Bachelor in Health Sciences

Assumption University’s Health Sciences Program prepares students for a broad range of career opportunities in the growing field of healthcare, with applications to clinical practice, administration, policy development, and research. Assumption’s health sciences major is an interdisciplinary program with coursework in the natural sciences, disease, and disability, and health care delivery and care models, as well as the economics, ethics, and policies that drive global healthcare systems.

Health science students are encouraged to customize their education by adding a concentration to their major which can help prepare them for the graduate program of their choice. Typical concentrations for health sciences majors include pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, communication sciences and disorders, and pre-clinical health professions. Concentrations in public health and patient advocacy are currently in development as well.

A bachelor’s degree in health sciences prepares students for graduate school as well as entry-level positions in health care administration, patient advocacy and patient experience, medical billing, health insurance, and the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Benefits and Features of a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences from Assumption University

• Gain knowledge, skills, and experience in a truly interdisciplinary program that will prepare you for success in a complex and ever-evolving healthcare industry.
• Complete a 200-hour internship in a healthcare setting, positioning you for employment immediately upon graduation.
• Benefit from our location in Worcester, MA, home of one of the leading healthcare communities in the United States.
• Assist with research studies in the University’s Movement and Rehabilitation Science (MARS) laboratory, one of the few motion capture laboratories in Central Massachusetts.
• Prepare for graduate school programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, and language pathology or for other clinical health professions such as physician assistant, dental or medical school, Nursing, and Pharmacy by using our concentration programs to focus your educational and career direction.

The Health Sciences Program at Assumption University combines interdisciplinary coursework with meaningful fieldwork Through your studies you’ll gain knowledge of the natural sciences, disease and disability and health care delivery and care models, as well as the economics, ethics, and policies that drive our global healthcare systems. This knowledge and the skills you develop in your internship will prepare you for graduate school, entry-level positions in the healthcare industry, and beyond.

Experiential Learning

Assumption’s health sciences curriculum includes a semester-long internship in the healthcare field that enables students to develop and refine the knowledge and skills they’ll need to effectively contribute as a healthcare professional. This internship experience also helps students with career development and discernment, often leading to employment opportunities after graduation.

Major

Health sciences majors are required to complete 14 courses within the major. Three of those courses overlap with the core curriculum, providing students with a strong liberal arts foundation. Additionally, some courses within the health sciences major will likely overlap with the program’s specialized concentrations, enabling students to not only efficiently complete their degree requirements but also to customize their education toward their career interests as well.

Specialized Concentrations

Assumption’s health sciences program offers students from all majors an opportunity to concentrate in specialty areas that will help them pursue the graduate programs and careers of their choice.

Communication Sciences and Disorders:

Prepare to work as a Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) aide or to pursue a graduate degree in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology.

Patient Advocacy

Advance your knowledge and understanding of health and human services, health psychology, health care management, and sociology, in the context of the healthcare environment working with, and for, patients.

Pre-Clinical Health Professions:

Prepare for graduate study in clinical medicine programs such as physician assistant, pharmacy, medical doctor, and doctor of dental medicine. Students are encouraged to major in health sciences or biology.

Pre-Occupational Therapy:

Prepare for graduate study in occupational therapy. Students are encouraged to major in health sciences, human services and rehabilitation studies, biology, or psychology.

Pre-Physical Therapy:

Prepare for graduate study in either occupational therapy or physical therapy. Students are encouraged to major in health sciences, human services and rehabilitation studies, biology, or psychology.

Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences (MARS) Laboratory

Assumption University is home to the Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences (MARS) Laboratory , one of the few motion capture laboratories in Central Massachusetts. The MARS Lab provides Assumption’s undergraduate students with a unique and convenient opportunity to learn how to use a highly sophisticated motion capture system.

Students engage with real-world experimentation like Dr. Bob Caron’s research into human gait patterns and are fully immersed in the research process including conceptualization, gathering and interpreting data and writing, and presenting their research.

Most students using systems such as the MARS Lab are studying at the graduate level. Participating in this form of research can help distinguish Assumption students during the application process for graduate programs in occupational and physical, health, exercise, or the rehabilitation sciences.

Degree Requirements

The health sciences major combines courses that focus on the healthcare industry with others in disability, illness, the biological sciences, and math to create a truly interdisciplinary program that reflects current and emerging trends in health care delivery, policy, and administration. In total, majors must complete 14 courses totaling 48 credits, 10 credits of which will overlap with the core curriculum.

Internships & Outcomes

Assumption’s health sciences curriculum includes a semester-long required internship in the healthcare field that enables students to develop and refine the knowledge and skills they’ll need to work as a healthcare professional.

Each student works with the health sciences faculty to find an internship in an appropriate setting and meets with their faculty supervisor weekly to process their experiences and make connections between these experiences and course content/theory.

In addition to building key experience and honing their abilities, the health sciences internship experience helps students in their career development and discernment process and often leads to employment opportunities post-graduation.

Recent Internship Sites Related to Health Sciences and our Concentrations:

• Central Mass Physical Therapy
• THOM Early Intervention Services
• Wachusett Early Childhood Center
• Assumption University Athletic Training
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute Athletic Training
• Worcester Physical Therapy
• UMASS Medical Emergency Mental Health
• Greendale Physical Therapy