The Health Sciences Program fosters excellence in evidence-based practice, critical inquiry, and compassionate health and public health practice. Health Sciences majors and minors are exposed to an interdisciplinary array of coursework in the natural sciences, social sciences, and applied statistics. Using a bio-psycho-social framework based in the determinants of health, students in the program study models of disease and disability, wellness, public health and health care delivery systems, and the form, function, and financing that drive our local and global health care organizations. Students achieve competence in working in interdisciplinary team environments and embody legal and ethical standards as civic leaders and community advocates. The Health Sciences Program, informed by the Catholic liberal arts tradition, enhances the skills, ethos and diverse experiences and perspectives that advance the mission of Assumption University.
The major in Health Sciences is committed to preparing students to achieve the following learning goals:
- Critically evaluate and synthesize interdisciplinary research evidence to inform evidence-based decision-making.
- Analyze ethical and legal issues within healthcare systems and propose responses that balance professional standards, policy requirements, and stakeholder perspectives..
- Demonstrate effective, culturally responsive communication skills through the use of professional interviewing techniques.
- Analyze bio-psycho-social determinants affecting individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions and design or evaluate interventions that support functional participation and self-determination across the lifespan..
A major in Health Sciences prepares students for a broad range of career opportunities in the growing fields of health care with applications to administration, clinical practice, policy development, and research. The Health Sciences major is an interdisciplinary program with coursework in disease and disability, health care delivery and care models, and the natural sciences, as well as the economics, ethics, and policies that drive our global health care systems. Students are encouraged to customize their education by adding a concentration to their major, in close consultation with their advisor, which may help direct them toward the graduate program of their choice.