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Majors

Science Preprofessional Studies

With 64 credits of science, plus the core university requirements, SCPP students have at least 25 credits in general electives to build other competencies. The flexible majors in the Preprofessional Studies Program allow students to work with the Health Profession Advisors to design an individualized curriculum that will enable them to enter the profession best suited to their interests. These programs provide a strong science background that allows for breadth in diverse areas of the arts and humanities.

General elective that develop professional competencies:

  • Compassionate Care in Medicine
  • American Healthcare System
  • Clinical Counseling Skills
  • Psychology and Medicine
  • Clinical Ethics
  • Film and the Physician
  • Catholic Social Teaching and Medicine

Medical schools have set forth a series of competencies in sciences, social science and core personal areas. There is no one major that prepares you exactly for these as they cross disciplines and experiential learning.

The science preprofessional studies program prepares students for fields such as medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public health, pharmacy and post-baccalaureate nursing. Students who complete this program will earn a Bachelor of Science in Preprofessional Studies.

 

Matt Fry 2016

MD

To go into medicine you have to learn biology, physics, and chemistry. As an SCPP student though I learned why I should go into medicine. The SCPP major exemplifies the cornerstones of Notre Dame: academic excellence, research, and service. Use this major as an opportunity to explore all three, to discover for yourself what it means to use science to make a difference in the lives of others, and to find your passion for medicine.

  • Matt Fry 2016

    MD

    To go into medicine you have to learn biology, physics, and chemistry. As an SCPP student though I learned why I should go into medicine. The SCPP major exemplifies the cornerstones of Notre Dame: academic excellence, research, and service. Use this major as an opportunity to explore all three, to discover for yourself what it means to use science to make a difference in the lives of others, and to find your passion for medicine.

  • Tyler Dann 2021

    College is a chance to explore interests and find your passions - as an SCPP major, I not only followed my love for science, but also found my craving to understand psychology, anthropology, engineering, and the humanities. I learned about how humans work: both their physiological intricacies and the complicated nature of our internal and interpersonal connections that maintain our humanity. Building this understanding of the whole person will continue to guide me on my path to medicine, an experience made possible with the SCPP major.

Collegiate Sequence

The collegiate sequences provide a broad interdisciplinary background of Science paired with courses from other colleges, such as the CSE Class for Science Computing, which leads to a Bachelor of Science.

Starting in Fall 2023, the Science Business (SCBU) major will no longer be available to incoming students.

For students who enroll at Notre Dame before the fall of 2023, the Mendoza College of Business will reserve 90 seats per class year for these majors and another 20 seats for actuarial sciences minors (MACT).  

  1. Please make an appointment with the appropriate advisor:
  2. You must talk to the advisor to plan your course of study. Since there is a heavy demand for business courses, there is no guarantee that they will be available, and there is no guarantee that you can finish all the requirements in time for graduation. Careful planning is absolutely essential. You should begin your planning while on the waiting list, so start by talking to the advisor.
  3. First-year students:
    • If you are a first-year student, you should talk to your first-year advisor about declaring one of these majors.
    • You should also make an appointment with Prof L. Arielle Phillips in the Spring semester (early March).
  4. Based on demand, the selection process will be determined in March.
  5. Transfer students are not eligible for transfer into one of these majors/minors/concentrations.

Review sample curricula for the collegiate sequence majors.

  • Bachelor of Science in Science-Computing
  • Bachelor of Science in Science-Education

Please note:

  • Credit counts include lab courses.
  • Other science sequences may substitute for requirements, egs. PHYS 10310/10320 for PHYS 30210-30220 or MATH 10550/10560 for MATH 10350/10360.
  • Science Preprofessional Courses do not count towards science electives.
  • A limit of 6 credit hours of Science Research may count towards Science Electives in the major. 
  • In all cases, refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin of Information, see your advisor or the appropriate Dean's Office for answers to specific questions.