Our pre-professional planning programs and services can help you prepare for the transition from undergraduate study to graduate and professional education in health, law, engineering or architecture.
Pre-Architecture
Architecture schools consider a strong liberal arts background, like the one you'll receive at Colgate, to be advantageous for professional development. In addition to this liberal arts background, you can also receive targeted architectural instruction while on campus.
There is an architectural studies emphasis within the university's Department of Art. While not required for graduate admissions, you're urged to consider pursuing the program if you're interested in pursuing architectural studies in graduate school.
As soon as you arrive at Colgate, you are urged to speak to the art department’s pre-architecture adviser.
There are several courses dedicated to the study of architecture, and it is also strongly recommended that you take one semester of calculus and one semester of physics. Both are expected for graduate school admission for architecture.
If you are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in architectural history and theory, foreign language study (reading proficiency) will be required. A semester abroad on an accredited art history or pre-architecture program is also recommended so that you may experience foreign architecture firsthand. It is also recommended that you take our upper-level architectural design courses.
Pre-Engineering
Future engineers at Colgate have several great options to choose from, including cooperative plans with several prestigious engineering schools including Columbia University.
If you're interested in engineering, you have several options to pursue at Colgate, including cooperative plans with prestigious engineering schools.
One option is that you can major in physics at Colgate and then attend graduate school in engineering. Alternatively, you can pursue one of our cooperative plans between Colgate and an engineering school.
The cooperative plan option allows you to combine three years of education in the liberal arts with two years of engineering training at a cooperative institution (the 3-2 plan). We have cooperative agreements with Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Washington University.
If you declare your concentration and intention to pursue such a program, you will begin consultation with the pre-engineering adviser to ensure that you fulfill all of Colgate's requirements and engineering school prerequisites.
In a cooperative program, you will spend three years at Colgate and two at the engineering school to earn bachelor’s degrees from both institutions. It may also be possible for you to continue study for a master of science (MS) degree from the engineering school with as little as one additional year of study.
View the catalogue copy on pre-engineering.
Pre-Health
Many of our students aspire to careers in health professions. Colgate has a campus-wide network of support and experience to assist these students. Starting with a student’s first year, Colgate’s Health Sciences Advising Committee guides students on course selection and post-graduate application processes for students interested in medical school, dental school, or veterinary school. In addition, there are a plethora of resources for career exploration, summer funding, and internship and research pursuits through Career Services.
Pre-Law
If you're interested in pursuing a law degree, consider this key statistic: In the 2011-12 school year, 93.8% of Colgate seniors and alumni applying to law school are accepted. The national average was 74.6%.
Communications
Colgate alumni are some of today's most influential mass communications professionals and can be found at organizations such as Forbes, NBC, Fox Sports, ABC, CNN, and the Los Angeles Times.