Coursework

All students pursuing a Bachelors degree must fulfill five requirement areas: 

• General Education Core
• Graduation Requirements
• Degree Requirements
• College Requirements
• Major Requirements

Pre-health students must also fulfill an additional set of requirements called “prerequisites” (i.e. courses that must be completed before applying to professional schools).

Planning can help applicants figure out how the prerequisites fit into their degree and ensure that they complete all of their requirements, including prerequisites, as efficiently as possible.

1. Visit the Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) website to learn about the prerequisites for the applicant's profession of interest.

• • Learn the steps in the “Path to Professional School.”
  • Research the basic admission requirements for your field.
  • Make a list of the required courses for professional schools in the field of interest

2.  Visit the Mānoa Catalog to go over the basic requirements.

• • General Education Core (Foundation & Diversification)
  • Graduation Requirements (Focus & Languages)
  • Degree Requirements (B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.Ed., etc.)
  • College Requirements

3. Visit the College or School website (depending on major). Every program of study at the university is housed within a college or school. The college sets its own policies for withdrawals, major declarations, etc.

1. • Check the Mānoa Catalog to find the website and contact information for the college or school advising office.
   • Print the program sheets for each degree/major the student is considering pursuing.

4. Visit the department website for the intended major (found on the program sheets).

1. • Print out a list of the major requirements.
   • Use the Manoa Catalog to check whether courses have to be taken in a specific order.

5. Check whether the courses have prerequisites/co-requisites or placement tests.

• • Some courses, such as Math, Chemistry, and Language may require students to take an assessment test before they can register for the class.
  • The Schedule of Classes lists where and when tests are offered and whether students need to make an appointment or reserve a seat.
  • Schedule and take any necessary placement exams in advance. 

1. Download a four-year academic planning sheet.

• • Notice that it is arranged by academic years rather than by calendar years.

2. Fill in the years next to the semester titles. Remember that calendar years begin with the spring semester of each academic year.

• • For example, if the school year begins Fall 2009, the next semester in that academic year is Spring 2010.

3. Label the applicant's application year (when to take standardized tests, application deadline, letters of recommendation, interviews).

• • For most health fields, applications are due a full year before the date of entering professional school (i.e. the summer between the applicant's junior and senior year)

1. Gather the lists. Applicants should have three:

• • Core Courses – including Foundation, Diversification, Focus, Language, and any college or school requirements (from the college/school website or the Catalog)
  • Pre-Health Requirements (from this website)
  • Major/Degree Requirements (from the major/department website or the Program Sheets)

2. Review the courses on the lists.

• • Look for overlapping courses. Certain courses on one list may fulfill multiple requirements 
    • For example, a biology course may satisfy a pre-health prerequisite, meet a core requirement, and fulfill a related major requirement
  • Re-check whether the courses have prerequisites. Course prerequisites determine the order in which courses must be taken. 

3. Pencil in the courses.

• • Start with math and science health prerequisites and language courses.
    • These courses must be taken in a specific order and may only be offered in certain semesters.
    • Try to take only two (2) science or math courses each semester for the first two years.
  • Pencil in the Foundation courses (FW, FS, FG), which should be taken within the first year.
  • Fill in the remaining core and major requirements.
  • Fill in any remaining health prerequisite courses.
    • It helps to spread the humanities and social sciences throughout the applicant's four years.
    • They can serve to balance course load during particularly demanding semesters.
  • Figure out whether there is room for elective courses.
    • A minimum of 120 credits are required to graduate.
    • Total up the credits in the plan and determine whether there is room for electives.
    • Check the PAC website for a list of recommended health electives. 
    • For a list of recommended pre-health courses, click here. 

1. Check that the courses are correctly sequenced and that the course load is reasonable.

• • Take into account study time and work time if you plan to be a working student.
  • As a rule of thumb, there should spend two hours studying outside of class for every one hour spent in class.

2. Show your academic plan to a:

• • 1) PAC peer advisor (schedule an appointment),
  • 2) major/department advisor
  • 3) school/college advisor.
  • Please refer to the Notes Section of your respective program sheet to determine who are your major/department and school/college advisors.  
  • Be sure to discuss your plans with each of them and ask them to confirm that your plan is complete and correct.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have created your very own Four-Year Academic Plan! Keep in mind that you can always add or move courses, depending on what is offered each semester, but don’t delete any courses or credits without first talking to all three of your advisors. Finally, check in with your advisors each semester to make sure you stay on track.