Center for Academic Excellence
Pre-Professional Interests
Truman’s undergraduate programs can help students prepare for a variety of professional degrees, including law and health professions. By meeting with your advisor early in your academic career, we can help you develop a plan to fulfill the requirements of your intended professional study as you earn your bachelor’s degree.
Pre-Athletic Training Requirements:
BIOL 365 – Human Anatomy Credits: 3
BIOL 365L – Human Anatomy Lab Credits: 1
ES 205 – First Aid and CPR Credits: 1
ES 245 – Nutrition for Health, Fitness, and Sport Credits:3
ES 342 – Biomechanics with Lab Credits: 4
ES 345 – Exercise Physiology Credits: 3
BIOL 325 – Human Physiology Credits: 4
PSYC 166 – General Psychology Credits: 3
STAT 190 – Basic Statistics
GRE for admission, deadline for application to Truman State University is April 1 (February 15 for priority)
Pre-Chiropractic Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
CHEM 130 & 131
CHEM 329, 330, 331, & 332 (or 333 in place of 330 & 332)
PHYS 185
PSYC 166
For additional requirements for admission, please check with the chiropractic school you are interested in.
*Note: a bachelor’s degree is not required for many chiropractic programs.
Pre-Dental Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
Anatomy & Physiology w/ labs
BIOL 214 & 215
BIOL 302 or 365/365L and BIOL 315 or 325
CHEM 130 & 131
CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333
CHEM 335
PHYS 185 & 186 or 195 & 196
ENG 190 and one other course with an ENG prefix
All courses need to be taken before the DAT & applying (take DAT spring/early summer of junior year, apply to dental school summer/early fall after junior year)
Pre-Medicine Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
CHEM 130 & 131
CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333
PHYS 185 & 186 or 195 & 196
ENG 190 and one other course with an ENG prefix
CHEM 335 (strongly suggested)
PSYC 166 (strongly suggested)
SOAN 190 (strongly suggested)
All courses need to be taken before the MCAT & applying (take MCAT spring/early summer of junior year, apply to med school summer after junior year)
Pre-Optometry Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
BIOL 204 or 304
CHEM 130 & 131
[CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333] or [CHEM 320] — depends on major
CHEM 335
PHYS 185 & 186 or 195 & 196
ENG 190 & JINS
PSYC 166
Students should take the OAT in spring/summer of junior year and apply to optometry school in summer after junior year.
*Note: a bachelor’s degree is not required for most programs but is strongly suggested
Pre-Occupational Therapy Requirements:
BIOL 100 or 107
BIOL 214 & 215 or 325 & 365/365L
HLTH 200
PSYC 166
PSYC 366
PSYC 377
SOAN 190 or 191
GRE to get into OT school, deadline for application determined by school
Pre-Pharmacy Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
BIOL 304
BIOL 365/365L or BIOL 214 & 215
CHEM 130 & 131
CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333
STAT 190
MATH 198
PHYS 185 or 195
ENG 190
COMM 170
Students should take the PCAT in summer before/fall of senior year and apply to pharmacy programs as soon as possible (last deadline is March 1)
*Note: a bachelor’s degree is not required for many pharmacy programs
Pre-Physical Therapy Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
2 semesters of Anatomy & Physiology w/ labs
BIOL 214 & 215
BIOL 302
BIOL 315
BIOL 325
BIOL 365/365L
CHEM 130 & 131
PHYS 185 & 186 or 195 & 196
PSYC 166
(some schools) 2nd semester of Psychology
GRE to get into PT school, deadline for application determined by school
Pre-Physician Assistant Requirements:
BIOL 107 & additional BIOL course (i.e. BIOL 104, 330, 300, etc.)
2 semesters of Anatomy & Physiology w/ labs
BIOL 214 & 215
BIOL 302
BIOL 315
BIOL 325
BIOL 365/365L
BIOL 204 or 304
CHEM 130 & 131
[CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333] or [CHEM 320] — depends on major
CHEM 335
PSYC 166
(some schools) 2nd semester of Psychology
HLTH 200
GRE to get into PA school, deadline for application determined by school
Pre-Veterinary Requirements:
10 hours of BIOL, including:
BIOL 107 & 104
BIOL 200
BIOL 300 or 321 (suggested)
BIOL 304 (suggested)
BIOL 309 (suggested)
BIOL 302 or AGSC 320 (suggested)
CHEM 130 & 131
[CHEM 329 & 331, 330/332 or 333] or [CHEM 320] — depends on major
CHEM 335
PHYS 185 & 186 or 195 & 196
Students can take either the GRE or the MCAT in spring/summer of junior year and apply to vet school in early fall (September) of senior year
*Note: a bachelor’s degree is not required for many vet programs
For pre-law studies, there is no specific undergraduate curriculum because law schools encourage students to experience a wide range of disciplines. Law schools are more interested in outstanding undergraduate study that includes coursework in critical and logical reasoning, written and verbal argumentation, and creative thinking. Classes in English, history, economics, statistics, accounting, computer science, math, logic, sociology, psychology, and philosophy, to name a few, develop the skills that law schools are looking for.
Have questions?
If you have questions about our Pre-Professional Studies, feel free to contact:
Alexandra Savala
Center for Academic Excellence
asavala@truman.edu
(660) 785-7403