Pre-professional Programs
Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dentistry, and Pre-Veterinary Studies: Members of the Committee on Health Science Careers (CHSC) share a commitment to preparing students for graduate studies in the health sciences. Faculty members of the CHSC represent a broad range of departments such as Psychology, English, Philosophy, Political Science, Nursing, and Exercise Science as well as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Not only are committee members active in pre-health science advising, but they also support the student's application by providing mock entrance interviews, assistance in editing personal statements, and writing letters of recommendation. Students who indicate an interest in the health sciences are usually assigned an advisor with expertise in advising in that area.
Pre-health sciences students choose and complete a regular, undergraduate major under the supervision of their academic advisor. Students cannot major in pre-medicine or any other pre-health sciences field at the undergraduate level. Although health science students must demonstrate strong achievement and aptitude in the natural sciences, a science major is not necessary. Admission committees are concerned more with the quality of the work and the attitude of the individual than with the identity of the major. Consequently, they also encourage applications from non-science majors who have demonstrated an aptitude for the natural sciences. The CHSC recommends that students select a major based on individual interests and potential alternative career plans and then pursue the curriculum that will be most useful towards these goals.
All health science students should complete certain science courses as minimum preparation for graduate study in the health sciences. These courses should be finished prior to the spring semester of the junior year, which is when the standardized entrance examinations (MCAT or DAT) should be taken. The following courses fulfill the minimal requirements established by most pre-health science programs:
1 semester of General Chemistry (CHEM 101 or CHEM 105)

3 semesters of Biology (BIOL 101, BIOL 201 and BIOL 202)

2 semesters of Organic Chemistry (CHEM 230 and CHEM 331)

1 semester of Inorganic Chemistry or Quantitative Analysis
(CHEM 206 or CHEM 310)
2 semesters of Physics (PHYS 101 and PHYS 102) or (PHYS 103 and PHYS 204)
The courses listed above will provide the student with a strong foundation for graduate study in the health sciences. However, some programs have additional requirements including calculus, statistics, anatomy and physiology, molecular biology and biochemistry. The CHSC directs students to appropriate resources where they can learn about the requirements of specific professional programs. Furthermore, the CHSC can advise students on the most appropriate courses to meet or exceed those requirements.
As a complement to science courses, the University Core Curriculum provides students with a broad liberal arts education that will help them develop the philosophical and humanitarian perspective necessary to handle complex social and ethical issues. Moreover, the CHSC encourages students to seek out volunteer opportunities and exposure to health care providers and work environments. Students who demonstrate a humanitarian concern for others, through regular volunteer work in the community, have higher acceptance rates than students who show no such interest or concern. Additionally, health science students must learn about their chosen career through direct interaction with health care providers. In fact, some professional programs require entering students to exceed a minimum level of exposure to their chosen field. For further information on the CHSC, or preparation for health science careers, contact the Biology department.
Pre-Law: A Bachelor's degree is normally demanded by law schools for admission. No particular major is required, but these schools look for students who have done well in their undergraduate program and on the Law School Admission Test. Further information can be found in the Law School section of this catalogue.
The best preparation for law school is a solid liberal education with particular emphasis on those majors and courses that develop the ability to read critically, to analyze difficult written material carefully, to think logically, and to write clear, coherent, and effective English prose. More pre-law students major in Political Science than any other field, but Gonzaga graduates have done well in law school recently with majors in all rigorous academic programs.
The pre-law program is administered by the Department of Political Science. Students are provided with special academic advisors, and special preparation for the LSAT examination is provided. Internships with private law firms and with the office of the State Attorney General are available to qualified students. The pre-law advisor can suggest an individually tailored minor in legal studies, upon request, or specific pre-law courses.
Pre-Nursing: For students who are just beginning their college education and wish to become Professional Nurses, Gonzaga offers a program in partnership with the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education (ICNE). During the first two years of the program, students complete the Gonzaga University core and prerequisites to the Nursing program. Prerequisite courses include: Anatomy and Physiology with a laboratory, Chemistry with a laboratory, English Composition, Mathematics, Microbiology with a laboratory, Nutrition, Psychology, Social Sciences, Sociology, Speech Communication, and Statistics. During the sophomore year, students make a formal application to enter the Nursing major. Once accepted to the major, Gonzaga students begin advanced nursing courses at the ICNE. While studying at the ICNE, students may continue to live on Gonzaga's campus and continue to be considered fully enrolled at Gonzaga University. Upon completion of all curriculum requirements, students receive a diploma that acknowledges both Gonzaga University and Washington State University as the host institution for the ICNE. University wide degree requirements related to upper division credits and completion of the last thirty semester credits immediately preceding graduation are met through the agreement with the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education consortium.
Preparation for Careers in Allied Health: The University provides students with opportunities to prepare for graduate or professional study in a variety of health related areas including physical and occupational therapy, physician assistant programs, corporate fitness, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, business careers in health fitness and human performance, health administration, health education, and sport and fitness business administration. Careers in allied health require additional study after completion of an undergraduate degree and therefore consideration of the prerequisites for admission to individual graduate programs is critical and should be considered by the student in selecting an undergraduate major. For further information on preparation for careers in allied health, contact the Department of Exercise Science or the Division of Physical Education and Special Education in the School of Education.
Miscellaneous Programs: Students who wish to pursue degrees in medical records, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacy, agriculture, architecture, forestry, or mining are encouraged to complete the core curriculum at Gonzaga as well as those courses which will form a good basis for further study in the field of their choice.
Veterans: Gonzaga University's academic programs of study are approved by the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board's State Approving Agency (HECB/SAA) for enrollment of persons eligible to receive educational benefits under Title 38 and Title 10 USC. Please contact the Veterans Coordinator for information, to apply for benefits, and to obtain certifications of enrollment.