Professional Electives
for Preprofessional Phase MPAS Students
Introduction:
The concept of professional electives in the physician assistant curriculum was developed to provide students with the opportunity to explore other areas of academic interest. The coursework to provide this interest may be offerings by other Departments at the college, elective courses developed by the PA faculty and offered through the Department of Physician Assistant Sciences or other elective coursework that the student may submit for approval as an elective course. The intent of the six credit professional elective is to allow the student to develop a "mini" area of expertise. This may be a concentration in a foreign language of a population that the student anticipates working with upon transition to clinical assignments, or a broadened academic background, such as genetics or an adjunctive skill such as management. The structure of this series of credits provides the student with wide latitude in the selection of courses.
Method:
Students will select six credits of approved coursework from the list provided by the Department of Physician Assistant Sciences (see list). Students may petition for the inclusion of additional courses to be added to the list by submitting rational for consideration to the DPAS faculty on the appropriate form. Please note that the Department faculty reserves the right to add or delete courses based upon periodic review. Courses may occasionally count as both professional electives and also satisfy other College requirements simultaneously. Students are reminded that it is their responsibility to assure that they have completed the minimum number of credits necessary for graduation with a bachelors degree during their fourth year, especially in cases where courses will "double count" for requirements. Only foreign language courses beyond the general education requirement for graduation will count toward satisfying the professional elective requirement. However, if a specific language course is listed below it may count as both a professional elective and a general education requirement. Courses or credit given through CLEP or AP testing will not count towards a professional elective. Students may take a course at another institutions with prior approval from the Physician Assistant Department that could serve as a professional elective.
Please direct any questions to your academic advisor.
List (updated 10/21/2009):
BIOL 301 Genetics
BIOL 305 Immunology
CPSC 101 Introduction to Computer Science
Exercise Physiology Courses
FREN Study Abroad
HIST 385 Women in American History
HIST 495 History of Medicine
LANG Language elective beyond General Education Requirement
MATH 121 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
MATH 122 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II
MGMT 101 Principles of Management
MGMT 201 Human Resource Management
NEUR 279 Introduction to Neuroscience
NURS 311 Human Nutrition
PHED 303 Wellness and Fitness
PHIL 309 Moral Philosophy
PHIL 312 Health Care Ethics
PHIL 330 Death and Dying
PHYS 104 An Introduction to Physics I
PHYS 105 An Introduction to Physics II
PLSC 302 Legislative Process
PLSC 312 Public Policy Analysis
PLSC 313 Ethics and Public Policy
PSYC 204 Personality
PSYC 205 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 209 Developmental Psychology
PSYC 302 Sensation and Perception
PSYC 314 Biopsychology
PSYC 321 Sports Psychology
RLST 306 Religions of the World
RLST 310 Human Sexuality & Christian Marriage
RLST 330 Death and Dying
SIGN 101 Sign Language I
SIGN 102 Sign Language II
SIGN 112 Beginning American Sign Language I and II
SCWK 205 Gerontology
SOC 202 Introduction to Women in Society
SOC 304 Social Psychology (PSYC 304)
SOC 320 Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
SPAN 203 Spanish for the Medical Professions
SPAN 481-9 Study Abroad