What is Parkland Pathways
Parkland Pathway is a dual-enrollment program between Parkland College and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The program is designed to facilitate a smooth junior-level transfer* to Illinois after spending two years* as a full-time, degree-seeking Parkland College student.
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Recommendations for a smooth transfer:
- Consult with your IB academic advisors on your graduation timeline sometime your first semester.
- Switching between majors will likely extend your time to a degree.
- Be aware of any additional specific course requirements for applying to graduate or professional schools.
Medical School Considerations:
- If you plan to go straight into med school after graduation without a gap year, you will take the MCAT spring semester junior year.
- You will want to have completed the following coursework by then: IB 150 & MCB 150 (Intro Bio), CHEM 102/103, CHEM 104/105 (Gen Chem I & II), CHEM 232/233 (Organic Chem with lab), MCB 450 (Biochemistry), IB 204 (Genetics), IB 202 (Physiology), SOC 100 (Intro Sociology), PSYC 100 (Intro Psychology), and potentially IB 303 (Anatomy)
*Some career paths through Parkland Pathway might require at least 3 years at UIUC depending on how much of the foundational coursework you have completed
Suggested IB Foundational Coursework to complete before transferring to Illinois:
Students Transferring in After One Year:
If you’ll apply to Illinois after completing one year at Parkland we would highly recommend completing the following to help you stay on track for a four year graduation, if you do not complete all of the course work, you might end up taking longer than the standard four years to complete your degree:
IB 150: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology (BIO 141 at Parkland)
MCB 150: Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life (BIO 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 102/103: General Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 141 at Parkland)
CHEM 104/105: General Chemistry II with Lab (CHE 142 at Parkland)
MATH 220 or 221: Calculus I (MAT 128 at Parkland)
IB 150: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology (BIO 141 at Parkland)
MCB 150: Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life (BIO 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 102/103: General Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 141 at Parkland)
CHEM 104/105: General Chemistry II with Lab (CHE 142 at Parkland)
MATH 220 or 221: Calculus I (MAT 128 at Parkland)
Students Transferring in After Two Academic Years:
If you’ll apply to Illinois after completing two years at Parkland we would highly recommend completing the following to help you stay on track for a four year graduation, if you do not complete all of the course work, you might end up taking longer than the standard four years to complete your degree:
IB 150: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology (BIO 141 at Parkland)
MCB 150: Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life (BIO 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 102/103: General Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 141 at Parkland)
CHEM 104/105: General Chemistry II with Lab (CHE 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 232/233: Organic Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 203 & CHE 204 at Parkland)
PHYS 101: College Physics: Mech & Heat with Lab (PHY 121 at Parkland)
PHYS 102: College Physics: E&M & Modern with Lab (PHY 122 at Parkland)
IB 150: Organismal & Evolutionary Biology (BIO 141 at Parkland)
MCB 150: Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life (BIO 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 102/103: General Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 141 at Parkland)
CHEM 104/105: General Chemistry II with Lab (CHE 142 at Parkland)
CHEM 232/233: Organic Chemistry I with Lab (CHE 203 & CHE 204 at Parkland)
PHYS 101: College Physics: Mech & Heat with Lab (PHY 121 at Parkland)
PHYS 102: College Physics: E&M & Modern with Lab (PHY 122 at Parkland)
Additional Course Recommendations for Health Professions:
Additional Courses in additional to those listed above to Consider if applying to Illinois after 2 years at Parkland if planning on applying to the following professional programs:
- Physician Assistant, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Dental:
- MCB 100 & 101 : Microbiology with Lab (BIO 123 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- MCB 244/245: Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab (BIO 121 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- MCB 246/247: Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab (BIO 122 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- PSYC 100: Intro to Psychology (PSY 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- SOC 100: intro to Sociology (SOC 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- Medical School: Additional factors should be considered for timeline such as when to take the MCAT
