and Microbiology concentrations.
Medical School Prerequisites
The prerequisite courses required by medical schools vary from institution to institution. So, it is important for you to do your due diligence and research the requirements for the institution(s) you are interested in applying to. With this said, below we suggest a curriculum designed to provide you with the prerequisites for medical school, prepare you for the MCAT, and provide you a solid foundation for the introductory year of medical school while allowing you to fulfill biology major. Courses marked with an (*) are required by most medical schools while the unmarked courses are required by only some medical schools.
| Requirement | Recommended # of Semesters | Relevant CSUEB Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology with Lab* | 2 semesters | BIOL 140A & BIOL 140B |
| General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Lab* | 2 semesters | CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
| Organic Chemistry* | 2 semesters | CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 |
|
Physics with Lab* |
2 semesters |
PHYS 125 & 126 |
|
Biochemistry |
0-2 semesters (Two semesters strongly recommended) |
CHEM 441 & CHEM 442 |
| Calculus and/or Statistics | 0-1 year (Two semesters of calculus strongly recommended) |
MATH 130, MATH 131, STATS 303 |
| English | 2 semesters | Your GE-A2 and 2nd Composition English Courses |
| Social Sciences | 2 semesters | Your Area D1-3 courses will fulfill this. Consider taking Psyc 100 as one of the courses |
Related CSUEB Student Clubs/Organizations
- American Medical School Association
- Global Medical and Dental Brigades
- Pre-Medical Professional Alliance
- Pre-Physician Assistant United
- Pre-Student Osteopathic Medical Association
- Spanish in Healthcare
Additional Resources
Recommended Biology Degree/Concentration
While you can major in any subject and still be eligible for dental school, the academic requirements that you need to meet to earn a Biology B.S. degree are very well aligned with the prerequisites for dental school (see table below). At CSUEB we have several Biology B.S. concentrations to choose from, any of which would be suitable for students interested in pursuing dental school. Concentrations commonly selected by pre-dental students are the Physiology and Cell & Molecular concentrations.
Dental School Prerequisites
The prerequisite courses required by dental schools vary from institution to institution. So, it is important for you to do your due diligence and research the requirements for the institution(s) you are interested in applying to. With this said, below we list some of the most commonly listed prerequisite courses and the relevant CSUEB courses we recommend you use to fulfill them as a biology major. Courses marked with an (*) are required by most dental schools while the unmarked courses are required by only some dental schools.
| Requirement | Recommended # of Semesters | Relevant CSUEB Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology with Lab* | 2 semesters | BIOL 140A & BIOL 140B |
| General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Lab* | 2 semesters | CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
| Organic Chemistry* | 2 semesters | CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 |
| Physics with Lab* | 2 semesters | PHYS 125 & 126 |
| Biochemistry | 1 semester | CHEM 340 or CHEM 441 |
| Anatomy & Physiology | 2 semesters | BIOL 270 & 271 |
| Microbiology | 1 semester | BIOL 330 |
| Genetics | 1 semester | BIOL 310 |
| Calculus* and/or Statistics |
0-2 semesters (2 semesters of calculus strongly recommended) |
MATH 130, MATH 131, STATS 303 |
| English | 2 semesters | Your A2 & 2nd Comp GE requirements will satisfy this |
Related CSUEB Student Clubs/Organizations
- Global Medical and Dental Brigades
Additional Resources
Recommended Biology Degree/Concentration
While you can major in any subject and still be eligible for veterinary school, the academic requirements that you need to meet to earn a Biology B.S. degree are very well aligned with the prerequisites for veterinary school (see table below). At CSUEB we have several Degrees and Certificates Offered (Semesters) to choose from and any of them would be suitable for students interested in pursuing veterinary school. Concentrations commonly selected by pre-vet students are the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Physiology, and Microbiology concentrations.
