Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science
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2023 applications are now open!
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Contact us to learn more about the application process, financial aid, or any of our career-focused programs. Fall 2023 Early Action Deadline! Domestic freshmen submit your completed application by November 15 to receive an admissions decision by the holidays and priority consideration for scholarships — UB is test optional!
Want to learn more about UB before you apply?
Apply to University of Bridgeport before our Early Action Deadline on November 15 and receive priority consideration for a merit scholarship. Merit scholarship awards are based on a 4.0 cumulative GPA scale. If your high school uses a different GPA scale, Admissions will convert this to a 4.0 during the application review process.
Here’s a snapshot at what you could be awarded:
- Trustee Scholarship - $25,000
- Presidential Scholarship - $20,000
- Provost Scholarship - $17,500
- Dean Scholarship - $15,000
There’s no better time to submit your UB application than now — we are test optional and it’s free to apply! Take the next step toward becoming a Purple Knight and submit your application today!
Health Science Courses
University of Bridgeport offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with four concentrations: Community Health Education, Exercise and Fitness, Nutrition and Pre-Professional.
Students who earn a BS Degree in Health Sciences - Community Health Education will be prepared to enter a career path that strives to improve the health of individuals and communities.
Students will gain knowledge and experience in ways to protect and promote the health of the public through health promotion, health education, and disease prevention programs and activities. The aim of improving health outcomes of individuals and communities is to reduce disease, promote healthy behaviors, encourage the use of available healthcare services, and reduce healthcare costs.
Graduates of the community health education concentration are eligible to earn a Community Health Education Specialist (CHES) certification from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
| General Education (57 credits) | |
|---|---|
| English Composition | 3 |
| First Year Seminar | 3 |
| Social Science | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 |
| Fine Arts | 3 |
| Health Care Ethics | 3 |
| Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| Principles of Accounting | 3 |
| Biostatistics | 4 |
| Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Anatomy and Physiology I (w/lab) | 4 |
| Anatomy and Physiology II (w/lab) | 4 |
| Microbiology | 4 |
| Introduction to Chemistry | 3 |
| Introduction to Biochemistry | 4 |
| Research Methods | 3 |
| Community Health Education Track (63 credits) | |
|---|---|
| Medical Terminology | 1 |
| Seminar in Health Care Professions | 1 |
| Current Topics in Health Sciences | 1 |
| Introduction to Community Health Education | 3 |
| Introduction to Exercise Science | 3 |
| Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
| Theory of Community Health Education | 3 |
| Community Health Planning and Evaluation | 3 |
| Community Health Promotion | 3 |
| Health Care Administration | 3 |
| Health Policy and Management | 3 |
| Epidemiology for the Health Sciences Professional | 3 |
| Health Sciences Information Literature | 3 |
| Health Sciences Senior Project | 3 |
| Community Health Internship | 3 |
Electives (24 credits)
Total: 120 credits
Bachelor's of Health Science Career Opportunities
Health Science careers make up a very large sector of the US economy. For most positions in this area, the US Department of Labor predicts growth to be “faster than average” or “much faster than average.” The University's Health Sciences program broadly addresses this area of growth.
Growth in the Health Sector
“Health care will generate 3 million new wage and salary jobs between 2006 and 2016, more than any other industry. Seven of the twenty fastest growing occupations are health care related. Job opportunities should be good in all employment settings.”
“Wage and salary employment in the health care industry is projected to increase 22 percent through 2016, compared with 11 percent for all industries combined (table 3). Employment growth is expected to account for about 3 million new wage and salary jobs-20 percent of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy over the 2006-16 period. Projected rates of employment growth for the various segments of the industry range from 13 percent in hospitals, the largest and slowest growing industry segment, to 55 percent in the much smaller home health care services.”
Career areas broadly within the purview of the program are expected to grow. For example, the 2016 Statewide Occupational Forecast, developed by the Connecticut Department of Labor, predicts a 24.9 percent increase in jobs related to waste management and remediation services and a 12.8 percent increase in the education and health services sector.
A number of program graduates also will seek further professional education in healthcare. These areas are among the fastest growing in the overall economy.
Community Health Education
Community Health Education students will be prepared to understand overall wellness of a population as a whole. Students will learn principles to protect and promote the health of the public through health promotion, health education and diseased prevention activities.
Job Positions: Community Health Educator, Community Outreach Coordinator, Community Services Director, Health Advocate, Grant Writer, Health Education Specialist, Healthcare Project Manager
Employment Locations: Healthcare facilities (non-profit and for-profit), community health centers, hospitals, local and state public health departments, private companies, colleges)
Job Responsibilities: Work one-on-one with patients and their families; develop health programs and materials to encourage people to make healthy decisions to groups of people; offer health education classes to community and health personnel; administer public health campaigns on topics such as proper nutrition and disease prevention; grant writing; develop health policy; identify common health problems among employees and create programs to improve health.
Exercise and Fitness
Exercise and Fitness students will be prepared to practice in the area of exercise science as a pathway to overall fitness and longevity. Students will learn the basic principles and underlying science of human fitness through a healthy lifestyle.
Job Positions: With an undergraduate degree: Personal Trainer, Conditioning Coach, Health Advocate, Fitness Instructor, Exercise Physiologist, Grant Writer, Health Education Specialist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Athletic Trainer, Cardiovascular Technologist, Wellness Program Manager.
Employment Locations: Health & fitness clubs, Self-employed (personal trainer), Secondary schools (coach), Healthcare facilities and private practices (physical & occupational therapy, cardiovascular practice), Industry (employee health).
Job Responsibilities: Work one-on-one with clients and/or patients and their families; develop fitness and wellness programs for clients, employees, and/or patients; write grants; coach student-athletes on conditioning and wellness.
