Preprofessional Programs

Premedical and Predental Study

There is no specific preferred major for premedicine or predentistry. Students may choose from a variety of undergraduate majors; however, they need to complete certain required courses for admission. Most applicants major in biology or chemistry, but it is important to choose a major in a field of interest to the student. Numerous majors allow students to take required pre-med courses and use the credits to fulfill electives in the major. In addition, there are numerous recommended courses, primarily in the sciences, that would make students more competitive applicants. Since the competition for admission is so strong, each student needs to maintain a high GPA (approximately a 3.5); do well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which is generally taken in spring of the junior year; and be active in campus organizations and community volunteer work.

Planning and performance are important. Students should work with an academic advisor to plan the freshman-year class schedule, which would, ideally, include Chemistry 121, 122, and 123, among other courses. A student with Math Placement Level of 3 or lower may be delayed entrance into chemistry courses, so it is important to plan ahead. Beginning their sophomore year, students should meet annually with the premedical advisor to plan their class schedules and make sure that they are taking the required courses. The premedical advisor also can suggest other courses that may help improve a student's performance on the MCAT.

The following courses are required for medical school admission. (Depending on the student's major, they may be taken as part of the degree requirements or in addition to the degree requirements.)
BIO 112 Principles of Human Biology
BIO 114 Cell Biology and Genetics
BIO 115 Diversity and Ecology
CHM 121 Submicroscopic Chemistry
CHM 122 Macroscopic Chemistry
CHM 123 Reaction Dynamics
CHM 211/215 Organic Chemistry I and lab
CHM 212/216 Organic Chemistry II and lab
CHM 213/217 Organic Chemistry III and lab
PHY 111/101 Physics I and lab
PHY 112/102 Physics II and lab
PHY 113/103 Physics III and lab
ENG 101,102, and one other writing course
MTH College Algebra and Trigonometry (MTH 130 and 131 or MTH 134); some schools require calculus (MTH 229, 230, and 231)

Recommended courses include:
BMB 421, 423, and 427 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (some schools require one course)
P&B 301 and 302 Human Physiology
M&I 220 Pathogenic Microbiology
M&I 426 Immunology and Virology
ANT 201 and 202 Human Anatomy
BIO 210, 211, and 212 Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Genetics
PHR 340 Pharmacology

Students who have received Advanced Placement (AP) credits from their high school science courses should take additional upper-level courses in those sciences to demonstrate proficiency. For example, a student who has placed out of a whole year of biology (BIO 111, 112, 115) should be sure to take an additional year of biology courses with labs to demonstrate the ability to achieve in college-level biology.

Prelaw Study

Prelaw is not a major or degree program, so students are free to choose from a wide variety of undergraduate majors. Many different areas of study can prepare students for law studies. When choosing a major, students should select an area in which they have a strong interest and in which they can do well academically. The prelaw advisor at Wright State will help plan a personal prelaw program.

To a large extent, admission to law school depends on the basic skills that students master as an undergraduate. The ability to communicate, reason clearly, and think independently is more important than the area of a student's major. Many disciplines help build these skills. Speaking and writing skills can be sharpened in a history class as well as in a literature class, and reasoning ability can be developed in a chemistry lab as well as in a philosophy seminar.

Competition for admission to law school is keen, and a student's academic record is one of the key criteria. A major in political science, business, history, or other fields connected with law does not guarantee admission. An excellent academic record in the sciences, math, languages, or other areas that are not usually associated with law may have an equal or even greater appeal to law schools.

Suggested Courses for Prelaw Study
The following courses can provide a taste of what the study of law is about and what those who choose a legal career can expect. Students may take as many or as few of these courses as they like. These courses are neither a prelaw program nor prerequisites for law school, and they do not relate to the intensive approach used in law school studies.
ACC 204, 205 Accounting Principles I, II
COM 232 Argumentation and Debate
EC 204 Principles of Microeconomics
EC 205 Principles of Macroeconomics
EC 351 Labor Markets
EC 420 Law and Economics
ENG 240 Intermediate Composition
FIN 310 Financial Management I
FIN 311 Financial Management II
FIN 332 Real Estate Law
FIN 462 Estate Planning
LAW 300 The Legal Environment of Business
LAW 420 Legal Aspects of Managing a Diverse Workforce
LAW 480 Special Topics in Law
PHL 124 Social Ethics and Values
PHL 211 Introduction to Ethics
PHL 215 Inductive Logic
PHL 223 Symbolic Logic I
PHL 378 Ethics and Medicine
PHL 472 Philosophy of Social Science
PLS 340 Law and Society
PLS 342 Civil Liberties I
PLS 343 Civil Liberties II
PLS 436 Criminal Law
PLS 437 Criminal Procedure
PLS 438 Environmental Law and Policy
PLS 439 Bioethics and Law
PLS 440 Constitutional Law
PLS 442 American Criminal Justice System
PLS 443 Administrative Law Procedure
PLS 471 International Law
PLS 482 Legislative Internship
PLS 484 Prelaw Internship