Science, Math, and Pre-Health Students

For students interested in Health and Medicine, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, 3/2 Engineering, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, or Physics – following are notes from our science faculty to consider when you register for your fall courses.

If you are thinking about preparing for a career in HEALTH and MEDICINE:

  • Take the chemistry and calculus placement exams now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a place available in one of the following courses, grab it!
    • CHEM-110
      • Note: If you placed into CHEM-120, this course will be offered in winter.
    • BIOL-112 or BIOL-123
      • If these Biology courses are full, don’t worry. They are offered more than once during the year.
  • Please know that Kalamazoo College does not offer a pre-med major. You can major in any field – science or non-science – and still pursue medical, veterinary, or other professional health programs. The preparation for a career in health and medicine involves a number of science and non-science courses.

If you are thinking about majoring in BIOCHEMISTRY:

  • Take the chemistry and calculus placement exams now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in CHEM-110, grab it!
    • Note: If you placed into CHEM-120, this course will be offered in winter.
  • If there is a space available in the math course you placed into, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.
    • If you placed in MATH-112 or 113, plan to take these during your first year.
  • Or, if there is a space available in BIOL-112, grab it!
    • Note: This course will also be offered in winter.

If you are thinking about majoring in BIOLOGY:

  • If there is a place available in either BIOL-112 or BIOL-123, grab it!
    • Please note that you can’t take both BIOL-112 and BIOL-123 in the same term.
    • If those courses are both full, don’t worry. They are offered twice each year.
  • Please know that a Biology major will need exposure to at least one other science discipline as well as social science, humanities, and arts, so if something looks interesting to you, grab a spot!
    • Take the chemistry and calculus placement exams now (if you haven’t already done so) so you’ll know what math or chemistry class to start with if you choose to explore those disciplines as part of your Biology major.

If you are thinking about majoring in CHEMISTRY:

  • Take the chemistry and calculus placement exams now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in CHEM-110, grab it!
    • Note: If you placed into CHEM-120, this course will be offered in winter.
  • If there is a space available in the math course you placed into, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.
    • If you placed in MATH-112 or 113, plan to take these during your first year.

If you are thinking about majoring in COMPUTER SCIENCE:

  • Take the calculus placement exam now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in one of the introductory combinations – COMP-101/COMP-102 or COMP-101/COMP-104, grab the combination!
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: COMP-101, 102, 104 are .5 unit courses, so you should take one of the two combinations above to equal a full 1.0 unit course.
    • If these courses are full, don’t worry. Similar courses are offered throughout the year.
  • If you placed into MATH-110, MATH-112, or MATH-113 and there is space available, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.

If you are thinking about pursuing the 3/2 ENGINEERING Program:

  • Take the chemistry and calculus placement exams now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in the calculus course you placed into, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.
  • Plan to take PHYS-150 in the winter term of your first year. PHYS-150 requires that you have completed Calculus 1 (MATH-112) or equivalent (AP score, placement exam, or transfer credit) or have taken MATH-110 and are enrolled in MATH-111 concurrently with PHYS-150.

If you are thinking about pursuing the ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES concentration:

  • If there is space available in the ENVS-115 Environmental Science course, grab it!
  • Additionally, look for classes that carry the “ENVS” course type.

If you are thinking about majoring in MATHEMATICS:

  • Take the calculus placement exam now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in the math course you placed into, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.

If you are thinking about majoring in PHYSICS:

  • Take the calculus placement exam now (if you haven’t already done so).
  • If there is a space available in the calculus course you placed into, grab it!
    • This is especially important if your math placement is MATH-110. That course begins a sequence that takes two consecutive terms. MATH-110 will be offered in the fall and winter terms this year.
  • Plan to take PHYS-150 in the winter term of your first year. PHYS-150 requires that you have completed Calculus 1 (MATH-112) or equivalent (AP score, placement exam, or transfer credit) or have taken MATH-110 and are enrolled in MATH-111 concurrently with PHYS-150.