Law
Manhattanville offers several options for students interested in pursuing a career in law. Students interested in the legal profession may major in Legal Studies or Criminal Justice and Law. They may also major in Political Science with a concentration in Legal Studies or Criminal Law. Alternatively, they may pursue a major in another field, while minoring in Legal Studies or Criminal Law. Details regarding the majors in Legal Studies and Criminal Justice and Law, as well as the concentrations and minors in Legal Studies and Criminal Law, may be found under Political Science in the Academic Departments section below. Students interested in law should seek advice early on from the pre law advisor or the Director of Legal Studies.
Pre-Health Professions
The Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC) and a campus pre-health advisor are available to assist students in preparing for admission to a graduate health professions program. This includes medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, veterinary, optometry, physical therapy, and other health-related fields. Students considering a career in one of these fields should contact the pre-health advisor as soon as possible upon admission to Manhattanville, to plan their schedules. Students are strongly advised to begin taking courses in preparation for admission to a particular graduate health professions program in the first semester of their studies at Manhattanville. The pre-health advisor will help students prepare a four-year plan of study.
A pre-health student can major in any subject; Manhattanville does not offer a “Pre-Health” or “Pre-Med” major. However, all pre-health courses must be completed in a timely manner so that the student is prepared to take the appropriate entrance exam in his/her application year. The following courses are recommended as a minimal program of preparation for the entrance exams and for admission to medical and dental programs:
Principles of Biology I,II
Principles of Chemistry I, II with labs
Organic Chemistry I, II with labs
Calculus I
Principles of Physics I, II
First-Year Writing Seminar
One course in English Literature (not a film course)
Highly Recommended: Statistics, Biochemistry (note: Biochemistry is required for those applying for a Committee Letter; see below.)
Recommended: Psychology, Sociology
Additional courses may also be needed for admission. Requirements for other professional programs may be discussed with the pre-health advisor. It is highly recommended that two or more of the courses listed above be taken in the first semester at Manhattanville. The sequence in which these courses are taken should be discussed with the pre-health advisor as early as possible in the academic career to ensure the best possible outcome. A Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Studies minor is available for students majoring in non-science academic areas.
Admission to graduate programs in the health professions is highly selective. To compete successfully for admission, students must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative G.P.A. and a 3.3 G.P.A. in the courses listed above while at Manhattanville. Students should be aware that some professional schools require a G.P.A. that is significantly higher than 3.3. Students should also be aware that some professional schools require a very strong performance on a standardized entrance exam (MCAT or DAT, for example).
Manhattanville offers qualified students an opportunity to apply for an Official Committee Recommendation Letter when they are ready to apply to a professional program, e.g., medical school. Requests for this letter are reviewed by the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee (PHPAC) in the student’s application year and the student may receive one of the following ratings: Highly Recommended, Recommended, Recommended with Reservation, or Not Recommended. Students are also given the opportunity to practice their interview skills with the PHPAC members.
Questions or comments may be sent to prehealth@mville.edu.
Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Professions Coursework
For college graduates who are interested in entering medical, dental, veterinary or any other graduate/professional programs in the Health Sciences, Manhattanville’s Post-Baccalaureate coursework provides an opportunity to complete pre-requisites for entry into graduate and professional programs in the Health Sciences. Students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree with a major and/or minor outside of the sciences and are now seeking to complete the necessary pre-requisite core courses required of most graduate programs in the Health Sciences, as well as those students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in the sciences and are currently seeking academic enhancement by repeating course work already taken and/or enrolling in upper-level science courses, may apply to be a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health student. In addition, some students undertake Post-Baccalaureate course work as a means of preparation and review for entrance exams like the MCAT, DAT, etc. Students work with an advisor to identify appropriate course selections based on their needs and goals and design an individualized program of study. Required courses are offered in the Summer Session as well as during the academic year. Students apply for admission through the Manhattanville School of Professional Studies.