Professional Experience Office (PXO)

The Pre-Health Professions program is open to all HCU students interested in a career in health professions. The program is not a major; rather, it is a series of classes and activities designed to prepare students for entry into these schools. Activities in the program included membership and participation in the applicable pre-professional student organizations, interactions with health professions schools, and assistance offered by the Professional Experience Office.

Students should check around COSE for information about scheduled activities.  Students are also encouraged to seek shadowing opportunities with area healthcare professionals and to perform community service as individuals or in conjunction with student organizations.

Read more about the process to gain COSE support for health professions admittance.

Common Health Professions Programs

• Pre-Medical
• Pre-Dental
• Pre-Optometry
• Pre-Chiropractic
• Pre-Physician Assistant
• Pre-Pharmacy
• Pre-Physical Therapy

In addition to the published information in COSE areas, it is the student’s responsibility to check often with the professional school of their choice for any updates.

For students who wish to pursue a major in a field of engineering not offered by HCU, the Pre-Engineering program is designed to prepare students to complete an engineering degree after two years of full-time study at HCU. Students are readied for two to three years of full-time study at a university that offers specialized engineering programs. The time required for the degree will depend upon the university and the field of engineering chosen. Pre-Engineering  allows students to take many of their engineering, math and science courses, as well as some of their general elective courses, at HCU before transferring.

The academic advisor will provide students with advice and assistance in selecting courses to prepare them to transfer. The academic advisor will work with the student and the university the student plans to attend after leaving HCU to verify that the courses taken at HCU will satisfy that school’s requirements. To be recommended for admission to an engineering school, students must complete all required courses with a grade of a “C” or higher, and maintain a cumulative Quality Point Average of at least 2.5.

Advantages and Opportunities of Pre-Engineering

For students who wish to begin their studies at HCU and later transfer to an engineering college that offers alternate fields of engineering, HCU offers an excellent starting place.  While at HCU, students benefit from the University’s quality academic programs based on strong Christian values, small classes with easily accessible faculty, and many opportunities to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, including student chapters of professional organizations, music, sports, student government, and fraternities and sororities. The College of Science and Engineering provides many occasions for all students, including first- and second-year students (and pre-engineering students), to interact with industry professionals and work on realistic projects while learning fundamentals.

Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate Coursework

This program has been submitted for closure and is pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

HCU’s Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate coursework will academically prepare students with a bachelor’s degree for a health profession school (i.e. Medical, Physician Associate, Dental, Pharmacy, or Graduate School in the Biological or Chemical Sciences).