STEM and Pre-health Programs at Viterbo University

Preparing students—with close advising and mentorship—for a diversity of health-related careers.
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Internships and research opportunities
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95% acceptance rate into health care professional programs.
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Faculty-led pre-health committee

Prepare for Today’s Cross-Disciplinary STEM and Health-Related Careers

Viterbo University’s STEM and pre-health programs address the growing demand for professionals with interdisciplinary skills. Engineers, scientists, and those working in health-related careers must solve problems and work on projects that require a combination of expertise from across fields. We collaborate with advisory boards, health care providers, and alumni to ensure our pre-health and STEM programs are relevant for today’s jobs.
Our science-related majors enjoy a 95+% acceptance rate into professional schools and graduate programs. Engineering degree students are guaranteed an engineering internship, and 100% of our engineering graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduating.

You can take pre-health and STEM classes in the format that best serves you and your goals. We offer full- and part-time programs on campus and online.

 

STEM and Pre-health Degree Highlights

Our STEM and pre-health programs empower you to harness the strengths of both fields and chart diverse, dynamic career paths across industries. Our cutting-edge facilities—meeting spaces, classrooms, laboratories, and research hubs—are designed to foster collaboration and innovation. With faculty offices conveniently located throughout the Reinhart Center, you’ll enjoy easy access to expert guidance and build strong connections with your professors. Other benefits include:

  • Supportive community. Our STEM and pre-health programs foster a closely connected community of students, faculty, and professional staff to learn, work, and conduct research across disciplines. You will receive personal career advising, tutoring, and more to help you succeed in college and beyond. Our close-knit campus also allows you to get involved in athletics, the arts, and organizations like the STEM Club.
  • Extensive networking opportunities. When you join the Viterbo community, we plug you into a network of relationships that foster success. You will also have access to our vast alumni community through events like our networking nights.
  • Collaborative faculty. Whether you are taking STEM or pre-health courses, you will learn from experts who cooperatively teach with other faculty to ensure you receive the best possible education. Our instructors provide a multidisciplinary education to prepare you for real-world challenges and opportunities.
  • HAWK WORKS (Holistic Alliances Whose Knowledge Will Offer Resources for Kickstarting Success). Strengthen your communication and teamwork skills by working with individuals from diverse technical backgrounds. HAWK WORKS brings together students and faculty from disciplines across campus to identify areas needing innovation, design, and constructive solutions and prepares you to excel in an increasingly specialized world.
  • State-of-the-art facilities and an ideal campus location. Our STEM and pre-health students enjoy access to dedicated research labs, an Anatomage virtual dissection table, 20 state-of-the-art teaching laboratories with 60 chemical and biosafety hoods, a clone manager software program, an engineering lab, and more. Our campus is located near bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, allowing you to use these natural features for class lessons, laboratory projects, and research.
  • Undergraduate research. Gain hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of your chosen by conducting undergraduate research with faculty mentors. This practical experience is highly valued by employers and graduate programs alike.

What Can You Do With a Pre-health or STEM Degree?

Pre-health and STEM degrees prepare you for a broad range of career opportunities in diverse industries, such as:

  • Data science and analytics
  • Education
  • Engineering and technology
  • Government and private sector research
  • Health-related careers

Because our programs are cross-disciplinary, you will develop diverse skills that will make you even more marketable.

The STEM and pre-health programs also get you ready for graduate school. For example, while completing your undergraduate pre-health degree, you could be accepted into select professional and graduate schools through our articulation agreements. These Early Acceptance Programs (EAPs) include pathways to:

  • Chiropractic
  • Dentistry
  • Osteopathic medicine
  • Pharmacy

Our faculty support you throughout the professional program entrance process to help you reach your goals. Our graduates have a 95%+ acceptance rate into health-related professional schools and graduate programs (compared to a national student acceptance rate of 40–60%).

Financial Aid for Pre-health and STEM Programs

In addition to Viterbo’s efforts to keep our tuition affordable through financial aid opportunities, STEM and pre-health students are eligible for several scholarships, including:

  • Health Science Scholarship
  • Xcel Energy Scholarship for Women in Science
  • A $2,000 per year scholarship for engineering majors
  • A $500 scholarship for incoming students who attend our annual Engineering, Math, and Computer Science Exploration Day at the start of the spring semester
  • Six named annual scholarships awarded to current natural science students. 2023–24 scholarships totaled $19,100

