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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025
Health Sciences, B.S.
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Jodi DeMarco, Chair, Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance
Anne Su, Program Director
216.687.4870
healthsci@csuohio.edu
Description
The health sciences major has two paths, the first prepares students for application and admission to health professions graduate programs. The second provides students with a foundation in health, wellness, and science in order to enter the health care workforce in non-clinical roles.
What careers can this major prepare you for?
Students may go on to health professions graduate programs in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Public Health, Medicine, Dentistry, etc. Students interested in non-clinical healthcare opportunities may focus on general health and wellness. Through study in health sciences, you may go on to become: Community Outreach Coordinator, Health Coach, Health Educator, Health Program Manager, Health Promotion Specialist, Lab Assistant, Research Assistant, Wellness Coordinator, Worksite Health Specialist, Wellness Specialist.
What skills are developed within this major?
Skills developed within this major include: Ability to analyze health-related research; Research skills as demonstrated in papers and exams; Knowledge of health and wellness; Analytical skills; Communication skills; Foundation of behavior change; Program Assessment, Implementation, and Evaluation; and passion for improving and promoting health.
Upper-Division Honors/Scholars Programs
Qualified Health Sciences majors may pursue admission into the Health Sciences Upper Division Honors/Scholars Programs (available for all tracks). All credits earned through the Health Sciences Upper Division Honors/Scholars Programs will be applied to the area of emphasis.
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Admission to Major
Any student who has been accepted by Cleveland State University and who is in good academic standing can choose to major in Health Sciences Health Promotion, Pre-Physician Assisting, General Interest, and Associate Degree/Bachelor of Science Completion Tracks
Admission to the Pre-Therapy Track
Students who meet one of the following criteria may declare the Health Sciences Pre-Therapy Track as their major.
- Freshmen who meet the following requirements may declare the Health Sciences Pre-Therapy Track (pre-OT or pre-PT) as their major upon admission to CSU:
- ACT 24 or SAT of 1180 or
- Accepted into CSU’s Honors or Scholars Programs OR
- Students who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of postsecondary education at CSU may declare the Health Sciences Pre-Therapy Track (pre-OT or pre-PT) as their major if they have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at CSU OR
- Transfer students who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of postsecondary education at another accredited institution may declare Health Sciences Pre‐Therapy Track as their major upon admission if they have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Registrar’s Office calculates cumulative GPAs as part of the admission’s process.
Hours Required for Degree
Minimum hours required for major: Students must complete the core courses and 51 credit hours in an area of emphasis. Areas of emphasis for the Pre-Therapy track and Pre-Physician Assistant Science Track are described below. The courses of study for students in the General Interest and Completion Program for Allied Health Associate Degree Holders tracks are designed based on individual interests and must be approved by an academic adviser, an HSC adviser, or a COH adviser. All students must complete a capstone experience. The choice of capstone varies depending on the track.
Five tracks are offered: Bachelor’s Completion Program for Allied Health Associate Degree Holders Track for the student already holding an associate degree in a health-related field who wishes to complete a baccalaureate degree; General Interest for the student pursuing health careers for which we don’t have a specified track; Health Promotion for the student who plans to enter the community health or health promotion field; Pre-Therapy for the student planning to apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program or Occupational Therapy Doctorate; and Pre-Physician Assistant Science for the student planning to apply to a graduate program in physician assistant studies.
College Requirements
See college page for college requirements.
Major Requirements
In addition to fulfilling the general course requirements of the university and the college, B.S. in Health Sciences majors are required to complete the health sciences core and 51 credits specific to an area of emphasis within one of four tracks: Bachelor’s Completion Program for Allied Health Associate Degree Holders, General Interest, Health Promotion, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Physical Therapy or Pre-PA.
Special requirement
Students pursuing a B.S. in Health Sciences must earn grades of “C” or above in order for courses to count toward satisfying the requirements for the health sciences major.
