Preprofessional Programs
Health programs
Preprofessional Training
Because of the very large number of students interested in the health professions and the limited number of spaces in professional schools, the competition for admission to professional programs is great. Students interested in the health professions are directed into degree programs so that they can make progress toward meeting requirements for bachelor's degrees while at the same time completing course requirements for admission to the desired health professions. By doing this, a student who is not successful in gaining admission to a professional program may complete a degree program without prolonging study beyond eight semesters.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Generally, students interested in medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry are advised to enter the biological science program as freshmen and to seek academic advising from the Biological Sciences Academic Advising Office as well as The Career Center. Students interested in occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and professional nursing are advised to elect the General Curriculum.
Professional School Advising
Advising for professional schools and career advising for dentistry, allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, and podiatry may be obtained from The Career Center. The office serves as a resource center for information concerning careers in the health professions, provides personal and individual career counseling and guidance for students who are interested in those professions, and coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to interview prospective applicants and to acquaint students with the unique educational features of their institutions.
The office provides standard faculty evaluation forms to students who are planning to apply to professional schools in the health professions listed above. A student may request letters of evaluation from faculty members at any time during his or her college career. The office will maintain the letters in a confidential file and will forward them, unedited, to the professional schools designated by the student.
Information on the University of Illinois Dietetics program is available in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Office of Academic Programs, 101 Mumford Hall, 1301 West Gregory, Urbana, IL 61801.
Information about application to the University of Illinois at Chicago occupational therapy, physical therapy, and pharmacy is available at The Career Center. Information on nursing is also available at the College of Nursing, 408 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.
Transfer Credit from Professional Schools
If a student has satisfied both college and major residence requirements, it is possible to transfer basic medical science credit satisfactorily completed at a fully accredited medical, dental, or veterinary medical school for courses acceptable to the major and to apply that credit to the requirements for the baccalaureate degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The amount of transfer credit cannot exceed 30 semester hours and duplication of courses completed on this campus will not be permitted. Credit will be counted only upon completion of one year's professional study.
A student planning to complete the baccalaureate degree requirements by attendance at a medical, dental, or veterinary medical school must obtain an evaluation of credit before attending that school. Because it is quite possible that less than the maximum amount of credit may be acceptable as transfer credit, it is essential that the student consult the admissions and records officer in the college office as early as possible.
If there is any question about whether a course meets the criteria for acceptability or about the amount of credit to be granted, the student will be responsible for providing the necessary information upon which the head of the appropriate department (or his or her designate) on this campus will make a recommendation to the college regarding the acceptance of credit. Final determination of the credit will be made by the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or his or her designate.
The prior agreement regarding transfer credit from professional schools must be included in the student's major contract form.
Preprofessional Requirements for Dentistry
Dentistry is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to dental school. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the dental schools to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Official Guide to Dental School, published by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). This resource can be viewed at The Career Center. Additional information about preparation for dental school can be found at www.adea.org.
