Overview (back to top)

SFSU's Ethnic Diversity: With about 23,000 full-time equivalent undergraduates, and 6,000 full-time equivalent graduate students, SFSU has the fifth largest enrollment of the twenty-three California State University campuses and the forty-seventh largest enrollment of all universities in the United States. SFSU and the CSU system are committed to providing educational opportunities to the broadest possible range of students in the state. Reflecting the ethnically diverse urban area in which it is located, SFSU serves a significant number of underrepresented minority students. In 2005, of students who declared their ethnicity (84%), students of color comprised approximately 61% of the undergraduate and pre-health post-bac populations, and 42% of the graduate population. The undergraduate and pre-health post-bac students of color were distributed as follows: Native American, 1%; African American, 7%; Mexican American, 9%; Other Hispanic, 7%; Filipino, 11%; Other Pacific Islander, 1%; Asian, 20%; SE Asian, 4%.  Faculty hire at SFSU also strongly emphasizes racial and ethnic diversity.  In 2005, 34% of the 833 tenured and tenure-track faculty were people of color, distributed as follows: Native American, 1%; African American, 5%; Mexican American, 7%; Other Non-White, 3%; Filipino, 1%; Other Pacific Islander, 0.2%; Other Asian, 16%.

SFSU's Undergraduate Program: SFSU has a number of formal Biology and Chemistry baccalaureates that well prepare students for application to graduate health profession schools such as medical, dental, pharmacy, optometry, and physical therapy schools.  Such programs contain most or all pre-requisites for health profession schools as well as a number of very helpful upper-division and graduate science classes. Because Biology and Chemistry major's courses require extensive studying, most students take about 5 years of full-time course work to complete the baccalaureate. Additional time is needed for clinical exposure and preparation for national standardized tests such as the MCAT and DAT. Some introductory courses fulfilling these majors are also offered during our shortened summer semester.

As an undergraduate at SFSU you will find that the atmosphere is very supportive, classes are taught mainly by faculty, and tuition is reasonable. Most of our major's classes are offered during the day, so that undergraduates who must work usually find ways to do so part-time. These majors also prepare undergraduates for entry into careers in biotechnology, drug development and testing, teaching and research (MA and Ph.D.). SFSU welcomes California state residents as well as out-of-state and international students as undergraduates.

While at SFSU it is very helpful to maintain contact with me, Barry Rothman, the SFSU Health Professions Advisor, and with Pre-Health Student Organizations.

Application and Admission (back to top)

Carefully read the following information: General Undergraduate Admission Information and Undergraduate Admission Procedures can be found in the online version of the SFSU Bulletin.

International Students: please carefully read the International Student Admission Requirements section of the Bulletin. Note that international students pay substantially higher fees and may have a different set of application deadlines. Also, please be aware that your immigration status in the US has a strong bearing on your health profession school prospects. If you are not a US citizen or resident with a green card, you will be seen as an "international" student, and thus have many fewer places in US health profession schools available to you. Contact SFSU's Office of International Programs for additional help.

Deadlines:

The Spring 2007 online application period is August, 2006, and has been extended into September, 2007. After this deadline, Spring 2007 classes can be still be accessed through Open U until the beginning of that semester.

The Summer 2007 online application period will likely begin in late February, 2007 and continue through the beginning of summer classes. The online summer 2007 class schedule should appear in mid-March. Details of the summer registration period and important summer dates can be found below. Details of the summer registration period and important summer dates can be found at the summer web site.

The Fall  2007 online application period is anticipated to be October and November, 2006, and may be extended into March, 2007.

The abovementioned and previous application periods are summarized in the chart below.

Notes:

a: Application periods for San Francisco State University may change. To get up-to-date deadline information, see our Hot News Web Site. Please note that some departments do not accept undergraduate applications for spring admission.

b: In March, 2007, the summer schedule is expected to go online, and applications for summer offerings should become available. However, summer applications/admissions are restricted to summer classes, and do not confer undergraduate status.  If you want to take classes during the summer and beyond as an undergraduate, apply online for fall or spring admission.

Online Application: Application materials can be found online.

Transfers: See appropriate section of Undergraduate Admission Procedures. Until officially admitted, you should take classes through our Open U. Transfer course equivalencies (articulation agreements) among all California Community Colleges and the California State University system can be found at the Assist web site.

Checking Admissions Status: Applicants who have been given an SFSU ID number can check the status of their application online at the MySFSU web site or at www.sfsu.edu/admit.  To make use of these sites, applicants must first establish an SFSU account. If they do not know their SFSU ID number, or do, but did not create a PAC (personal access code)  number, the web site will give instructions. Applicants can also call 415-338-1113; however, this is a high volume number with possibly long waits. We prefer that applicants first check their admission status on the web, then call with their questions about what they have read on the web. You can call 338-1113, 338-1634 or 338-6486, or e-mail to follow up on your application.

