Professional Preparation Courses

Learn how to launch your career by taking a course to prepare for your field of study, a national licensure exam, or graduate school.

The courses below are offered in a three-week format during May Term.

Professional Preparation Courses

BIO3813 Medical School Preparation
Students interested in applying to a medical professional program will engage in a three-week experience that introduces them to the various medical professions, guides them through the medical school admissions process, and walks them through the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Students will develop a personal plan for medical school admission, learn test preparation strategies and review material for the MCAT, work with a faculty mentor to polish their admissions essay, complete mock admissions interviews, and network with medical professionals. By the end of the course, students will be well-prepared to produce a quality medical school application and be more prepared for the MCAT.

CRJ3814 Navigating Careers in Criminal Justice
This course will go in depth on how to find the right career in the criminal justice field regardless of what part of the system interests you. Several recruiters from different areas in the CJ system will be invited to class to meet with students to discuss their future careers. Topics will include pragmatic experiences of volunteering, networking with professional organizations, developing a social media presence through LinkedIn, how to utilize professional references, and how to enhance a resume. We will discuss work experiences with future educational aspirations, pre-employment processes, training and probationary periods, problems with complacency and ethics, uses of emotional intelligence, how to deal with stress and burnout, and transformational leadership practices.

CSC1811 Topics in Computer Science: Introduction to Cloud Technologies
This course introduces students to cloud technologies, services, tools, and providers. Students will learn how to make decisions regarding cloud for an organization; how to evaluate the benefits, costs, and risks of using cloud technologies; and learn various deployment models. Security and privacy will also be covered. Practice hands-on work to use cloud capabilities and to spin-up cloud resources will be included in this course.

EDU2811 Daily Operations for K–12 Teachers
During the course of your studies to secure your Professional Educators License there are many topics about out-of-classroom services, duties, and responsibilities in school districts and schools that are touched on. Take this course to more deeply explore these areas. Some of the topics that will be explored, but are not limited, will include front office, physical properties, ancillary training, athletics, student services, learning/resource centers, technology, sub finder systems, and unions. Your instructor and guest speakers from area school districts will join you in learning about and preparing you for daily life in a school environment.

EDU3811 Illinois Teacher Licensure Exam Preparation
This three-week course is designed to prepare Education majors for the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) content area test. Students will analyze the ILTS exam framework, review test-taking strategies, diagnose areas for improvement, and construct an action plan for success. This course is open to all Education students regardless of their content area.

EDU4811 Illinois Teacher Licensure Exam Preparation for Elementary Education Mathematics
This three-week course is designed to prepare Elementary Education majors for the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) Mathematics component. Teacher candidates will analyze the Elementary Education ILTS Mathematics Exam Framework, including College Algebra and Statistics; Counting; Cardinality, Base Ten; Operations; Algebraic Thinking, Measurement; and Data and Geometry. Elementary Education teacher candidates will also review test-taking strategies, diagnose areas for improvement, and construct an action plan for success. This course is open to all Elementary Education majors.

EXS4811 NSCA Certified Personal Trainer Exam Prep
This three-week course will explore various methods of preparation for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification exam. This course is designed to help students understand what to expect and improve understanding of the most relevant content as it pertains to the exam. Enrollment of the course will yield a lifetime access to the Pocket Prep app and web platform. This application provides users with the ability to study more intelligently through analytics. Within the CPT exam, participants are tested in four domains: Client Consultation/Fitness Assessment; Program Planning; Techniques of Exercise; and Safety, Emergency Procedures, and Legal Issues. Pocket prep allows students to gain a better understanding of which categories are strengths and which are weaknesses. In addition to enhancing an understanding of content, students will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of professionals who have recently sat for the exam for further familiarization and tips.

HLS3811 Applied Musculoskeletal Anatomy
This three-week course provides students with the opportunity to identify the bone, muscle, nerve, and vasculature landmarks relevant to clinical practice for students interested in continuing education in evaluative and rehabilitative healthcare professions. Selected musculoskeletal pathology, when clinically relevant, is also covered. Skeletal muscle actions, innervations, and clinically relevant origins and insertions will be presented. Regional biomechanics and clinical concepts are also incorporated.

This class contains a required field trip as part of the course offering. This local trip is intended to further students' understanding of course concepts, and is subject to the availability of various relevant locations.

Additional Course Fee: $50

IDS3814 Launching Your Career
As a three-week interdisciplinary and deliverable-focused experience, Launching Your Career provides students with an interactive platform to connect classes to career, resulting in completion of several career-development items such as resumes, cover letters, elevator pitches, and best practices of employment interviewing. This course is appropriate for all majors. At the end of this course, students will demonstrate the necessary skills to be a competitive job applicant for internships and general employment.

IDS3815 Graduate School Preparation
This course allows students to prepare for the process of applying to graduate schools. Students planning on attending graduate school may be required to sit for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a professionally administered test that assesses a test taker's cognitive aptitudes needed to earn a graduate degree successfully. This GRE Prep course is designed to give students the opportunity to review relevant subject matter material and prepare to use strategies to optimize their GRE effort. Students will also be coached on interview skills, personal essay writing, and instruction on completing graduate school applications.

NUR3811 Promoting Academic Success in Nursing
This three-week course is designed to prepare nursing students in their NUR3000-level and NUR4000-level courses for academic success in their NUR4000-level courses and success on National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The course will allow students to understand their ATI results for purposes of identifying their academic strengths and areas for improvement. During the course, students will develop and implement an individualized plan to prepare for success in their remaining nursing courses and on the NCLEX-RN.

SPED2814 Writing and Interpreting IEPs
This course will focus on reading, interpreting, and developing high-quality Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students identified with disabilities. The complete IEP process from evaluation and determining eligibility through the development of an IEP based on collected data will be examined. Students will use provided sample baseline data and information to collaborate and interpret student performance against specific eligibility criteria, develop Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) statements, write quality academic and functional IEP goals, determine educational placements, plan for supplemental supports, and determine important assessment accommodations for students. Emphasis will be placed on writing high-quality SMART IEP goals.

Registration for summer courses is now open for current AU students and students enrolled at other colleges.