Health Sciences

Associate Professor Paul Hamilton
Assistant Professor Gwendowlyn Knapp - Coordinator
Associate Professor Miranda Karban
Assistant Professor Prasanna Acharya

The Health Sciences program is administered by the Biology department.

The Health Sciences major offers students opportunities to explore coursework in a range of disciplines related to human health. A major in Health Sciences consists of the Health Sciences Core, four directed electives, one additional elective, the Health Sciences Senior Seminar, and requires a minimum of 49 credits. Health Sciences students will work with their academic advisors to select appropriate elective coursework. Depending on the career or graduate training plans of the student, additional courses may be necessary beyond the minimum required for the major. Students should plan to complete the three introductory science courses in their first two or three semesters.

A student wishing to double major in Health Sciences and another field may count no more than 12 credit hours in the major field towards both majors. A minor in health sciences is not offered; please see the Kinesiology and Exercise Science minor.

Majors & Programs

Courses

HS 240: Foundations of Healthcare Essentials

This course will introduce students to foundational knowledge and essential competencies necessary for nursing. This course emphasizes the fundamental concepts of caring, communication, and technical nursing skills.  This course is designed as a foundation for subsequent nursing courses and a bridge between the natural and social sciences and nursing sciences.  This course includes a clinically focused simulation lab where students explore the fundamental concepts and engage in hands-on learning opportunities to facilitate understanding and application of foundational skills necessary to provide safe, quality nursing care.

HS 242: Introduction to Healthcare Professions

This course will socialize students to the nursing profession and competencies necessary for nursing. The course focuses on integrating critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and professional standards such as values, ethics and legal responsibilities.  This course emphasizes the fundamental concepts of caring, communication, and the nursing process, including the integration of health assessment concepts and competencies.  This course is designed as a foundation for subsequent nursing courses and a bridge between the natural, social, and nursing sciences.

HS 402: Senior Seminar

The Health Sciences Senior Seminar features discussion of primary literature related to human health and disease with emphasis on critical analysis of data and research articles The seminar requires completion of a presentation of a topic related to human health and disease based on published research, and a written literature review and research proposal.