Health Sciences

Be a Force for Change with a Degree in Health Sciences

The healthcare industry is changing rapidly. From preventing illness to promoting wellness, the goals of healthcare providers adapt based upon the needs of the communities they serve. If you want to be a forward-thinking professional who is equipped to excel in the healthcare industry, a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences is for you.

Focused on improving access to health and wellness services, what you learn as part of the Health Sciences major creates a solid foundation for whatever your future has in store. 

Hit the Ground Running with a Degree in Health Sciences

Majoring in health sciences prepares you to solve real-world challenges related to common health issues facing our world today, like serving the needs of an aging population or finding ways to address victims of the widespread opioid crisis. The cross-disciplinary curriculum readies you for broad roles in health and wellness with courses in medical terminology, community mental health, public administration and public health.

Your general education courses will help sharpen your critical thinking and communication skills and professional core courses familiarize you with the language, theories and principles of health sciences. You’ll tailor your major to your career interests with a variety of elective courses.

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

Semester Hours
Fundamental General Education Core (24 hours)
English Composition (3 hours)

Choose a minimum of 3 semester hours from:

ENG 120 - College Writing (4)
In this course, students acquire the writing competence necessary for conducting and presenting research. A variety of assignments, beginning with personal reflections, build upon one another, as students develop ideas that respond to, critique, and synthesize the positions of others. Students systematize and organize knowledge in ways that will help them in all of their courses. The course also emphasizes the elements of good writing style, appropriate grammar and mechanics, clarity of language, and logical and cohesive development. It culminates in submission of a documented research paper.
Mathematics

Select from:

MATH 160 - College Algebra (4)
This course is designed to prepare students for Applied Calculus and Discrete Mathematics and to provide the mathematical background needed for the analytic reasoning used in other courses. Topics include functions and their graphs, including exponential and logarithmic functions; complex numbers; systems of equations and inequalities; matrices; basic principles of counting and probability; and other selected topics.
OR MATH 215 - Statistical Concepts (4)
This course introduces the student to statistics with business applications. The course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics included are: measures of central tendency; measures of dispersion; graphical displays of data; linear regression; basic probability concepts; binomial and normal probability distributions; confidence intervals; and hypothesis testing. These topics will be covered using a basic knowledge of algebra and Microsoft Excel.

Choose MATH 150 Fundamental Algebra as the prerequisite to MATH 160. Choose either MATH 140 Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 150 Fundamental Algebra as the prerequisite to MATH 215.  Prerequisite course can count as a University Elective.

Sciences

Choose a minimum of 6 semester hours from:

SCIE 244 - Foundations of Anatomy & Physiology (4)
This course is designed for students interested in the allied healthcare professions and focuses on gross anatomy and the function of human organ systems and how they relate to one another. Students in this course will expand their medical terminology and scientific understanding of the physiology of the human body. In addition, students will gain an understanding of general pathology as it relates to the disruption of homeostasis. This course will include a one-hour lab component.

Plus choose one additional course from the Science discipline.

SCIE 254 - Health & Human Disease (4)
This course is designed for students pursuing allied health professions and provides an overview of human health and disease processes. Students will learn about common diseases and how they affect human health at cellular, organ, and systemic levels. Emphasis will be placed on the body as a system and how disease impacts the human body as a whole.

Two science courses, with one having a laboratory component

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Choose a minimum of 6 semester hours from:

PSYC 110 - General Psychology (4)
A survey of the various fields of study comprising modern scientific psychology. The course examines the theories, research findings, and applications in each of the major areas of psychology, with the goal of providing students with practice information they can apply to their personal and professional lives. The topic areas covered in the course include learning and memory, motivation and emotion, human development, theories of personality, psychopathology, and social behavior.
SOCL 110 - Introduction to Sociology (4)
Sociology is the scientific study of group behavior - whether the groups are dyads, small groups, associations, bureaucracies, societies, publics, aggregates, social movements, or mobs, etc. This introductory course introduces the student to sociological principles and theoretical perspectives that facilitate understanding the norms, values, structure and process of the various types of groups into which people organize. The course focuses on applying the scientific method to studying social problems (e.g. poverty, crime, sexism and racism) and basic institutions (i.e. family, government, economy, religion, education). Students will develop their "sociological imagination" as a way of understanding what their lives are and can be in relation to the larger social forces at work in local, national, and international environments.

