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Admission

Admissions
Admission to the School of Health Sciences is contingent upon acceptance to one of the programs. Each program has specific prerequisite course requirements to graduate with a Certificate or Bachelor of Science Degree. Students seeking a baccalaureate degree from M. D. Anderson must complete a minimum of 130 semester credit hours of which 42 general education "core" semester credit hours must be transferred to UTMDACC from an accredited college or university with acceptable transferability of credit.

Admission is granted based on points earned from previous grade point average, personal references and personal interviews. Admission is competitive. Achieving the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission into the School of Health Sciences.

Texas Core Curriculum Requirements
Students receiving their first baccalaureate degree from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions (UTMDACC-SHP) must successfully complete the Texas Core Curriculum requirements. The core curriculum consists of 42 semester credit hours in specified component areas.

If a student’s transcript from another Texas public college or university indicates that the student has completed that institution’s core curriculum, no additional core curriculum requirements will be imposed. If a student has not completed the core requirement at another Texas institution prior to entering UTMDACC-SHS, UTMDACC-SHS will accept academic credits from another Texas public college or university in fulfillment of the UTMDACC-SHS core curriculum courses successfully completed, with grades of “C” or better only.

The School does not offer lower division core curriculum courses, but has developed a core curriculum in order to accommodate students who transfer from other states or private institutions. If a student enrolls at UTMDACC-SHP prior to completing the core curriculum requirements elsewhere, the student is responsible for completing the core curriculum requirements listed below, and should obtain approval from his or her advisor prior to registering for courses intended to fulfill these requirements. The same requirements also apply to out-of-state students.

 
Texas Core Curriculum
  
 Component Area
Credit Hours
 
 


* Communication (English rhetoric/composition)
ENGL 1301, ENGL 1302, ENGL 1311, ENGL 1312, ENGL 2311, ENGL 2314, ENGL 2315, or equivalent


6
 
 

** Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts
Must include:
3 hours in visual and performing arts -- courses with prefixes ARTS, DANC, MUAP, MUEN, MUSI, DRAM or equivalent
and
3 hours in “other” including literature, philosophy, modern or classical language/literature, and cultural studies

6
 
 

Mathematics
3 hours in college algebra -- MATH 1314 or higher
or
3 hours in statistics -- MATH 1342, MATH 1442, MATH 2342, MATH 2442, or PSYC 2317, or equivalent

3
 
 

Natural Sciences
Courses with the prefix BIOL, CHEM, GEOL, PHYS, or other natural sciences

12
 
 

Social and Behavioral Sciences
Must include:
6 hours of U.S. history -- either HIST 1301 & HIST 1302, or HIST 1301 & HIST 2301, or HIST 1302 & HIST 2301
and
6 hours in political science -- GOVT 2301 & GOVT 2302, or GOVT 2301 & GOVT 2305, or GOVT 2301 & GOVT 2306, or GOVT 2305 & GOVT 2306
and
3 hours in social/behavioral science -- Courses with prefixes ANTH, ECON, CRIJ, GEOG, PSYC, SOCI, and SOCW

15
 
 Total Core Curriculum Semester Credit Hours
42
 
 


* Communication application of English means the basic proficiency skills acquired during introductory courses and including a working competency of grammar, writing, speaking and listening/comprehension in English.

** Humanities application of language skills includes a study of literature in the original language and/or cultural studies related to modern or classical language.		 

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit, up to 15 hours, may be accepted for core curriculum requirements with a letter grade of C or better or a transcript designated "P", "S", or "CR". No more than 8 hours may be accepted for science courses.

General Requirements
Consideration for admission to one of the School of Health Professions programs is not based on race, religion, national origin, veteran status, sex, age, or disability. Students who have disabilities that require accommodation should discuss these with the program director early in the year. Documentation may be required to verify certain disabilities.

The following are required for admission to the programs:

Separate application to the program, including submission of official transcripts, three letters of recommendation (preferably submitted on the appropriate forms), and a personal interview.

Completion of all prerequisite course work:

  1. Required courses must be acceptable toward a major in the respective field of study. Survey courses will not fulfill these requirements.
  2. Candidates who completed the prerequisite courses 7 or more years before admission may be required to update their academic skills. For specific information, contact the program director.
  3. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale overall is required.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Applicants from countries where English is not the native language may be required to take the TOEFL. Internet based TOEFL is now available and a total test score ranging from 74-78 with a minimum score of 18 in each section is required.

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) - In accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 51.3062, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Sciences will comply with the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).

All applicants must provide proof of successful assessment of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).

The following exemptions will be considered:

  1. Applicants who have graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree from an accredited Texas public institution of higher education are exempt from TSI.

  2. Applicants who have completed 60 hours of the prerequisites for any SHP program with a grade of C (75) or better.

  3. Applicants are exempt from TSI if they  have received acceptable scores, within 5 years of application, on their:
    -SAT (combined verbal and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on both the verbal and math test)
    or
    -ACT (composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on both English and mathematics)
    or
    -TAAS exams (with a minimum scale score of 1770 on the writing test, a Texas Learning Index of 86 on the mathematics test and 89 on the reading test)
    .
    Proof of an applicant's readiness to enroll in college level course work, as related to TSI, will be determined by the Registrar's Office based upon review of official transcripts from previously attended institutions. Satisfactory performance on an acceptable testing instrument is a requirement for admission to the baccalaureate program or to non-degree seeking admission status.

