Undergraduate Degree in Health Science Curriculum: A Comprehensive Overview

A Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BHS) degree program provides students with a comprehensive education, equipping them for success in a variety of healthcare fields. This article explores the curriculum, requirements, and specializations within a typical undergraduate health science program.

Core Components of a Health Science Curriculum

A health science curriculum typically integrates coursework from various disciplines to provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and skills. These disciplines include life sciences, social sciences, communications, health ecology, public service, ethical practice, and data analysis. The curriculum is designed to provide students with the necessary prerequisite courses to pursue careers or training in clinical or non-clinical practice professions after graduation.

General Requirements

Most programs require a minimum number of semester credit hours for graduation. For example, one program requires a minimum of 120 semester credit hours. These hours are typically distributed across general education courses, major-specific courses, and electives.

General Education Core Curriculum: These courses provide a broad foundation in areas such as communication, mathematics, social and behavioral sciences, life and physical sciences, language, philosophy, culture, creative arts, and government/political science.
Advanced Hours: Students must complete a minimum number of advanced hours (3000 or 4000 level courses).
Writing Intensive Courses: Many programs require students to complete writing-intensive courses to develop their communication skills. For instance, nine hours of writing intensive (WI) courses may be required for graduation.
Foreign Language: Some institutions require students to demonstrate foreign language proficiency, often through completing at least two years of the same foreign language in high school or taking 6-8 hours of the same foreign language in college.
Minor: Students may need to select a minor from an approved list to complement their health science studies.

Course Requirements: A Typical Four-Year Plan

A typical four-year health science curriculum may include the following courses, distributed across freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years:

Freshman Year

First Semester:
- ENG 1310 (Communication Component)
- Mathematics Component (selected from MATH 1315, MATH 1319, MATH 1329, MATH 2321, MATH 2417, MATH 2471)
- BIO 1330 (Life and Physical Sciences Component)
- US 1100
- HS 1310
Second Semester:
- ENG 1320 (Communication Component)
- PSY 1300 (Social and Behavioral Sciences Component)
- PHIL 1320 (Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component)
- POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component)
- POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component)
- CHEM 1341 (Life and Physical Sciences Component)

Sophomore Year

First Semester:
- ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component)
- American History Component
- CS 1308 or ISAN 1323
- HIM 2360
- HA 3308, HIM 3301, or HS 3331
Second Semester:
- ENG Literature (Component Area Option)
- American History Component
- NUTR 2360
- COMM 1310 (Component Area Option)
- Prescribed Electives

Junior Year

First Semester:
- HA 3324
- PSY 3300 or HDFS 1351
- Support Course
- Minor
- Prescribed Electives
Second Semester:
- HS 3350
- Support Course
- Minor

Senior Year

First Semester:
- HS 4379
- Support Course
- Prescribed Electives
- Minor
- Support Course
Second Semester:
- HS 4315
- HIM 4331
- Prescribed Electives
- HP 3325, SOCI 3307, PSY 2301, CJ 3347, or MATH 2328
- Minor

Prescribed Electives

Students often have the opportunity to choose from a list of prescribed electives to tailor their education to their interests and career goals. These electives may cover a wide range of topics, including:

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Allied Health (AT)
Communication Disorders (CDIS)
Communication (COMM)
Economics (ECO)
Exercise and Sport Science (ESS)
Health Administration (HA)
History (HI)
Health Information Management (HIM)
Health Science (HS)
Mass Communication (MC)
Marketing (MKT)
Medical Laboratory Science (MLS)
Nutrition (NUTR)
Personal Fitness and Wellness (PFW)
Public Health (PH)
Psychology (PSY)
Physical Therapy (PT)
Recreational Therapy (RC)
Sociology (SOCI)

Support Courses

Support courses provide a foundation in related sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. These courses may include:

Biology (BIO)
Chemistry (CHEM)
Physics (PHYS)

Specializations and Emphasis Areas

Many health science programs offer specializations or emphasis areas that allow students to focus on a specific area of health care. These specializations can help students develop specialized knowledge and skills, making them more competitive for jobs or graduate programs.

Community Health: This concentration prepares students for community-based work in public health, focusing on planning, implementing, and evaluating community health improvement projects and interventions.
Pre-Health: Designed for students pursuing careers in medicine, physician assistant, and dentistry, this specialization focuses on basic science prerequisites.
Health Informatics, Sales, Program Coordination and Support: For students interested in law, health informatics, sales, program coordination and support areas in health care.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, are often a key component of health science programs. These experiences allow students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings, gain valuable work experience, and network with professionals in the field. Some programs require students to complete an internship.

Career Paths and Further Education

A health science degree can lead to a variety of career paths in the healthcare field, including:

Health educator
Healthcare administrator
Public health worker
Research assistant
Clinical roles (with further education)

Many health science graduates go on to pursue graduate or professional training in fields such as:

Medicine
Physician assistant studies
Dentistry
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Athletic training
Health administration
Law
Public Health
Nursing

Program Flexibility

Health science programs may offer different completion options to accommodate students' needs, such as:

On-Campus Programs: Traditional in-person instruction at a university campus.
Online Programs: Flexible online learning options for students who need to balance their studies with work or other commitments.
Accelerated Programs: Programs that allow students to complete their degree in a shorter amount of time.

Admission and Advising

Admission to a health science program may be direct, or it may require a separate application process. It is strongly recommended that all Health Science students consult with an advisor prior to enrollment for any course. Academic advising is essential to ensure that students complete the necessary courses and requirements for graduation and are well-prepared for their future career goals.

Additional Considerations

Minimum Grade Requirements: All courses must be completed with at least a minimum grade.
Credit by Examination: Some institutions allow students to earn course credit by examination.
Residency Requirements: A student must complete a minimum number of hours in residency at the institution to receive a degree.

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