COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Science at Wichita State University requires a minimum of 120 credit hours and is designed to prepare students for admission to professional healthcare programs while providing a strong understanding of healthcare systems and public health. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, with no required program course grade below 1.7 credit points per credit hour. In addition to completing university General Education requirements and the standards of the College of Health Professions, students complete 33 credit hours of core health science coursework. These courses include Introduction to Aging Studies, Introduction to Public Health, Introduction to U.S. Healthcare and Administration, Careers in Healthcare, Epidemiology, Health for All, Healthcare Policy, Law and Ethics, Interprofessionalism and Health Communication, Healthcare Organization and Leadership, Healthcare Quality and Analytics, and Healthcare Education and Behavior. Together, these subjects provide students with a broad understanding of healthcare delivery, population health, leadership, communication, quality improvement, and health policy. Students also complete six credit hours of interdisciplinary electives selected from topics such as healthcare informatics, adaptive leadership, healthcare professionalism, healthcare coordination, psychology and sociology of aging, rural healthcare leadership, community health methods, bioethics, research methods, kinesiology, and developmental psychology. To strengthen preparation for professional healthcare programs, students complete at least 15 credit hours of mathematics and natural science electives, choosing from biology, chemistry, health science, mathematics, physics, nutrition, biochemistry, immunology, exercise physiology, and statistics courses. An Applied Learning Portfolio is required before graduation, reflecting Wichita State’s commitment to experiential learning and professional development. Open electives allow students to tailor the degree to their career goals while reaching the 120-credit-hour requirement. The curriculum is especially well suited for students planning to pursue graduate or professional programs in medicine, physician associate studies, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, and other health professions. By combining healthcare systems knowledge with strong scientific preparation and applied learning experiences, the program equips graduates with the academic foundation, critical thinking abilities, and professional skills necessary for success in advanced healthcare education and future clinical careers.