Areas of Emphasis
Students in all tracks are required to establish an Area of Emphasis. The number of credits in the Area of Emphasis must be at least 51. Students in the Bachelor’s Completion Program for Allied Health Associate Degree Holders Track and General Interest Tracks work with an adviser to design an area of emphasis reflecting their particular interests and the skills required for the kinds of positions they wish to pursue. The Health Promotion, Pre-Therapy, and Pre-Physician Assisting Tracks have specific courses students must complete. However, students may need to select additional electives. Students are encouraged to explore with their HSC adviser minors and certificate programs that may be applied toward their area of emphasis. Highly recommended certificate programs are the Gerontology Studies Certificate; the Certificate in Culture, Communication and Health; and the Bioethics Certificate. The program has identified pre-approved electives and a listing of these is available on the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences website or from the department. Students are required to update their program of study at least annually in collaboration with their adviser. Advising will be provided by the academic adviser or by faculty in the Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance or by an adviser in the College of Health Dean’s Office. Every student must have an approved program of study by the end of his or her first semester in the major.
Bioethics - Choose One Course
Statistics - Choose One Course
Required Courses - Eight Courses
Research Methods - Choose One Course
Electives - 25 Credit Hours
Students should choose from the courses below. Courses of interest outside of this list must be approved by the program director to count towards the major.
Capstone - Choose One Course
Bioethics - Choose One Course
Statistics - Choose One Course
Area of Emphasis
This track is commonly utilized by students who are pursuing health-related careers, for which we do not have a specified track. Students should work with their advisor to design an Area of Emphasis reflecting their particular interests and the skills required for the kinds of positions or grad programs they wish to pursue. We encourage students to choose a concentration area and build their credentials by incorporating relevant minors and/or certificates.
The College of Health supports students who are pursuing entry into professional health programs, such as medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, optometry school, and anesthesiology assistant programs. While students can choose from a variety of majors, the flexibility of the Bachelor of Science in Health Science makes it an ideal option to accompany these program prerequisites. Advisors can assist students in creating a plan to meet their degree requirements and incorporate their prerequisite courses. Additionally, students have the support of the pre-professional coordinators in the Office of Career Development and Exploration. The coordinators coach students in what is required to be a competitive candidate for the student’s desired graduate program. Additionally, they offer support throughout the application process.
While students can choose from a variety of health-related coursework to apply toward their Area of Emphasis, the General Interest track requires the completion of a minimum number of science and social science courses to give students a broad foundation in the health sciences field. In addition to the approved course series, students must complete the Capstone Requirement. These credits will be applied toward the Area of Emphasis.
Post-baccalaureate students who are seeking to enter the NEOMED Early Assurance program may pursue this track. They must only complete 30 credits at Cleveland State University, including the health sciences core, excluding HSC 200 - Introduction to Health Sciences , the Urban Health Concentration, 11 credits of pre-approved electives, and HSC 499 - Exit Evaluation . They do not need to complete general education requirements.
Required Science Courses - 16 Credits
Students must choose 16 credits from the approved list of science courses.
Required Social Science Courses - 12 Credits
Students must choose 12 credits from the approved list of social science courses.
Area of Emphasis Electives - 20 Credits
Choose 20 credit hours of electives from the approved list.
Capstone - Choose One Course
All students completing a BSHS major must complete a capstone experience and the exit evaluation.
Exit Evaluation - One Course
Pre-Physical Therapy Track
Bioethics - Choose One Course
Statistics - Choose One Course
Required Courses - Nine Courses
Pre-Physical Therapy Area of Emphasis - Eight Courses
Students interested in applying to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program must also complete the following, which are applied to the area of emphasis:
Capstone - Choose One Course
Exit Evaluation - One Course
Note(s)
*Slight course requirement variations may occur for pre-physical therapy students enrolled in the Honors Program. Consult an HSC adviser for more information.
For additional information regarding the Doctor of Physical Therapy, consult the Graduate Catalog or contact the Department of Physical Therapy.
Pre-Occupational Therapy Track
Bioethics - Choose One Course
Statistics - Choose One Course
Required Courses - Nine Courses
Pre-Occupational Therapy Area of Emphasis - Three Courses
Students interested in the Master of Occupational Therapy Program must also complete the following, plus 15 credits of electives in an area of emphasis:
Capstone - Choose One Course
Exit Evaluation - One Course
Electives - 15 Credit Hours
Note
See the Occupational Therapy Doctorate page in the graduate catalog for information on our early admission pathways.