Explore Viterbo's STEM and Pre-health Programs

Four-year BS STEM Degree Programs

STEM Minors

Pre-health Programs

Other Programs

Our Stories

Neuroscience

Discover the intricate relationships between the brain and behavior with Viterbo's undergraduate degree in neuroscience.
Neuroscience
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Guaranteed research opportunities with faculty mentors

Earn Your Degree in Neuroscience at Viterbo

In Viterbo’s neuroscience program, you will develop the knowledge and skills essential for systematically evaluating the intricate relationships between the brain and human/animal behavior. You will learn foundational and cutting-edge theories, putting your scientific reasoning to the test through hands-on laboratory experiences and engaging in independent research projects. Upon graduation, you can pursue professional degrees in health-related fields, advance your studies in neuroscience or related disciplines, and launch fulfilling careers in mental health services or biomedical research.

Explore Viterbo’s Neuroscience Program

Neuroscience (BS)

Systematically evaluate relationships between the brain and human/animal behavior with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience. You will learn and test foundational and contemporary theories through scientific reasoning, laboratory experiences, and independent research. Upon completion, you can pursue professional degrees in health-related fields, advanced degrees in neuroscience or related disciplines, and entry-level careers in mental health services or biomedical research.

Neuroscience (Minor)

The neuroscience minor requirements total 14 credits. Transfer courses, waivers and/or substitutions, and prerequisite courses could modify these credit totals.

Neuroscience Degree Program Highlights and Advantages

Choose Viterbo’s neuroscience major and minor and benefit from:

  • Strong focus on grad school preparation. Prepare for graduate studies by taking advantage of our professional school prep courses for exams such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, and others. We maintain articulation agreements with professional programs, some of which offer 3+1 programs and early acceptance to their programs.
  • Ideal location for the study of life sciences. Majors in biology and other life sciences benefit from our La Crosse, Wisc. location. Connect with major hospitals (Gundersen and Mayo) for internships, job shadowing, employment, or other opportunities. Intern with organizations such as the U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi Valley Conservancy, and Genoa National Fish Hatchery. Study the Mississippi River region, including class trips to Mississippi flowage areas.
  • World-class scientists on campus. Hear from and engage with renowned expert speakers through our two large symposia—one focused on undergraduate research (Seven Rivers Undergraduate Research Symposium) and another on scientific issues that are particularly important to society (Agnes W. H. Tan Science Symposium).
  • Career-focused pre-health advising. Meet regularly with a dedicated pre-health faculty mentor about program progression, course selection, internship possibilities, research opportunities, career paths, and more. Advisors receive training through the National Association for Advisors of Health Professionals.
  • Scholarships for life science majors. Our competitive Health Science Scholarship provides one student each year with a full-time tuition award and additional scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $12,000. Departmental scholarships are also available for biology majors and other life sciences fields.
  • Learning and mentoring from expert faculty. Your study of life sciences will be led by faculty who know your name, have an open-door policy, and focus on your personal and professional development. Collaborate with faculty members whose research interests include:

What Can You Do With Your Degree?

Biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience degree graduates at Viterbo enjoy a 94% acceptance rate into health-related professional schools and a 90% acceptance rate into other graduate programs (compared to a national acceptance rate of 40–60%). 

Our science majors have been accepted into professional schools and programs at: 

  • Arkansas College of Health Education
  • Carroll University
  • Case Western
  • Concordia University
  • Creighton
  • Illinois College of Optometry
  • Kansas University
  • LECOM
  • Marquette
  • Mayo Rochester
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Michigan College of Optometry
  • Rosalind Franklin
  • St. George’s
  • Union College Nebraska
  • University of Colorado
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Minnesota-Duluth
  • University of South Dakota
  • University of Virginia
  • UNLV
  • UW-La Crosse
  • UW-Madison
  • UW-Milwaukee
  • UW-Stout

Many of our science degree graduates are recruited by employers in areas related to life sciences. Alumni have gone on to work for businesses and organizations such as:

  • Area school districts
  • Crossing Rivers Healthcare
  • Gundersen Health
  • Marshfield Clinic
  • Mayo Clinic (La Crosse and Rochester)
  • Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Prairie Moon Nursery
  • Prevention Genetics
  • Quest Diagnostics
  • ThermoFisher
  • US Fish and Wildlife
  • US Geologic Survey
  • University of Michigan Health
  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

 Common Careers for Neuroscience Degree Majors

  • Clinical psychologist
  • Mental health counselor
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Neuroscientist
  • Biomedical research technician
  • Physician/physician assistant

Related Programs

Not the right program for you? Viterbo also offers programs in: 

Neuroscience Stories