The number of credit hours in the program varies by concentration with all concentrations requiring a 12-credit hour common core with the following required beyond the core: pre-athletic training (37), pre-chiropractic medicine (29), pre-dentistry (47-49), pre-medicine (44-45), pre-occupational therapy (23), pre-optometry (50-51), pre-pharmacy (51-52), pre-physical therapy (36), pre-physician assistant (41), pre-public health (18), pre-speech pathology/audiology (18), pre-veterinary medicine(51-52). These are credits required as prerequisites for the respective professional school applications. In each concentration and depending on the student’s major, many courses likely count toward the major (especially majors in the Health and Human Performance as well as Natural Sciences divisions). In all concentrations, additional credits will be required for completion of the student’s major.
Admission Requirements
Because high academic achievement is required for admission to health professional schools, the Divisions of Health and Human Performance plus Natural Sciences have developed minimum criteria for the Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) Program designation on IWU degree audits and diplomas. Upon completion of the freshman year, students interested in maintaining the Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) Program designation must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, complete a prescribed essay, and interview with the Pre-Professional Committee. The essay and interview are administered as part of the
PMD-110 course (Preparing the Christian Health Professional, completed by the student in the spring of his or her freshman year). Students whose cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 are encouraged to investigate, with the help of their academic advisor, alternative career paths. If the student does not eventually achieve the minimum cumulative GPA, the Residential Academic Services Office will drop the Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) designation from the degree audit and diploma on graduation. Transfer students wishing to have the Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) Program designation on their degree audit and diploma will need to demonstrate that they meet the GPA requirements in core courses and overall completed courses based on applicable classes at previous accredited institutions. All subsequent decisions as to retention in the Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) Program will be based on IWU courses only. These students should enroll in
PMD-110 at their earliest opportunity.
Pre-Health Care Sciences (Non-Nursing) Program
Required Common Core (12 credits)
| BIO-125 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| PMD-110 | Preparing the Christian Health Professional | 1 |
| PSY-150 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC-150 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| PMD-310 | Perspectives in Scientific Reasoning | 1 |
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both
BIO-111/111L and
BIO-112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-125 credit. In these cases, the credit total for this course is 8 credits with the core total of 16 credits.
Students have the option of taking an alternative Sociology course that meets their admissions prerequisite. For example, Pre-Occupational Therapy and Pre-Physical Therapy students have the option of taking
SOC-210 Intergroup Relations or
SOC-225 Anthropology instead of
SOC-150. Other concentrations have the option of taking
SOC-210 Intergroup Relations to fulfill this requirement
The following pages list for each concentration the courses required beyond the core and the courses that are strongly recommended. Each listing is based upon careful study of the prerequisite courses listed by each respective profession’s national accrediting association. However, the importance of careful consultation between the student and his or her academic advisor regarding prerequisite fulfillment for application to schools of interest cannot be over emphasized. Prerequisite courses listed by different health care professions schools are changing on a regular basis.
Pre-Athletic Training Concentration
Pre-Athletic Training Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (37 credits)
| BIO-111 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO-111L | Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | 0 |
| BIO-112 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO-112L | Anatomy and Physiology II Lab | 0 |
| CHE-120 | Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| CHE-120L | Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry Lab | 0 |
| MAT-204 | Applied Statistics I | 3 |
| - | or | |
| MAT-305 | Statistics for Social Sciences | 3 |
| PHE-101 | Concepts of Health and Wellness | 1 |
| PHE-230 | CPR and First Aid | 2 |
| PHE-264 | Principles of Strength and Conditioning | 3 |
| PHE-286 | Kinesiology | 4 |
| PHE-370 | Biomechanics and Physics of Human Movement | 3 |
| PHE-370L | Biomechanics and Physics of Human Movement Lab | 1 |
| PHE-374 | Physiology of Exercise | 3 |
| PHE-374L | Physiology of Exercise Lab | 1 |
| PHE-415 | Nutrition for Sport and Performance | 4 |
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both BIO-311 and BIO-312 with a "C" or above in each to fulfill the BIO-111 and BIO-112 credits.
