Health Science Major
The Health Science major leading to a Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS) builds on the University core curriculum to allow students to pursue individual interests through a constellation of health science and designated track electives that address contemporary issues and topics in healthcare. Students will be offered opportunities to develop themselves as holistic healthcare practitioners and pre-professionals, which includes their spiritual, ethical, affective, and intellectual development. The Health Science curriculum will provide exposure to contemporary healthcare policy and practices, health delivery organizations, health disciplines and roles, cultural competence, healthcare finance, legal and ethical issues in healthcare, health information technology, disparities in healthcare, professional interactions, and leadership.
The Health Science major consists of two distinct tracks: the Health Science Leadership track and the Health Science Pre-Professional track. The Health Science Pre-Professional track prepares students for continuation into graduate health science education programs. Health Science Pre-Professional track graduates will be well equipped to pursue graduate study in the health profession education program of their choice including medicine or dentistry, nutrition, occupational therapy, pharmacology, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and others.
The Health Science Leadership track is for health professionals holding an Associate’s degree in a health profession or two year’s work experience in a healthcare environment who are interested in obtaining a bachelor’s degree, developing leadership skills specific to healthcare environments, and advancing their careers. Graduates of the Health Science Leadership track will be well poised to assume roles as department heads, hospital or clinic administrators, and/or supervisors of department personnel.
Faculty
STEPHEN BURROWS, DPM, MBA, CPHIMS, FHIMSS
Chair, Health Science and Leadership
Program Director, Health Science
Requirements
The Health Science (HS) major consists of 18 credits of required major core courses and 30 credits of electives.
Pre-Professional track majors must take 18 credits of required major core courses, 12 credits of Health Science designated courses, and 18 credits as approved by Health Science advisor and as appropriate to pre-professional interests. Health Science Pre-Professional track students will need to take Arts and Science courses in other disciplines including biology, chemistry, sociology, psychology, and religious studies to meet graduate program prerequisite requirements. Prerequisite course and GPA requirements vary greatly for the various graduate professional programs; therefore, students are strongly advised to discuss plans of study with the Health Science academic advisor to prepare for the specific program of interest. Pre-Professional track students are required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA to remain in the major with no individual HS major core or elective course grade below a C.
Health Science Leadership track majors must take 18 credits of HS required major core courses and 30 credits of electives. Some of the 30 major elective credits may include professional courses transferred into the University from the health science associate degree program. The remaining credits of electives will be drawn from HS designated electives and/or Arts and Science courses as approved by the HS advisor.
3 + 2 Health Science/Occupational Therapy Option
Sacred Heart University offers qualified University undergraduates the opportunity to complete an undergraduate degree in Health Science and a graduate degree in Occupational Therapy in 5 years. Students choosing the 3 + 2 option must work carefully with their undergraduate advisor to follow a specific sequence of study. All summer courses must be taken at Sacred Heart University. A specific plan of study can be found on our website.
Required Health Science Major Core Courses (18 credits)
| HS 302 | Healthcare Administration Practice | 3 |
| HS 350 | Healthcare Policy, Politics, & Advocacy | 3 |
| HS 351 | Legal & Ethical Aspects of Healthcare | 3 |
| HS 353 | Diversity & Disparities in Healthcare | 3 |
| HS 354 | Improving Healthcare Quality & Safety | 3 |
| HS 355 | Health Research Capstone | 3 |
Health Science Electives
| HS 301/HS 501 | Spirituality in Healthcare | 3 |
| HS 303 | Health Education & Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles | 3 |
| HS 304 | Community & Public Health | 3 |
| HS 306 | Health Management Information Systems | 3 |
| HS 307 | Alternative Healing Modalities | 3 |
| HS 309 | Professional Interactions in Healthcare Settings | 3 |
| HS 310 | Human Growth & Development Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| HS 352 | Healthcare Leadership | 3 |
HS 309: for junior- and senior-standing students
Pre-Professional Track: 30 major elective credits, 12 Health Science-designated electives, plus 18 credits as approved by Health Science advisor.
Pre-Professional track credits may be taken from Health Science electives and/or approved Arts and Science courses as determined by pre-professional interests.
Leadership Track: 30 elective credits as approved by Health Science advisor.
Leadership track courses may be taken from Health Science electives, and/or Arts and Science as approved by the Health Science advisor, and/or professional courses transferred from health profession associate degree program.
Transfer of Credits
A maximum of sixty-six (66) credits may be applied to a baccalaureate degree from a two-year college and a maximum of ninety (90) credits may be applied from a four-year college or university. Sacred Heart University accepts a maximum of 15 credits as “free electives” for transfer and a maximum of 50% of the major’s course credits for transfer. For the Health Science major, graduates of an associate degree health science program can transfer a maximum of 24 professional course credits toward the Health Science major, plus 15 free elective course credits, plus credits that meet transfer criteria for University core course requirements up to a maximum of 66 credits. Remedial courses, courses where the student earned a grade of C- or lower, and professional-level internships are not accepted for transfer credit.