If you will apply to graduate or professional school, it is important that you choose electives which will enhance your probability of admission.

Primary Recommendations.  You can significantly enhance the probabilty of admissions to graduate or professional schools by completing courses in logic, mathematics through calculus, and statistics.

Logic.  The ability to think logically and critically are part of the standardized tests that are requisite to admission to graduate/professional schools.  Recommended electives: PHL106 (Logic and Critical Thinking) followed by PHL 306:  (Symbolic Logic). 

Mathematics.  It is virtually impossible to be admitted into certain graduate programs unless you have successfully completed mathematics through calculus (MTH142), and many graduate programs will not seriously consider you if you have not had at least two semesters of calculus (through MTH241 or MTH242) --even where calculus is not listed as requisite to admission. [For more detailed information about selecting math courses, see the section on "Mathematics Course Selection" later in this section. Following are some specific recommendations by major:

Business and Business-related Programs.  If you intend to apply to competitive programs in business and business-related fields, including accounting, computer information systems, economics, finance, and management, you will ordinarily need 6-8 semester hours of calculus.  Therefore, you should take MTH 141: Pre-Calculus (if needed); MTH 142:  Calculus I (if needed); MTH 241: Calculus II (if needed); and MTH 242:  Calculus III.  As a minimum, you should take mathematics through MTH 241 (6 semester hours of calculus) if you intend to apply to competitive business programs.  For students applying to less competitive business programs, MTH 132 (Calculus for Management, Life, and Social Science) may be sufficient, but because many less competitive programs also require two semesters of calculus for admission, you should complete MTH 142 and MTH241 if you have the requisite background.

Pre-law.  Mathematics is among the top five majors for students admitted to law school.  For students who do not major in mathematics, the level of proficiency in mathematics is often used to separate serious candidates from other students with similar grade-point averages and LSAT scores.  In fact, many applications for admission to law school will ask you to identify your level of proficiency in mathematics.  As a minimum, you should take mathematics through MTH 132: Calculus for Management, Life, and Social Science.  However, MTH 132 is a terminal calculus course.  Therefore, if feasible, you should choose the mathematics sequence for science majors:  MTH 141: Pre-calculus (if needed); MTH 142: Calculus I (if needed); MTH 241:  Calculus II, et cetera.  The higher your level of proficiency in mathematics, the greater your probability of being admitted to law school.

Pre-medicine and Related Fields.  If you intend to apply to any doctoral programs in medicine or medically-related fields, including dentistry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine, you should complete, as a minimum, a two-semester sequence in calculus (MTH 142-241:  Calculus I & II); and additional courses are recommended. Even where calculus is not listed as a requisite for admission, the level of proficiency in mathematics often is used to select candidates who will be admitted when committees are choosing between candidates with similar grade-point averages and test scores.

Other Graduate/Professional Programs.  Most graduate and professional school applicants have similar grade-point averages, test scores, and credentials.  Thus, when selecting, graduate admissions committees often look first at the proficiency level in mathematics.  The greater your level of proficiency in mathematics, the greater the probability that you will be admitted to competitive graduate programs.

Statistics.  Nearly all of the standardized tests for admission to graduate/professional school assess proficiency in statistical analysis.  Therefore, you should take STS 220:(Introduction to Statistics) or PSY 211: (Statistics).     

Secondary Recommendations.  The following secondary recommendations while ordinarily not as critical to admission, should be considered:

English 100.  If you score satisfactorily on the writing assessment examination upon completion of ENG 102, you will be exempted from ENG 100.  If you are considering graduate or professional school, however, this intensive study of grammar and style is strongly recommended even if you have been exempted from this course.  You should remember that most graduate admissions tests, including the LSAT and MCAT, will test your writing skills.  In addition, if admitted, mastery of grammar and style is assumed. 

The textbook for ENG 100 is The St. Martin's Handbook (Third edition)--considered by many to be the most useful handbook of grammar and style currently available.  In addition to traditional presentations of grammar and style, The St. Martin's Handbook includes information specific to writing in the separate academic disciplines, writing essay examinations, and working on-line.  Moreover, The St. Martin's Handbook includes summaries of the APA Manual, used primarily for research in social science; the CBE Manual, used primarily for research in science; the Chicago Manual of Style, used primarily for research in the fine arts, in history, and in the humanities; and the MLA Handbook, used primarily for research in language and literature. 

Two-semester sequences.  Graduate admissions committees look favorably on two-semester sequences.  Some of your options are as follows:

Economics 207-208.  Students majoring in business and business-related fields are required to take ECO207 (Principles of Macroeconomics) and ECO208 (Principles of Microeconomics), but these courses are also recommended for students who will apply to graduate programs in history, law, and political science.

Literature:  At least one, two-semester sequence in literature is strongly recommended: American Literature: ENG 394 - ENG 397; British Literature: ENG 330 - ENG 335; or World Literature: ENG 381 - ENG 382.

Science.  Although the University requires only one science course for graduation, candidates for competitive graduate/professional schools who are placed in MTH 132, or higher, should consider a two-semester sequence in science, even if not required for the major.  Students who have completed the pre-requisites in mathematics should seriously consider PHY 221 (Prerequisite: Calculus I - MTH142) and PHY 222 (Pre-requisite: Calculus II - MTH241). [For more detailed information about selecting science courses, see the section on "Science Course Selection" later in this section.

Physics 221-222.  Because two semesters of calculus are ordinarily prerequisite to Physics 221-222, this sequence in science is indicative of the fact that you have developed strong analytical skills.  Therefore, if you have completed this science sequence, you will often have a competitive advantage when your application for admission to graduate or professional school is considered by competitive graduate/professional programs.

Western Civilization (HST 101-102).  Although the University requires only one semester of Western Civilization, you are encouraged to take both HST101 and 102, in part because it will enhance the strength of your transcript and, in part, because many graduate programs presuppose an understanding of Western Civilization.

Modern Languages.  Many graduate programs require candidates for the master's degree to demonstrate proficiency in one modern language other than English; many doctoral programs require candidates to demonstrate proficiency in two modern languages other than English.  As a result, you should commence your language study as early as possible, and you should become as proficient as possible.  Students who are truly bilingual have an advantage when applications for admission to graduate/professional schools are considered by admissions committees.