Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a health and human sciences related career such as medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, nursing, and project management.
The program is an interdisciplinary program with three primary purposes:
1) Allowing students with a general interest in Health Sciences to pursue a B.S. degree while obtaining a concentration in a specific area of Health and Human Services.
2) Permitting students to prepare for post-graduate or professional Health Sciences programs.
3) Providing an option for students with a health-related associate's degree who wish to continue their education field (approved by the Health Sciences Advisor).
The multidisciplinary nature of this program offers students the opportunity to pursue graduate degrees or careers in diverse health-related settings after graduation.
Concentrations
Students pursuing the Health Sciences major are required to select one of the following concentrations:
Students who select this concentration will be required to complete 24 to 27 course hours. This concentration is designed to prepare students for a post-graduate or professional degree in a Health related field. Students who chose this concentration are looking to earn a bachelors degree in Health Sciences to continue their education at the graduate level to move one step closer to their desired career.
The Preparatory Health Sciences concentration is set up to help students obtain the majority of the required courses they will need in order to meet admission requirement for their specific graduate school program of choice. It is up to the student to research graduate schools and know what is needed for admission. The Health Sciences Advisor will provide guidance and assistance for students to help them reach their career goals.
Information about class selections can be found in the Program Requirements of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Please see the informational sheets for different pre-professional health tracks. These flyers have helpful information regarding common prerequisite courses, certification tests, and other insight in pursuing these professional degrees. Remember, different universities and programs have varying prerequisite courses and admission requirements. Always review your desired schools required prerequisite courses when determining what courses you will take.
- Pre-Medicine
- Pre-Dentistry
- Pre-Occupational Therapy
- Pre-Optometry
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Physcial Therapy
- Pre-Physician Assistant
Additionally, students may use this Health Sciences Template to help track their progress toward post-graduate or professional health program's prerequisites at their desired universities and assist their advisor in understanding the individuals post-graduate goals. This sheet allows students to organize the required prerequisites for any universities they are considering applying for to obtain their professional degree. Below are the steps to utilize this template:
- Replace the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th University titles in the first row with the names of institutions you are interested in applying for.
- Review the program requirements and prerequisite courses for each institution, and add them in the file below the institution name.
- Share this document with your advisor, and they will assist you in identifying what courses you have taken, are currently enrolled in, and any you may still need to complete.
Students who select this concentration will be required to complete 24 to 27 course hours. This concentration is designed to provide students with a general interest in Health Sciences to pursue a Bachelor’s degree by allowing students to take courses supporting a variety of Health and Social Services employment opportunities.
The main focus of the Health Services Leadership and Management concentration is home and community based services. As America’s aging population continues to grow, more elderly individuals, as well as those with mental and physical disabilities, are choosing to receive medical care and support services in their own homes instead of in nursing homes, hospitals, and other institutions. Services typically offered may include nursing, therapies, and personal care services such as respiratory therapy, medical social services, nutritional counseling, home maintenance and modifications, vehicular modifications, moving assistance, respite care, home delivered meals, personal emergency response system, assistive technology, community transitional services and home and community support services.
The approach to home and community based services is designed to establish and manage networks of service providers capable of meeting these individuals’ daily needs. The goal of home and community health services is to prevent premature and/or unwanted institutionalization by providing a coordinated plan of care and services to individuals of any age who would otherwise require nursing facility care. People who need long-term health care often prefer to live at home or in the community rather than moving to an institution such as a nursing home.
Home and community based care has been proven to be more cost effective but until recently Medicaid, which is the major payer of long term care has been structures to favor institutional care over home and community care. The Affordable Care Act gives states an incentive to expand home and community based services in Medicaid. Hence, states are changing their Medicaid programs to include more home and community care services.
Information about class selections can be found in the Program Requirements of the Undergraduate Catalog.
The Allied Health concentration in the Health Sciences major provides an option for individuals with a health-related associate of applied science degree who wish to continue their education and earn a bachelor’s degree. Individuals who apply to the health science allied health concentration with an earned Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in clinical laboratory technician, medical assisting, medical information technology, nuclear medicine, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapist assistant, polysomnographic technologist, radiography, respiratory care, diagnostic medical sonography, surgical technology, or other Health related programs (approved by the Health Sciences Advisor) can continue their education to earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.
Please note: The Health Sciences - Allied Health concentration does not offer an associate or bachelor’s degree in any of the programs listed above. Rather, the concentration is designed for graduates of these programs to continue their education and obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from WKU.
Information about class selections can be found in the Program Requirements of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Certificates
The following certificates are available for students to complete while working on the Health Sciences major:
This certificate is an excellent addition to aspiring leaders in nursing, finance, accounting, social work, dietetics, management, healthcare and information technology. As career opportunities in long term care continue to grow, there is a greater demand than ever for individuals with some preparation for leadership roles in long term care organizations.
The Family Home Visiting certificate will prepare students to provide home visiting services. Potential clients include those needing parenting skills, those at risk for abusing and neglecting their children, and/or those who need other support services.
This program is designed for students who want to enhance their leadership knowledge and skills for current or future activities in a broad range of organizations. Various disciplines have addressed leadership and developed a substantial body of related literature.
Transfer Students
Transfer
Students who transfer to Western Kentucky University with an associate of science or an applied associate degree (e.g., Associate of Applied Science) from a health-related program receive a 12-hour waiver from the overall upper-level course requirement for the health science major. Students who transfer to WKU with an associate of science or an applied associate degree from a health-related program will need 23 hours in the major upper-division hour requirement.
An associate’s degree in a focused health area may be used to fulfill the Health Science Allied Health concentration requirement with the approval of a Health Sciences academic advisor.
Students with a completed Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree from a Kentucky Community and Technical College (KCTCS) will be considered to have completed the WKU general education requirements. All other students need to meet with an advisor.
Students must earn a “C” or better in each course in the major. Additionally, in accordance with university policy, an overall grade point average of 2.0 or better must be attained upon completion of required curriculum.
KCTCS to WKU
For students who are transferring from a KCTCS school with an Associates of Science or Associates of Applied Science in a Health related field to WKU to complete the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences below you will find documents to aid in the transfer process.
Students may arrive from KCTCS fully-certified in General Education or complete WKU Colonnade General Education requirements. KCTCS students with an AA or AS are designed as fully-certified in General Education will be credited as meeting WKU Colonnade General Education requirements. Students with an AAS degrees may stay at KCTCS in order to become General Education certified before transferring to WKU.
Below are sample academic plans for students to view and utilize. Academic plans will vary from student to student depending on the students previous coursework. The Health Sciences advisor will work closely with the student to develop an academic plan that fits them best.
Dr. Grace Lartey
Coordinator, Health Sciences Program
Phone: (270) 745-3941
- grace.lartey@wku.edu
Academic Complex 129
Some of the links on this page may require additional software to view.