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EDUCATION University of Wisconsin Oshkosh offers opportunities for students to obtain pre-professional training in most of the major professional fields. The student will enroll in courses that are required by the appropriate professional school and then transfer to that school for the professional training required in such areas as dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and many others. In some areas such as law and medicine, students complete the baccalaureate degree before being admitted to a professional school. Other pre-professional programs provide the first, second or third year of study for students who will then transfer to a professional school. The following summaries cover some of the more popular pre-professional interests of the students enrolled in pre-professional studies. Gary Simonsen and Melanie Harring, Advisors Office: Dempsey 130 Telephone: 920-424-3454 E-mail: simonsen@uwosh.edu,harrim87@uwosh.edu PRE-CHIROPRACTIC Students wishing to train for the chiropractic profession may take the required two years (60 units (crs.) of pre-chiropractic studies at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and then transfer to a college which offers a degree in that field. As of Fall 2001, most chiropractic colleges will require 90 units (crs.)or a baccalaureate degree for admission to their programs. The professional education that required to become a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) takes five plus years, including two years at Oshkosh. With the future requirement of 90 units (crs.) or completion of a bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment in their programs, the total number of years of education required at each level may be different. Contact the chiropractic school you plan to attend for additional information. The following is a typical two year pre-chiropractic study program: Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year Additional course work, preferably at the 300 or 400 level, to include a concentration of classes in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities with an average of 15-16 units (crs.) per term. Additional information: Professional American Chiropractic Association 1701 Clarendon Blvd Arlington, VA 22209 703-276-8808, 1-800-986-INFO Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-DENTISTRY 90 units (crs.) of pre-dental work is generally required for admission to dental school, although many students enter dental school upon completion of a Bachelor's degree. The Dental Admission Test (D.A.T.) and good college grades are required. In Wisconsin, the dental school is at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Because there is no state-supported dental school, a student wishing to attend dental school at Marquette can get tuition support. A typical program of study is given below. It includes only those courses required for dental school. Students should select additional courses from the list of suggested electives. Note: Mathematics 103 is a prerequisite for the Chemistry courses, and Mathematics 108 or 104 followed by Mathematics 106 are prerequisites for Physics 107 and 108. Select mathematics course according to your placement test results. Freshman Year
*Select from Mathematics 103, 108 or (104 + 106) Sophomore Year
Junior Year
*Physics sequence may be started sooner depending on the level of mathematics. Electives: Quantitative analysis, speech, literature, history, psychology, philosophy, foreign languages, art, biology (human related), child and adolescent psychology, mathematics, economics, biochemistry, accounting or management. Additional biology and biochemistry courses (human related) are strongly recommended. Additional Information: Professional The American Dental Association 211 E Chicago Ave Chicago, IL 60611 312-440-2500, www.ada.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-ENGINEERING Engineering professions include a variety of fields such as electrical, computer, mechanical, civil, mining, architectural, biomedical, environmental, industrial, chemical, geological, materials science, manufacturing, and nuclear. Engineering Education:
Engineering programs in Wisconsin include: University of Wisconsin Madison University of Wisconsin Milwaukee University of Wisconsin Platteville University of Wisconsin Stout Marquette University Milwaukee School of Engineering Course suggestions for students attending UW engineering schools: Required courses will vary depending on the school and engineering specialty selected. It is important that pre-engineering students meet regularly with pre-engineering advisors, and that they contact the school where they plan to complete the engineering program early in their college careers. The following first semester courses are suggested, with exceptions to this schedule noted below:
* Start math sequence according to Placement Test results. Note that lower placement will delay taking Physics 109 which is calculus-based. If placed into Mathematics 104 or 108, it is best to take 108 or take 104 in Fall term and Mathematics 106 in January Interim (104 + 106 = 108) to progress through the math sequence more quickly. ** Practical Arts 101 is required for all engineering programs at UW Platteville; industrial, civil and mechanical at UW Milwaukee; and agricultural, mechanical and engineering mechanics at UW Madison. Do not take 101 for electrical or materials engineering at UW Milwaukee or for electrical, materials, chemical, civil, geological, industrial, metallurgical, and nuclear at UW Madison. Instead substitute a social science or humanities elective. Economics 206 would be a good choice. Of the four courses listed, Computer Science 221 may be taken later so the student substitute a social science, humanities or English composition course. English 101 is required by both UW Platteville and UW Milwaukee. Students attending UW Madison must have taken it or tested out of it. Communication 111 is appropriate for all engineers attending UW Platteville, but only for electrical, civil and chemical engineers at UW Madison. It does not meet any requirement for other engineering specialties at UW Madison and is not needed for engineering at UW Milwaukee. Sample Schedules: Exact course depend on the engineering specialty and the university the student plans to attend later. Mechanical Engineering: Freshman Year
