Combined Preprofessional Courses

Students planning professional careers are urged to complete a bachelor's degree from Albion before entering a professional school. Albion has, however, established "combined course" arrangements with a number of accredited professional schools in career areas such as engineering, health sciences, natural resources and public policy. A student who has met both Albion's requirements for the combined course program and those established by the particular professional school enters the professional school at the end of his or her junior year at Albion College. After the successful completion of the equivalent of 7.5 units, the student qualifies for a bachelor of arts degree from Albion. After completion of the professional program, the student qualifies for the professional degree from the other school or the opportunity to earn certification. Students may obtain information on approved combined course programs from the registrar.

Albion College Requirements for Combined Courses

In order to qualify for the combined course arrangements, the student must:

• Complete at least 23 units of college credit, 15 units of which must be earned at Albion.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative average of 2.5.
• Complete the core requirement, the writing competence requirement and a minimum of four units toward a major.
• Make application in writing to the registrar for the combined course privilege. This application must be submitted during the junior year and receive the endorsement of the Academic Status and Petitions Committee. Application forms are available in the Registrar's Office.

In addition to the general requirements above, the student should make sure that the requirements for admission to the professional school of his/her choice have been met.

Engineering--The combined course plan in engineering gives the student the best of two worlds--liberal arts and engineering. In today's world, engineers should expect to contribute more than technical competence. They must be alert to the implications of their work. They must be aware of the changing values and priorities of society. And they must be concerned about the effects of science and technology upon the environment and the quality of life.

Under the dual degree plan, the student will spend three years at Albion College, where he or she receives a strong background in the basic physics and mathematics which underlie all of engineering, but the student gains this knowledge in the context of the liberal arts tradition. He or she will then complete engineering training at an engineering school. Albion has formal agreements with Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Case Western Reserve University and Michigan Technological University which facilitate transfer admission. At other engineering schools the student follows regular transfer admission procedures. Details about the combined course program in engineering may be obtained from the Department of Physics.

Health Sciences--Students may pursue combined course plans through accredited programs in dentistry, pharmacy and nursing. A number of professional schools offer dual degree programs that can be arranged with permission of Albion's registrar. See the Premedical and Health Care Studies Institute section for more information.

Natural Resources Areas--Albion College maintains course arrangements with the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. A student in the 3-2 program, upon completing all requirements, will receive the bachelor of arts degree from Albion College and one of two master's degrees from Duke University. The Duke University School of the Environment offers nine programs under two degrees. The forest resource management program is offered under the master of forestry degree. The other eight programs (coastal environmental management, conservation science and policy, environmental economics and policy, ecosystem science and management, energy and environment, environmental health and security, global environmental change, and water and air resources) are offered under the master of environmental management degree. Two certificate programs, energy and environment and geospatial analysis, can be pursued with any of these degree programs.