Pre-Professional Programs

TEACHING MINOR

• Special Education Mild Intervention

ASSOCIATE DEGREES

• Associate of Arts with a Concentration in Criminal Justice. For more information, see the Department of

Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Family Science in this catalog. • Associate of Science with Concentration in any area with the approval of the academic advisor. Online students may choose from concentrations in Business, Business Administration and Leadership, History, or Sociology.

For more information, contact the Dean of the School of Humanities, Education, and Behavioral Science.

COGNATES

A cognate is defined as a cluster of courses designed to enrich or provide breadth to an academic major. It consists of 15-18 hours in two or more disciplines and may include no more than 4 hours in courses applied to other requirements. A GPA of at least 2.0 is required for all courses applied to the cognate.

Cognates are generally individually designed and are developed with the approval of the chair of the department offering the related major as well as the dean of the school.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

The student interested in becoming a medical technologist completes three years at Anderson University and the final (clinical) year of training at one of two hospitals in Indiana: Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne or Clarian Health (Methodist Hospital) in Indianapolis. Tuition for the clinical year is paid to Anderson University. After successful completion of this program, students earn a Bachelor of Arts in biology and are eligible to pursue clinical laboratory scientist certification through the Board of Registry or the National Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel.

Admission to a school of medical technology requires the satisfactory completion of three years (92 hours) of academic study that includes completion of all liberal arts requirements; 22 hours of biology, including microbiology and immunology; at least 12 hours of chemistry (8 hours general and 4 hours organic); one course (4 hours) in mathematics; and one course (4 hours) in physics. Students must meet the graduation requirements and biology major requirements stated elsewhere in this catalog. Upon successful completion of these requirements, students are eligible to apply to one of the clinical programs. Interested students should contact the Department of Biology for more details and advising.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Anderson University offers a program that prepares students for entry into physical therapy programs. Most students seeking to enter the profession obtain a bachelor’s degree in exercise science or biology. Because of the small number of schools offering graduate degrees in physical therapy and the large number of students who apply, admission to those programs is very competitive. Anderson University has developed an articulation agreement with Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, to facilitate admission for Anderson University graduates to a doctorate degree program in physical therapy. Interested students should contact the Department of Biology for more details and advising.

PRE-HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

Anderson University offers pre-health professional programs for students desiring careers in medicine, athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, dentistry, physician assistant, pharmacy, chiropractic, optometry, podiatry, and veterinary medicine. Individualized programs are developed for students wishing to enter other health professions not listed above.

Although most pre-health profession students major in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, or exercise science, in most cases any major may be chosen as long as the particular health profession program and course requirements are met. The length and specific coursework for each program varies depending on the field and the individual professional school selected. Each pre-health professional program is designed to give students a broad, Christian, liberal arts preparation for service in the health field of choice. The program usually consists of the following components: • A standard pre-health profession core of courses (one year each of laboratory-based, collegelevel general biology, general chemistry, and physics). • Additional courses in the sciences to increase study skills and knowledge base in the medically related subjects. • A requirement to include courses in psychology, sociology, biblical studies, and communication as part of the liberal arts component. • Preparation for the particular health profession standardized exam. • Being an active member in the Pre-Professional Health Society. • A committee evaluation and recommendation process for the professional school application procedure.

Students interested in a particular pre-health professional program should contact the director of pre-health professional programs for more information and/or referral to the appropriate advisor in that profession.

The success of Anderson University’s pre-health profession programs can be measured in a variety of ways. The university has an excellent placement record during the past 15 years, with approximately 85-90% of students who applied to professional programs having been accepted. Of those students receiving strong committee recommendations, essentially 100% have been accepted. Many of our students during the past 15 years have been in the upper 10% of their professional school classes upon graduation from their respective schools.

PRE-LAW

Students planning to attend law school are not restricted to any one major. The top majors for students who apply to law school are political science, English, history, psychology, economics, and business. Students are encouraged to work with their major advisor and AU’s pre-law advisor to select courses from across the curriculum that prepare them for admission to law school and the practice of law.

Taking classes across the curriculum helps students develop the analytical, writing, research, and oral communication skills necessary to succeed in law school and beyond. These classes also help students acquire the knowledge of history, politics, societies, cultures, economies, and philosophies that make success in law school more likely.

Interested students should consider the minor in legal studies and consult with AU’s pre-law advisor as early as possible.