{"id":156,"date":"2024-05-06T08:26:49","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T15:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-usc-dornsife.pantheonsite.io\/admission\/?page_id=156"},"modified":"2025-09-08T08:50:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:50:19","slug":"pre-professional-programs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/pre-professional-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-Professional Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--intro-text align-center\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--intro-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  \n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>Your college major is the field of study in which you will earn a bachelor\u2019s degree. In addition to a major, some students choose to add an area of focus that will prepare them for graduate studies. We call these pre-professional programs. It\u2019s important to note that a pre-professional emphasis is not a major or a minor because students will not earn a degree in a pre-professional program. <\/p>\n<p>You can add a pre-professional emphasis by indicating one on your application for admission, just below your first-choice and second-choice majors. You can also add a pre-professional emphasis later on, by speaking with an academic advisor after starting classes as a USC student. <\/p>\n<p>There are no prerequisites or requirements to add a pre-professional emphasis, and you can combine any major with any pre-professional emphasis. Declaring a pre-professional emphasis simply ensures that you\u2019ll be notified of advising sessions, workshops, events, and involvement opportunities related to your pre-professional emphasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n        \n    \n    \n        \n    \n    \n  \n    \n    \n  \n    \n  \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--interactive-content-pane \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--interactive-content-pane\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n  <div class=\"left\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Choose Your Path\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n    <div class=\"pagination-wrapper\">\n      <ul class=\"interactive-content-pane-pagination\"><\/ul>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"right\">\n          <div class=\"swiper\">\n        <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n              <h3 class=\"pane-title\">\n                Pre-Health\n              <\/h3>\n                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>Planning to enter a career in the healthcare professions? You can declare a pre-professional emphasis in one of our many pre-health areas. Pre-health is the umbrella term that encompasses health-related professions including medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistance, veterinary medicine, nursing, and more. Because a pre-professional emphasis is not a major, you can add a pre-health emphasis to any major. Advisors will work with you to ensure you are completing the prerequisite courses needed for your specific type of health-related graduate program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                          \n  \n                              <ul>\n                                            <li>\n                                \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= \/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/07\/SYWBA_Doctor_V7C-digital.pdf\n  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Read more about Download the Pre-Health Brochure\"  \n>\n    Download the Pre-Health Brochure \n  <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#FC0\" points=\"19.3,27.5 29.3,17.5,19.3,7.5 16.3,10.4 21.4,15.4 6.7,15.4 6.7,19.6 21.4,19.6 16.3,24.6 \"\/><\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n                          <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n              <h3 class=\"pane-title\">\n                Pre-Law\n              <\/h3>\n                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>If you\u2019re thinking about attending law school, you can add a pre-law emphasis to your existing area of study. Declaring a pre-law emphasis gives you access to specialized advisement and resources through our Office of Pre-Law Advisement. While there are no specific prerequisite courses needed for law school, the pre-law advising office can support you to become a strong and competitive law school applicant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                          \n  \n                              <ul>\n                                            <li>\n                                \n<div class=\"f--field f--link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a \n  class=\"link\"\n  href= \/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/07\/SYWBA_Lawyer_V7C-digital.pdf\n  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Read more about Download the Pre-Law Brochure\"  \n>\n    Download the Pre-Law Brochure \n  <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><polygon fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" fill=\"#FC0\" points=\"19.3,27.5 29.3,17.5,19.3,7.5 16.3,10.4 21.4,15.4 6.7,15.4 6.7,19.6 21.4,19.6 16.3,24.6 \"\/><\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n                          <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n              <h3 class=\"pane-title\">\n                Pre-Graduate School\n              <\/h3>\n                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>Students considering graduate school (not in healthcare or law) can add a pre-graduate school emphasis after starting classes at USC. Common paths for pre-grad students include doctoral (Ph.D.) degree programs and master\u2019s degree programs in areas such as policy, social work, education, and business. A pre-graduate school emphasis gives you access to specialized advisors and keeps you informed of events tailored to support your future goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                          \n  \n                          <\/div>\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n              <h3 class=\"pane-title\">\n                Progressive Degree Programs\n              <\/h3>\n                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  <p>USC\u2019s progressive degree program (PDP) enables undergraduate students to begin work on a USC master\u2019s degree while finishing up the requirements for their USC bachelor\u2019s degree. This usually allows students to earn both a bachelor\u2019s degree and master\u2019s degree in a total of five years. Students are eligible to apply to a PDP as current USC students, as they approach completion of 64 semester units. Students usually begin exploring these programs after they have started their undergraduate studies at USC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                          \n  \n                          <\/div>\n                  <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n  \n<\/div>\n\n\n\n  <div class=\"background-images\">\n          <div class=\"swiper swiper-background-images\">\n        <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n                                                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-1920x1080.jpg 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                           \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Detail shot of Mudd Hall columns with light flare going through a tree\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n\n                      <div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n                                                                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img decoding=\"async\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-768x432.jpg\"\n          srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/admission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/428\/2024\/05\/Pre-Professional-Programs-Content_Pane_V1-768x432.jpg 768w\"          sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Detail shot of Mudd Hall columns with light flare going through a tree\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n                          <\/div>\n\n                  <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":468,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-156","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pre-Professional Programs - Office of Admission and Student Success<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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