Faculty:

• Ashley Bartelson, Ph.D.
• Steven G. Bassett, Ph.D.
• Abigail Bogdan, Ph.D.
• Jessica Brzyski, Ph.D.
• Kristen Butela, Ph.D.
• John Cramer, Ph.D.
• Demetra Czegan, Ph.D.
• Bernadette Fondy, Ph.D.
• Jamie Fornsaglio, Ph.D.
• Diana Hoover, Ph.D.
• Bobbie Leeper, Ph.D.
• Diane Miller, Ph.D.
• Jonathan Moerdyk, Ph.D.

The Health Science curriculum is designed to closely match the prerequisites for graduate study in healthcare. It provides students opportunities to gain psychological and sociological insights into healthcare and guides them to reflect on their suitability for a healthcare career.

The Health Science major provides two tracks: pre-medicine, to accommodate those interested in careers such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic, etc. and pre-allied-health, for those interested in masters-level programs such as physician assistant, occupational therapy, anesthesiologist assistant, speech pathologist, holistic medicine, etc.

During SHL 400  students set up on-campus or off-campus experiences that match their career goals and then participate in an experiential learning opportunity. For example, students may gain hands-on experience in a healthcare setting; participate in scientific research on campus or clinical research at a medical facility; complete an internship; write a literature review that focuses on a current issue in healthcare; or volunteer for medical trips abroad.

Learning Objectives: Health Science

1. Summarize the health science concepts required for professionals working in healthcare-related fields.
2. Produce a written reflection on personal potential for pursuing a career in healthcare.
3. Explain the political, sociocultural, legal, and ethical issues impacting healthcare practices.
4. Design a professional career perspective that addresses sociocultural factors impacting healthcare delivery to diverse populations, with an emphasis on racial, ethnic, and cultural demographics.
5. Examine the field of healthcare from a psychological and sociological perspective.
6. Use appropriate medical terminology in written and oral communication related to the delivery of healthcare.
7. Demonstrate consistent professional and ethical behavior in healthcare-related settings.
8. Explain the medical and scientific principles underlying the practice of healthcare and apply these principles to the planning and implementation of a healthcare-related experiential learning capstone project.

All candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in health science must complete the Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements, the capstone assessment requirement, and the required courses for the major. The health science program employs a series of assignments in SHL 400  to assess the extent to which students have mastered the learning objectives of the major and integrated them with the University learning objectives.

A minimum of 120 credits is required.