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Academic Catalog 2021-2022

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  • Health Science, BS

Health Science, BS

2021-2022 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
    • Information for Entering Students
    • College Expenses
    • Academic Policies and Procedures
    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
      • Interdisciplinary
      • School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences
      • School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
        • Public Health, BA
        • Health Science, BS
        • Data Science and Health Science, BS
        • Environmental Engineering and Health Science, BSEnvE
        • Health Science and Business Administration, BS
        • Health Science and Communication Studies, BS
        • Health Science and Psychology, BS
        • Health Science and Sociology, BS
        • Exercise Science, Minor
        • Global Health, Minor
        • Health Psychology, Minor
        • Health Research Methods, Minor
        • Health, Humanities, and Society, Minor
        • Healthcare System Operations, Minor
        • Mindfulness Studies, Minor
        • Nutrition, Minor
        • Public Health, Minor
      • School of Nursing
      • School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • College of Science
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Faculty
    • Appendix
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

The health science major offers students a solid academic and experiential foundation that positions them well to pursue graduate and professional school training in the following programs:

  • Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Veterinary medicine
  • Public health
  • Physician assistant studies
  • Nurse practitioner
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical therapy
  • Social work
  • Speech-language pathology

The health science major is also designed for students who are seeking a strong foundation for a career in health administration and in community-based health promotion and public health.

Please visit Bouvé College Learning Outcomes for the specific student learning outcomes for this program.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

University-Wide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Public Health Core 

Course List
Code Title Hours
YEAR 1
PHTH 1260The American Healthcare System4
or PHTH 1261 Comparative Healthcare Systems
YEARS 2 and 3
PHTH 2210Foundations of Biostatistics4
PHTH 2300Communication Skills for the Health Professions4
or PHTH 2301 Communication Skills for the Health Professions—Global
PHTH 2350Community and Public Health4
or PHTH 2351 Community and Public Health - Global
PHTH 2515Healthcare Policy and Administration4
PHTH 4202Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health4
PHTH 4540Health Education and Program Planning4
FINAL YEAR
PHTH 4120Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health4

Health Science Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
YEAR 1
HSCI 1000College: An Introduction1
YEAR 2 OR 3
HSCI 2000Professional Development for Bouvé Co-op1
FINAL YEAR
Complete one of the following:4-8
HSCI 4720
Health Science Capstone—Service (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)
HSCI 4730
Health Science Capstone—Research (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)
HSCI 4971
Junior/Senior Honors Project 2 (Prerequisite course HSCI 4970, for a total of 8 cr)
HSCI 4740
Health Science Capstone Seminar (Prerequisite course HSCI 4700)

Selectives

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete at least three courses from the groups listed below with at least two in one category. At least one of the courses must be at 2000 level or higher. Students may complete additional courses to fulfill a minor, such as global health, nutrition, exercise science, and health research methods.9-13
Society and Health
ANTH 2365
Sport, Culture, and Society
ANTH 3441
Medical Anthropology
CRIM 3040
Psychology of Crime
HLTH 5280
The (in)Visibility of (dis)Ability in Society
LPSC 2302
Global Human Rights: A Social and Economic Perspective
PHTH 1270
Introduction to Global Health
or AFRS 1270
Introduction to Global Health
PHTH 2414
Environmental Health
PHTH 5214
Environmental Health
PHTH 5222
Health Advocacy
PHTH 5230
Global Health
PHTH 5234
Economic Perspectives on Health Policy
SOCL 1246
Environment and Society
SOCL 1295
Drugs and Society
SOCL 2303
Gender and Reproductive Justice
SOCL 2485
Environment, Technology, and Society
SOCL 3441
Sociology of Health and Illness
Policy and Administration
ENTR 2206
Global Social Enterprise
HUSV 2800
Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression
MGMT 3340
Healthcare Management, Innovation, and Design
ORGB 3201
Organizational Behavior
PHTH 4511
Healthcare Management
PHTH 4515
Critical Issues in Health and Public-Health Policy
PHTH 5232
Evaluating Healthcare Quality
PHTH 5234
Economic Perspectives on Health Policy
SOCL 3241
Violence and Society
Nutrition and Wellness
CAEP 1280
Introduction to Mindfulness
CAEP 1290
Personal Behavior Change
CAEP 2012
Health Psychology: An Introduction to Concepts, Theories, and Research
CAEP 2101
Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Health Problems in the 21st Century
COMM 3201
Health Communication
EXSC 1120
Introduction to Exercise, Fitness, and Health
EXSC 4500
and EXSC 4501
Exercise Physiology 1
and Lab for EXSC 4500
EXSC 5200
Cardiopulmonary Physiology
EXSC 5220
Advanced Exercise Physiology
HSCI 1105
Human Nutrition
HSCI 1106
Contemporary Issues in Nutrition
HSCI 2350
Advanced Nutrition in Health and Disease
HSCI 2500
Public Health Nutrition in the Community
Digital Health
CS 2500
and CS 2501
Fundamentals of Computer Science 1
and Lab for CS 2500
DS 2000
and DS 2001
Programming with Data
and Data Science Programming Practicum
HINF 5101
Introduction to Health Informatics and Health Information Systems
HINF 5200
Theoretical Foundations in Personal Health Informatics
HINF 5300
Personal Health Interface Design and Development
IS 2000
Principles of Information Science
Research
PHTH 3250
Fundamentals of Qualitative Research
PHTH 5202
Introduction to Epidemiology

