BHS in Health Science with Emphasis in Leadership & Policy

Degree Program Description

The leadership and policy emphasis in the health science major prepares students to enter careers in health administration, informatics, or sales. The leadership and policy emphasis may also prepare students for graduate studies in health administration, informatics, public health, policy or law. The leadership and policy emphasis area includes 20 hours of core required courses, general education, professional emphasis requirements and required electives that complement the student's pathway. In addition, the health science program requires an internship that is appropriate for a student's career goals. Examples of internships include health administration, health consultant, clinical analysis and strategic planning at RehabCare, Health Literacy Missouri, Institute for People, Place and Possibility, Tiger Institute and Cerner Corporation.

Major Program Requirements

In addition to University of Missouri requirements, including University general education, the Health Science degree with a Leadership and Policy emphasis requires the following, each of which must be completed with a grade of C- or higher:

Program Requirements
ENGLSH 1000Writing and Rhetoric3
or ENGLSH 1000H Honors Writing and Rhetoric
Behavioral Science course1+
Approved Diversity Course *This requirement may overlap with the Health Science Electives requirement, but not emphasis requirements.3
Major Core Requirements
HLTH_SCI 1000Introduction to the Health Professions3
or HLTH_SCI 1000H Introduction to the Health Professions - Honors
HLTH_SCI 2400Contemporary Health Issues3
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 3000Health Sciences Seminar1
HLTH_SCI 3700Health Care in the United States *3
or HLTH_SCI 3700H Health Care in the United States - Honors
HLTH_SCI 4200WIntroduction 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
HLTH_SCI 4480Clinical Ethics3
or HLTH_SCI 4480W Clinical Ethics - Writing Intensive
HLTH_SCI 4975Internship in Health Sciences1, 3 or 6
HLTH_SCI 4985Healthcare Organization and Leadership3
Leadership and Policy Emphasis Requirements
BIO_SC 1010
BIO_SC 1020
General Principles and Concepts of Biology
and General Biology Laboratory
5
or BIO_SC 1500 Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory
or BIO_SC 1500H Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory Honors
CDS 2190Medical Terminology3
CHEM 1100Atoms and Molecules with Lab4
or CHEM 1320 College Chemistry I
COMMUN 1200Public Speaking3
or COMMUN 1200H Public Speaking - Honors
ECONOM 1014Principles of Microeconomics3
or ECONOM 1000 General Economics
or ECONOM 1014H Principles of Microeconomics-Honors
or ABM 1041 Applied Microeconomics
or ECONOM 1051H General Economics - Honors
HLTH_SCI 3400Global Health Care Systems3
or HLTH_SCI 3400H Global Health Care Systems - Honors
or P_HLTH 3400 Global Public Health and Health Care Systems
HLTH_SCI 4400Culture and Health Literacy for the Health Professions3
HLTH_SCI 4500Health Care Management3
HLTH_SCI 4510Essential Tools for the Health Care Leader: A Problem-Based Approach3
STAT 1200Introductory Statistical Reasoning3
or STAT 1300 Elementary Statistics
or ESC_PS 4170 Introduction to Applied Statistics
Select one of the following:3-5
Infectious Diseases
Human Anatomy Lecture
Microbiology for Nursing and Health Professions
Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Elements of Physiology
Diet Therapy for Health Professionals
Health Science Electives18
Students must complete 18 hours of approved elective coursework. 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.
*

HLTH_SCI 4300 will be changing to HLTH_SCI 3700 and HLTH_SCI 3900W will be changing to HLTH_SCI 4200W.  Either course will be accepted towards degree requirements.

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Semester Plan

Students are strongly encouraged to work with an academic advisor in the School of Health Professions to develop an individualized eight-semester plan based on strengths, interests and career goals.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BIO_SC 10103CHEM 11004
BIO_SC 10202ENGLSH 10003
Humanities course3HLTH_SCI 10003
MATH 10503MO State Law Requirement3
Elective3Elective3
 14 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Behavioral Science course3Biological/Physical/Mathematical Science Course1
COMMUN 12003HLTH_SCI 37003
HLTH_SCI 24003CDS 21903
STAT 120032000+ level Humanities course3
Elective3Writing Intensive course3
 Elective2
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECONOM 10143HLTH_SCI 3900W3
HLTH_SCI 30001NEP 23803
HLTH_SCI 448032000+ level Approved Health Science Elective3
2000+ level Approved Health Science Elective/Approved Diversity Course33000+ level Approved Health Science Elective3
Elective3Elective3
Elective 2 
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HLTH_SCI 34003HLTH_SCI 45103
HLTH_SCI 44003HLTH_SCI 49853
HLTH_SCI 450032000+ level Approved Health Science Elective3
HLTH_SCI 497533000+ level Approved Health Science Elective3
3000+ level Approved Health Science Elective3Elective3
 15 15
Total Credits: 120

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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/.

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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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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