BHS in Health Science
Degree Program Description
A Health Science major is for students who are interested in non-clinical health careers and for those interested in graduate or professional health science programs. Non-clinical health career options include medical case management, corporate wellness, human services, medical sales, pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution, and more. Graduates holding the BHS in Health Sciences may also be qualified to enter either graduate or professional health science programs, such as physical therapy, public health, chiropractic medicine, health informatics and hospital administration.
On-campus Health Science majors choose one of four emphases. These emphases include:
- Rehabilitation Sciences, for students pursuing physical therapy, chiropractic, orthotics/prosthetics, and similar degrees
- Pre-Professional, for students who are pre-medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, optometry and related graduate/professional programs that require an undergraduate degree
- Leadership and Policy, for students who are interested in pursuing non-clinical pathways after graduation, through graduate programs in health administration or working in areas such as health informatics, sales, program coordination and support areas in healthcare
- Health and Wellness Services, for students who wish to pursue health promotion, occupational therapy, wellness programming, non-profit work, applied behavioral analysis, as well as students who wish to pursue accelerated nursing after graduation with the health science degree
The health sciences curriculum includes courses in public health, health literacy, healthcare leadership and management, healthcare policy and funding, and clinical ethics. The capstone course sequence includes a required internship experience appropriate for the chosen emphasis. Students may choose a health sciences study abroad experience approved by the Office of Experiential Learning to meet the internship requirement.
Major Program Requirements
- All required core coursework for the BHS in Health Science program, as well as emphasis, program, and approved Health Science elective courses, must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
- Students must complete all university requirements, including general education, and departmental requirements, in addition the degree requirements below.
Capstone Requirement
The BHS in Health Science capstone is comprised of two courses: HLTH_SCI 4975 and HLTH_SCI 4985. HLTH_SCI 4975 is an internship that is approved by the Department of Health Sciences' Office of Experiential Learning. Students may find their own internship experience or work with the course instructor/internship advisor to identify an appropriate placement given interests and goals.
Students may choose from:
- an internship at an agency, company, or corporation of their choice. For an internship to be approved as a capstone experience, it must help students solidify and explore areas of concentration. Internships must have prior approval from the Health Sciences Internship advisor;
- service learning project which allows a student to serve approximately 50 clock hours in an organization. This can be arranged with the Internship advisor or through the Office of Service Learning on campus, and
- an approved internship abroad program
Core Requirements of Health Science Major
The BHS in Health Science, whether completed online (no emphasis) or on-campus (students must select from one of the 4 available emphasis areas), includes a set of Core requirements that all Health Science students must complete. Each on-campus emphasis area has additional specific requirements which can be found on their respective emphasis pages. The Core requirements below are required for all Health Science students. A grade of C- or higher is required in each of the following courses.
| Health Science Core Requirements | ||
| HLTH_SCI 1000 | Introduction to the Health Professions (Honors students may add HLTH_SCI 1000H discussion) | 3 |
| or HLTH_SCI 1000H | Introduction to the Health Professions - Honors | |
| HLTH_SCI 2400 | Contemporary Health Issues | 3 |
| or HLTH_SCI 2400H | Contemporary Health Issues - Honors | |
| or HLTH_SCI 2400W | Contemporary Health Issues - Writing Intensive | |
| or P_HLTH 2200 | Introduction to Public Health and Health Promotion | |
| HLTH_SCI 3000 | Health Sciences Seminar | 1 |
| HLTH_SCI 3700 | Health Care in the United States | 3 |
| or HLTH_SCI 3700H | Health Care in the United States - Honors | |
| HLTH_SCI 4200W | Introduction to The Research Process and Evidence Base - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or HLTH_SCI 4200HW | Introduction to The Research Process and Evidence Base - Honors/Writing Intensive | |
| or CDS 3100W | Introduction to Research - Writing Intensive | |
| HLTH_SCI 4480 | Clinical Ethics | 3 |
| or HLTH_SCI 4480W | Clinical Ethics - Writing Intensive | |
| HLTH_SCI 4975 | Internship in Health Sciences | 1, 3 or 6 |
