Science, Health Science Concentration, Pre-Medical Curriculum, B.S.

(Including optometry, osteopathy, physician assistant, or podiatry)

Department of Chemistry
615-898-2078
William Ilsley, program coordinator
William.Ilsley@mtsu.edu

The major in Science has two concentrations-General Science and Health Science. A minimum of 9 semester hours of upper-division courses in either concentration of the Science major must be taken at MTSU. The Science major requires only one minor which must include at least 3 semester hours at the upper-division level taken at MTSU.

The Health Science concentration is for students who expect to enter a professional school after completing an appropriate pre-professional curriculum. There are three groups of programs. One group leads to an MTSU degree through completion of three years of the program at MTSU, acceptance into a professional school, and successful completion of one year. These programs are referred to as three-and-one programs and result in a bachelor’s degree in science from MTSU with a health science concentration. Some programs listed under health science are designed for transfer only and do not lead to a degree from MTSU while other programs require completion of a baccalaureate degree prior to entrance.

Admission to the MTSU pre-professional program does not assure admission to a professional program. In the beginning of the third year, the student should make application to the program of choice, following the procedures of the particular program. Selection for admission is competitive and is made by the admissions committee of the respective program according to its selection standards.

The limits on class size in most of the professional programs may prevent acceptance of some qualified applicants. In the event a first application is unsuccessful, the program may be easily changed to a Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Biology major leading to a B.S. degree, and then application may be made a second time.

Students should note the following:
Chemistry-Students with a weak background or no high school chemistry should enroll in CHEM 1010 /CHEM 1011 before taking CHEM 1110 /CHEM 1111 .
Irregularities-Advanced placement, remedial courses, failure of required courses, or summer school may cause some students to deviate from the sequence in the recommended curriculum. Regular consultation with the advisor is most important.
Advisors-Advisors to these programs are assigned in the Clara W. Todd Pre-professional Health Science Advising Center located in KUC 316. The advisor will provide a curriculum sheet as a guide for the program. Guidance is provided on the recommended courses and procedures to be followed in leading to applications to a professional program. A pre-professional evaluation committee aids the students in providing recommendations requested by the professional programs.
Degree from MTSU-Students who plan to obtain degrees from MTSU must file the Intent to Graduate Form.

Curriculum: Science, Health Science, Pre-Medical

The pre-medical curriculum offers preparation for students to make application to all of the medical schools in Tennessee and most of the medical schools in the United States. A student planning to enter a medical school in another state is expected to supply the advisor with a catalog from the school under consideration.

Students are encouraged to complete a baccalaureate degree prior to entering medical school.The pre-medical curriculum lists all general education requirements, pre-medical requirements for application to medical schools, and recommended coursework. Since student can obtain a degree of their choice, it is very important to work closely with advisors regarding recommended coursework and fulfillment of degree requirements. The following sequence of classes may not yield a degree (see advisor). Students who plan to apply for admission to a school of optometry, osteopathy, podiatry, or physician assistant should follow this general pre-medical curriculum.

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

CHEM 1110 - General Chemistry I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) * AND
CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci) *
CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours * AND
CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours *
BIOL 1110 - General Biology 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) * AND
BIOL 1111 - General Biology Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci) *
BIOL 1120 - General Biology 4 credit hours * AND
BIOL 1121 - General Biology Lab 0 credit hours *
ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours * (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours * (Comm)
MATH 1910 - Calculus I 4 credit hours (Math)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

CHEM 2230 - Quantitative Analysis 5 credit hours AND
CHEM 2231 - Quantitative Analysis Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 3010 - Organic Chemistry I 4 credit hours * AND
CHEM 3011 - Organic Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours *
BIOL 2230 - Microbiology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 2231 - Microbiology Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 3250 - Genetics 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 3251 - Genetics Lab 0 credit hours
PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics I 0 credit hours AND
PHYS 2011 - Physics Problems Laboratory I 4 credit hours
PHYS 2020 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics II 0 credit hours * AND
PHYS 2021 - Physics Problems Laboratory II 4 credit hours *
ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

CHEM 3020 - Organic Chemistry II 4 credit hours * AND
CHEM 3021 - Organic Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours *
CHEM 3530 - Principles of Biochemistry 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 3531 - Principles of Biochemistry Lab 0 credit hours
OR
CHEM 4500 - Biochemistry I 3 credit hours (4 credits required)
BIOL 3020 - Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 3021 - Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4210 - Cell and Molecular Biology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 4211 - Cell and Molecular Biology Lab 0 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences (2 prefixes) 6 credit hours
Upper-division elective 1 credit hour
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Senior

CHEM 4330 - Physical Chemistry Fundamentals I 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 4331 - Physical Chemistry Fundamentals I Lab 0 credit hours
CHEM 4340 - Physical Chemistry Fundamentals II 4 credit hours AND
CHEM 4341 - Physical Chemistry Fundamentals II Lab 0 credit hours
BIOL 4130 - Histology 4 credit hours AND
BIOL 4131 - Histology Lab 0 credit hours
Chemistry, biology, and general electives 16 credit hours

Subtotal: 28 Hours

Total hours in program: 120

NOTE:

*Denotes courses required for medical school.

Electives must be selected carefully in order to assure meeting institutional requirements for graduation: (1) completion of General Education requirements; (2) completion of a minor; (3) completion of a minimum 42 semester hours of upper-division work (courses numbered 3000 and above).