Program Overview

Spring Hill College has a longstanding reputation of providing an academically sound background for students who desire to become health care professional such as physician, dentist, veterinarians, pharmacists and optometrist.  Students wishing to enter one of the above health professions do not have to pursue a major in biology but a major in science is recommended (biology, chemistry, or biochemistry).  There are three aspects of our program that set it apart from others:

1.        Core Curriculum – professional schools seek students with a broad-based educational background that is rich in the humanities.  The core curriculum at SHC college provides exactly that type of coursework.

2.       Preparation for a Professional School Post-graduate Education – Our graduates who have entered the health professional schools have confirmed the strength of our pre-health program.  The upper-division biology textbooks utilized at SHC are many times the same textbooks used by the professional schools.

3.       Support – Pre-health students are given the support needed to prepare for the health professional school application process.  The directors of admissions for the state-supported professional schools in Alabama and Louisiana visit our campus each year.  They give all of our pre-health students’ relevant information on applying to health professional programs.  Our program supports the student in acquiring shadowing and volunteering hours required for applying to health professional schools. 

For students interested in health careers other than those listed above the Bachelor of Science in Health Science is recommended.  (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, Genetic Counseling, Cytology, Clinical Laboratory Science, Orthoptics, Prosthetic and Orthotics, Athletic Training and others).

Delivery:

On Campus

Average Class Size:

13

Honor Society:

Tri Beta

Faculty Count:

6

Program Outcomes

Our pre-health biology program provides students with a well-rounded education and prepares them to pursue a graduate or professional health care program. Students will also have several out-of-classroom opportunities to build their resume and portfolios.

Career Outlook

Graduates of this pre-health program will have a solid foundation to continue their education in a graduate program or professional program upon graduation. This is a great opportunity for students who want to go on to become doctors, veterinarians, and other medical professionals. 

Pre-Health Curriculum Overview

Below are courses in the Pre-Health Biology curriculum that are recommended for each year. This does not include Core Requirements that you must take as well.

FRESHMAN YEAR

CourseCredit Hours
Principles of Biology (+ Lab)4
Microbiology (+ Lab)4
General Chemistry I and II (+ Labs)6
Calculus I3
Statistics3

SOPHOMORE YEAR

CourseCredit Hours
Biomedical Anatomy and Physiology I & II (+ Labs)8
Organic Chemistry I and II (+ Labs)8

JUNIOR YEAR

CourseCredit Hours
Genetics (+ Lab)4
Cell Biology3
Cell and Molecular Lab1
Physics with Calculus I & II (+ Labs)8

SENIOR YEAR

CourseCredit Hours
4-6 Upper Division Biology Electives12-18

Hear From a Pre-Health Student

Testimonial

“Your professors are an incredible resource—use them! The close student-teacher relationships found here is one of the main reasons I came to Spring Hill. Our professors have devoted their lives to teaching and they want to get to know you. When they say that they want you to stop by their office or meet them for coffee, they mean it. The professors here genuinely care and want you to succeed.” — Matthew Keller

Faculty

View Department Page
  • Charles Chester

    Associate Professor

  • Donald Culberson

    Associate Professor

  • Rebecca Fillmore

    Associate Professor, Department Chair of Biology

  • Deborah Fox

    Associate Professor

  • Paul Kohnen

    Associate Professor; Department Chair, Biology

Why SHC?

  • At Spring Hill College, we’re making our mark – With our small class sizes and affordable tuition, Spring Hill College is uniquely qualified to provide a high quality education to our students. Our Jesuit, Catholic college education is renowned as a well-rounded higher education approach, with an emphasis on empowering students with a passion for knowledge and personal growth. With our recent tuition cut, Spring Hill College is one of the most affordable private colleges in the country.
  • We’re curious and inspired – Forbes Magazine has ranked Spring Hill College as one of the top ten best colleges for return on investment (ROI). In our class of 2021, 92% of graduates attained placement six months after graduation through employment, graduate/professional school, internship or service.
  • We’re doers – Our students contribute 24,000 hours on average to the local community through the Foley Center each year. 100% of the 2020 graduates that applied to medical school were accepted. Spring Hill College has a 100% certification rate and a 92% placement rate with our Education program over the last five years.

Learn more about our admissions process and policies, including our test-optional policy, at www.shc.edu/admissions

Learn more about our Financial Aid process and policies, including FAFSA and work study programs, here.

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To see how credits you are currently taking at any college/university may transfer to Spring Hill College, you can email a copy of your transcripts to admit@shc.edu. We will send you an evaluation of credits and can help plan future coursework at your current college/university.

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