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into dental school is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing dentistry as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of dental schools, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for dental school. Colleges of Dentistry may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
| Hours | Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Composition I requirement | |
| 3 | Advanced Composition requirement | |
| 8-10 | General Biology with laboratory |
|
| MCB 150- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Life | ||
| MCB 151- Molecular and Cellular Laboratory* | ||
| IB 150- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology | ||
| IB 151- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Laboratory* | ||
| * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151; Pre-dentistry students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151; Dentistry schools require a minimum of two biology labs. | ||
| 6-10 | Physiology | |
| MCB 244-Human Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| MCB 245- Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab I | ||
| MCB 246-Human Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| MCB 247-Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab II | ||
| OR IB 202- Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| IB 426- Environmental and Evolutionary Physiology of Animals | ||
| 4-5 | Genetics | |
| MCB 250 - Molecular Genetics | ||
MCB 251*-Experimental Techniques in Molecular Genetics |
||
| OR IB 204 - Genetics | ||
| 8 | General Chemistry with laboratory | |
| CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I | ||
| CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I | ||
| CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II | ||
| CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Lab II | ||
| 8 | Organic Chemistry with laboratory | |
| CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I | ||
| CHEM 233 - Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I | ||
| AND | ||
| CHEM 332 - Elementary Organic Chemistry II OR | ||
| MCB 450 - Biochemistry OR | ||
| MCB 354 - Biochemistry and Physical Basis of Life | ||
| 10 | Physics with laboratory | |
| PHYS 101 - College Physics - Mechanics & Heat | ||
| PHYS 102 - College Physics - E & M and Modern |
Preprofessional Requirements for Medicine
Medicine is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to medical school. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the medical schools to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) book, published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book (CIB), published by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). Both resources can be viewed at The Career Center. Additional information about preparation for medical school can be found at www.aamc.org and www.aacom.org.Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into medical school is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing medicine as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of medical schools, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for medical school. Colleges of Medicine may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | Composition I requirement |
| 3 | Advanced Composition requirement |
| 8-10 | General Biology with laboratory |
| MCB 150- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Life | |
| MCB 151- Molecular and Cellular Laboratory* | |
IB 150- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology |
|
IB 151- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Laboratory* |
|
| * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151. Pre-med students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151. Medical schools require a minimum of two biology labs. | |
| 6-10 | Physiology |
| MCB 244-Human Anatomy and Physiology I | |
MCB 245- Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab I |
|
| MCB 246- Human Anatomy and Physiology II | |
| MCB 247- Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab II | |
| Or | |
| IB 202-Anatomy and Physiology | |
| IB 426-Environmental and Evolutionary Physiology of Animals | |
| 4-5 | Genetics |
| MCB 250 - Molecular Genetics | |
| MCB 251* - Experimental Technicques in Molecular Genetics | |
| IB 204 - Genetics | |
| 8 | General Chemistry with laboratory |
CHEM 102- General Chemistry I |
|
| CHEM 103- General Chemistry Lab I | |
| CHEM 104- General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 105- General Chemistry Lab II | |
| 8 | Organic Chemistry with laboratory |
CHEM 232- Elementary Organic Chemistry I | |
| CHEM 233-Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I AND | |
| CHEM 332-Elemetary Organic Chemistry II OR | |
| MCB 450-Biochemistry OR | |
| MCB 354-Biochemistry and Physical Basis of Life | |
| 10 | Physics with laboratory |
PHY 101- College Physics- Mechanics & Heat |
|
| PHY 102- College Physics-E & M and Modern |
Preprofessional Requirements for Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to occupational therapy school. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the occupational therapy schools to which they apply. Additional information including a complete list of all occupational therapy programs is available at www.aota.com.
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into occupational therapy programs is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing occupational therapy as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of occupational therapy schools, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for occupational therapy school. Occupational Therapy programs may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 10 | Anatomy & Physiology with laboratory |
MCB 244-Human Anatomy and Physiology I |
|
| MCB 245-Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab I | |
| MCB 246-Human Anatomy and Physiology II | |
| MCB 247-Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab II | |
| 6 | Psychology |
| PSYC 238 - Abnormal Psychology | |
| PSYC 216 - Child Psychology | |
| 3-6 | Human Lifespan Development |
| HDFS 105 - Intro to Numan Development | |
| OR | |
| PSYC 216 - Child Psychology | |
| PSYC 314 - Introduction to Aging | |
| 3 | Statistics |
| SOC 280 - Intro to Social Statistics | |
| OR | |
| PSYC 235 - Intro to Statistics | |
| OR | |
| STAT 100 (MATH 161) - Statistics | |
| varied | Additional Social Sciences |
| PSYC, SOC, and/or ANTHRO | |
| varied | Medical terminology |
| CLCV 102 | |
| OR | |
| Self-Study |
Preprofessional Requirements for Optometry
Optometry is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to optometry school. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the optometry schools to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Admissions Requirements Handbook, available through the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) on www.opted.org. Additional information about preparation for optometry school can be found at www.opted.org.
