Pre-Medical and General Science Studies Planner - Pre-Physician Assistant
Pre-Medical and General Science Studies Planner - Pre-Physician Assistant
Our rigorous post-baccalaureate certificate program provides a structured academic preparation for those planning to apply to health professional programs including medical, dental, veterinary, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, and physical therapy, among others.
To complete the Pre-Medical and General Science Studies certificate, you must take a minimum of 12 UCLA-equivalent (XL) courses.1 Nine of the 12 courses must be chosen from the four core disciplines below (a minimum of one course from each area):
- Chemistry (CHEM)
- Biological Sciences (LIFESCI, PHYSCI, MIMG, or MCD BIO)
- Math/Statistics (MATH or STATS)
- Physics (PHYSICS)
The remaining three courses can be selected from these disciplines, or students may choose up to three anthropology, psychology, sociology, or language courses.
Completion time: 1.5 years (full-time pace) to 2-2.5 years (part-time pace)
Financial Aid Available
Locations:
Westwood
Downtown Los Angeles
Live Online
Eligible for:
International Students
VA Benefits
Start any quarter.
Pre-Physician Assistant Typical Foundational Courses2
The course list below outlines typical Pre-Physician Assistant program requirements and supplemental courses. Always check with the program to which you plan to apply for actual course requirements before beginning this certificate. To view other medical and health professional typical course sequences, select your desired track: Pre-Med, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Veterinary and Pre-Dental.
Program at a Glance
In the charts below, view the quarter offered and teaching format for all required and elective courses in this certificate.
Course Format Legend
- I = In Person
- L = Live Online (Synchronously via Zoom)
- O = Online (Asynchronous)
For course format descriptions, see Instructional Formats
CHEMISTRY
Equals 1 year of General Chemistry
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM XL 14A General Chemistry for Life Scientists I | 4 | I | I | I | I |
| CHEM XL 14B General Chemistry for Life Scientists II | 4 | I | I | I | I |
| CHEM XL 14BL General and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 3 | I | I | I | I |
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIMG XL 101 Introductory Microbiology | 4 | I | I | I | I |
| MIMG XL 100L Microbiology Laboratory for Professional Schools | 3 | I | I | ||
| PHYSCI XL 3 Introduction to Human Physiology | 5 | I | I | I | I |
| PHYSCI XL 13 Introduction to Human Anatomy | 5 | I | I | I |
Equals 1 year of General Biology
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIFESCI XL 7A Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 | I | I | I | I |
| LIFESCI XL 7B Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 5 | I | I | I | I |
| LIFESCI XL 7C Physiology and Human Biology | 5 | I | I | I | I |
| LIFESCI XL 7L Introduction to Laboratory and Scientific Method | 3 | I | I | I | I |
MATH / STATISTICS
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATH XL 31A Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 | I | I | I | I |
| STATS XL 13 Introduction to Statistical Methods for Life and Health Sciences | 5 | I | I | I |
PHYSICS
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHYSICS XL 10 Physics for Life Sciences Majors: Mechanics and Energy | 4 | I | I | I |
Pre-Physician Assistant Supplemental Courses
CHEMISTRY
Equals 1 year of Organic Chemistry
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM XL 14C Structure of Organic Molecules | 4 | I | I | I | I |
| CHEM XL 14CL General Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 4 | I | I | I | |
| CHEM XL 14D Organic Reactions and Pharmaceuticals | 4 | I | I | I | I |
Equals 1 year of Biochemistry
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM XL 153A Biochemistry: Introduction to Structure, Enzymes, and Metabolism | 4 | L/O/I | L/O/I | L/O/I | L/O/I |
| CHEM XL 153B Biochemistry: DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis | 4 | I | I | I | |
| CHEM XL 153C Biochemistry: Biosynthetic and Energy Metabolism and Its Regulation | 4 | I | I |
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIFESCI XL 107 Genetics | 5 | I | I | I | I |
MATH / STATISTICS
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATS XL 10 Introduction to Statistical Reasoning | 5 | I | I | I | I |
PSYCHOLOGY
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSYCH XL 10 Introductory Psychology | 4 | I | I | I | I |
SOCIOLOGY
| Course Number and Title | Units | Fall3 | Winter3 | Spring3 | Summer3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOCIOL XL 1 Introductory Sociology | 5 | O | O |
UCLA Extension also offers post-bacc courses which, while they don’t count towards the certificate, can be of value for a more in-depth look at various science and math topics.
Please Note: An application and nonrefundable fee are required to establish candidacy in this program for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion, and may allow you to access a variety of program benefits. Apply Now.
Footnotes
- 1 Courses are equivalent to those taught on UCLA’s main campus and are numbered: XL 1-199. Please note, your course of study may vary depending on how many courses you need to fulfill your foundational requirements. It may be more, it may be less. Students who are new to the sciences or are career changers will likely have to take more than the minimum 12 courses.
- 2 Courses in this program are typically offered during the quarters and format(s) outlined above. Scheduling is subject to change at any time by UCLA Extension. Please visit our website for all current course offerings.
3 Courses in this program are typically offered during the quarters and format(s) outlined above. Scheduling is subject to change at any time by UCLA Extension. Please visit our website for all current course offerings.
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