2023-2024 McMurry University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Professional Preparation
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PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION PROGRAMS
The mission of the McMurry University Pre-Professional Program is to provide the curricular advising and career guidance needed by our students as they prepare themselves for application to and successful completion of a professional school program.
Pre-professional programs are those which require additional specialized academic training unavailable in undergraduate programs at McMurry. For instance, McMurry does not offer law or medical degrees, but we provide the foundational course work and preparation for students who plan on applying to law schools and medical schools. There are no pre-professional majors. Students of any major may attend a professional school, provided they take the prescribed required courses beforehand, meet other admissions requirements, and are selected from the pool of qualified applicants in a competitive process.
Students are encouraged to contact the advisor for the program of interest early in their college career and remain in contact regularly thereafter to receive the advising necessary to prepare the student for professional school application.
Students who plan to pursue a career in a health profession are strongly advised to apply to the Pre-Health Professions Program and to take the two Pre-Health Professions seminar courses (PREP 2105 , PREP 2106 see “course descriptions” later in the catalog) required to receive the official Pre-Health Professions Committee letter of evaluation during the application process. For a full description of the benefits of membership in the Pre-Health Professions Program, please contact the Pre-Allied Health Advisor.
For more information on professional program preparation, please contact the advisor for the pre-professional program of interest.
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Pre-Athletic Training
Advisor: Dr. Janet McMurray
Master’s degree programs in Athletic Training are increasing across the United States, including Texas. These programs require a bachelor’s degree and prerequisite undergraduate coursework before admission. Usual prerequisite courses include Statistics, Nutrition, Psychology, Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Chemistry, Physics, and Anatomy & Physiology. Additional Biology and other human study courses can be specified by these schools as preferred prerequisites. Obtain detailed guidance from Dr. McMurray or view the Pre-Athletic Training course designations of the Exercise Science and Human Performance major in the Kinesiology Department.
Pre-Engineering Program
Students interested in pursuing a degree in Engineering should follow the curriculum of the Engineering Physics major or Physics major with Pre-Electrical Engineering focus or Chemistry major (if interested in Chemical Engineering). Options include either participating in the dual degree program with the University of North Dakota (UND) and working towards two Bachelor’s Degrees or completing a degree at McMurry University followed by job placement or graduate work in Engineering. The particular area of Engineering in which the student is interested may influence their choice of electives. Interested students should refer to the Degree Program under the Department of Physics for details. You may also contact one of the Physics/Engineering professors.
Pre-Allied Health
Advisor: Dr. Larry Sharp
There are many rewarding careers available in the health professions besides the commonly known dental, medical, physical therapy, veterinary medicine and other high-profile health professions. Such important fields as respiratory therapy, physician’s assistant, optometry, radiological imaging, and other health fields may be of interest to some students. As the coursework necessary for acceptance into these programs varies greatly, it is suggested that interested students contact the Pre-Allied Health Advisor for information and guidance.
Pre-Dentistry
Advisor: Dr. Larry Sharp
All dental schools in Texas participate in the common application made through the Texas Medical and Dental Student Application Service in Austin. Students apply during the summer before their final year in college, with competitive applicants receiving invitations for on-campus interviews at the dental schools in the fall of the senior year. Announcement of admitted students is made in the spring of the senior year. To apply to dental programs, a student must complete the following prescribed coursework: 14 semester hours of Biology (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of General Chemistry (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of Organic Chemistry (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of Physics (2 hours lab), and 6 semester hours of non-remedial English composition. Some schools require 3 hours of Biochemistry, which may be used to satisfy part of the Biology requirement. All prerequisites must be passed with at least a “C” grade. Courses intended specifically for health career majors (nursing, pharmacy, allied health sciences) are not accepted. Schools vary slightly in requirements, with specifics posted at the TMDSAS web site:
http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/EssentialsForApplying.htm#PrescribedCourses.
At least 90 undergraduate semester hours must be completed before enrollment into a dental program, but baccalaureate degrees are highly desirable. See the Pre-Dentistry Advisor for suggested coursework to prepare students for the Dental Admission Test. Information on the DAT may be obtained from the American Dental Association web site:
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/index.asp.
Similar information is available for students wishing to apply to schools outside Texas from the American Dental Association:
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/programs/index.asp
Please note that high-performing freshman students may apply for McMurry’s “3+4 Dental Early Acceptance Program”. This program allows Texas residents majoring in Biology to apply during their freshman year for early entry into dental school following their junior year and complete both their BS in Biology from McMurry and DDS degree from UTHSC-San Antonio School of Dentistry in a total of seven years. Acceptance decisions are made typically before the sophomore year. Thereafter, admitted students must take prescribed courses, maintain a competitive GPA, and achieve at least an average DAT score. For more information, see the Pre-Dentistry Advisor.
