Health Science

The Health Science curriculum lets students explore many areas of health care. This interdisciplinary program will prepare students to understand, manage, and respond to the new and evolving health care environment in a wide range of settings such as hospital or nursing home administration, health insurance, health informatics, or health marketing. This major is also appropriate for students interested in pursuing admission into graduate programs for careers in clinical health professions, public health, and/or research.

Mission

The Health Science major will prepare students to serve as expert, committed, culturally competent professionals with a focus on patient care, healthcare delivery, and healthcare management. This will occur through both classroom education and experiential opportunities in the workplace.

Major Program Goals/Competencies

Graduates in the Health Science major will be able to:

1. Develop a strong knowledge base regarding biomedical science, health data and quality management, health informatics, and information technology.

2. Obtain appropriate systems-based practice tools and protocols in medical, public health, and healthcare management settings.

3. Develop the critical thinking and information-mining skills necessary to become lifelong learners.

4. Produce well-founded, statistically sound analyses of health interventions, programs and policies.

5. Utilize expert communication and collaborative skills.

6. Exhibit consistently ethical and professional behavior in health care environments.

7. Formulate a vision for the future practice of health care and implement plans to realize that vision in the surrounding community.

Progression in the Program

This field of study provides a unique opportunity for students to explore many areas of health science - such as health policy, administration, informatics, management, public health, and other science-based health related professions.

Students planning to pursue graduate study should collaborate closely with a department advisor early in their academic careers to identify admission requirements and plan course selection accordingly. A minimum GPA of 3.0, strong performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and strong performance in certain prerequisite courses is required for admission to many health related master's degree programs.