Completion of BS Degree: At any time during your stay at SFSU, you can request a Degree Audit Report (DARS) and/or an Advanced Standing Evaluation (ASE) that show which courses you need to pass to finish the BS degree. Transfers, after admission to SFSU, should automatically receive a DARS or ASE. Undergraduates must fulfill SFSU's English and math requirements and/or take the JEPET and EPT/ELM tests soon after admission to complete the BS degree. For more complete information, see the Graduation Requirements section of the online SFSU Bulletin.

Tuition: Full-time (6.1 to 21 units) undergraduates pay $1,564 per semester; part-time undergraduates (6.0 units or less) pay $1,036 per semester. Out-of-state and international students pay an extra $339 per unit. Tuition is due within 4 weeks of starting classes. See our Tuition Web Page for more details. When taking a light course load, it may be less expensive to enroll through Open U, although there are distinct disadvantages to this approach.

Financial Aid: to qualify for financial aid you must have a degree objective such as a baccalaureate. Financial aid for undergraduates that qualify is in the form of scholarships (some based on need, some based on academic performance) and loans (some federally-supported, some private), as shown in a chart on on the Types of Financial Aid web page. View the Financial Aid section of the SFSU Bulletin and contact SFSU's Financial Aid Office for additional help.

Registration: Undergraduates are assigned registration dates that fall about two months before classes begin. These registration dates are usually earlier than those assigned to 2nd-bacs, who have lower priority. Registration can be accomplished online at Gator Reg or by Gator Reg touch-tone phone (338-7000); Gator Reg help can be gotten at is 338-3333. Consider looking at the SFSU Registrar's web site for other useful information.

Open University (back to top)

Open University is administered through SFSU's College of Extended Learning. As an Open U student you can still be part of our informal pre-health program. Open U is merely another door through which to take the same classes that SFSU undergraduates and 2nd-bacs take.

Advantages: Anyone can take classes through Open U; there are no degree requirements nor application deadlines. Open U can be less expensive if you're only taking one class or if you're an out-of-state resident.

Disadvantages: Open U students, compared to undergraduates and 2nd-bacs, can't pre-register, have higher tuition and can't be considered for financial aid. However, the tuition is still a bargain compared to that of private schools and formal post-bac programs. You may have difficulty getting into introductory science classes that are Minimal Science Requirements, whereas Upper-Division Electives and GE classes may be much easier to get into. As many as 12 units earned through Open U can be applied to your baccalaureate.

Switching to Undergraduate Status: Open U students can switch to undergraduate status for Spring 2006. To do so, fill out the online application, which will be available during August, 2005.

Registration: Open U allows pre-registration for classes only during the summer. To pre-register for classes during Summer, 2005, those new to SFSU should first call 415-405-7700 to set up your SFSU record. Touch-tone registration for all Open U students begins April 25 by calling 415-405-4321. Staff-assisted registration begins April 28 by calling 415-405-7700 or going in person to the Student Services Building. Lastly, Open U students can enroll by having a Summer 2005 Open U Enrollment Form signed by the instructor during the first day of class. During the Fall and Spring, Open U students cannot pre-register; instead, they must enroll during the first day of instruction using that semester's Open U Enrollment Form. For more information explore the Open U Web Site.

Tuition: Open U charges $210 per lecture unit and $256 per unit lab unit, regardless of residency status.

Choosing a Health Profession (back to top)

Many health professions are available within the complex US healthcare system. Most SFSU pre-health undergraduates consider allopathic and or osteopathic medicine their goal. The next most popular majors are Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine and Optometry. However, there is a large variety of health professions among which to choose (see chart and links below); many have less stringent admissions requirements and shorter periods of training, yet lead to very satisfying careers.

The Explore Health Careers web site offers detailed information on these and many more health professions, as well as links to nationally based student organizations.

Notes:

a: See SFSU's School of Nursing.

b: See SFSU's Master's in Public Health Program.

c: See SFSU's Physical Therapy Graduate Program.

d: SFSU offers Allied Health Careers in Biomedical Laboratory Science, Dietetics and Gerontology. See nearby community colleges such as CCSF for additional Allied Health Programs.

e: See SFSU's Holistic Health Program.

f: At present, no web site comprehensively covers forensics programs.

Majors (back to top)

See the Undergraduate Education section of the online SFSU Bulletin for a comprehensive overview of undergraduate regulations.

Preparation for health professional school includes, at the minimum, course work in biology, chemistry, and physics.  Although most applicants to health professional schools major in a natural science (biology, biochemistry, chemistry), majors in other fields (social sciences, behavioral sciences, humanities) have also been successful in gaining admission provided that these applicants have completed the prescribed course requirements.  I  recommend that the final choice of undergraduate major reflect the true academic interests of the student.

Recommended Majors: The following majors, leading to BS degrees, overlap considerably with the requirements of health profession schools.