| HLTH_SCI 4985 | Healthcare Organization and Leadership | 3 |
| Additional Requirements for Online Degree (No Emphasis) | ||
| ENGLSH 1000 | Writing and Rhetoric (or equivalent) | 3 |
| or ENGLSH 1000H | Honors Writing and Rhetoric | |
| Biological Science course | 3 | |
| Physical Science course | 3 | |
| Behavioral Science course | 3 | |
| STAT 1200 | Introductory Statistical Reasoning | 3 |
| or STAT 1300 | Elementary Statistics | |
| or STAT 2500 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics I | |
| or ESC_PS 4170 | Introduction to Applied Statistics | |
| Approved Person-Centered Care Course This requirement may overlap with the Health Science Electives requirement | 3 | |
| Health Science Electives: Students must complete 18 hours of approved elective coursework. * | 18 | |
Students must complete coursework in at least two out of the following three thematic areas: Social/Behavioral; Medical/Biological; Administrative/Leadership. | ||
At least 9 credit hours must be taken as 3000/4000 level courses. | ||
Transfer courses taken at the freshman-sophomore level and accepted as equivalent to a 3000/4000 level course at the University may not count towards the 9 hour upper-level Health Science Elective requirement for the Health Science degree. | ||
- *
See Health Science Electives for a course list of electives that count towards this requirement.
Accelerated BHS to OTD in Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists are skilled health professionals who provide services to individuals across the lifespan to maximize their independence in meaningful everyday activities. Occupational therapists use research, scientific evidence, and a holistic perspective to incorporate an individual’s valued occupations into the intervention process.
BHS in Health Science students have the option to apply and enter the OTD program after their junior year (90 credits of undergraduate coursework) and meet the requirements for completion of the BHS in Health Science degree through the first year of coursework in the OTD. This program will allow students to complete both degrees in six years.
- Students considering this option will apply during the summer/fall after their sophomore year (after 60 credit hours completed); selected students being coursework the summer after completion of their junior year.
- First year of OTD professional coursework also counts toward the BHS in Health Science degree. Students must have at least 90 credits, all OT prerequisites, and all BHS in Health Science degree requirements except the capstone requirement and at least 9 hours of Health Science Electives completed before beginning the OTD program. Students will then graduate with their BHS in Health Science in May after successfully completing the first year of OTD coursework. The first year of OTD coursework includes a fieldwork experience and practicum experience which combined will meet the capstone requirement for the BHS degree.
- Students applying for the accelerated option (3+3) will be considered in the same pool as all other applicants. There are no reserved spots for 3+3 applicants, nor is there a limit on the number of 3+3 applicants will accept.
- The more prerequisites you have completed at the time of application, the more strongly your application will be considered.
- Professional tuition begins at the start of the OTD coursework.
- MU Health Science students applying for the 3+3 option must work very closely with their undergraduate advisors before, during, and after application to ensure that they have completed all Health Science degree program requirements and all OT prerequisites before beginning the OTD program.
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester, for online Health Science students (no emphasis). A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HLTH_SCI 1000 | 3 | HLTH_SCI 2400 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | HIST 1100, 1200, or POL_SC 1100 | 3 |
| Behavioral Science course | 3 | Biological Science course | 3 |
| Humanities course | 3 | Humanities course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT 1200 | 3 | Writing Intensive course | 3 |
| HLTH_SCI 3700 | 3 | 2000-level Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | 2000+ level Humanities course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Physical Science course | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HLTH_SCI 3000 | 1 | HLTH_SCI 4200W | 3 |
| HLTH_SCI 4480 | 3 | 3000/4000-level Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Person-Centered Care course | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 2000-level Health Science Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Bio/Phys/Math Science Course with lab | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| 3000/4000-level Health Science Elective | 3 | HLTH_SCI 4975 | 1 |
| 3000/4000-level Health Science Elective | 3 | HLTH_SCI 4985 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.