Pre-Physician Assistant Completion Program | Northwestern SPS - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

This course is part of the four-course introductory biology sequence. Students will learn about the basics of molecular biology, including the structure of macromolecules, DNA replication, transcription, and translation and the mechanisms by which these processes are regulated. Students will also learn current biotechnology methods used to study molecular biology.

Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 201 and BIOL SCI 215. Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 215 should not register for this course.

This course is part of the four-course introductory biology sequence. The cell biology course covers mechanisms the cell uses to compartmentalize and transport proteins, to move, to regulate growth and death, and to communicate with their environments.

This course should be taken concurrently with BIOL SCI 232. Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 219 and BIOL SCI 202. Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 219 should not register for this course. 

Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL SCI 201 or 215 with a grade of C- or better to register for this course.

Fundamentals of genetics and evolution. From the rules of heredity to the complex genetics of humans, the methods and logic of genetics as applied to inheritance, development, neurobiology, and populations. The process and tempo of evolution, from natural selection to speciation, emphasizing how genetics plays a critical role.

Prerequisite: Students must have completed BIOL SCI 202-CN or BIOL SCI 219-CN with a grade of C- or better to register for this course.

This is the first course in a three-quarter sequence of introductory biology laboratory. The course is designed to provide students with an authentic laboratory experience that investigates relevant scientific research and teaches scientific inquiry skills such as experimental design, writing research proposals, data collection, data analysis/interpretation, and the presentation of results. The experimental model revolves around atherosclerosis and macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. Students will learn and become proficient at various cell and molecular biology techniques.

This course should be taken concurrently with BIOL SCI 202. Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 221 and BIOL SCI 232. Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 221 should not register for this course.

This is the second course in a three-quarter sequence of introductory biology laboratory. The course is designed to provide students with an authentic laboratory experience that investigates relevant scientific research and teaches scientific inquiry skills such as experimental design, writing research proposals, data collection, data analysis/interpretation, and the presentation of results. The experimental model revolves around aggregate prone proteins in nematodes and how RNA interference (RNAi) can be used to affect protein folding and the clearance of protein aggregates. Students will learn and become proficient at various cell and molecular biology techniques.

Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 220 and BIOL SCI 233. Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 220 should not register for this course.

Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 232

This course is the culminating life-science lab experience in the biology lab sequence. Students design and generate reagents that can be used in larger experiments. The topic varies from year to year, but typically revolves around the sub-cloning of a specific gene fused to a reporter for detection.

Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 222 and BIOL SCI 234. Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 222 should not register for this course.

Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 233.

This course covers basic concepts in biochemistry, emphasizing the structure and function of biological macromolecules, fundamental cellular biochemical processes, and the chemical logic in metabolic transformations.

Students who have previously completed BIOL SCI 218 should not register for this course.

Prerequisites: Students must have completed, or be currently enrolled in, CHEM 215-A or CHEM 215-B or CHEM 215-C.

An exploration of the functions of the human body at the tissue, organ, and organ system level. Emphasis on homeostatic mechanisms and interdependence within organs and organ systems and the influence of modulatory systems. Topics will include, but are not limited to: nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems.

Prerequisite: CHEM 131

This course is an introduction to human anatomy. Topics include: system approach to anatomical organization; sections of the body; musculoskeletal and nervous systems; embryology development. Lectures are supplemented by selected prosections of human cadavers and dry exercises using bones, models, and computer animations. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 165, 170, or equivalent course.

This is an online course on human anatomy, focusing on morphology and function. It follows both a regional and systems approach. All course content, activities, and assessments will be online learning activities and assessments. The course will also have a broad emphasis on clinical application that is applicable to all health care professions. The course covers gross anatomy of the human body; therefore, images of human cadavers will be presented in your textbook, as well as in other course resources. Readings are assigned from the Marieb, Wilhelm and Mallatt text. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 165, 170, or equivalent course.

This course will be conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition. There will be optional online office hours on Thursday from 6:15-9:15pm.

This is a lab course utilizing prosections and demonstrations of human cadavers. It is an advanced anatomy course examining the details of human body systems. Topics include: Body wall and cavities, contents and features of the thorax and abdomen (cardiac, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems), pelvis (genito-urinary system), spinal cord and back, innervation and blood supply of the upper and lower limbs, cranial cavities and contents, cranial nerves and blood supply of the head and neck. The majority of the coursework will be done in the cadaver lab, with limited lectures to introduce topics. The lab work will be guided by a lab workbook, handouts and instructor demonstrations. Models, bones (skeletal materials), skulls, and medical images will supplement the cadaver prosections. Lab work will be assessed by the weekly lab assignment, three practical quizzes and a written final exam. A research project will be assigned to allow the student to bridge their knowledge of lab anatomy with more clinical concepts. Students are expected to follow all lab safety guidelines including the cadaver lab dress code; also students should show respect for the cadavers at all times.

Credit for this course is 0.34 units. Enrollment is in the course limited to 15 total, and is limited to students in professional health careers certificate programs.

Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 313. Only students who have completed the prerequisite will be able to register for this course.

This course provides an introduction to bacteria and viruses with an emphasis on their impact on human health and society. Topics covered include bacterial and viral morphology/structure, physiology, metabolism, basic replication, and genetics. Practical applications of research in microbiology are explored, including genetic engineering and biotechnology. We will also discuss the impacts of microorganisms on human health include a discussion of pathogenesis, the human microbiome, and current challenges regarding antimicrobial resistance. Students have an opportunity to explore current topics in microbiology of interest.

This course will have a lab component, BIOL SCI 328-A, integrated into the lecture time. The lab component focuses on bacteriology, including how bacteria are cultured, isolated, and identified in the laboratory. A lab fee will be applied to tuition.

Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 215-CN and BIOL SCI 219-CN, or BIOL SCI 201-CN and BIOL SCI 202-CN.

Solution strategies for traditional word problems and their application to basic chemistry quantitative problems: dimensional analysis, chemical equations, stoichiometry, limiting reagents

Quantum mechanics, electronic structure, periodic properties of the elements, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, intermolecular forces, properties of solids and liquids, special topics in modern chemistry.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 141-CN Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab I. Additionally, while the material in the inorganic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 110-CN (grade of C- or better), or current enrollment in CHEM 110-CN.

Solutions and colligative properties, chemical equilibrium, aqueous solution equilibria, chemical kinetics, metals in chemistry and biology, oxidation-reduction reactions and electrochemistry, special topics in modern chemistry.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 142-CN Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab II. Additionally, while the material in the inorganic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 131-CN and CHEM 141-CN (grade of C- or better), or current enrollment in CHEM 131-CN/CHEM 141-CN.

Chemical analysis of real samples using basic laboratory techniques including titration, colorimetric analysis, density measurements, and atomic spectroscopy. Planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on experiments. Credit for this course is 0.34 units.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 131-CN Fundamentals of Chemistry I. Additionally, while the material in the inorganic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 110 (grade of C– or better), or current enrollment in CHEM 110-CN.

General Chemistry Lab 2 is a laboratory course in which techniques applied to materials science and nanotechnology, acid-base chemistry, and chemical kinetics will be employed. Major objectives involve work involving planning, data collection, interpretation, and reporting on experiments. Credit for this course is 0.34 units.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 132-CN Fundamentals of Chemistry II. Additionally, while the material in the inorganic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 131-CN and CHEM 141-CN (grade of C- or better), or current enrollment in CHEM 131-CN/CHEM 141-CN.

Foundational concepts in organic chemistry will be introduced. Topics include structure and properties of common functional groups, acidity/basicity, conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and reactivity of organic compounds. The chemistry of hydrocarbons, alkyl halides, and alcohols, ethers, and carbonyl compounds will be included.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 235-A Organic Chemistry Lab I. Additionally, while the material in the organic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 132 and CHEM 142 with a grade of C- or better, or equivalent transfer credit with qualifying score on the Chemistry Placement Exam.

Standard laboratory techniques in organic chemistry will be covered. Techniques will focus on the isolation and purification of organic compounds as well as the use of spectroscopic methods to determine identity and purity. The results of the technique-based modules will be communicated by completion of short on-line worksheets. One complete organic experiment, including reaction set-up, product isolation, and preparation of samples for characterization will be performed. The results of the complete experiment will be communicated in a full formal lab report.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 215-A. Additionally, while the material in the organic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 132 and CHEM 142 with a grade of C- or better, or equivalent transfer credit with qualifying score on the Chemistry Placement Exam.

Advanced concepts in modern organic chemistry will be introduced. The material will focus on recent developments in synthetic organic chemistry, including: concerted/pericyclic reactions, catalysis, green/environmental chemistry, automated synthesis, and combinatorial/screening methods. Additional topics will include an introduction to materials and polymer chemistry.

This course is required to be taken concurrently with CHEM 215-C. Additionally, while the material in the organic chemistry lecture and lab courses is intended to be linked, students should not expect the lecture and lab content to always align.

Prerequisite: completion of CHEM 215-B and CHEM 235-B with a grade of C- or better.

The intent of this course is to familiarize students with a wide range of Greek- and Latin-derived words encountered in scientific and primarily medical fields. Students learn the basic components and an understanding of the underlying principles of word formation, which includes acquiring a basic vocabulary of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, much of which is a matter of applied memorization. It also includes analysis of words, aiming at an understanding of the relationship of their various components. 

No prior knowledge of Greek and Latin is required for this course.

This course provides an introduction to probability and statistics theory and foundational data science applications. The focus will be on the analysis of data using computer software, and the approach is is conceptual—the goal is for students to understand, not to memorize. Important concepts include samples versus populations, normal curves and the central limit theorem, sampling distributions, standard errors, statistical inference, correlation and regression, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the chi-squared test. The replication crisis in science and how bad statistics helped cause it will also be discussed. There are no formal prerequisites for this course. Recommended skills include comfort with basic algebra and some experience with spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.