Veterinary School Prerequisites
The prerequisite courses required by veterinary schools vary from institution to institution. So, it is important for you to do your due diligence and research the requirements for the institution(s) you are interested in applying to. With this said, below we suggest a curriculum designed to provide you with the prerequisites for veterinary school, prepare you for the required entrance exam (the GRE or the MCAT), and provide you a solid foundation for the introductory year of veterinary school while allowing you to fulfill biology major. Courses marked with an (*) are required by most veterinary schools while the unmarked courses are required by only some veterinary schools.
| Requirement | Recommended # of Semesters | Relevant CSUEB Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology with Lab* | 2 semesters | BIOL 140A & BIOL 140B |
| Physiology | 1 semester | BIOL 370 |
| Microbiology with lab | 1 semester | BIOL 330 |
| Genetics | 1 semester | BIOL 310 |
| Nutrition | 1 semester | NURS 301 |
| General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Lab* | 2 semesters | CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
| Organic Chemistry* | 2 semesters | CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 |
| Biochemistry* | 1 semester | CHEM 441 |
| Physics with Lab* | 2 semesters | PHYS 125 & 126 |
| Mathematics and Statistics* | 2 semesters | MATH 130, MATH 131, STATS 303 |
| English* | 2 semesters | Your GE-A2 and 2nd Composition English Courses |
| Speech, Public Speaking | 1 semester | Your GE-A1 Oral Communication Course |
| Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences | 1-2 semesters of an introductory course | PYSC 100, SOC 100 (both count for GE -Area D) |
Related CSUEB Student Clubs/Organizations
There are currently no active Pre-Veterinary Clubs at CSUEB. You may want to check the CSUEB Student and Clubs Organization site from time to time to see if one has started one. Or, to consider starting one yourself, click START A NEW CLUB/ORGANIZATION.
Additional Resources
Recommended Biology Degree/Concentration
While you can major in any subject and still be eligible for pharmacy school, the academic requirements that you need to meet to earn a Biology B.S. degree are very well aligned with the prerequisites for pharmacy school (see table below). At CSUEB we have several Biology B.S. Concentrations to choose from and any of them would be suitable for students interested in pursuing veterinary school. Concentrations commonly selected by pre-pharmacy students are the Physiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Microbiology concentrations.
Pharmacy School Prerequisites
The prerequisite courses required by veterinary schools vary from institution to institution. So, it is important for you to do your due diligence and research the requirements for the institution(s) you are interested in applying to. With this said, below we suggest a curriculum designed to provide you with the prerequisites for pharmacy school, prepare you for the required entrance exam (the PCAT), and provide you a solid foundation for the introductory year of veterinary school while allowing you to fulfill biology major. Courses marked with an (*) are required by most pharmacy schools while the unmarked courses are required by only some pharmacy schools.
Requirement |
Recommended # of Semesters |
Relevant CSUEB Course(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology with Lab* | 2 semesters | BIOL 140A & BIOL 140B |
| Microbiology with Lab* | 1 semester | BIOL 330 |
| Anatomy and Physiology* | 2 semesters | BIOL 370, BIOL 270, BIOL 271 |
| General (Inorganic) Chemistry with Lab* | 2 semesters | CHEM 111 & CHEM 112 |
| Organic Chemistry* | 2 semesters | CHEM 331 & CHEM 332 |
| Biochemistry* | 1 semester | CHEM 441 |
| Physics with Lab* | 1 semester | PHYS 125 & 126 |
| Mathematics* | 2 semesters | MATH 130, MATH 131, STATS 303 |
| Economics* | 1 semester | Can take ECON 200 or ECON 205 as a D1-3 course |
| English* | 2 semesters | Your GE-A2 and 2nd Composition English Courses |
| Public Speaking* | 1 semester | Your GE-A1 Oral Communication Course |
| Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences* | 1-2 semesters of an introductory course | PYSC 100, SOC 100 (both count for GE -Area D) |
Related CSUEB Student Clubs/Organizations
There are currently no active Pre-Pharmacy Clubs at CSUEB. You may want to check the CSUEB Student and Clubs Organization site from time to time to see if one has started one. Or, to consider starting one yourself, click here.
Additional Resources
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS)
Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)
American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP)
American Pharmacists Association (AphA)