Preprofessional Programs
Contact The Career Center, 715 S. Wright St., Urbana, IL 61820, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising assistance.
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
Preprofessional training for dentistry is ordinarily a four-year program, although a small percentage of the students who are admitted to dental schools have completed a minimum of 90 hours. It is essential for students to know the specific requirements for admission to each of the dental schools to which they apply. These requirements are listed in Admission Requirements of the American Dental Schools, published by the American Association of Dental Schools, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036-2212.
Requirements of U.S. and Canadian dental schools include: (1) All applicants take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) by registering at www.adea.org. (2) All applicants must submit faculty letters of evaluation (a folder should be opened in The Career Center). (3) An interview may be requested by the committee of admissions. A centralized application service (AADSAS) can be accessed at www.adea.org
Contact The Career Center, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising questions.
Web address: http://www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| variable | Composition I requirement: Select one group of courses: |
SPCM 111–Oral & Written Comm I, and |
|
SPCM 112–Oral & Written Comm II* recommended sequence |
|
| or | |
RHET 105–Principles of Composition |
|
| or | |
RHET 108–Forms of Composition, and |
|
RHET 233–Principles of Composition (recommended for Advanced Composition requirement) |
|
| variable | Mathematics (prerequisites for MATH 220): |
| 4-5 | MATH 220–Calculus or MATH 221–Calculus I |
| 4 | CHEM 102–General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 103–General Chemistry Lab I | |
| 4 | CHEM 104–General Chemistry II |
| CHEM 105–General Chemistry Lab II | |
| 3 | CHEM 232–Elementary Organic Chemistry I |
| 2 | CHEM 233–Elementary Organic Chem Lab I |
| 3 | CHEM 332–Elementary Organic Chem II |
| Select one course: | |
CHEM 436–Fundamental Organic Chem II |
|
MCB 450–Introductory Biochemistry |
|
| 4 | MCB 150–Molec & Cellular Basis of Life |
| 3 | MCB 250–Molecular Genetics |
| 2 | MCB 251–Exp Techniqs in Molecular Biol |
| 3 | MCB 252–Cells, Tissues & Development |
| 2 | MCB 253–Exp Techniqs in Cellular Biol |
| 10-12 | Select one group of courses: |
PHYS 101–College Physics, Mech & Heat , and |
|
PHYS 102–College Physics, E&M & Modern |
|
| or | |
PHYS 211–Univ Physics, Mechanics , and |
|
PHYS 212–Univ Physics, Elec & Mag , and |
|
PHYS 213–Univ Physics, Thermal Physics , and |
|
PHYS 214–Univ Physics, Quantum Phys |
|
| variable | General education sequences in humanities and social sciences |
| Electives (foreign language, social sciences, and humanities beyond the minimum requirements are strongly recommended) |
Preprofessional Requirements for Medicine
Contact The Career Center, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising questions.
Web address: http://www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
The completion of a bachelor's degree is highly desirable by medical schools, however a small percentage are admitted after completing 90 hours. Therefore it is advisable to pursue the completion of a degree program. The majors in biological sciences, chemistry, and biochemistry are especially suitable as requirements in these curricula overlap to some extent with medical school requirements. However, students should choose a major based on their academic interest and competency. Since students who are planning to apply to medical schools will need a number of science courses (even if they are majoring in nonscience areas), it is important that students elect mathematics during the first year since calculus is a prerequisite for some courses in chemistry, physics, and the biological sciences.
Requirements of most American and Canadian medical schools include 1: (1) All applicants must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) which must be taken no later than August of the year prior to enrollment. For information concerning the test, write to Medical Colleges Test, American Testing Program, Box 414, 2255 North Dubuque Road, Iowa City, IA 52243. The web-based application form can be obtained at www.amcas.org/students/mcat. (2) All applicants must submit faculty letters of evaluation (a folder should be opened in The Career Center), and (3) An interview may be requested by the committee on admissions.