Pre-Physician Assistant Science Track
A student choosing the Pre-Physician Assistant Science Track must complete the 51 credits of programmatic prerequisites common for admission to accredited Physician Assistant Graduate Programs. Students interested in applying to must complete the following:
Bioethics - Choose One Course
Statistics - Choose One Course
Area of Emphasis - 17 Courses
Capstone - Choose One Course
Exit Evaluation - One Course
Electives - 12 Credit Hours
Note(s)
The program has identified recommended electives. A listing of these is available on the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences website or from the department.
Bachelor’s Completion Program for Allied Health Associate Degree Holders Track
This track is designed for the student already holding an associate degree in a health-related field who wishes to complete a baccalaureate degree. In addition to the health sciences core, students interested in this track must complete a minimum of 51 credits in an area of emphasis. Students are encouraged to explore with their HSC adviser minors and certificate programs that may be applied toward their area of emphasis. Highly recommended certificate programs are the Gerontology Studies Certificate; the Certificate in Culture, Communication and Health; and the Bioethics Certificate. The program has identified recommended electives. A listing of these is available on the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences website or from the department.
A special articulation agreement is applied to students who have completed an Associate’s Degree in Allied Health from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) or an Associate’s Degree in Health Technologies from Lakeland Community College. The 2+2 Agreement streamlines the process for students who have completed any one of the allied health majors at Cuyahoga Community College or health technology majors at Lakeland Community College by predetermining coursework that may be applied toward the area of emphasis in the Health Sciences major. Depending on the allied health program completed at Tri-C or health technology program completed at Lakeland CC, students will need to complete anywhere between 18-24 additional credits toward their major, along with any remaining General Education Requirements or electives to meet the university minimum of 120 earned credit hours. Students must complete their final 30 credit hours through CSU coursework, including 24 credit hours at the 300-400 level. It is recommended that students select from an array of courses offered through the Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance or minor and/or certificate programs offered at CSU to apply toward their Health Sciences major and upper division course work. HSC 200 - Introduction to Health Sciences is waived for all students entering the Health Sciences major through the 2+2 Agreements.
Cultural Competency and Health Promotion - One Course
Public Policy - Choose One Course
Capstone - Choose One Course
Exit Evaluation - One Course
Electives - 11 Credit Hours
Mandel Honors College Scholars
Admission to Honors and Scholars
The Health Sciences Upper-Division Honors/Scholars Programs are designed for the Health Sciences major who is considering graduate-level training and seeks engaged learning opportunities in research, clinical, or cultural competency tracks. Application for admission to one of the programs must be made at least 30 days before the semester in which the applicant wishes to enter, typically the spring or summer semester before their junior or senior year. A minimum overall GPA of 3.5 is required for admission to the Honors Program and a minimum overall GPA of 3.25 is required for admission to the Scholars Program. University Honors/Scholars students and other students majoring in Health Sciences who meet the minimum GPA requirements may enter the Honors or Scholars Program. Credits earned in the Honors or Scholars Programs will apply towards the major.
Hours Required for Degree
Minimum hours required for the degree: 120
Research Track (3 Courses), Consists of the Following (Honors and Scholars)
Clinical Track (8-13 Credits Minimum), Consists of the Following
Option 1 (Honors Only)
- ONE contract* course in Health Sciences. Students must arrange to complete the Honors Contract Course Petition form for a 300-400 level HSC PRIOR to taking the course. The course and contract must be approved by the HSC Honors Adviser.
- ONE graduate level course in Health Sciences (6-9 credits)
- HSC 440H - Honors Cooperative Education Career Experience Track (3 credits). An approved cooperative education experience.
Option 2 (Honors and Scholars)
Note(s)
*Contract Courses: The honors contract course compromises the community of an honors course, but it permits both students and faculty to pursue the creativity, uniqueness, independence, and academically enhanced standards of honors in a special setting. Students must initiate an Honors Contract Course Petition in writing by consulting with the adviser and faculty member, proposing a course of study, identifying appropriate outcomes or experiences, and specifying criteria for evaluation. A form, available on the University Honors Program website, is provided to help students and instructors formalize the honors contract course. The petition for honors contract course should be submitted at the time of pre-registration, with final proposal due prior to the end of the semester before the term in which the honors contract course will be taken. Scholars students may not take a contract course.
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