Academic Prerequisites

Prerequisite Courses

Dell Medical School supports the movement toward competencies. Applicants are free to demonstrate competencies by any means; for most, the easiest method will be through satisfactory performance in appropriately rigorous coursework. Any applicant that believes competency has been established by some alternate means is invited to petition the Admissions Selection Committee (applydellmed@utexas.edu).

Competency is demonstrated by completing the following courses:

• Biology: Eleven semester hours, two of which must be labs (a genetics course is strongly recommended).
• Physics: Eight semester hours, two of which must be labs.
• Chemistry: Twelve semester hours, to be comprised of a combination of:
  • Two semesters of organic chemistry and one semester of general inorganic chemistry (for a total of nine semester hours with three semester hours of lab); or
  • Two semesters of general inorganic chemistry and one semester of organic chemistry (for a total of nine semester hours with three semester hours of lab).
• Biochemistry: Three semester hours of biochemistry.
• English: Three semester hours of composition-based English.
• Math: Three semester hours of statistics.

These courses must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university. AP and correspondence courses are acceptable if the official transcript indicates specific course numbers and credits granted. A grade of “C” or higher must be recorded in each of these courses. Any quarter-hour credit equals two-thirds of a semester-hour credit.