The American Association of Medical Schools sponsors a centralized application service, (AMCAS). Applications are available on line at www.aamc.org. Students who anticipate careers in medicine are advised to obtain additional information from those medical schools in which they are interested. Specific admission requirements for individual medical schools are listed in Medical School Admission Requirements, published by the Association of American Medical Colleges, 2450 N Street N.W., Washington DC 20037.
Preprofessional Requirements for Optometry
Preprofessional training for optometry is a four year program earning an O.D. degree. Since there are 17 optometry schools, which may have slightly different admissions criteria, it is strongly recommended that students contact each school at www.opted.org as well as visiting The Career Center for up-to-date admission information.
Students will be expected to take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) by registering at www.opted.org, complete separate applications for each school, and complete each school's supplemental information with complete transcripts and personal statements.
Contact The Career Center, 217-333-0820 for professional school advising assistance.
Web address: www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Variable | Composition I requirement |
SPCM 111–Oral & Written Comm I, and |
|
SPCM 112–Oral & Written Comm II |
|
| Or | |
RHET 105–Principles of Composition |
|
| Or | |
RHET 108–Forms of Composition, and |
|
RHET 233–Principles of Composition (recommended for Advanced Composition requirement) |
|
| 4-5 | MATH 220–Calculus or MATH 221–Calculus I (required by many optometry schools) |
| 4 | CHEM 102–General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103–General Chemistry Lab I |
| 4 | CHEM 104–General Chemistry II |
| 1 | CHEM 105–General Chemistry Lab II |
| 3 | CHEM 232–Elementary Organic Chemistry I |
| 2 | CHEM 233–Elementary Organic Chem Lab I |
| 10-12 | Select one group of courses: |
PHYS 101–College Physics, Mech & Heat, and |
|
PHYS 102–College Physics, E&M & Modern |
|
| Or | |
PHYS 211–Univ Physics, Mechanics |
|
PHYS 212–Univ Physics, Elec & Mag |
|
PHYS 213–Univ Physics, Thermal Physics |
|
PHYS 214–Univ Physics, Quantum Phys |
|
| Variable | General education courses in humanities and social sciences |
| Electives |
Please note that many schools require additional courses in chemistry or biochemistry. Check individual school criteria at www.opted.org. Suggested courses: MCB 450, CHEM 332.
Additional courses required by many optometry schools Include microbiology with lab, statistics, psychology, and anatomy. Suggested courses: MCB 334, MCB 300, MCB 301.
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 liberal arts and sciences 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 (typically in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences-General Curriculum or in Community Health in the College of Applied Life Sciences), 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 LAS 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.
E-mail: whippo@uiuc.edu
Web address for most current program requirements: http://www.uic.edu/nursing
Prerequisite Liberal Arts and Sciences 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 LAS 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
Preprofessional training for pharmacy requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of pre-pharmacy coursework. Most students complete at least three academic years of undergraduate coursework before entering a Pharm D program. Because pharmacy programs may have slightly different admissions criteria, students are highly encouraged to research individual pharmacy program requirements as early as possible to allow time to complete any additional prerequisites. A directory of all accredited Colleges of Pharmacy is available at www.aacp.org.Contact The Career Center, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising questions.