  4. For additional information, please contact the Registrar's Office at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, P.O. Box 20036, Houston, Texas, 77225. Telephone: (713) 500-3361.

Additional requirements and/or considerations are listed on the specific program webpages of the Health Professions Student Catalog.

Nonacademic Requirements
Students accepted into the programs must:

Demonstrate written and oral proficiency in the English language.

Communicate effectively to transmit information to faculty, fellow students, physicians, and all members of the health care team.

Read and apply appropriate written instructions.

Maintain intellectual and emotional stability and maturity under stress while also maintaining appropriate performance standards.

Additional requirements are listed on the specific program webpages of the Health Professions Student Catalog.

Advanced Placement
The School of Health Sciences accepts and/or awards credit through the following examination programs:

  • College Level Examination Program of the College Board (CLEP)
  • Comprehensive departmental examinations
  • Regionally accredited military training programs

Recommendations from the School's academic departments are followed with regard to minimum score requirements, level of credit, and amount of credit to be awarded. Program faculty are consulted to determine if credit recommendations equate to specific School of Health Professions (SHP) courses. The internal comprehensive departmental examination program provides a local means for establishing knowledge of SHP course content in areas not covered by the above examination program. Programs may elect to administer examinations that cover material specific to SHP courses with the results being reported to the Registrar.

Petition for Equivalency Credit (PEC)
To request equivalency credit for specific School of Health Sciences (SHP) courses, applicants and current students must:

  1. Meet with their respective Program Director to discuss possible equivalency credit.

  2. Download the Petition for Equivalency Credit (PEC) form (pdf). Note: Page will open in a new browser window.

  3. EITHER complete the form online and then print it, OR print the form first and complete it manually by typing or using black ink.

  4. Submit the completed form AND supporting documentation -- such as course description, objectives, content outline, class schedule, handouts, class notes, assigned papers, care plans -- to their respective Program Director for review and processing.

Please note: If a student receives equivalency credit for a SHP course in which he or she is currently enrolled, the student is responsible for dropping the SHP course.

Transferability of Credit
Official transcripts of credit earned from all institutions of higher education previously attended must be submitted as part of the admissions requirement.

The Registrar's Office and the Program Director or Education Coordinator will evaluate course work suitable for transfer.

Courses taken at other institutions in which grades below C were earned are not transferable or applicable toward degree requirements.

Credit will not be given for experiential learning or for courses that duplicate prior credit given by another institution. Credit is awarded only in areas offered within the current curricular requirements of the institution and related to the student's program of study.

Students who satisfactorily complete an accredited program in radiologic sciences may be allowed up to 30 hours of transfer credit.

Students will receive notification of transfer of credits after completion of a Degree Plan but no later than the last week of the first academic term.

Courses identified as developmental or remedial are not recognized as applicable to the institution's degrees or certificate programs.

International Students
Students who complete all or part of their college course work outside the United States (US) must submit their transcripts to an accredited and approved US evaluation agency. Students who are seeking a certificate of completion from UTMDACC-SHS should refer to the corresponding organization below for a list of acceptable agencies for course-by-course and grade-by-grade evaluations:

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window.

International students must meet all requirements listed above. Applicants will be requested to demonstrate written and oral fluency in the English language.

Transfer Students
The School of Health Professions does not accept students who are, or have been, enrolled in a similar program and wish to transfer into one of the Health Professions Programs at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. All students must take and complete all required courses shown in the current Health Professions Student Catalog.

Orientation
All new students are required to attend an orientation program. Information about orientation is mailed directly to students who have been admitted to the School of Health Professions.

During orientation, students have an opportunity to interact with faculty and university staff members. The program is designed to prepare students for the first semester and to acquaint them with the classroom facilities and all the additional resources and services available to them. Orientation topics include academic advising, program curriculum and testing, campus activities, environmental and safety practices, and student organizations. Required tuition and fees are due at this time.

In advance of orientation, responsibilities of new students include:

Health Screenings: As part of the admissions process, students are required to complete a drug screening* and a TB screening. These screenings are conducted by the UTMDACC Employee Health Department prior to orientation. There is no cost to the student for these screenings, and the results will remain confidential. Any student found to have a positive drug screening will be denied admission to the school. Any student found to have a positive TB screening must provide results of the chest radiographs.

* Please see related links: Substance Abuse policy and Health Professions Student Handbook - 5.5 Drug Detection and Deterrence.

Immunizations: All proof of immunizations must be provided in writing three weeks prior to orientation. Some forms may require signatures from personal physicians. Students must complete all required immunizations prior to their clinical rotations.

Tour of Facilities: All students are scheduled to participate in official tours provided by the Office of Public Affairs. These tours acquaint the students with the campus and the many resources available to them.

Enrollment: Students should be enrolled in classes, according to their respective program curriculum, before attending orientation.

Required check-in and orientation sessions for international students are organized by the Visa and Immigration Services Administration (VISA) office. For additional information contact:

Visa and Immigration Services Administration (VISA) Office
T.Boone Pickens Academic Tower -FCT6.5000
1515 Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030
Telephone: (713)794-1257
Fax: (713) 792-6229
VISA@mdanderson.org

Any general questions about orientation should be directed to:

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
School of Health Professions - Office of the Dean - Unit 21515 Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030-4009
Telephone: (713) 745-1205
Fax: (713)792-0800


© 2009 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center