HEALTH SCIENCE

College of Public Health & Health Professions

The Health Science major is the first step toward a career in the rewarding field of healthcare. Students learn to think critically about various individual and public health issues and gain knowledge in the health care system, human disease and disability, leadership, and patient communication. Graduates go on to earn professional or graduate degrees in professionals such as medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, nursing, and health administration.

100% Of Health Science Students Graduate Within 4 Years

87.7% Of Students Who Apply To Graduate or Professional Programs Are Accepted Before They Graduate With their BHS Degree

99.0% Of Students Are Satisfied or Very Satisfied With Their Health Science Academic Preparation

a Message from the Health Science program director

Thank you for your interest in the University of Florida’s Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) program! We are pleased to offer an exceptional undergraduate experience through our commitment to your academic achievement, personal growth, and professional development. Our program caters exclusively to students pursuing careers in medicine or rehabilitation. So whether your ultimate goal is to become a physician, physician assistant, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or any allied health professional, the BHS program prepares you for the next step in your academic journey.

-Mike Moorhouse, PhD

Major overview

EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Core Coursework

The Health Science curriculum consists of 32 credits of core coursework spread over the student's junior and senior years. These courses are designed to foster a basic understanding of the ancillary skills needed to become an outstanding health professional.

Elective Coursework

Each student is required to complete 9 credits of College Approved Electives (CAE). Students have a variety of options including public health and social science courses, as well as science-based courses in kinesiology, neuroanatomy and musculoskeletal anatomy.

Course Syllabi

Our undergraduate faculty offer dynamic coursework to ensure students gain an in-depth understanding of material and apply this knowledge to case scenarios. Courses span across a variety of disciplines within the health, public health, and rehabilitation sciences.

The Health Science major is a limited access program catering exclusively to students pursuing careers in the health professions. Students in their sophomore year apply to the program and, if accepted, enroll in a specialized curriculum while continuing to complete their prerequisite coursework for graduate or professional programs. Our coursework is designed to expand the student’s healthcare knowledge, better understand human disease and disability, improve leadership and communication skills, and help the student think critically about various individual and public health issues. We firmly believe that the most effective healthcare professionals not only treat a patient’s ailment or condition, but also develop a sincere concern for the patient as a person. Thus, our program’s mission is to emphasize patient-centered care with the aim of helping you better understand healthcare from both the patient and professional points of view. Students who graduate our program complete coursework to help them:

Learn the basic tenets of the US healthcare system,
Better understand the lived experience of someone diagnosed with a disease and/or living with a disability,
Understanding the societal and environmental factors that impact health,
Communicate with patients to develop rapport and trust,
Understand the biological underpinnings of various diseases and conditions,
Mature as a healthcare leader, and
Be able to critically evaluate and analyze information to make informed, ethical healthcare decisions

In addition, we recognize that students entering the health professions are incredibly busy outside the classroom. Whether working, volunteering, shadowing, or conducting research, the demands placed upon students are significant. As such, each core class has multiple sections to choose from so that students can design a class schedule that works within their extracurricular demands. Moreover, the multiple sections allow the program to keep a low faculty-to-student ratio. In fact, all core course sections only enroll up tp 49 students, which allows for more interaction between students and the instructor.

Choose the pathway that is right for you

Pre-Professional

Integrates required pre-health courses for students pursuing degrees in fields such as medicine or physician assistant, with requirements for the health science major.

General Health Science

Designed to accommodate students interested in diverse health care fields, such as health administration, nursing, and clinical psychology.

Pre-Physical Therapy

Offers a suggested prerequisite course sequence for students interested in pursuing physical therapy education at the graduate/professional level.

Pre-Occupational Therapy

Provides students core health science content that will strongly support their application to professional occupational therapy degree programs.

Occupational Therapy Accelerated

Combination degree program that allows students to take first-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program courses during their junior and senior years.