Sophmore Year
Chemical Engineering: Freshman Year
Sophmore Year
Electrical Engineering: Freshman Year
Sophmore Year
Electives/Fall and Spring Interims: Electives (3 cr. each) are to be selected from social sciences and humanities. Most engineering programs, including mechanical and chemical, require 16-18 units (crs.) of liberal electives, roughly divided between these categories. Several schools require English 101 and Communication 111. Economics 206 and Psychology 101 are recommended choices from the social sciences. Interims provide an opportunity to complete some of these courses and to lighten the regular semester unit (cr.) load. Mechanical engineering students who choose to take a lighter load in the freshmen year could take Computer Science 221 and English 101 at a later time. Faculty Advisors: Roy Knispel, Physics Department, 424-4431 Sandra Neuendorf, Chemistry Department, 424-7101 AcademicAdvisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-LAW A Bachelor's degree is required for entrance to most American law schools, and the degree may be earned in any major a student chooses. There are no prescribed courses for admittance to law school, which is a three year program. In Wisconsin, there are law schools at UW Madison and Marquette University. It is recommended that students contact those institutions for specifics about their programs. A student planning to apply to law school should be aware to the following deadlines:
Additional Information: Programs University of Wisconsin Law School Admissions and Financial Aid 975 Bascom Hall Madison, WI 543706-1399 Phone: 608-262-5914 E-mail:admissions@law.wisc.edu Marquette University Law School Office of Admissions Sensenbrenner Hall 1103 W Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881 Phone: 414-288-6767 E-mail: law.admission@marquette.edu Additional Information: Professional American Bar Association 750 North Lake Shore Dr Chicago, IL 60611 312-988-5000 Web Site: www.abanet.org National Lawyers Association Information Services City Center Square PO Box 26005 Kansas City, MO 64196 1-800-471-2994 Web Site: www.nla.org Faculty Advisor: Martin Gruberg, Political Science, 424-0146 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-MEDICINE Admission to a medical school is based for the most part on two requirements; 1) a Bachelor's degree with excellent grades, and 2) high scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Contact the medical school you plan to attend for additional information. Medical school includes four years of training and a hospital internship of one or two years. In Wisconsin, medical schools are located at UW Madison and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Medical schools generally require the following pre-medical courses as a requirement for acceptance into their program:
In addition, one term of calculus and one term of biochemistry are recommended. All medical schools require applicants to take the MCAT, which is given each August and April. The MCAT scores are submitted with the student's application to medical school in early fall of the year prior to entrance. Additional Information: Programs University of Wisconsin Madison Medical School 1300 Unniversity Ave Madison, WI 53706-1532 608-263-4925 The Medical College of Wisconsin Office of Admissions 8701 Watertown Plank Rd Milwaukee, WI 53226 414-456-8246 Additional Information: Professional American Medical Association 515 N State St Chicago, IL 60610 312-464-5000 Web Site: www.ama-assn.org Faculty Advisor: Robert Moore, Chemistry, 424-1486 Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY The occupational therapist is a health professional who aids people in acquiring and maintaining life tasks which include motor skills, interpersonal skills, self-care abilities, work-related skills, and the use of leisure time. When these skills fail to develop or are limited due to illness or injury, occupational therapy may be utilized to train or restore some of these functional abilities. Pre-occupational therapy students take some science courses along with a number of General Education courses. Accredited occupational therapy programs in Wisconsin are located at University of Wisconsin Madison, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Mount Mary College (Milwaukee) and Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon). Both UW Madison and UW Milwaukee award Bachelor’s degrees in occupational therapy as do Mount Mary and Concordia. Beginning in the fall of 1999, Concordia will offer an OT master’s degree and will discontinue the undergraduate OT degree. UW La Crosse has a program and is in the development/accreditation process now. Students beginning their course work at UW Oshkosh who plan to become occupational therapists should plan to transfer to one of the above programs after one year. This is important as certain pre-professional courses are not available at UW Oshkosh. All students are encouraged to contact the school they will transfer to early in their college careers. The following is a sample freshman year for those students planning to transfer to the UW Madison: Freshman Year