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into optometry school is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing optometry as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of optometry schools, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for optometry school. Colleges of Optometry may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | Composition I requirement |
| 3 | Advanced Composition requirement |
| 4-5 | MATH 220 - Calculus or MATH 221 - Calculus I |
| 8-10 | General Biology with laboratory |
| MCB 150- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Life | |
| MCB 151- Molecular and Cellular Laboratory* | |
| IB 150- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology | |
| IB 151- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Laboratory* | |
| * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151. Pre-optometry students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151. Optometry schools require a minimum of two biology labs. | |
| 6-10 | Anatomy and Physiology |
| MCB 244-Human Anatomy and Physiology I | |
| MCB 245- Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab I | |
MCB 246-Human Anatomy and Physiology II |
|
| MCB 247-Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab II | |
OR |
|
| IB 202- Anatomy and Physiology | |
| IB 426- Environmental and Evolutionary Physiology of Animals | |
| 4-5 | Genetics |
| MCB 250- Molecular Genetics | |
| MCB 251*-Experimental Techniques in Molecular Genetics | |
| OR | |
| IB 204- Genetics | |
| 3-5 | Microbiology with laboratory |
| MCB 300 - Microbiology | |
| MCB 301 - Experimental Microbiology | |
| 8 | General Chemistry with laboratory |
CHEM 102- General Chemistry I |
|
| CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I | |
| CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Lab II | |
| 8 | Organic Chemistry with laboratory |
| CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I | |
| CHEM 233 - Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I | |
| AND | |
| CHEM 332- Elementary Organic Chemistry II OR | |
| MCB 450- Biochemistry OR | |
| MCB 354- Biochemistry and Physical Basis of Life | |
| 10 | Physics with laboratory |
PHY 101- College Physics- Mechanics & Heat |
|
| PHY 102- College Physics-E & M and Modern | |
| variable | Courses in Humanities and Social Sciences |
Preprofessional Requirements for Nursing
The University offers a degree program leading to the bachelor of science in nursing for students with two or more years of selected general education courses and for registered nurses who meet a specific set of requirements. Students are eligible for admission to the College of Nursing upon successful completion of 57 semester hours of liberal arts and sciences courses that meet graduation requirements. Students transferring from community colleges are required to have only 54 semester hours of liberal arts and science courses as an additional 3 semester hour upper division course will be taken once enrolled at the University of Illinois in order to complete the required 57 hours.
The program is made up of two phases: two preprofessional years at UIUC or at any other accredited college or university and the professional phase which is offered at the Chicago and Urbana sites of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing. Students in the BSN program are required to complete 63 semester hours of nursing courses, which may be completed in 4 semesters (two academic years). The RN/BSN program for registered nurses earning a BSN may be completed in two semesters of full time study. The exact length of the program will be determined by the general education courses completed prior to admission, the number of courses successfully validated through the National League for Nursing (NLN) Mobility Profile II exams, or articulation, and the number of nursing courses taken each semester after enrollment.
Admission to the professional phase is on recommendation of the Admissions Committee of the College of nursing after completion of the following requirements with an overall grade of 2.5 (A=4.0) and a minimum grade of C in required courses.
For additional information about the programs in nursing, write to the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing (M/C 802), Office of Student Services, 845 S. Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612-7350, or to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing-Urbana Regional Program, 408 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.
