Email: preprof@csueastbay.edu
Websites: http://www20.csueastbay.edu/csci/departments/phap/index.html; https://www.ce.csueastbay.edu/ce/programs/pre-professional-health/
Biomedical Sciences
A student interested in entering medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, veterinary science, or allied health sciences should contact the Preprofessional Health Academic Program at the Department of Physics office, SCN 231 (510-885-3401).The current director of the program and preprofessional health advisor is Dr. Oscar Wambuguh, an assistant professor of health sciences. He usually holds regular prehealth advising hours as indicated at the program website. Peer student advisors (officers of the PreHealth Society) hold regular office hours which are also posted at the program site.
The Preprofessional Health Academic Program located at the Department of Physics office will direct the student to a preprofessional advisor to receive program information and individual counseling about meeting the requirements for admission to professional schools. The program requires that students register by downloading and completing an application available at the program website. The program offers a letter service that organizes the student’s individual letters of recommendation as a package sent to professional schools.
The required courses for the various professional fields do not comprise a major, therefore the student is free to select any major. Accordingly, in addition to the preprofessional advisor, each student must also select a major advisor on the same basis as do all other students at the university. Admission to professional schools is highly competitive. Consequently, the major selected should be one representing an alternate career objective satisfactory to the student.
Students intending to enter the health professions should plan on completing a baccalaureate degree with an appropriate academic major. Many students major in biological sciences (any option), biochemistry or health sciences (pre-doctoral option B3), but majors in the social sciences and the humanities are acceptable to professional schools, provided the specified courses in science have been completed.
Admission to professional schools is restricted to those students who have developed a facility in the use of English and in quantitative thinking, who have mastered the fundamentals of the physical and biological sciences, studied in depth one of the major fields of knowledge, and obtained a competitive score in the required entrance tests.
Cal State East Bay is an official test center for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The now computerized MCAT is administered throughout the year under the auspices of the Testing Office. Premedical students are urged to schedule this test for Spring of their junior year.
The Dental/Optometry/Pharmacy/Veterinary Admission Test, required of all predental, preoptometry, prepharmacy and preveterinary students, may be taken by application throughout the year. Students should plan to take this test in Spring of their junior year. Contact the Testing Office for further details, or visit the respective test websites.
Courses such as ANTH 3720 (Medical Anthropology), HSC 3300 (Healthcare Systems in the U.S.), PHIL 3152 (Biomedical Ethics), HSC 3200 (Environmental Health), HSC 3250 (Genes and Human Health) and SOC 4720 (Medical Sociology) will be of value to students in broadening their educational experiences and increasing their skills; in addition to preparing students for interviews at professional schools. Some of these courses may be counted for General Education, depending upon the major. More information is available at the program website or further discussion with a prehealth advisor.
Sample programs for preprofessional students in Medicine (including allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric, and veterinary medicine) and Dentistry can be found at http://www20.csueastbay.edu/csci/departments/phap/index.html. Please consult with a prehealth advisor first, before embarking on any of these programs.
Allied Health Fields
The following programs are offered by the university in the allied health fields. The Department of Biological Sciences has an Option in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences in its B.S. degree major. Options in Physical Activity Studies, Exercise, Nutrition, and Wellness, Therapeutic Studies, Social Justice, and Pre-Physical Therapy are available in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. The Department of Nursing and Health Sciences has a B.S. degree major both in Nursing and in Health Sciences. The graduate department of Educational Psychology has an M.S. in Counseling. Both B.S. and M.S. programs in Speech Pathology and Audiology are offered as well as a Clinical Rehabilitative Services Credential. The Department of Public Affairs and Administration offers an interdisciplinary Master of Science in Health Care Administration degree. These programs are described in the alphabetical listing in this catalog. Please contact the appropriate departments and schools for additional information.
Certificate in Pre-Physical Therapy
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The department is not accepting applications for the Certificate in Pre-Physical Therapy. Please contact the Department of Kinesiology for more information.
The certificate requirements, as proposed, can be met by completing 78-79 units as shown below.
I. Lower Division (60-61 units)
BIOL 1401 Molecular and Cellular Biology (5)
BIOL 1403 Animal Biology (5)
BIOL 2010 (or 2011), 2020 Human Physiology and Anatomy I, II (5, 4)
BIOL 2025 Introduction to Microbiology (5) or BIOL 4160 Medical Physiology (4)
CHEM 1101, 1102, 1103 General Chemistry (5, 5, 5)
PHYS 2701, 2702, 2703 Introductory Physics (4, 4, 4)
PSYC 1000 General Psychology (or 1001) (5)
STAT 1000 Elements of Probability and Statistics (5)
II. Upper Division (18 units)
KIN 3305 Structural Kinesiology (4)
KIN 3310 Biomechanics (5)
KIN 3320 Exercise Physiology (5)
PSYC 4410 Abnormal Psychology (4)
Field Observation and Voluntary Participation
Students enrolled in the program must complete one to three quarters of field observation and volunteer participation in physical therapy at cooperating agencies. Evidence of such fieldwork can be gained by liaison with appropriate personnel at these agencies.
Additional Courses
Additional courses may be needed to meet the requirements of specific programs in Physical Therapy. Examples are given below. Students are advised to consult a preprofessional advisor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education for further information.
BIOL 4160 Medical Physiology (4)
CHEM 2301/2302 Survey of Organic Chemistry (4, 4)
KIN 4330 Clinical Exercise Physiology (4)
PSYC 4420 Developmental Psychology (4)
KIN 4000-level course on computer applications in kinesiology and physical education
Pre-Law Studies
The study of law is a postgraduate professional program, usually requiring three years of full-time study beyond the completion of the bachelor’s degree. No specific pre-law undergraduate program is required for admission to law schools. However, for students wishing to focus on legal studies at Cal State East Bay, the Political Science Department has a Pre-Law option in the Political Science Major.
Students intending to enter law school commonly complete undergraduate majors in political science, philosophy, economics, business, or history. The pre-law student’s undergraduate plan of study should include among its objectives a facility in the proper use of written and spoken English, a sampling of undergraduate law courses, one or more critical/logical thinking courses, and a basic understanding of government and economics. Some law schools recommend that students take a basic accounting course, particularly if they are interested in business or tax law.
Students planning to enter law school should consult a pre-law advisor. Dr. David Baggins of the Department of Political Science, who is an attorney, serves as the university pre-law advisor. Several other departments also have pre-law advisors.
Most accredited law schools require that applicants complete the Law School Admission Test. The LSAT is typically given in September, December, February, and June at one or more testing centers in the Bay Area. Pre-law students should obtain LSAT registration materials and law school applications early in their final year of college. Copies of these materials can also be secured from the pre-law advisor in the Department of Political Science and from the Testing Office, Library, Room LI 3165A. The Political Science Department Library also has a copy of the Law School Guidebook and many law school catalogs.
Pre-Theological Studies
The American Association of Theological Schools recommends that students anticipating graduate theological education take a broad liberal arts program leading to the B.A. degree. Cal State East Bay recommends that pre-theology students complete the Religious Studies Option in the Philosophy Major. A reading knowledge of at least one language other than English is highly recommended. Students should elect courses which will sharpen their conceptual processes (logic, scientific method, literary or historical research) and should have more than an introduction to the world of people and ideas, the world of nature, and the world of human affairs. It is also possible to complete a minor in religious studies. Students planning to enter theological schools should consult the Department of Philosophy (MI 4006) about their major and baccalaureate degree.
