Pre-Professional Health Emphasis

Explore a Future in Healthcare

Riverland Community College offers an Associate of Arts degree with a Pre-Professional Health Emphasis for students who want to pursue careers in healthcare. This program helps you build the strong academic foundation needed to continue your education in professional health programs.

Students in this program often pursue careers in fields such as:

• Chiropractic
• Dentistry
• Medicine
• Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Podiatry
• Physical Therapy
• Veterinary Medicine

Academic Foundation

In this program, you will complete 31–32 credits of core science coursework, including chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. These courses provide the scientific background needed for admission into competitive health programs.

The degree also meets the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum requirements, allowing you to transfer smoothly to a four-year university.

Preparing for Professional Programs

After transferring to a university, most students complete a bachelor’s degree before applying to professional healthcare programs. During this time, you will continue studying advanced biology, chemistry, and other science courses required for your chosen career.

Program requirements may vary depending on the professional school you plan to attend.

Program Highlights

• Coursework designed to support pre-professional healthcare pathways
• Strong foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics
• Preparation for transfer to four-year universities
• Advising support to help you plan for professional school requirements

Program Scholarships

Riverland Community College offers scholarships to help support students pursuing education in science and healthcare fields. For more information about available scholarships and application deadlines, please visit the Riverland Foundation Scholarships page.