Web address for most current program requirements: http://www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Written Communication: |
RHET 105–Principles of Composition, or |
|
RHET 101 and 102, or |
|
RHET 103 and 104, or |
|
RHET 108–Forms of Composition |
|
| or | |
SPCM 111–Oral & Written Comm I, and |
|
SPCM 112–Oral & Written Comm II |
|
| or | |
ESL 114–Intro to Academic Writing, and |
|
ESL 115–Principles of Academic Writing, and |
|
| and | |
an Advanced Composition course |
|
| 2 | Speech Communication: |
SPCM 101–Public Speaking |
|
| 8-15 | General Biology with laboratory. Note: Individual Pharmacy Colleges may require or prefer specific courses. |
MCB 150–Molec & Cellular Basis of Life |
|
MCB 151–Molec & Cellular Laboratory |
|
IB 150–Organismal & Evolutionary Biol |
|
IB 151–Organismal & Evol Biol Lab |
|
| Or | |
IB 104–Animal Biology, and |
|
IB 103–Introduction to Plant Biology |
|
| 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 |
|
| Or | |
CHEM 202–Accelerated Chemistry I |
|
CHEM 203–Accelerated Chemistry Lab I |
|
CHEM 204–Accelerated Chemistry II |
|
CHEM 205–Accelerated Chemistry Lab II |
|
| 8 | Organic Chemistry with laboratory: |
CHEM 232–Elementary Organic Chemistry I |
|
CHEM 233–Elementary Organic Chem Lab I |
|
| Or | |
CHEM 236–Fundamental Organic Chem I |
|
CHEM 237–Structure and Synthesis |
|
| And | |
CHEM 332–Elementary Organic Chem II |
|
| Or | |
CHEM 436–Fundamental Organic Chem II |
|
| 4 | MCB 103-Intro to Human Physiology |
| 4-5 | Human anatomy. (Course must cover all organ systems): |
MCB 334–Functional Human Anatomy |
|
| 3-6 | Integral and differential calculus (minimum 3 hours): |
MATH 220–Calculus or MATH 221–Calculus I |
|
MATH 231–Calculus II |
|
| 8 | Physics with laboratory: |
PHYS 101–College Physics, Mech & Heat |
|
PHYS 102–College Physics, E&M & Modern |
|
| 3 | Economics: |
ECON 102-Microeconomic Principles |
|
| 3 | Humanities |
| 3 | Social or Behavioral Science. NOTE: One course should fulfill the "Non-Western, U.S. Minorities Cultures" requirement. |
NOTE: Applicants must have completed all prerequisite course work before entering a College of Pharmacy.
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: http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu
Students wishing to complete the preprofessional requirements for veterinary medicine in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 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 Occupational Therapy
A bachelor's degree is required for Master's level or Doctoral level occupational therapy programs. Because occupational therapy programs may have slightly different admission requirements, students are encouraged to research individual programs as early as possible to allow time to complete any additional prerequisites. A complete list of all occupational therapy programs is available at www.aota.com.
Contact The Career Center, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising questions.
Web address for most current program requirements: http://www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6-8 | Composition I requirement. Select one group of courses: |
RHET 105–Principles of Composition |
|
| or | |
RHET 108–Forms of Composition |
|
| or | |
SPCM 111–Oral & Written Comm I, and |
|
SPCM 112–Oral & Written Comm II |
|
| 3 | Select one from: |
RHET 233–Principles of Composition |
|
RHET 243–Inter Expository Writing |
|
| 4 | MCB 103–Intro to Human Physiology |
| 1 | MCB 104-Intro to Human Physiology Lab |
| 5 | MCB 334–Functional Human Anatomy |
| 3 | Statistics: One course1 |
| MATH 012–Algebra (prerequisite for statistics) | |
| varied | Social sciences: A minimum of one course in Sociology or Anthropology |
| Psychology: | |
| 4 | PSYC 100–Intro to Psych |
| 3 | PSYC 238–Abnormal Psych |
| 3 | PSYC 2162–Child Psych |
| varied | Additional electives in psychology |
| varied | Manual arts: 3 |
| varied | Medical terminology: One course (CLCV 102 or self-study) |
| 6 | Humanities |
| 6-8 | Physical or biological science: Two courses |
2. HDFS 105 often may be substituted.
3. Examples of courses include ARTS 130, ARTS 210, ARTS 270, ART 275.
NOTE: Current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required upon entrance into the professional program.
Preprofessional Requirements for Physical Therapy
A bachelor's degree is required to enter a Master's level or Doctoral level physical therapy program. Because physical therapy programs may have slightly different admission requirements, students are encouraged to research individual programs as early as possible to allow time to complete any additional prerequisites. A directory of accredited physical therapy programs is available at www.apta.com.
Contact The Career Center, (217) 333-0820 for professional school advising questions.
