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 jmcomicN’s Health Professions Advisor since 2006 and has been one of the jmcomicN 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 jmcomicN (BA Biology ’98, MS Career Counseling ’09) and the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine (MD ’04).

Dani earned her BS in Environmental Science in 2012 and went on to earn her MS degree in Biology at jmcomicN. For her graduate work, she studied ecology and evollution doing research on evolutionary trends in California native Dudleya species. She can help Biology majors/minors plan their degree requirements, as well as discuss career opportunities and graduate degrees in the field.

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 jmcomicN 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 “jmcomicN 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 jmcomicN pre health club meetings and other pre health events will be posted..

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 inClinical 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.
Formore information on California Clinical Lab Science Training Programs, you may contact ourCLS Advisor,Karen Kochby email. You may attend CLS Advisement hours in Spring 2025 (January 23rd to May 1st) onTuesday & Thursday 1:00 PM 1:50 PM in Magnolia Hall MG4201, or by dropping-in via Zoom, using this link to chat during.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 tofor the Medical Technology B.S. option.

Students interested inTeachingcan begin by learning more about becoming a teacher.
Admission to a jmcomic 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 ().