Web address for most current program requirements: www.uic.edu/nursing
Prerequisite General Education Requirements1
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | RHET 105 or equivalent |
| 5 | Human Anatomy, MCB 334 |
| 3/1 | Human Physiology with lab, MCB 103/104 |
| 3 | Microbiology, MCB 100 |
| 3/1 | General Chemistry I with lab, CHEM 102/103 |
| 3/1 | Organic/Biochemistry with lab, CHEM 104/105 |
| 6 | Social Sciences (2 different fields) |
| 6 | Humanities (2 different fields) |
| 3 | Nutrition, FSHN 120 |
| 3 | Lifespan human growth and development, HDFS 105 |
| 3 | Cultural diversity course 2 |
| 3 | Upper division course in social science, humanities, or natural sciences |
| 9 3 | Liberal Arts and Sciences electives 4 |
2. A cultural diversity course examines the culture, social and political institutions, and value systems of social groups, regions, or nations different from those dominant in American culture. The course may also satisfy one of the social science or humanities requirements.
3. Check with the College of Nursing for the total number of elective hours required.
4. Includes upper division Humanities, Social Science, or Natural Science (3 hours); electives do not include physical education courses. The upper division elective may be taken after enrollment in the program, but may extend the length of the program.
Preprofessional Requirements for Pharmacy
Pharmacy is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to pharmacy school. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the pharmacy schools to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Pharmacy School Admissions Requirements book, published by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). This resource can be viewed at The Career Center. Additional information about preparation for pharmacy school can be found at www.aacp.org.
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into pharmacy school is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing pharmacy as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of pharmacy schools, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for pharmacy school. Colleges of Pharmacy may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
Hours |
Requirements |
3 |
Composition I requirement |
3 |
Advanced Composition requirement |
3 |
Speech Communication |
4-5 |
Calculus |
8-10 |
General Biology with laboratory * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151. Pre-pharmacy students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151. Pharmacy schools require a minimum of two biology labs. |
10 |
Physiology & Anatomy with laboratory |
8 |
General Chemistry with laboratory |
8 |
Organic Chemistry with laboratory |
10 |
Physics with laboratory |
3 |
Economics |
3 |
Social & Behavioral Sciences (See General Education Course Lists for options) |
3 |
Humanities & the Arts (See General Education Course Lists for options) |
Preprofessional Requirements for Veterinary Medicine
Contact the Asst. Dean for Academic and Student Services at the College of Veterinary Medicine mkelm@cvm.uiuc.edu for academic advising questions.
Web address for current program requirements: www.cvm.uiuc.edu
Students wishing to complete the preprofessional requirements for veterinary medicine may do so within a variety of curricula. Science course prerequisites are somewhat equivalent to those recommended for students majoring in the life sciences.
Because of the competition for admission, students should strongly consider completing a bachelor's degree. In recent years, there have been approximately three qualified applicants for each space available in the entering class for the D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) program. The mean grade point average of recently admitted students has been in the area of 3.5.
Specific information about graduate programs (M.S., Ph.D.) in the veterinary sciences (veterinary medical sciences, veterinary clinical medicine, or veterinary pathobiology) including admission requirements, may be found in the Graduate Programs Section.
Preprofessional Requirements for Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to physical therapy programs. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the physical therapy programs to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Course Prerequisites Summary, available through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) at www.ptcas.org, as well as through individual physical therapy program websites. Additional information about preparation for physical therapy programs can be found at www.apta.org
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into physical therapy programs is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing physical therapy as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of physical therapy programs, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.
Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for Physical Therapy school. Physical Therapy programs may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
Hours |
Requirements |
3 |
Composition I requirement |
3 |
Advanced Composition requirement |
4-5 |
MATH 220- Calculus or MATH 221- Calculus I |
4-10 |
General Biology with laboratory * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151. Pre-physical therapy students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151. |
10 |
Anatomy and Physiology with laboratory |
8 |
General Chemistry with laboratory |
10 |
Physics with laboratory |
3-5 |
Statistics |
variable |
Courses in Social and Behavioral Sciences (typically Psychology courses) |
Teacher Education Curricula (Secondary)
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Education have developed a coherent set of experiences on campus, in schools, and in communities that will prepare our students to become skilled, knowledgeable, and committed teachers. There are two ways that students may obtain teacher certification through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Students preparing for teacher certification in biology, chemistry, earth science, English, mathematics, physics, and social studies: These students complete a teaching concentration offered through an LAS major and the Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching. Upon completion of the concentration and the Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching, students will earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences as well as teaching certification. Conferral of the degree of Bachelor of Science or Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences prior to completion of the minor requires approval by petition to the LAS Student Affairs Office.