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. graduate athletic training programs.
Pre-Chiropractic Medicine Concentration
Pre-Chiropractic Medicine Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (29 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both BIO111/111L and BIO112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits
Pre-Chiropractic Medicine Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. chiropractic medicine schools.
Pre-Dentistry Concentration
Pre-Dentistry Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (47-49 credits)
Pre-Dentistry Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Dental Education Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. dental schools.
Pre-Medicine (DO, DPM, MD) Concentration
Pre-Medicine Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (44 45 credits)
Pre-Medicine Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Association for Medical Colleges and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. allopathic (M.D.), osteopathic (D.O.), and podiatric (D.P.M.) medical schools.
Pre-Occupational Therapy Concentration
Pre-Occupational Therapy Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (23 credits)
| BIO-311 | Mammalian Anatomy | 4 |
| BIO-312 | General Physiology | 4 |
| MAT-204 | Applied Statistics I | 3 |
| - | or | |
| MAT-305 | Statistics for Social Sciences | 3 |
| PHE-190 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| PHE-485 | Senior Research Seminar I | 2 |
| PHE-486 | Senior Research Seminar II | 1 |
| - | or | |
| PSY-355 | Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| - | or | |
| BIO-495 | Research in Biology | 1 to 4 |
| - | or | |
| CHE-495 | Research in Chemistry | 1 to 4 |
| - | or | |
| PHY-495 | Research in Physics | 1 to 4 |
| - | or | |
| - | Comparable Research Methods Course | 3 |
| PSY-250 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY-366 | Psychology of Abnormal Behavior | 3 |
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both BIO111/111L and BIO112/112L with a “B” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits, respectively.
Pre-Occupational Therapy Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
| BIO-395 | Professional Observation | 1 |
| CHE-120 | Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| PHE-286 | Kinesiology | 4 |
| PHY-211 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHY-211L | General Physics Lab | 0 |
| - | or | |
| PHE-370 | Biomechanics and Physics of Human Movement | 3 |
| PHE-370L | Biomechanics and Physics of Human Movement Lab | 1 |
BIO395 Professional Observation (with a licensed occupational therapist)
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Occupational Therapy Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. occupational therapy schools.
Pre-Optometry Concentration
Pre-Optometry Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (50-51 credits)
Pre-Optometry Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. optometry schools.
Pre-Pharmacy Concentration
Pre-Pharmacy Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (51-52 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both BIO111/111L and BIO112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits.
Pre-Pharmacy Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. pharmacy schools.
Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration
Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (36 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both
BIO-111/111L and
BIO-112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits, respectively.
Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
BIO-395 Professional Observation (with a licensed physical therapist)
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Physical Therapy Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. physical therapy schools.
Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration
Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (36 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both
BIO-111/111L and
BIO-112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits, respectively.
In consultation with their academic advisor, the student must carefully consider the specific prerequisites of the schools to which they might apply as levels of anatomy and physiology course prerequisites vary significantly from school to school.
Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the Physician Assistant Education Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. physician assistant schools.
Pre-Public Health Concentration
Pre-Public Health Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Sciences Core (18 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both
BIO-111/111L and
BIO-112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits, respectively.
Pre-Public Health Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. masters of public health programs.
Pre-Speech Pathology/Audiology Concentration
Pre-Speech Pathology/Audiology Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Health Care Science Core (18 credits)
Alternatively, students can successfully complete both BIO111/111L and BIO112/112L with a “C” or above in each to fulfill the
BIO-311 and
BIO-312 credits, respectively.
Pre-Speech Pathology/Audiology Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core:
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. masters in science speech-language pathology as well as audiology doctorate programs.
Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration
Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration Required Courses Beyond the Pre-Health Care Science Core (51-52 credits)
Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration Strongly Recommended Courses Beyond the Core
Curriculum is based on prerequisite recommendations by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and fulfills the requirements of most U.S. veterinary schools.