* Biology 105 is a prerequisite for Biology 230 at Oshkosh, but otherwise is not required by Madison. **Course taken depends on Math Placement Test. If not exempt from Mathematics 103, student would have to take this first. + Chemistry 101 may be appropriate if student has not had high school chemistry; otherwise select Chemistry 105. ++Choose from several courses including Mathematics 201, Psychology 203, and Sociology 181. Mathematics 107 is an appropriate statistics course only if the student has not yet taken math beyond Mathematics 103. Pre-occupational therapy students planning to transfer to UW Milwaukee should contact the School of Allied Health Professions. During their freshman year at UW Oshkosh they should plan to complete courses which will fulfill some of Milwaukee’s distribution education requirements. These could include English 101,courses through Mathematics 104, two humanities courses, two natural science courses, Psychology 101, and Psychology 205 or Sociology 151. See an academic advisor for other pre-professional course suggestions. Additional Information: Professional American Occupational Therapy Association 4720 Montgomery Ln PO Box 31220 Bethesda, MD 20824-1220 301-652-2682 Web Site: www.aota.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-OPTOMETRY Students interested in optometry as a profession can take their three years (90 units (crs.)) of pre-optometry course work at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and then transfer to one of 17 optometry schools for four years of professional optometry training leading to a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.). Some schools give preference to students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree. There is no requirement that a student major in a particular area as long as the program of study includes the following courses:
In addition, applicants for admission to schools and colleges of optometry in the United States are required to take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). Many schools would like this to be taken in the spring term of the year before application is made. Students are also encouraged to contact the school at which they plan to complete their Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree early in their academic career. Additional Information: Professional American Optometric Association 243 N Lindbergh Blvd St Louis, MO 63121-7881 314-991-4101 Web Site: www.aoanet.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE The field of osteopathic medicine is very similar to the field of medicine. The difference between the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) and the M.D. degree lies primarily in the emphasis placed during the training years on palpatory diagnosis and manipulative treatment in conjunction with all other recognized diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in total health care management. Acceptance into one of the 18 colleges of osteopathic medicine is very competitive. The student will need high grades and should score well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required before application. All colleges of osteopathic medicine require that at least 90 term hours be completed at the time of application. In addition, certain basic science courses are required. While only 90 term hours are the minimum requirement for entrance to osteopathic medical colleges, most students will enter with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Colleges of osteopathic medicine generally require the following courses as the minimum requirement for acceptance into their program:
Additionally, courses in the social sciences, humanities, mathematics and advanced biology are highly recommended. Additional Information: Professional American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine 5550 Friendship Blvd, Ste 310 Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7231 301-968-4100 Web Site: www.aacom.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-PHARMACY Becoming a pharmacist usually requires six years of study: two years in pre-professional study at a school like the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and four years at a pharmacy school. The pharmacy school in Wisconsin is at the University of Wisconsin Madison. The following program of study will fulfill the pre-pharmacy requirements of the University of Wisconsin Pharmacy School. Students must have a minimum of 70 units (crs.) to enter the Pharmacy program. This may require interim or summer courses and could take more than two years depending on math placement. Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
*Biology 105 is a prerequisite for all biology classes listed above. **The mathematics course a student takes depends on the Placement Test results. Mathematics through calculus is required for admission to pharmacy school. +Biology 323 is preferred. ++An ethnic studies course is required and counts as a social science as well as an ethnic studies course. Humanities and social science courses (psychology, sociology, history, economics) may be available during interims and/or summer sessions. As mentioned above, completion of the required course work may take longer than two years, depending on math placement and number of units taken each semester. Faculty Advisor: Robert Moore, Chemistry, 424-1486 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-PHYSICAL THERAPY The profession of physical therapy serves individuals whose ability to function has been impaired by disease or injury. Physical therapy programs in Wisconsin are located at the UW Madison, UW La Crosse, UW Milwaukee,Concordia Univer-sity, and Marquette University. Each of these universities awards a Master’s degree in physical therapy. A Bachelor’s degree is required of students applying for admission to one of these Master’s degree programs. Since some of the prerequisite courses for the Master’s program can be completed while earning a Bachelor’s degree at the universities listed above, students enrolled at the UW Oshkosh should transfer to a school having a physical therapy program after one year of course work. Students should contact the school where they will complete their undergraduate degree early in the first term of their freshman year. The following are suggested first year classes for those students who will be transferring to either the UW Madison or the UW La Crosse.
