Preprofessional Studies
Premedical/Dental/Veterinary (Pre-MDV) Studies
Premedical/Dental/Veterinary (Pre-MDV) Studies is an advising pathway that provides a curriculum formatted around the prerequisites for taking preprofessional admissions tests (MCAT, DAT, GRE, etc.) and equips students with the academic skills, guidance, and resources necessary for successfully applying to medical (MD, MD/PhD, and DO), dental (DDS and DMD), and veterinary (DVM and VMD) programs. While Azusa Pacific University’s biochemistry and biological sciences degrees align most directly with the required and recommended coursework, Pre-MDV Studies is open to all students, regardless of academic major. Due to extensive curricular overlap, students pursuing Pre-MDV Studies with a major from outside of Azusa Pacific’s Department of Biology and Chemistry are encouraged to complete a chemistry minor as part of their academic credentialing.
Entry into Pre-MDV Studies requires students to formally apply through Azusa Pacific’s Pre-MDV Studies Committee. Applications are available to eligible students during the spring semester of each academic year. Eligibility is based on the student having completed a minimum of 20 units of required or recommended biology, chemistry, physics, and math coursework (see below), including at least 4 units at the 200 level or above. Admission into Pre-MDV Studies is reserved for those who possess the capacity to maintain high academic standards and have actively demonstrated a strong commitment to their preprofessional preparation.
Students accepted into Pre-MDV Studies are assigned a faculty advisor from the Pre-MDV Studies Committee to guide them through the processes of completing their coursework, preparing for admissions tests, and applying to their preferred medical, dental, or veterinary schools. Only students in Pre-MDV Studies are eligible to enroll in a two-semester sequence of BIOL 470 Science for the MCAT, in which content-specific review and simulated testing are used to familiarize students with the format and scope of the MCAT and other common standardized admissions tests. Prior to their application cycle, Pre-MDV Studies students participate in mock admissions interviews with members of the Pre-MDV Studies Committee. As part of their application, students receive a Committee Letter, which serves as a summative evaluation of their preparedness for entry into graduate studies and is submitted along with their individual letters of recommendation as part of a collated Committee Letter Packet, complete with a cover letter from the Pre-MDV Studies Committee chair in support of their candidacy. Importantly, students do not lose access to these benefits upon graduation from Azusa Pacific University and can rely on continuing support from the Pre-MDV Studies Committee, even if they choose to delay applying until years after completing their undergraduate degrees.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ||
| BIOL 151 & BIOL 152 | General Biology I and General Biology II 1 | 8 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 151 & CHEM 152 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II 1 | 8 |
| CHEM 251 & CHEM 252 | Organic Chemistry: Theory I and Organic Chemistry: Theory II | 6 |
| CHEM 261 & CHEM 262 | Organic Chemistry - Lab and Organic Chemistry - Lab | 2 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 165 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 166 | Calculus II | 3-4 |
| or MATH 130 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| Physics | ||
| PHYC 155 & PHYC 156 | Physics for Life Sciences I and Physics for Life Sciences II 1 | 6 |
| PHYC 145 | Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHYC 146 | Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Social Science | ||
| PSYC 110 | General Psychology 2 | 3 |
| SOC 120 | Introduction to Sociology 2 | 3 |
- 1
BIOL 151, CHEM 151, and PHYC 155 meet the APU Core: Natural Science general education requirement.
- 2
Meets the APU Core: Social Science general education requirement.
Recommended Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 270 & BIOC 370 | Biomolecular Chemistry and Biomolecular Metabolism | 8 |
| BIOC 360 | Principles of Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIOL 280 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 300 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL 346 | Regional Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 350 | Mammalian Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 394 | Directed Research Internship | 1-3 |
| BIOL 470 | Science for the MCAT | 1 |
| CHEM 300 & CHEM 310 | Quantitative Chemical Analysis - Theory and Quantitative Chemical Analysis - Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 394 | Directed Research Internship | 1-3 |
Pre-Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy (Pre-PT/OT) Studies
Pre-Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy (Pre-PT/OT) Studies is an advising pathway that provides a curriculum formatted around the prerequisites for physical and occupational therapy programs and equips students with the academic skills, guidance, and resources necessary for successfully applying to these programs.
Entry in Pre-PT/OT Studies requires students to formally apply through Azusa Pacific University’s Pre-PT/OT Studies Committee. Applications are available to eligible students while completing BIOL 251 Human Physiology. Admission into Pre-PT/OT Studies is based on an evaluation of the student’s academic success and realistic plans for a health-related career.
Students accepted into Pre-PT/OT Studies are assigned a faculty advisor from the Pre-PT/OT Studies Committee to guide them through the processes of completing their coursework and applying to physical/occupational therapy programs through PTCAS/OTCAS. Prior to the application cycle, Pre-PT/OT Studies students participate in mock admissions interviews with members of the Pre-PT/OT Studies Committee. As part of their application, students receive a Committee Letter, which serves as a summative evaluation of their preparedness for entry into physical/occupational therapy programs. Importantly, students do not lose access to these benefits upon graduation from Azusa Pacific University and can rely on continuing support from the Pre-PT/OT Studies Committee, even if they choose to delay applying until years after completing their undergraduate degrees.
Students interested in this pathway should consider the BA in Allied Health, which is designed to fulfill the PT/OT graduate program requirements without any need for additional coursework.
The following is typical of the academic prerequisites required by most physical and occupational therapy programs:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| General Biology I 1 | ||
| Human Anatomy | ||
| Human Physiology | ||
BIOL Elective | ||
| General Chemistry I 1 | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Physics for Life Sciences I 1 | ||
| Physics Laboratory I | ||
| Physics for Life Sciences II | ||
| Physics Laboratory II | ||
| Exercise Physiology | ||
| Psychology | ||
| Sociology | ||
| Statistics | ||