Barry S. Rothman, Ph.D. { Health Professions Home Page}

Image: Photos of SF State students and scenes from around campus

Formal Post-Bac Science, Math and Public Health Electives

Applicants to graduate health profession schools are at a great advantage if they take science classes beyond the minimal requirements. Moreover, these schools value upper-division science classes over graduate seminar classes, because of the similarity of upper-division classes to their curricula, and the perceived grade inflation in graduate programs. Below are links to the four lists of electives contained in this web page.

 

The Six Most Popular Biology and Chemistry Electives

Useful Math Electives

Additional Advanced Biology and Chemistry Electives

Public Health Courses offered by Formal Post-Bac Program

Lower-Division and Less Advanced Electives

 

 

The Six Most Popular Biology and Chemistry Electives
Dept/Number Title
Units
BIOL 328/329 Human Anatomya,e/(Extra Lab)a,e
3/4
BIOL 350 Cell Biologya,b,c
3
BIOL 355 Geneticsa,b,c
3/2
BIOL 401/402 General Microbiologya,b,d/Labe
3/2
BIOL 612/613 Human Physiologya,b,c,d/Labe
3/2
CHEM 349/343 General Biochemistryb,c/Labe
3/2
or
CHEM 340/341/343 Biochemistry Ib,c/IIb,c /Labe
3/3/2

Notes

a: usually not required by medical schools but may be required by dental and other health profession schools.

b: must be taken after completion of core health profession school pre-requisites.

c: very helpful in preparing for MCAT or DAT.

d: best taken after completion of Cell Biology and Genetics.

e: None of these labs are required to be taken with corresponding lecture, but if taken must be taken concurrently with or after having completed the corresponding lecture or equivalent. Those needing additional Biology and/or Chemistry Labs should consider taking one or more of these lab courses.

 

Useful Math Electives
Dept/Number Title
Units
MATH 124 Statistics
3
BIOL 458 Biometryb
3/4
MATH 227 Calculus II
4

 

 

Additional Advanced Biology and Chemistry Electives
Dept/Number Title
Units
BIOL 357 and/or 361 Molecular Geneticsd
3
BIOL 361 Human Geneticsd
3
BIOL 380 Embryologyd
3
BIOL 382 Developmental Biologyd
3
BIOL 420/421 General. Virology/Labd
3/2
BIOL 425 Emerging Diseases
3
BIOL 430 Medical Microbiologyd
5
BIOL 435/436 Immunologyl/Labd,e
3/2
BIOL 439 Medical Mycologyd
4/3
BIOL 442/443 Microbial Physiology/Labd,e
3
BIOL 453/454 Parasitology/Labd,e
3/1
BIOL 464 Medical Entomologyd
3
Biol 609 Physics in Medicined
3
BIOL 614 Vertebrate Histologyd,e
4
BIOL 615 Molecular Pathophysiologyd
3
BIOL 616 Cardiorespiratory Physiologyd
3
BIOL 617 Advanced Topics in Physiologyd
3
BIOL 620 Endocrinologyd
3
BIOL 621 Reproductive Physiologyd
3
BIOL 622 Hormones and Behaviord
3
BIOL 625 Hematologyd,e
3
Biol 627 Biophysicsd
3
BIOL 630/631 Animal Physiology/Labd
3/2
BIOL 640 Cellular Neuroscienced
3
BIOL 642 Neural Systems Physiologyd
3
BIOL 730 Pharmacologyd
3
BIOL 760 Cancer Biologyd
3
CHEM 338 Organic Chem II Spec Proj Labb
3
CHEM 347/348 Clinical Biochemistry/Labb
2/2
CHEM 640 Medicinal Chemistryb
1-3

 

Public Health Electives Offered by Formal Post-Bac Program
Dept/Number Title
Units
HED 377 Intro to Complementary and Alternative Medicine
3
HED 810 Public Health and Prin of Community Organizing
3
HED 825 Epidemiology
3
HED 835 Public Health Policy
3
HED 855 Environmental Health
3

 

Lower-Division and Less Advanced Electives
Dept/Number Title
Units
BIOL 100/101 Human Biology /Lab
3/1
BIOL 175 Cells, Microbes, and Life
3
BIOL 210/211 Genl Microbiology & Pub Hlth/Lab
3/1
BIOL 321 Magic, Myths, and Medicine
3
BIOL 326 Disease!
3
BIOL 327 AIDS, The Modern Epidemica
3
BIOL 330 Human Sexuality
3
BIOL 333 The Genetic Revolution
3
BIOL 349 Bioethicsa
3
BIOL 440 Ethical Issues in Science and Technologya
3
CHEM 100 Preparation for Chemistry
3
CHEM 101/102 Survey of Chemistry/Lab
3/1
CHEM 109/110 Food Chemistry/Lab
3/1
CHEM 120 Cancer
3
CHEM 130 General Organic Chemistry
3
MATH 59 Algebra with Pre-Algebra Supportb
4
MATH 60 Algebra Ib
3
MATH 70 Algebra IIb
3
PHYS 101/102 Conceptual Physics/Lab
3/1
PHYS 140 Preparation for Physics
3

 

 

SF State Home