Biology Department, concentrations in:

• Physiology                       (checklist)

• Cell & Molecular Biology  (checklist)

• Microbiology                    (checklist)

• Clinical Science                (checklist)

Biochemistry and Chemistry Department, concentrations in:

• Biochemistry      (course flow) - recommended for Pre-Pharmacy students

• Chemistry (BS)  (course flow)

Not recommended: I strongly suggest that pre-health students not take the General Biology major leading to a BA degree. This major is well suited for students who want to become high school biology teachers. Unfortunately, it attracts many other students because it requires about 10 fewer units, allowing graduation in less time. However, the General Biology requirements are so diffuse and have so little depth that they make a considerably less impressive health profession school application.

Double-Majors: Being a double-major can add impressive depth to your academic preparation, but will, of course, extend the time it takes to graduate. The two majors must be chosen from different departments for example, English and Biology.

Minors to Consider: Biology (if you're a Chemistry major), Chemistry (if you're a Biology major), Holistic Health or Health Education. Minors also add some depth to your academic profile, and often do not require much additional course work.

Graduation Requirements: In order to graduate, you will have to meet your major's requirements with courses that you have not failed (received a grade of F) and you will have to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in your major. In addition, many major's courses require grades of C- or greater in their pre-requisite courses. However, these minimal standards are not sufficient for entry into a health profession school.

Retaking Courses: For entry into health professions courses, I strongly recommend that you retake any health profession pre-requisite classes for which you received a grade of C- or below. Retake pre-requisites with a grade of C or electives with a grade of C at your own discretion; also consider auditing such classes for review purposes. I prefer seeing students taking new, advanced courses rather than repeating courses with tolerable (C) grades.

Auditing Courses: Course material can be previewed or reviewed by auditing. Informal audits require the consent of the instructor, but are not noted on your transcript and do not require any additional fee payments. Formal audits require the consent of the instructor, are not noted on your transcript and may require any additional fee payments.

Community College Courses: If you transferred from a community college, all your course work from that college will be considered lower-division, even if the equivalent course at SFSU is upper-division. Health profession schools prefer that pre-requisites be taken at 4-year universities like SFSU rather than at community colleges. Some will not look at community college grades unless they were generated before official transfer to a 4-year university.

Course Work (back to top)

SFSU Class Schedule: Not all the classes listed below are offered each semester. To plan your upcoming course work effectively, make use of the past, present and future class offerings found at the SFSU Class Schedule Web Site.

SFSU Summer Classes: SFSU has a 10-week summer semester during which many pre-health classes are offered. Summer classes usually meet frequently and have durations of 5 weeks or 8 weeks. During 2006, the R1 session ran from June 5 until July 7 (5 weeks), the R2 session ran from June 19 until August 11 (8 weeks) and the R3 session ran from July 10 until August 11 (5 weeks). Because Summer course work is concentrated into considerably less time than Fall and Spring course work, learning is apt to be less efficient. I recommend that you take no more than 6 units of course work during a given summer. The summer 2007 class schedule should be online in mid-March, 2007; it will be accessible through the SFSU Class Schedule Web Site.

General Education Courses: All undergraduates are required to fulfill 48 units of  General Education (GE) requirements, divided into 3 segments (I, II and III) in order to graduate. I recommend choosing GE courses with health profession themes.

Starting Gently: Freshmen wishing to take science courses should restrict themselves to non-major's science courses (listed below), and are strongly encouraged to postpone taking major's science courses (see Minimal Science Requirements) until their Sophomore year, as Freshmen typically perform poorly in these demanding, fast-paced classes. Many non-major's science courses also fulfill GE requirements. The following non-major's courses should be considered:

Notes:

a: Highly recommended; relevant even for pre-health students taking major's level courses.

b: Considered remedial; take only if math skills are low.

An extended approach to "starting gently" is to take no more than 6 units of Minimum Science Requirements during the first semester of Sophomore year.

Minimal Science Requirements: The program listed below, which consists of introductory major's science courses, is recommended for admission to allopathic and osteopathic medical schools and dental schools. Admissions offices for individual schools should be consulted for specific requirements. These classes should not be taken during Freshman year.

Notes:

a: Microbiology Lecture/Lab [Bio 401/402 (3/2)] or Human Physiology Lecture/Lab [Bio 612/613 (3/2)] may be viable substitutes for Bio 240. These classes have greater health professions content and likely to be easier to enroll in. However, Bio 240 is a strict requirement for many Biology majors, and some schools may not accept these classes as substitutes - check to make sure.

b: A number of schools have recently added a semester of Biochemistry to their pre-requisites.

c: Some schools require second semester Calculus (MATH 227).

Schools for pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic, physician assistants, physical therapy and veterinary medicine may have somewhat different requirements than those listed above.  Applicants should consult appropriate school web sites for accurate information on course requirements.

Auxiliary Science Courses: Optional discussion sections and workshops are available for most introductory science courses listed on this page. These courses provide highly effective support by way of small group discussions and tutoring. Courses with the ▲ symbol have a corresponding auxiliary course listed under Science. For example, the auxiliary course for Bio 230 ▲ is Sci 230.

Elective Science Courses: Beyond the above minimal requirements I recommend that you select other science courses in consultation with an advisor. Many health profession schools prefer more extensive preparation in biology, chemistry and/or mathematics.  Some foreign schools require appropriate language courses.