Students preparing for teacher certification in any of seven foreign languages (French, German, Latin, Russian, and Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese): Students following these programs complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in the Teaching of French (or German, etc.) or the Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Chinese or Japanese). Education courses and other courses required for teacher certification are integrated within each curriculum.
More detailed information pertaining to specific course requirements for each of the programs in both groups is provided by academic advisers. Only through regular communication with the teacher education adviser may the student be assured of the appropriateness of his or her program. Students are advised that certification requirements may be altered at any time by the State Teacher Certification Board or by the legislature. In such cases, students may be compelled to satisfy the new requirements to qualify for the University's recommendation for certification. Also see the Council on Teacher Education section for information pertinent to all teacher education and specific areas of teacher education listed in the LAS Programs of Study section of this catalog.
Teaching of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies
Students following any of the teaching concentrations in the Sciences and Letters Curriculum must complete all the course requirements for that curriculum. When they select their major, they may also select a "Pre-Teaching professional attribute," which reflects their intent to complete the requirements for teacher certification as part of their undergraduate program.
Transfer into the Teaching Concentration within a major can be made only by students who have received approval to complete the Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching. Approval for the Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching is gained by successful application to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education.
Two prerequisite courses must be completed before transfer to the Teaching Concentration in any major: EPSY 201 and EPS 201 or EPS 202. Additionally, each major stipulates other prerequisite courses that must be completed before admission to the Teaching Concentration. Interested students should see the academic advisers in the major for information on prerequisite courses.
Illinois law and Council on Teacher Education policy require that all candidates for admission to a teacher preparation program pass the Illinois Certification Testing System test of Basic Skills prior to admission.
Many students will be able to complete all the prerequisite courses for transfer into the Teaching Concentration of their major by the spring of their sophomore year; those students may be able to complete the requirements for the Bachelor's degree in LAS, the Teacher Education Minor in Secondary School Teaching and all other requirements for teacher certification in four years.
Students who establish eligibility to transfer into the teaching concentration of their major in the spring of their junior year will need five years to satisfy the requirements for teacher certification.
General Education Requirements
Students in LAS undergraduate programs leading to secondary certification will be expected to complete the LAS general education requirements as well as any program-specific course work. Students should contact the Director of Secondary Education Programs for general education advising.
Teaching of Foreign Languages
This section contains a description of the requirements for programs leading to the bachelor's degree in teacher education. More detailed information pertaining to specific course requirements for each area of specialization is provided by departmental advisers. It is essential that the student fulfill the specific course requirements of his or her program in order to be eligible for the bachelor's degree in teacher education. Only through regular communication with the teacher education adviser may the student be assured of the appropriateness of his or her semester program. Students are advised that certification requirements may be altered at any time by the State Teacher Certification Board or by the legislature. In such cases, students may be compelled to satisfy the new requirements to qualify for the University's recommendation for certification. Also see the Council on Teacher Education section for information pertinent to all teacher education curricula.
Illinois law and Council on Teacher Education policy require that all candidates for admission to a teacher preparation program pass the Illinois Certification Testing System test of Basic Skills prior to admission. Illinois law and Council on Teacher Education policy require that all candidates for certification pass an oral proficiency test in their content major language prior to student teaching.
General education requirements of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences must be fulfilled by students pursuing teacher education curricula in that college (see General Education requirements listed above). If the requirements of the teaching major satisfy the general education requirements in an area, they will be noted in the curriculum statement. For more information, consult the certification officer (505 East Green Suite 203).