*The six semester hours must come from at least two different disciplines

Arts and Humanities (6 hours)

A minimum of 6 hours of Arts and Humanities coursework is required.  Choose from the Art, English Literature, Fine Arts, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion or Theater disciplines.

Additional General Education Requirements (12 hours)
UNI 199 - University Seminar (2)
A mandatory course for entering full-time, degree-candidate students at Urbana (may be waived for transfer students). This course is designed to help freshmen adjust to the Urbana University and develop strategies for success by providing a "support group" during this critical period of adjustment and examining problems common to the freshman experience. Students must pass the course or be required to repeat it.
COMM 150 - Interpersonal Communication (4)
By using applied critical and creative thinking, students in this course will develop a set of communication skills that will enhance their personal and professional relationships and endeavors. This course will focus on skill development in key areas such as self, perception, listening, verbal messages, conversations, relationships, conflict management, persuasion, and public speaking.
OR SPCH 100 - Speech Communication (4)
This public-speaking course emphasizes the fundamentals of extemporaneous speaking. Skill-building activities and assignments focus on research, organization, reasoning, style and delivery of presentations as well as listening and audience engagement.
SCIE 210 - Understanding Science: Principles, Practice, & Theory (2)
Understanding Science: Principles, Practice & Theory is a two credit hour course that introduces students to the major themes, processes, and methods common to all scientific disciplines. Students will develop critical thinking skills necessary to analyze and evaluate all kinds of phenomena, scientific, pseudoscientific, and other. The focus is on the nature of science so students will develop an understanding of how science works and develop an appreciation for the process by which we gain scientific knowledge.
ENG 205 - Business & Professional Writing (4)
This is an intermediate composition course focusing on writing for business and professional purposes. Students will review the writing conventions commonly expected within business and professional environments, as well as strategies for analyzing rhetorical situations within those environments. Coursework includes analysis, revision, and research exercises, as well as substantial practice in composing business correspondence. The final project is an extensive, researched business proposal developed in stages and presented to the class. Students will be encouraged to relate course materials to their major programs and workplace experiences.
Professional Core (36 hours)
COMM 355 - Introduction to Grant Writing for Non-Profits (4)
This course will enable students to recognize when a grant might be appropriate as a source of funds for a non-profit organization or project, identify and understand non-profit status, adhere to conventions and standards associated with successful grant applications, locate grant opportunities, analyze grant requirements, prepare metrics for success, and develop a written grant proposal. This course will provide an opportunity for students to extend and apply their communication skills. Students pursuing this course will also leverage interdisciplinary insights to solve a real-world problem.
HCM 210 - Healthcare Foundation (2)
This course will provide fundamental information regarding health, healthcare, and the healthcare delivery system. Students will become familiar with the various types of healthcare organizations, stakeholders, and healthcare issues in order to shape their understanding of the different components of the healthcare delivery system. Through the exploration of health information students will discuss and analyze the role healthcare mangers play within healthcare.
HCM 442 - Legal Aspects of Healthcare Management (4)
Individuals in the healthcare industry face ever changing legal and ethical trends in their environment. Practitioners, therefore, need to develop specific skills to evolve into the role of a change agent in order to manage these trends. This course will provide the student with the skills necessary to mitigate liability through risk management principles, develop relationship management skills, apply an ethical decision-making framework, incorporate employment law procedures, and manage communication.
HIM 150 - Medical Terminology (2)
This course will introduce the foundations of medical terminology nomenclature and use. Emphasis will be on the fundamentals of prefix, word root, and suffix linkages to build a broad medical vocabulary.
SOCL 335 - Applied Research Methods (4)
Applied Research Methods introduces students to foundational issues of social scientific research - that is, research entailing the application of the scientific method to the study of human behavior. Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of major quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques as well as the processes involved in planning and executing such projects and the standards of evaluating the quality of data.
SOCL 355 - Community Mental Health (4)
This course explores the social context of mental health treatment and delivery of mental health care. The delivery of mental health care is rife with public policy debates stemming from the diversity of opinion among policy makers, treatment specialists, consumers of mental health care and their families, for-profit entities such as pharmaceutical companies, and the public. Debates that highlight this course include but are not limited to the following: the proper role of medication in mental health care, balancing patients' rights with the desire for public safety, influence of the Affordable Care Act on mental health diagnosis and treatment, and differences between mental health care in Ohio and that found in other locales.
PUAD 305 - Introduction to Public Administration (4)
Students are introduced to the field and profession of public administration. Students learn to think and act as ethical public administration professionals by developing a broad understanding of the political and organizational environment in which public administrators work and by applying fundamental analytical, decision- making, and communication skills. The professional knowledge and skills explored in the course provide a foundation for subsequent public administration courses.
PUBH 250 - Health Behavior (4)
This course will provide students with an overview of how the social and behavioral sciences contribute to primary prevention in the rapidly expanding field of health behavior. Emphasis will be placed on theory-driven approaches that are supported by empirical investigations. Students will acquire a working knowledge of foundational theories used in public health practice as well as the ability to measure key theoretical constructs.
HEA 495 - Health Sciences Capstone (4)
This course is designed to the cumulative learning demonstration of a Health Sciences degree. Students will be asked to identify a real world problem that affects the health and/or wellbeing of a population, and propose evidence-based solutions. Experience obtained through volunteering, internships, civic engagement, and other types of service learning is encouraged to supplement academic research and application.
Major Electives (16 hours)

