Pre-Cytology
Start your journey to becoming a healthcare professional.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to apply for a cytology program while earning your bachelor’s degree. See the list below for a brief overview of required prerequisite courses.
Get Experience.
Start building your shadowing and volunteer hours to be a more competitive cytology school applicant. Don’t forget to keep track of your hours!
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before graduate school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized 4-year pre-cytology plan!
Pre- Cytology Roadmap at UNL
Cytology Prerequisite Classes
The only academic requirement for UNMC’s Cytotechnology program is to have earned a bachelor’s degree; UNMC does not require specific prerequisite courses. However, in addition to completing a bachelor’s degree (science suggested but not required), a strong background in the biological sciences, chemistry, and math is strongly recommended. Previous healthcare experience is also desired.
Many Cytotechnology programs other than UNMC require between 20-30 semester hours of biology, chemistry, math, and statistics. Students considering applying to these programs are encouraged to research the requirements for those programs. The following is a list of recommended and suggested courses.
Recommended Courses
BIOS 101/101L
BIOS 110/110L
BIOS 111 or 312/314
LIFE 120/120L & LIFE 121/121L
BIOS 206
BIOS 213/213L
BIOS 443
Any BIOS 3xx or 4xx
CHEM 109A/109L & CHEM 110A/110L
CHEM 251/253 & CHEM 252/254
Any CHEM or BIOC 2xx or greater
BIOC 401/401L or BIOC 431
CSCE 101
MATH 101, 103, 106, 107, or 208
STAT 218 or EDPS 459
The above courses are recommendations only as each graduate program may have widely varying requirements. Please meet with an Explore Center Advisor for more information and guidance. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their desired graduate schools for specific course requirements or recommendations.
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing Pre-Cytotechnology requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See a pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Applications: Students interested in pursuing the certification in cytotechnology at an accredited program will follow the specific application procedures for each program. See caahep.org for a list of accredited programs. To apply to the program at UNMC, go to https://catalog.unmc.edu/allied-health-professions/cytotechnology/.
Entrance exam: No entrance exam is required.
Additional admission requirements: Some programs will require an interview and receipt of letters of recommendation prior to admittance to the program. For UNMC’s Cytotechnology program, materials required include an application, resume, essays, official college transcripts, and three letters of recommendation.