Web address: http://www.careercenter.uiuc.edu
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4-5 | MATH 220–Calculus or MATH 221–Calculus I |
| 8 | CHEM 102–General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 103–General Chemistry Lab I | |
| CHEM 104–General Chemistry II | |
| CHEM 105–General Chemistry Lab II | |
| 4 | MCB 103–Intro to Human Physiology |
| 1 | MCB 104-Intro to Human Physiology Lab |
| 5 | MCB 334–Functional Human Anatomy |
| 4 | PSYC 100–Intro to Psych |
| 10 | PHYS 101– College Physics, Mech & Heat |
| PHYS 102–College Physics, E&M & Modern | |
| 3-5 | Statistics. Select one of the following: |
SOC 280–Intro to Social Statistics |
|
PSYC 235–Intro to Statistics |
|
STAT 100 (MATH 161)–Statistics |
|
| 4-10 | Biology |
IB 150-Organismal & Evolutionary Biol |
|
IB 151-Organismal & Evol Biol Lab |
|
| Or | |
IB 104-Animal Biology |
|
| And/or | |
MCB 150-Molec & Cellular Basis of Life |
|
MCB 151-Molec & Cellular Laboratory |
NOTE: A current or up-to-date Red Cross First Aid and CPR card also will be required prior to enrollment.
Prelaw Advising
Are you interested in attending law school or pursuing a career in the legal profession? The prelaw advising service in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 270 Lincoln Hall, has information at all stages of an undergraduate career for students enrolled in any college on campus.
Since "prelaw" is more a "state of mind" than a specific curriculum, students have great flexibility in pursing an undergraduate degree program and in selecting courses to prepare themselves for law school. Admission is based primarily on the undergraduate grade point average and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which students should plan on taking in the summer between their junior and senior years. Law schools admit students from almost every undergraduate background; for instance, among the students applying to law school from the University in a recent year, no less than forty-nine separate undergraduate majors were represented, and students were accepted from every college.
On the other hand, if law schools could advise students as to what they should do, they would emphasize that students take a good, broad liberal education, and they would urge students to challenge themselves by moving to advanced-level courses as soon as they find a subject in which they have significant interest. Since law study places a high emphasis on verbal and analytic skills, course work in areas that develop such skills is often chosen; specifically classes in the humanities and social sciences that emphasize writing and reading comprehension are helpful. The LAS Student Affairs Office has a one-page handout which suggests some courses that students interested in a career in law might find helpful. Also, students in the general curriculum and in sciences and letters majors in LAS can request a prelaw subspecialty. Although this subspecialty has no curriculum implications, it enables students to be placed on a mailing list which permits them to receive information mailed from the prelaw adviser. Students from other colleges without access to the prelaw coding can be placed on the mailing list by providing the prelaw secretary in 270 Lincoln Hall with their current addresses each semester.
The prelaw secretary also oversees a "Letter of Recommendation Service" that students planning to apply to law school can use from the beginning of their undergraduate program. Letters of recommendation can be solicited from faculty and be placed on file until the individual is ready to send off applications. Details can be obtained in 270 Lincoln Hall.
When the student is ready to apply to law school, the prelaw adviser can help in overseeing the application process and in answering questions about specific schools and their programs, about forms and procedures, and about where and when to apply. The adviser also can review with a student the personal statement and make students aware of special programs and opportunities, such as visits to campus from representatives of the law schools.
The prelaw adviser also keeps a library of material from law schools and from Law Services, which oversees the administration of the LSAT. LSAT booklets also are available in 270 Lincoln Hall. Additionally, admission statistics at all of the roughly 189 American Bar Association-endorsed law schools are available not only in The Guide to U.S. Law Schools published by Law Services, but also from the data compiled by the prelaw adviser. The Prelaw Handbook, which answers the most asked questions, and a pamphlet on the application process also can be obtained from the prelaw adviser. Some information on careers in law and on alternative directions with a law school education also can be found in the prelaw advising service.
An informational meeting for freshmen prelaw students takes place in the fall of every year, and a similar meeting for third year students who will be in the process of applying to law school in the fall of their senior year is conducted each spring. Students can make an appointment with the prelaw adviser at any stage of their undergraduate programs to discuss these or other concerns.
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 five foreign languages (French, German, Latin, Russian, and Spanish): Students following these programs complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in the Teaching of French (or German, etc.) 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, upon recommendation by the subject area committees of the Council on Teacher 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 secondary education coordinator 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).