COURSE CURRICULUM

The Health Sciences major is a pre-professional program designed for students preparing for careers in clinical healthcare fields such as medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, and other allied health professions, with a strong focus on building the scientific and applied knowledge needed for admission to graduate or professional schools. The curriculum is structured around a rigorous set of foundational science courses, including biology (BIOL 411 and BIOL 412), chemistry (CHEM 403 and CHEM 404), human anatomy and physiology (BMS 507 and BMS 508), and physics (PHYS 401), which provide the essential scientific background for understanding human health and disease. Students also complete health-specific coursework such as Medical Terminology (HS 501), Exploration of Allied Health Professions (HS 605), Pharmacology for Health Professions (HS 767), General Medical Conditions (HS 770), and Musculoskeletal Pathologies with laboratory training (HS 656 and HS 657), which connect scientific knowledge to real clinical applications. Additional courses like Cultural Considerations in Healthcare (HS 717), Law and Ethics in Healthcare (HMP 744), and The Art and Science of Healthcare Practice (HS 741) emphasize communication, professionalism, ethics, and patient-centered care, all of which are essential in modern healthcare environments. Students also gain exposure to emergency response training through Emergency Medical Responder coursework and lab experience, strengthening hands-on clinical readiness. A statistics requirement ensures students develop the ability to interpret research and clinical data, while courses like Nutrition, Psychology, and Healthcare Systems broaden their understanding of human behavior and healthcare delivery. The program requires students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.85 by the end of the sophomore year and earn at least a C in all major courses, reflecting its competitive and structured nature. Electives are chosen strategically based on career goals, often including genetics, microbiology, kinesiology, biochemistry, and psychology. Overall, this major is highly focused on preparing students for direct entry into healthcare professional schools by combining rigorous science preparation, clinical exposure, ethical training, and applied health knowledge in a structured pre-medical framework.