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Health Studies

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College: College of Nursing and Health Professions

Department: Health Sciences and Risk Management

Description

The Bachelor of Science in Health Studies degree serves a three-fold purpose for students that are:

  1. Planning to seek employment in a health or health related area upon graduation;
  2. Desiring a bachelor’s degree following an associate’s degree in health disciplines and
  3. Planning a health career that requires a post-baccalaureate plan of study.

This degree does not lead to a professional credential or state licensure. It does prepare students for roles in community health, support services, health care navigation, claims services, medical sales and patient services. Online certification is available in some areas such as compliance officer, health advocate and coding specialist.

This degree is also available in an accelerated 100% online format.

  • Degree Tracks

    Degree Tracks

    Two separate degree tracks are proposed for the BSHS - The Professional Track and Non-Professional Track. The Professional Track requires students to have an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in an allied health related field (e.g., Physical Therapist Assistant, Clinical Laboratory, Nursing). The Non-Professional Track does not require students to hold an AAS degree.

    Professional Track

    The Professional Track provides a transition from an Associate’s degree to a Bachelor’s degree. Curriculum for the AAS degree on A-State campus includes 15 credit hours of General Education. The Professional Track for the BSHS degree includes an additional 20 credit hours of General Education courses during the student’s Freshman, Junior and Senior year to meet the mandated 35 credit hours of General Education courses for a bachelor’s degree.

    The curriculum includes 41-credit hours of upper division degree (major) courses and 45-credit hours of combined upper division courses. The BSHS Professional Track degree plan exceeds the 120 credit hour when an AAS degree exceeds the credit hour limit.

    For instance, on the A-State campus, the PTA degree is 38 credit hours during the student’s sophomore year in order to meet accreditation standards for licensure. Therefore, students graduating with a PTA degree from ASU will have a total of 128-credit hours for the Professional Track of the BSHS.

    Non-Professional Track

    The Non-Professional Track includes a 120-credit hour degree plan. The curriculum includes 47 credit hours of upper division degree courses and 18 credit hours of lower/upper division courses. Each semester includes a total of 15 total credit hours.

    Most of the HP courses are only offered in the semester they are listed. For timely degree completion, courses should be taken in sequence.

  • Prerequisites
    Professional Track

    The Professional Track requires students to have an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in an allied health related field (e.g., Physical Therapist Assistant, Clinical Laboratory, Nursing).

    Non-Professional Track

    The Non-Professional Track does not require students to hold an AAS degree

  • Admission Process

    Thank you for your interest in A-State’s Health Studies program. Please be sure that you have completed every step below, and that you have enclosed all documents before submitting your application. Students applying to the Health Studies program must also apply for admission to Arkansas State University. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records, P.O. Box 1630, State University, AR 72467 or phone (870) 972-3024. If your CGPA is below 2.5, you are not eligible for admission at this time.

     

    Application materials must be received by March 15 for consideration for fall semester admission.  Letters of official admission into the BSHS Program will be mailed by April 1 for fall registration.

     

    NOTES ON THE APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

    •  The submitted application packet is to consist of a completed application form and college/university transcripts of all college work attempted.
    •  Applications are not reviewed on a first come/first served basis.
    •  The minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for admission is 2.50.
    • Factors considered in the application process include the following:
      •  Cumulative grade point average: Worth up to 35 points of possible 100 points for BS in HS application.
      • Support course grades/Required Classes preadmission: Worth up to 35 points of possible 100 points for BS in HS application
        • Support courses include Anatomy & Physiology I with Laboratory, Physical Science and Laboratory, College Algebra or Plane Trigonometry (for Professional Tack), Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System.
        • Grade of A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points for each support course
      • Completed writing skills assessment: Worth up to 30 points of possible 100 points for BS in HS application.
        • Will be scheduled prior to the application due date; to schedule your assessment please contact Dr. Jessica Camp at jcamp@astate.edu  or (870) 680-4863. 
    • Applications received after March 15th will not be accepted.
    • Completion of or current enrollment in all support courses with a grade of “C” or better.
    • Foreign-born applicants must submit test scores of English proficiency with their application.
      • English proficiency documentation includes one of the following.
        • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – minimum score of 83 on the preferred internet-based test (iBT), 570 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test.
        • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – minimum score of 6.5 and a spoken band score of 7.
        • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) – minimum score of 56.

     

    Arkansas State University is an equal opportunity institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, impediment/disability, or unlawful factors in the admission and treatment of students. 

  • Curriculum

    Curriculum and degree requirements can be found in the most current Undergraduate Bulletin.

    Visit the bulletins page >>