Pre-Professional Pathways

Get on track for a professional degree

From medical school to engineering to law, pre-professional tracks in our undergraduate programs prepare you for a professional degree. A pre-professional track is a series of courses taken in addition to the required curriculum in your major that ensures you'll be ready for the next step in your professional career. 

Pre-Health Professions

We are here to further the opportunities of students interested in Health Professions by providing individual guidance to any student, regardless of their major. 

Pre-Health students major in a variety of disciplines and may decide to pursue study in a variety of fields after graduation, including, but not limited to: medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing.

To set an appointment with the Pre-Health Professions Office, it is best to call 512-448-8530 to schedule. Because the calendar fluctuates so much, it can be difficult to schedule via email.

Pre-Engineering 

The pre-engineering coursework provides a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and engineering. 

St. Edward’s University offers a variety of essential engineering courses as well as several partner programs, including: 

• Electrical Engineering: Valparaiso University - a 5-year program in which students earn a bachelor’s degree from St. Edward’s in mathematics and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University.
• Science and Engineering: Wash U -  a 5-year program with Washington University in St. Louis in which students earn a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from St. Edward’s and a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering from Washington University. 

St. Edward's also offers ESTEEM: Notre Dame, an innovative 11-month entrepreneurship master's program through our sister school, Notre Dame. 

These educational pathways are attractive not only to our students, but to the engineering faculty at our partner institutions as well as prospective employers for the program graduates. With a solid liberal arts foundation, students who proceed through these dual degree programs are well-prepared for their engineering coursework and careers. In particular, the St. Edward's curriculum helps students to develop outstanding communication skills in multiple media, strong problem-solving skills through challenging courses, and a solid grounding through an understanding of the broader societal context that is developed via the Holy Cross approach to higher education and through the humanities and social science courses that are part of our general education curriculum.

Pre-Law

The Pre-Law Advising Program helps students develop the communicative, analytical, and methodological skills important to the legal profession. The American Bar Association does not recommend any particular undergraduate majors, as students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline. 

Many students choose to major in subjects considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, communications, business, or political science. We recommend students explore a broad liberal arts education to prepare for law school, graduate school, or employment in the public or private sector.