Pre-Medicine
Advisor: Dr. Larry Sharp
All medical schools in Texas (except Baylor College of Medicine) participate in the common application made through the Texas Medical and Dental Student Application Service in Austin. Students apply during the summer before their final year in college, with competitive applicants receiving invitations for on-campus interviews at the medical schools in the fall of the senior year. To apply, a student must complete the following prescribed coursework: 14 semester hours of Biology (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of General Chemistry (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of Organic Chemistry (2 hours lab), 8 semester hours of Physics (2 hours lab), 3 semester hours of Calculus or Statistics, and 6 semester hours of non-remedial English composition. Some schools require 3 hours of Biochemistry, which may be used to satisfy part of the Biology requirement. All prerequisites must be passed with at least a ”C” grade. Courses intended specifically for health career majors (nursing, pharmacy, allied health sciences) are not accepted. Schools vary slightly in requirements, with specifics posted at the TMDSAS web site:
http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/
At least 90 undergraduate semester hours must be completed before the anticipated date of enrollment into a medical program, but baccalaureate degrees are highly desirable. See the Pre-Medicine Advisor for suggested coursework to prepare students for the Medical College Admission Test. Information on the MCAT may be obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges web site:
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/
Similar information is available for students wishing to apply to schools outside Texas from the American Medical College Application Service:
http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm)
Pre-Occupational Therapy
Advisor: Dr. Paul Smith
Masters’ and Doctoral degree programs in Pre-Occupational Therapy are increasing across the United States, including Texas. These programs require a bachelor’s degree and prerequisite undergraduate coursework before admission. Usual prerequisite courses include Statistics, Psychology, Speech, and full year sequences of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. However, preferred preparation for these graduate programs can vary in Biology, Chemistry, and other human study courses. Obtain detailed guidance from Dr. Smith or view the Pre-Occupational Therapy course designations within the Pre-Professional concentration of the Exercise Science and Human Performance major in the Kinesiology Department.
Pre-Pharmacy
Advisor: Dr. Paul Pyenta
McMurry provides courses that prepare students to enroll in schools of pharmacy. Pharmacy schools typically offer a Doctor of Pharmacy “Pharm-D” degree for individuals wishing to become a pharmacist, and/or a Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences degree intended for students wishing to pursue pharmaceutical research as a scientist. Schools expect incoming students to have a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry, chemistry, BIMS, or other science field. Additionally, pharmacy schools typically require select prerequisite courses, a minimum PCAT score, and a minimum GPA. McMurry also has an early-entry articulation agreement with Texas Tech School of Pharmacy. Exact course requirements for program admittance vary, thus students are advised to check with specific schools of pharmacy. Prepharmacy students should consult with the McMurry pre-pharmacy advisor for more information and individual advising.
Pre-Physical Therapy
Advisor: Dr. Paul Smith, Dr. Larry Sharp
There are numerous Master’s and Doctoral programs offered across the United States, including Texas. These programs require a bachelor’s degree and prerequisite undergraduate coursework before admission. Usual prerequisite courses include Statistics, Psychology, Speech, and full year sequences of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Additional Biology and other human study courses can be specified as preferred preparation for these schools. Obtain detailed guidance from either advisor or by viewing the Biology and Kinesiology Department pages. Pre-Physical Therapy course designations are displayed for the Pre-Professional concentration of the Exercise Science and Human Performance major. Both departments have articulation agreements fulfilling all admission requirements for Hardin-Simmons DPT program admission.
Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Advisor: Dr. Joel Brant
*The minimum preparation for application to the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine is 64 semester hours to include the following:
*The applicant is expected to have both animal and veterinary experience. The course prerequisites can be incorporated into some majors and minors. The major should be chosen according to interest of the student and vocational plans in the event of non-acceptance. Applicants are evaluated on GPA, academic rigor, semester loads carried, animal and veterinary experience, leadership, extracurricular activities, evaluation from undergraduate faculty, and the score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Students are encouraged to consult the College of Veterinary Medicine web site for the most current information.
Pre-Law Program
Advisor: Dr. Paul Fabrizio
Students interested in a legal career after completion of a bachelor’s degree are encouraged to pursue any academic major that interests them. Law schools do not recommend specific courses of study or any particular major. What law schools want are students who can think, write, and speak well and who have an understanding of the human experience. The Law School Admission Council recommends a “broad liberal arts curriculum” as the preferred preparation for a legal career. Admission committees want to see law school applicants rise to intellectual challenges by choosing academically rigorous courses. They are most likely to reject students who select non challenging or narrow fields of study. Law schools encourage courses of study that demand strong reasoning and communication skills.
Pre-Ministry Program
Advisor: Dr. John Miller
This program prepares and supports students interested in vocational or avocational ministries. Pre-Ministry students are encouraged to major or minor in Religion or Christian Ministry, but the program is open to all students. At a minimum, students should take REL 2310, Introduction to Christian Ministry, as early as possible. Students who intend to pursue graduate theological studies are encouraged to complete two years of Greek, and to take courses that prepare them to think critically and communicate effectively. Courses in philosophy, English, history, and psychology will benefit every pre-ministry student. Students intending to become Christian counselors should consider completing a major or minor in Psychology in addition to their studies in Religion.
It is very important that students consult their respective denominations to make sure they are completing ordination requirements and complying with the appropriate standards of ministerial preparation. Many pre-ministerial students complete internships in local churches or otherwise serve in part-time positions in ministry. Students are encouraged to participate in Kappa Delta Sigma, a student organization for pre-ministerial students, and in the programming of the Religious Life Office.
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