Undergraduate Pre-professional Curricula

The university offers pre-professional curricula. The varying requirements of different professional schools, however, require close adherence by the student to the catalog requirements of the respective college. Thus, students can complete one, two, three, or four years of work toward professional degrees at Columbus State University, depending on their objectives and the requirements of the particular professional school involved. It should be noted that most professional schools require an above-average academic record for admission.

Pre-Law. The statement on pre-legal education of the Association of American Law Schools does not recommend any specific major or course work for the prospective law student. Many Columbus State University baccalaureate programs may develop the broad competencies recommended in the statement. Students should contact the pre-law advisor through the chair, Department of Political Science, for further information.

Pre-Medicine/Pre-Dentistry. All courses required for admission to medical and dental schools are offered by Columbus State University; however, pre-medicine is not a major degree program- it is a concentration in preparation for a career goal. Students seeking admission into a medical or dental school should select an undergraduate, academic major. Three departments publish degree progress information and provide academic advisors to support pre-medical students: they are Biology, Chemistry and Geology, and Psychology and Sociology. Within each of these programs, sufficient electives are included to allow students to take courses needed for pre-medical preparation. For more detailed information on these programs see BS Biology, BA Chemistry, and BS Psychology (listed elsewhere), or contact the Department of Biology, the Department of Chemistry and Geology, or the Department of Psychology and Sociology. Students with other academic majors, interested in applying to medical schools should, during the freshman or sophomore year, contact the chair of the pre-medical advisory committee. Contact the dean of science to learn the name and headquarters of this individual. Students with pre-medical concentrations are required to maintain competitive academic records and to attend to other admissions requirements in addition to required classes. It is recommended that students serious about making application to medical schools work through the Columbus State University Pre-Medical Advisory Committee.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine. See BS in Biology degree, or contact the Department of Biology.

Pre-Pharmacy. Columbus State University offers those courses required in the first two years of most pharmacy programs. For details contact the pre-pharmacy advisor through the Department of Chemistry and Geology or the Department of Biology.

Pre-Engineering. Students planning to seek an engineering degree may take one of the following options at Columbus State University:

1. The Regents Engineering Transfer Program (RETP). Students who meet the entrance requirements of the College of Engineering of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and who successfully complete the pre-engineering curriculum at Columbus State University will be accepted for transfer to the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. (For more information see programs in the Department of Chemistry and Geology.)
2. A student may choose to complete at Columbus State University those courses that are available and meet requirements of the degree at the institution to which the student plans to transfer. Among such institutions the student should consider are the University of Georgia and Mercer University. Because the University of Georgia and Columbus State University are units of the University System of Georgia, course credits transfer readily between them. Columbus State University and Mercer University have a formal articulation agreement, which facilitates transfer.
3. The Columbus State University/Georgia Tech 3-2 Program. This program offers students an opportunity to earn two baccalaureate degrees in related fields (one from Columbus State University and one from Georgia Tech) in a planned five-year program of study. Approximately three years of work is completed at Columbus State University on the initial baccalaureate program, including certain courses specified by the Georgia Institute of Technology. Upon completion of this course work, the student then transfers to Georgia Tech for two years of study toward completion of requirements for the baccalaureate degree to be conferred by that institution. Upon completion of the five-year program, both institutions award the separate degrees earned. A number of degree combinations are possible. For more information on pre-engineering, contact the Department of Chemistry and Geology.