- PSYC 100: Intro to Psychology (PSY 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- SOC 100: intro to Sociology (SOC 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- Physician Assistant, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Dental:
- MCB 100 & 101 : Microbiology with Lab (BIO 123 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- MCB 244/245: Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab (BIO 121 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- MCB 246/247: Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab (BIO 122 at Parkland) - Sophomore Year after completing Intro Bio
- PSYC 100: Intro to Psychology (PSY 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- SOC 100: intro to Sociology (SOC 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- Medical School: Additional factors should be considered for timeline such as when to take the MCAT
- PSYC 100: Intro to Psychology (PSY 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
- SOC 100: intro to Sociology (SOC 101 at Parkland (General Education Course)
Sample First Semester Schedule:
- Intro Bio Course: (BIO 141 at Parkland) or IB 150 - 4hrs (Suggested to take at Illinois)
- Intro Chem Course: (CHE 141 at Parkland) - 4hrs
- Math Course: (Take ALEKS placement) (MAT 124, MAT 125, or MAT 128 at Parkland) 3-5hrs
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF STARTING IN MAT 124 or MAT 125)
Total Hours: 14 - 16hrs
- Intro Chem Course: (CHE 141 at Parkland) - 4hrs
- Math Course: (Take ALEKS placement) (MAT 124, MAT 125, or MAT 128 at Parkland) 3-5hrs
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF STARTING IN MAT 124 or MAT 125)
Total Hours: 14 - 16hrs
Sample Second Semester Schedule:
- Intro Bio Course: (BIO 142 at Parkland) or MCB 150 - 4hrs (Suggested to take at Illinois)
- Chem Course: (CHE 142 at Parkland) - 4hrs
- Math Course or Gen. Ed. : (MAT 125, or MAT 128 at Parkland) 3-5hrs
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF NOT TAKING MAT 128)
Total Hours: 14 - 16hrs
- Chem Course: (CHE 142 at Parkland) - 4hrs
- Math Course or Gen. Ed. : (MAT 125, or MAT 128 at Parkland) 3-5hrs
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF NOT TAKING MAT 128)
Total Hours: 14 - 16hrs
Sample Third Semester Schedule:
- Core IB Course: IB 204 (Genetics) or IB 203 (Ecology & Advanced Comp Gen. Ed.) - 4hrs (Suggested to take at Illinois) *
or
- Physics Course: (PHY 121 at Parkland) - 5hrs
- Chem Course: (CHE 203 at Parkland) - 3hrs
- Math Course, Physics, or Gen. Ed. : (MAT 128 or PHY 121 at Parkland) 3-5hrs**
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF NOT TAKING MAT 128 or PHY 121) 3hrs
Total Hours: 14 - 15hrs
*MED SCHOOL WITH NO GAP YEAR: Take IB 204
*DENTAL, PA, PHARM, OPT, or NURS: Instead take Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab (BIO 121 at Parkland)
**DO NOT TAKE MAT 128 & PHY 121/122 AT THE SAME TIME
or
- Physics Course: (PHY 121 at Parkland) - 5hrs
- Chem Course: (CHE 203 at Parkland) - 3hrs
- Math Course, Physics, or Gen. Ed. : (MAT 128 or PHY 121 at Parkland) 3-5hrs**
- Cultural Studies or Humanities Gen. Ed. (ONLY IF NOT TAKING MAT 128 or PHY 121) 3hrs
Total Hours: 14 - 15hrs
*MED SCHOOL WITH NO GAP YEAR: Take IB 204
*DENTAL, PA, PHARM, OPT, or NURS: Instead take Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab (BIO 121 at Parkland)
**DO NOT TAKE MAT 128 & PHY 121/122 AT THE SAME TIME
Sample Fourth Semester Schedule:
- Core IB Course: IB 202 (Physiology) or IB 302 (Evolution, Prerequisites IB 204) - 4hrs (Suggested to take at Illinois) *
- Chem Course: (CHE 204 at Parkland) - 2hrs
- Physics Course: ( PHY 121 or PHY 122 at Parkland) - 5hrs
- Social Behavioral Studies Gen. Ed. (SOC 101 or PSY 100 at Parkland) 3 - 4hrs
*MED SCHOOL WITH NO GAP YEAR: Take IB 202
*DENTAL, PA, PHARM, OPT, or NURS: Instead take Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab (BIO 122 at Parkland)
Total Hours: 14 - 15 hrs
- Chem Course: (CHE 204 at Parkland) - 2hrs
- Physics Course: ( PHY 121 or PHY 122 at Parkland) - 5hrs
- Social Behavioral Studies Gen. Ed. (SOC 101 or PSY 100 at Parkland) 3 - 4hrs
*MED SCHOOL WITH NO GAP YEAR: Take IB 202
*DENTAL, PA, PHARM, OPT, or NURS: Instead take Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab (BIO 122 at Parkland)
Total Hours: 14 - 15 hrs
Perks of Parkland Pathway
Receive personalized academic counseling from advisors at both institutions
Can take up to 5 credit hours at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign each semester assessed at the Parkland tuition rate
Make the most of it take major specific courses such as:
- First Semester:
- IB 150 (4hrs)
- Second Semester:
- MCB 150 (4hrs)
- Third Semester:
- IB 203 (4hrs): After completing IB 150 & MCB 150 or parkland equivalent (FALL ONLY) OR
- IB 204 (4hrs): After completing IB 150 & MCB 150 or parkland equivalent (FALL ONLY)
- Fourth Semester:
- IB 202 (4hrs): After completing IB 150 & MCB 150 or parkland equivalent (SPRING ONLY) OR
- IB 302 (4hrs): After completing IB 204 or parkland equivalent (SPRING ONLY)
Have access to opportunities exclusive to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students (clubs, extracurriculars)
At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, there are more than 800 registered student organizations (RSOs) and many international RSOs are active on campus.