Supporting Courses

Course List
Code Title Hours
YEAR 1
BIOL 1111
and BIOL 1112
General Biology 1
and Lab for BIOL 1111
5
BIOL 1113
and BIOL 1114
General Biology 2
and Lab for BIOL 1113
5
CHEM 1161
and CHEM 1162
and CHEM 1163
General Chemistry for Science Majors
and Lab for CHEM 1161
and Recitation for CHEM 1161
5
MATH 1241Calculus 14
PSYC 1101Foundations of Psychology4
YEAR 2 OR 3
PHIL 1165Moral and Social Problems in Healthcare4
or HLTH 2100 Interprofessional Ethics for Individual and Population Health

Writing Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
YEAR 1
ENGW 1111First-Year Writing4
YEAR 2 OR 3
ENGW 3306Advanced Writing in the Health Professions4

Electives

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete a minimum of 41 credits of general electives. Total elective semester hours required to meet degree completion requirement will depend on student's choice of selectives above.41

Health Sciences Major Requirement

A grade of C or higher is required for all BIOL, CHEM, HLTH, HSCI, MATH, and PHTH courses.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Please visit Bouvé College of Health Sciences Undergraduate page for academic policies and procedures, including Academic Appeals.

Program Requirement

132 total semester hours required

In addition to the required courses for the Bachelor of Science in Health Science, students who are interested in clinical graduate school programs are encouraged to enroll in the following courses, utilizing available elective slots:

Premed Track 

Course List
Code Title Hours
SOCL 1101Introduction to Sociology4
BIOL 2301
and BIOL 2302
Genetics and Molecular Biology
and Lab for BIOL 2301
5
PHYS 1145
and PHYS 1146
Physics for Life Sciences 1
and Lab for PHYS 1145
5
PHYS 1147
and PHYS 1148
Physics for Life Sciences 2
and Lab for PHYS 1147
5
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
Organic Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 2311
5
CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
Organic Chemistry 2
and Lab for CHEM 2313
5
BIOL 3611
and BIOL 3612
Biochemistry
and Lab for BIOL 3611
5

Pre-PA Track

Each Physician assistant (PA) program is unique, and students must research prerequisite courses for the programs to which they plan to apply.  Common courses students preparing for PA school take as their electives often include: 

Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL 3421
and BIOL 3422
Microbiology
and Lab for BIOL 3421
5
BIOL 2217
and BIOL 2218
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 1
and Lab for BIOL 2217
5
BIOL 2219
and BIOL 2220
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 2
and Lab for BIOL 2219
5
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
Organic Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 2311
5
CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
Organic Chemistry 2
and Lab for CHEM 2313
5
PSYC 3404Developmental Psychology4

Pre-Pharmacy Track

Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL 2217
and BIOL 2218
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 1
and Lab for BIOL 2217
5
BIOL 2219
and BIOL 2220
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 2
and Lab for BIOL 2219
5
BIOL 3611
and BIOL 3612
Biochemistry
and Lab for BIOL 3611
5
CHEM 2311
and CHEM 2312
Organic Chemistry 1
and Lab for CHEM 2311
5
CHEM 2313
and CHEM 2314
Organic Chemistry 2
and Lab for CHEM 2313
5
PHYS 1145
and PHYS 1146
Physics for Life Sciences 1
and Lab for PHYS 1145
5

Pre-Physical Therapy Track*

Course List
Code Title Hours
BIOL 2217
and BIOL 2218
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 1
and Lab for BIOL 2217
5
BIOL 2219
and BIOL 2220
Integrated Anatomy and Physiology 2
and Lab for BIOL 2219
5
CHEM—take one additional chemistry course with lab5
EXSC 4500Exercise Physiology 14
PHYS 1145
and PHYS 1146
Physics for Life Sciences 1
and Lab for PHYS 1145
5
PHYS 1147
and PHYS 1148
Physics for Life Sciences 2
and Lab for PHYS 1147
5
PSYC 3404Developmental Psychology4
*There is a priority application process for current Northeastern students who meet the required criteria.  Visit the Doctor of Physical Therapy page for more information. 

Five Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall

This is a sample plan of study.

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
HSCI 10001BIOL 11134Vacation0Vacation0
PHTH 12604BIOL 11141  
PSYC 11014ENGW 11114  
BIOL 11114Elective4  
BIOL 11121CHEM 11614  
MATH 12414CHEM 11621  
 CHEM 11630  
 18 18 0 0
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHTH 23504PHTH 25154Vacation0Co-op0
PHTH 22104HSCI 20001  
Electives8HLTH 1200
and HLTH 1201
3  
 Electives8  
 16 16 0 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0PHIL 11654Vacation0Vacation0
 Selective4-5  
 ENGW 33064  
 PHTH 23004  
 0 16 0 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
HLTH 5450 or PHTH 42024Co-op0Co-op0Vacation0
PHTH 45404   
Elective14-5   
Selective13-5   
 16 0 0 0
Year 5
FallHoursSpringHours  
PHTH 41204HSCI 4720 or 47304  
HSCI 47000Electives12  
Selective3-5   
Electives8-9   
 16 16  
Total Hours: 132
1

Credit count of selective/elective is dependent on credit count of selective/elective in same term, to avoid unintended credit overload.

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