BHS in Health Science with Emphasis in Pre-Professional
Degree Program Description
The pre-professional emphasis in the health science major prepares students to apply for graduate and professional programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, optometry and related areas. The pre-professional emphasis may also prepare students who have appropriate work experience as an undergraduate to work for clinical research companies, medical or pharmaceutical sales or other non-clinical health careers that require a background in science and knowledge of health care. The pre-professional 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 for the pre-professional emphasis include: Missouri Telehealth Network, MedZou Community Health Center, PhysAssist, and Scribe America.
Major Program Requirements
In addition to University of Missouri requirements, including University general education, the Health Science degree with a Pre-Professional emphasis requires the following, each of which must be completed with a grade of C- or higher:
| Program Requirements | ||
| ENGLSH 1000 | Writing and Rhetoric | 3 |
| or ENGLSH 1000H | Honors Writing and Rhetoric | |
| MATH 1100 | College Algebra | 3-5 |
| or MATH 1160 | Precalculus Mathematics | |
| Approved Diversity Course *This requirement may overlap with the Health Science Electives requirement, but not emphasis requirements. | 3 | |
| Major Core Requirements | ||
| HLTH_SCI 1000 | Introduction to the Health Professions | 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 | |
| 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 |
| Pre-Professional Emphasis Requirements | ||
| BIO_SC 1500 | Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory | 5 |
| or BIO_SC 1500H | Introduction to Biological Systems with Laboratory Honors | |
| BIO_SC 2200 | General Genetics | 4 |
| or BIO_SC 2200H | General Genetics - Honors | |
| CHEM 1320 | College Chemistry I | 4 |
| or CHEM 1320H | College Chemistry I - Honors | |
| CHEM 1330 | College Chemistry II | 4 |
| or CHEM 1330H | College Chemistry II- Honors | |
| CHEM 2100 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| or CHEM 2030 | Survey of Organic Chemistry | |
| MPP 3202 | Elements of Physiology | 5 |
| or BIO_SC 3700 | Human Physiology | |
| PHIL 2440 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
| PHYSCS 1210 | College Physics I | 4 |
| PSYCH 1000 | General Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYCH 1000H | General Psychology - Honors | |
| PTH_AS 2201 & PTH_AS 2203 | Human Anatomy Lecture and Human Anatomy Laboratory | 5 |
| STAT 1200 | Introductory Statistical Reasoning | 3 |
| or STAT 1300 | Elementary Statistics | |
| or ESC_PS 4170 | Introduction to Applied Statistics | |
| Health Science Electives | 18 | |
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. | ||
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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.
Semester Plan
Students should meet with an academic advisor in the School of Health Professions to discuss an individualized 8-semester plan based on their career goals, strengths and interests.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BIO_SC 1500 | 5 | BIO_SC 2200 | 4 |
| HLTH_SCI 1000 | 3 | CHEM 1320 | 4 |
| MATH 1100 | 3 | ENGLSH 1000 | 3 |
| PSYCH 1000 | 3 | Humanities course | 3 |
| Elective | 1 | Elective | 1 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 1330 | 4 | CHEM 2100 | 3 |
| HLTH_SCI 2400 | 3 | HLTH_SCI 3700 | 3 |
| STAT 1200 | 3 | Writing Intensive course | 3 |
| MO State Law Requirement | 3 | PHYSCS 1210 | 4 |
| Elective | 2 | Elective | 2 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HLTH_SCI 3000 | 1 | HLTH_SCI 3900W | 3 |
| 2000+ level Approved Health Science Elective/Approved Diversity Course | 3 | HLTH_SCI 4480 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | 2000+ level Approved Health Science Elective | 3 |
| BIO_SC 3700 | 5 | 3000+ level Approved Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Humanities course | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HLTH_SCI 4975 | 3 | HLTH_SCI 4985 | 3 |
| PTH_AS 2201 | 3 | 2000+ level Approved Health Science Elective | 3 |
| PTH_AS 2203 | 2 | 3000+ level Approved Health Science Elective | 3 |
| PHIL 2440 | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 3000+ level Approved Health Science Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 | ||
| 15 | 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.