Other suggested courses include: physics (Physics/Astronomy 107 and Physics/Astronomy 108), statistics, and additional psychology courses. Additional Information: Professional American Physical Therapy Association 1111 N Fairfax St Alexandria, VA 22314 703-684-APTA Web Site: www.apta.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT Physician Assistants (PA’s) practice medicine with supervision by licensed physicians in the United States. PA’s practice in a wide variety of medical specialties from family practice to cardiovascular surgery. Their duties depend on the type of practice, their experience and education, the relationship with the physician supervisor and other health care providers, and the state laws that regulate the PA’s. The typical PA program is 24 - 25 months long, requires at least two years of college and some health care experience prior to admission to a program. The two years of PA training is similar to two years of medical school. The majority of PA students already have a BA/BS degree and four years or more of health care experience (ex. nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians) before admission to a PA program. Students interested in a PA program should contact the school at which they intend to complete the PA program as soon as possible in their academic or health care careers. The following courses are prerequisites for the UW La Crosse program. At the time of application candidates must have these completed or demonstrate a plan for completion prior to enrollment in the program. Additional information is available on the UW La Crosse website (www.uwlax.edu). Completion of courses to satisfy UW La Crosse general education requirements or already holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college. Coursework must total a minimum of 90 semester hours and must include a minimum of:
Applicants must also meet the program’s technical standards. Additional Information: Professional The Association of Physician Assistants Programs 950 N Washington St Alexandria, VA 22314 703-548-5538 Web Site: www.aapa.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-PODIATRY The field of podiatric medicine is an area of medicine which is concerned with prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and disorders affecting the human foot and its related structures. Acceptance into one of the seven colleges of podiatry is very competitive. The pre-podiatry student will need excellent grades and will also have to score well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is required before application. All colleges of podiatry require that a minimum of 90 term hours be completed at the time of enrollment. Recent statistics show most entering students have obtained the Bachelor's degree prior to entering podiatry school. Colleges of podiatry generally require the following courses as the minimum for acceptance into their program:
Additional courses in advanced biology as well as social sciences, humanities and mathematics are highly recommended. Please see an advisor for assistance in selecting courses. Also, students are strongly encouraged to contact the podiatry school they plan to attend for information regarding that school’s specific requirements. Additional Information: Professional American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine 1350 Piccard Dr Ste 322 Rockville, MD 20850 301-984-9350 or 1-800-922-9266 Web Site: www.aacpm.org Faculty Advisor: Dana Vaughan, Biology, 424-3076 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) PRE-VETERINARY MEDICINE Veterinarians work in small and/or large animal practices, public health agencies, research settings, and a variety of other positions. While two years of pre-veterinary study are the absolute minimum, some veterinary medical colleges give priority to applicants if they are a candidate for the baccalaureate degree. Acceptance into one of the 27 veterinary medical schools in the United States is extremely competitive. The student will need very high grades and should score well on the admission test required by the school. Veterinary medical schools require four years of professional training in order to receive the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M.) In Wisconsin, the veterinary medical school is located at the UW Madison. The following are suggested courses for a student in the pre-veterinary program who ultimately plans to attend the UW Madison.
Additional Information: Programs University of Wisconsin Madison School of Veterinary Medicine Office of Academic Affairs 2015 Linden Dr W Madison, WI 53706-1102 608-263-2525 Web Site: www.vetmed.wisc.edu.oaa/oaa.html Additional Information: Professional American Veterinary Medical Association 1931 N Mecham Rd Ste100 Schaumberg, IL 60173 847-925-8070 Web Site: www.avma.org Faculty Advisor: Colleen McDermott, Biology Department, 424-1102 Academic Advisors: Gary Simonsen, Melanie Harring (Dempsey 130) Please Email registrar@uwosh.edu Last Updated July 1, 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||