Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies
Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies is a customizable preparatory degree program for students continuing their education beyond the bachelor’s degree. Our program is designed to give students a multidisciplinary perspective on human health and healthcare while providing excellent preparation for advanced study in medical and allied health areas.
In addition to the expected combination of science courses with laboratories, this degree program requires healthcare foundation courses as part of a curriculum designed to place the study of healthcare in a philosophical, historical, psychological, sociological and biological context. The program is focused on healthcare-related knowledge as well as the scientific prerequisite courses required for applying to health professions schools, setting it apart from other programs that focus primarily on science courses.
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies curriculum integrates both scientific and healthcare foundations, personalized for the professional path for which the student is preparing. It is a 120-semester credit hour program in which 51 credit hours must be upper-division courses. The curriculum provides various approaches for students who are pursing diverse areas in healthcare. The specific knowledge of healthcare our program provides will give you more conversational flexibility and professional depth during the interview process with health professional schools.
Program Options
Pre-Professional Tracks
For distinguished students, the major provides excellent preparation for advanced study in medical areas and allied health areas, including:
- Medicine
- Dentistry
- Optometry
- Podiatry
- Pharmacy
- Physician assistant
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Clinical dietetics
- Prosthetics-Orthotics
Course Topics
Examples of course topics include:
- Exploration of the realities of health professions
- Structure and components of the health care system
- Effective patient communication and prevention
- Fundamentals of public health
- Hospice and home care
- Basic medical terminology
- Psychological aspects of health and fitness
- Health profession internship
Career Outcomes
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033, with about 1.9 million openings projected each year.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Studies is the healthcare preparatory degree for careers in:
- Pharmacy
- Optometry
- Dentistry
- Medicine
- Physical Therapy
- Physician Assisting
- Occupational Therapy
- Other Healthcare Professions
Occupations and employment settings associated with a Healthcare Studies major include:
- Hospitals and clinics
- Healthcare nonprofit organizations
- Mental health and substance abuse centers
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Healthcare corporations
- Biotechnology companies
Health Professions Graduate Schools
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies degree was recently acknowledged by U.S. News and World Report for its innovative degree plan that permits students to take an interdisciplinary approach to health studies. Our students have been successful applicants to a broad range of health professional schools. Pre-health students who go through the Health Professionals Evaluation process are admitted to health professions schools at a rate of 69%, compared to a national admission rate of 40%.
Our graduates have been accepted to a variety of professional schools including UT Southwestern Medical Center, UT Medical Branch, UT Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, The University of North Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, The University of Houston College of Optometry, UT Austin College of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy and others.
Requirements and Course Information
Alumni Testimonials
Nanditha Niranjan, ‘25
Pre-Med
“Going into Healthcare Studies and having a public health-based perspective helped me figure out my interests going into medicine. It’s been such a pleasure to get a holistic view of healthcare.”
Internships
Get real-world experience and leadership opportunities by enrolling in an internship. For more information, visit the Health Professions Internships page.
Faculty
Dr. Kathleen Byrnes
Associate Professor of Instruction
Program Head, Interdisciplinary Studies
“The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies is a tailored degree program to prepare students for future training as well as employment in the U.S. healthcare industry.”