Choose any sixteen (16) credits from the following domains:  Cultural Diversity, Emergency Planning, Healthcare Management, Risk Management & Insurance, Exercise Science, Health Information, and Sports Management. See Academic Catalog and Course Schedule for available options.

University Electives (32 hours)

Any undergraduate courses offered by the University except developmental education courses.

Additional Requirements

All students are required to pass College Writing (ENG 120), and University Seminar (UNI 199) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) or Speech Communication (SPCH 100) must be taken prior to enrolling in any course at the 300 level or above. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.

Careers

Prepare for a Variety of Roles in Health in Wellness

As the need for healthcare services increases, the demand for health sciences professionals will also continue to grow. As a Health Sciences major, you will learn how to apply basic theories and research findings to create strategies that promote wellness, reduce disparities, strengthen community partnerships and increase access to affordable healthcare. Through your coursework, you will gain a solid understanding of how existing policies influence the availability of care to the public.

Upon earning your degree, you will be qualified to pursue jobs like community health worker, social and human service assistant, and social and community service manager. 

Program Outcomes

  1. Evaluate the economic, legal, social and ethical challenges facing health and wellness.

  2. Create professional communications using appropriate data visualization tools.

  3. Analyze the benefits and challenges of organizational-level policies relating to health and wellness.

  4. Formulate strategies to alleviate obstacles to achieving health and wellness.

  5. Identify common terminology, tools and practices used in health and wellness domains.

Undergraduate Studies Admission Requirements

Each applicant seeking admission to Urbana University is individually evaluated. Factors considered are past academic achievement, aptitude, extracurricular activities, and any additional evidence supporting the prospect of academic success.

To qualify for admission, applicants seeking an associate or bachelor's degree must present evidence of high school completion in the form of a high school diploma or GED. Careful consideration is given to the applicants academic record to include the curriculum, courses, and/or state mandated graduation tests. Results from standardized testing (either ACT or SAT) are required for first-time freshmen. Students who wish to apply for admission, but do not meet the minimum standardized test scores used for placement in University courses may be required to undergo placement testing.

Undergraduate admission requirements and materials:

A student who meets at least one of the following criteria is eligible for admission as a degree-seeking student:

  • Has provided official documentation of graduation from an accredited high school or its equivalent (see documentation required below), or
  • Has an associate, bachelor or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, an institution recognized as a candidate for accreditation, or an institution recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation

Documentation required:

1. Documentation of high school graduation or equivalence is required for applicants who are transferring fewer than 24 semester hours that apply towards a degree.

2. If the student has transferable hours of 24 credit hours or more from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, then they will not have to provide a high school diploma or equivalence. Acceptable forms of documentation of high school graduation or high school equivalence for undergraduate admission must include one of the following:

  • Official high school transcript listing the date of graduation
  • Official GED certificate
  • Official documentation of having passed a State High School Equivalency examination
  • Official documentation of a home school completion certificate/transcript
  • Official transcripts from all educational institutions (college, universities, professional schools, etc.) attended

3. Any applicant seeking to be a first-time freshman undergraduate degree-seeking students at Urbana University must supply standardized test scores (ACT SAT) to be used for placement in courses., to determine athletic eligibility, and/or determine institutional scholarship qualification.

At any time the University may require an applicant to meet with the Admissions Committee to address questions that arise in the application review process. If an applicant requests transfer credit, official transcripts from any other regionally accredited institution are required.

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