Advisement
Student Advisement for Biology Majors
The College of Science and Math Student Services Center/EOP office is the central location for advising for all students majoring in the natural and physical sciences. You can call (818) 677-4558, email smac@csun.edu, or stop by Eucalyptus Hall 2126 (M-TH 8am-5pm and Fri 8am-4pm) as your first point of contact for advising.
One of the advisors on the CSM (College of Science and Math) advising team is Dr. Terri Richardson, who primarily sees Biology major students. Dr Richardson is also the Pre-Health Advisement Coordinator, advising individuals from all majors who are preparing to enter Medical, Physician Assistant, Dental, Pharmacy, Optometry, Veterinary, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, and other allied health schools/programs.
To make an appointment with Dr Richardson, call (818) 677-4558.
For general questions about enrolling in Biology courses, email biologyadvising@csun.edu
Dr. Richardson has been CSUN’s Health Professions Advisor since 2006 and has been one of the CSUN Biology Department Advisors since 2010. Her area of expertise is advising individuals from all majors who are preparing to enter Medical, Physician Assistant, Nursing, Dental, Pharmacy, Optometry, Veterinary, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, and other allied health schools/programs. She can provide advice regarding course selection and sequencing, choosing extracurricular experiences, and preparing for entrance exams, applications and interviews.
Dr. Richardson graduated from CSUN (BA Biology ’98, MS Career Counseling ’09) and the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine (MD ’04).
Have a general question?
Contact us at biologyadvising@csun.edu, or call (818) 677-7305
Keep track of your Academic Progress
Your Degree Progress Report (DPR/audit) lists your completed and remaining graduation requirements. You can use the DPR/Planner to plan future classes and determine your graduation date.
You are required to see an advisor at certain points in your academic career. Be sure to check your CSUN student email address frequently for important correspondence from your Advisors and Department.
see the links below to access more information on specific Biology degree requirements
| BA Biology | BS Cell and Molecular Biology | BS Ecology and Evolution | BS Microbiology |
| BS Marine Biology | BS Biotechnology | BS Medical Technology |
Preparing for a Professional Career
>> NEW << Join the new “CSUN Pre Health” Canvas page! Here you will find informative handouts and videos about a wide variety of healthcare careers, including info about the test prep and application processes. In addition, announcements about CSUN pre health club meetings and other pre health events will be posted. Self-enroll in CSUN Pre Health Canvas page using this link.
The Advisement Office can provide you with detailed information about the pre-requisites to attend the following professional degree schools and programs:
Students interested in a career in Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) should major in the Medical Technology track of the B.S. in Biology. The Medical Technology track prepares students for the clinical year of training and the California License exam in Clinical Laboratory Science or for training and certification in Public Health Microbiology. It is designed to meet the State academic requirements for Clinical Lab Science. Students who complete the course sequence for Medical Technology will be prepared to apply for the clinical year of training in Clinical Lab Science or to begin a career in industry or government.
For more information on California Clinical Lab Science Training Programs, you may contact our CLS Advisor, Karen Koch by email. You may attend CLS Advisement hours in Spring 2025 (January 23rd to May 1st) on Tuesday & Thursday 1:00 PM 1:50 PM in Magnolia Hall MG4201, or by dropping-in via Zoom, using this link to chat during CLS Advising Zoom office hours. If unable to make it to my office hours they can email me at karen.koch@csun.edu to set up an appointment.
In addition, please make sure to review the catalog requirements for the Medical Technology B.S. option.
Students interested in Teaching can begin by learning more about becoming a teacher.
Admission to a CSU credential program or University intern program requires demonstration of subject matter competence in biological sciences, and there are several ways of completing that requirement. The most common is passage of a set of state-administered California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), with six testing dates per year (http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/).