College of Health Sciences Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences
BS Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences
Health sciences professionals go into work every day ready to meet one of our most pressing health challenges — providing adequate healthcare to a growing and aging population.
Work toward a career helping others
A bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences
Graduates of UB’s BS in Health Sciences program work in healthcare centers, hospitals, health departments, private companies, and more. With a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, you’ll develop a deep understanding of biostatistics, research, and epidemiology.
4+1
Earn a master’s in as few as five years
We know you’re excited to start making a difference. That’s why our Health Sciences program offers two 4+1 pathways that allow you to earn your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in as few as five years.
By beginning graduate-level coursework as an undergraduate student, you can continue building momentum toward your academic and professional goals.
Benefits
Benefits of completing a Health Sciences degree
Build a strong foundation in health sciences through coursework in areas such as research, biostatistics, epidemiology, health, and wellness. Customize your education with a concentration aligned with your interests and career goals. Develop transferable skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving that can be applied across healthcare settings.
Prepare for what comes next, whether you plan to enter the workforce or pursue graduate or professional education.
Worth it
Is a BS in Health Sciences worth it?
A bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences can be a valuable step toward a variety of in-demand healthcare careers or advanced study.
With a broad foundation in health, science, research, and wellness, the degree can prepare you to pursue opportunities across the healthcare field while giving you the flexibility to shape your education around your career goals.
Concentrations
Six tracks to choose from
Below you will find more information about University of Bridgeport’s Health Sciences degree concentrations and potential careers:
Community health education
Prepares you for a career promoting and protecting the health of our most underserved communities, providing health and disease prevention education through direct care and community outreach. 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 disease prevention activities. Graduates from UB’s Community Health Education track go on to have rewarding careers providing patient care and influencing health policy.
Exercise and fitness
Develop the skills and knowledge needed to create appropriate fitness programs for people of all ages. 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. Graduates from UB’s Exercise and Fitness track go on to have rewarding careers as personal trainers, health educators, fitness instructors, physical therapy assistants, and more!
Nutrition
Develop a deep understanding of the science behind nutrition, gaining the knowledge to analyze people’s health choices and educate populations on the relationship between nutrition and health. Graduates of UB’s Nutrition track go on to have rewarding careers as nutritionists and dieticians in inpatient and outpatient healthcare settings.
Pre-Occupational Therapy
Prepares you with the skills and knowledge you will need to pursue advanced degrees in occupational therapy and make a meaningful difference in your patients’ lives.
Pre-Physician Assistant
Develop the knowledge and skills necessary for applying to a Physician Assistant master’s program after graduation. Please note that completing this track does not automatically grant you admission to UB’s Physician Assistant program.
Pre-Professional
A rigorous curriculum in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, giving you the scientific foundation for medical school, dental school, pharmacology, physical therapy, and research. The Pre-Professional track prepares you to continue your education by obtaining your graduate degree in the field. In this program, you’ll understand and analyze the factors influencing people’s health. University of Bridgeport offers several pathways for bachelor’s of Health Sciences graduates to continue their education as graduate students in the College of Health Sciences.
Lay the foundation for a career in healthcare
Take the first step toward a career in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or other health professions with the Pre-Professional concentration. This concentration provides a rigorous curriculum in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
UB offers a pathway for students planning to continue their education in health professions: expert faculty with experience in healthcare and research, access to hands-on learning opportunities and lab-based courses, and personalized advising. Graduates continue their education in medical school, dental school, pharmacology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and research. By choosing the Pre-Professional track, you’ll be well-prepared for advanced studies in medical school, physician assistant programs, physical therapy, and more. Graduates of UB’s Pre-Professional track are equipped with the foundational knowledge to pursue careers in healthcare, research, and beyond. The Pre-Professional track provides the academic background needed to succeed in competitive professional programs and make an impact in the medical field.
Curriculum
Accelerated 4+1 pathways
Two pathways allow qualifying students to begin graduate-level coursework during their senior year and finish a master’s degree in a fifth year.
BS to MS in Public Health
When you choose a concentration in Community Health Education, qualifying students can begin taking graduate-level Public Health classes during their senior year, then complete the MPH in a fifth year. Earn your master’s degree — power-up your earning potential by as much as 16%!* To learn more about eligibility for the MPH dual degree program, please contact your academic advisor. * U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
BS to MS in Human Nutrition
Through our Nutrition concentration, eligible students can pursue a 4+1 pathway in Human Nutrition, beginning graduate-level classes during their senior year before returning for a fifth year to complete their MS studies.
Careers
Where graduates work
Health sciences 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.
Continue to graduate school
A number of program graduates also will seek further professional education in healthcare. These areas are among the fastest growing in the overall economy.
Where our graduates work
- CVS Health
- Johnson & Johnson
- Pfizer
- Yale New Haven Health
Student voices
Student voices
One thing that made UB stand out to me was its affordability. I knew coming in that I wanted to continue my education past my bachelor’s degree. So, it was important to me that I didn’t graduate with an enormous amount of student debt. By choosing UB, I was able to be financially responsible and be part of an amazing college experience.
Course catalog
Every course, in full
View all courses offered and read full course descriptions in our online course catalog system.
General education requirements
23 courses
51 credits*
General education requirements
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ENGL 101 | Academic Writing |
| FYS 101 | First Year Seminar |
| PHIL 110 | Health Care Ethics |
| PSYC 103 | Introduction to Psychology |
| BIOL 106 | Elementary Microbiology |
| BIOL 106L | Elementary Microbiology Lab |
| MATH 203 | Elementary Statistics |
| MATH 203HS | Biostatistics |
| CAPS 390 | Senior Seminar |
| BIOL 113 | Intro Anatomy and Physiology I |
| BIOL 113L | Intro Anatomy and Phys I Lab |
| BIOL 114 | Introductory Anatomy and Physiology II |
| BIOL 114L | Intro Anatomy & Phys II Lab |
| CHEM 113 | Introductory Chemistry |
| CHEM 113L | Introductory Chemistry (Laboratory) |
| CHEM 114 | Introduction to Biochemistry |
| CHEM 114L | Introduction to Biochemistry (Laboratory) |
| BIOL 213 | General Anatomy and Physiology I |
| BIOL 214 | General Anatomy and Physiology II |
| CHEM 123 | General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 123L | Gen Chem I Lab |
| CHEM 124 | Gen Chem II |
| CHEM 124L | General Chem II Lab |
Health Sciences requirements
8 courses
24 credits*
Health Sciences requirements
| Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|
| HSCI 201 | Medical Terminology Seminar |
| HSCI 230 | Fundamentals of Nutrition |
| HSCI 245 | Scientific Writing for the Health Sciences |
| HSCI 250 | Intro to Community Health Education |
| HSCI 260 | Intro to Exercise Science |
| HSCI 365 | Epidemiology for Health Science Professionals |
| HSCI 386 | Health Sciences Research |
| HSCI 387 | Health Sciences Information Literacy |
Students will take BIOL 113/113L, BIOL 114/114L, CHEM 113/113L, and CHEM 114/114L OR BIOL 213, BIOL 214, CHEM 123/123L, and CHEM 124/124L.
* Required for all Heatlh Sciences concentrations
Concentration requirements
Concentration requirements
In addition to the requirements above, each concentration requires specific additional courses.
Health Sciences students can pursue the following concentrations:
- Community Health Education
- Exercise and Fitness
- Nutrition
- Pre-Occupational Therapy
- Pre-Physician Assistant
- Pre-Professional
Take the first steps toward a meaningful career in healthcare
Download your free Health Sciences degree guide now!
Related programs
Start your application
Financial aid is available, and we accept applications on a rolling basis