BS in Health Science Studies

Health Science Studies

On Campus

This versatile degree will provide the foundational skills necessary to pursue a wide range of interests in some of today's fastest-growing healthcare careers, including physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work and medical laboratory sciences.

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Your bridge into the health science professions

The interdisciplinary design of the BS in Health Science Studies emphasizes patient-centered care with a science-based focus on wellness, health and fitness. You’ll benefit from a customizable and flexible academic experience that allows you to explore new interests and pursue your goals.

Graduates will learn the clinical, diagnostic and rehabilitative services within the continuum of care to facilitate overall patient wellness, injury recovery and prevention and optimizing physical movement. You can explore various health-related careers in nutrition, radiology, biomedical sciences, optometry, medical administration, health policy, community public health and biotechnology.

Interested in Science and Healthcare? What College Major is Right For YOU? — Find out how a versatile degree in health science studies can jumpstart your career in healthcare or prepare you for advanced graduate programs.

What is it like to major in Health Science Studies?

As a first-year student, you'll be automatically enrolled in a career exploration course to help you increase the breadth and depth of your professional interest. You'll gain the foundational knowledge and skills needed to pursue a wide range of interests in today’s fastest-growing healthcare careers, or continue your education in areas such as:

Physician assistant
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Social work
Nursing
Radiology
Medical and dental school
Public health

Research assistant
Pathologists’ assistant
Nutrition
Speech and language pathology
Athletic training
Genetic counseling
Diagnostic imaging
Pharmaceutical and medical sales

Experience a Day in the Life

Julia Wechsler waving to the camera — Are you interested in how people live longer and healthier lives? Join Julia Wechsler ’24 as she embarks on a faculty-led trip to the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, one of only five blue zones in the world.

Program Statistics

94% Success Rate

Percentage of health science studies graduates who are employed or in graduate school six months after graduation. (Five-year average 2019-2023)

+8% Job Growth

The projected percent change in employment for those in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations from 2022 to 2032. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

$77K Well-Positioned

The median annual wage for those in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations is $77,760. (U.S. of Bureau Labor Statistics, 2023)

Stand out among other candidates

Our curriculum provides you with the opportunity to complete your Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, your Mental Health First Aid certification, certificate in healthcare quality and safety and micro-credentialing in a variety of areas. Many students participate in faculty-mentored field and clinical research during the semester as part of an independent study or over the summer as part of the Quinnipiac Interdisciplinary Program for Research and Scholarship (QUIP-RS).

You’ll be joining an active, interdisciplinary community. Each year, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in over 80 interprofessional education events, from interactive simulations to other hands-on practice learning. There are numerous community engagement courses and international faculty-led courses that will provide you with a global perspective of healthcare.

This flexible program offers students a competitive edge to pursue their career interests or postgraduate study paths, including medical school. Whichever area of healthcare you choose to pursue, we will provide the foundation you’ll need to be an inspired and prepared learner dedicated to improving the future of healthcare.

Students are also encouraged to declare a minor to help broaden their foundational knowledge and to help prepare them for their future careers or graduate programs. 18 credits or six courses are needed for a minor.

The Minor in Global Public Health provides an interdisciplinary focus of study that enables you to understand and promote individual and population health throughout the world. This is accomplished via a range of courses that provide relevant and rigorous intellectual learning, community and international education and a capstone course in the senior year.

Learn more about the Minor in Global Public Health

The interdisciplinary Minor in Health Equity is designed and developed for students across the university who seek to understand how the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age affect a wide range of health, functioning and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.

Learn more about the Minor in Health Equity

With aging populations, reforms and a rapid increase in healthcare spending, there is a growing demand for professionals who understand the business essentials of healthcare. You’ll learn the complexities of healthcare systems, policies and financing, as well as the legal and ethical issues related to healthcare delivery. This expertise is necessary for leadership positions in hospitals, physicians’ offices, nursing homes, medical consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare-based organizations.

Learn more about the Minor in Healthcare Management

This minor will provide a solid foundation in the study of human movement, focusing on the early thought processes and disciplinary content for many fields in the health profession related to movement. Students explore methods of maintaining healthy movement, preventing disabilities, and initiating assessment of movement.

Learn more about the Minor in Human Movement

Nutrition is the study of components in foods and how they are ingested, digested, absorbed, transported, and used by the body. Quinnipiac’s Minor in Nutrition provides the broad foundational knowledge used by dietitians, scientists, and health professionals alike.

Learn more about the Minor in Nutrition

Grounded in science, this minor is targeted toward students interested in healthcare professions, especially working in athletic settings or with a physically active population. Studies are focused on developing the early thought processes and disciplinary content for health professions related to sports medicine and working with an active and/or athletic population.

Learn more about the Minor in Sports Medicine

Career-Building Resources

A student holds her notebook while talking to a job recruiter at a career fair

Design your career path

With an abundance of career-focused information and resources, the career advisers within the School of Health Sciences support students as they expand their professional networks and attract the attention of prestigious employers.

Learn more about career development

Customize your learning to your career goals

Our customizable and flexible program makes it easy for students to expand on its core requirements by selecting a minor or a double major.

With permission of the program directors, students interested in pursuing their master’s degree upon the completion of their bachelor’s may apply to take up to 9 credits of graduate-level coursework in their senior year, which may be applied toward both the undergraduate and graduate business programs, including:

Master of Business Administration

MS in Organizational Leadership

Qualified students also can enroll in several dual-degree and accelerated dual-degree programs, including:

Dual-Degree BA or BS/MBA 4+1 (electives available in health care management)

Dual-Degree BA or BS/JD (3+3) (health law concentration available)

Accelerated Dual-Degree BS/MSW (3+2)

In Their Own Words

Alexander M. Mass ’20

Recently accepted to the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine

“Quinnipiac provided me the flexibility to explore different health career paths before choosing what was right for me. From the professors and staff to the students, everyone cares for each other and looks to create a vibrant and collaborative learning community. Having this support network made the utmost difference in my education, personal life and career choices.”

Alumni Spotlight

Kevin Ferrarotti stands next to an ambulance

Alumni continue family tradition of keeping state’s residents healthy while preparing next generation of EMTs

As the youngest of five children in a family of first responders, Kevin Ferrarotti ’02, MAT ’03, was fitted with a wooden pager by his siblings so he’d always be prepared for a pretend emergency. After all, somebody had to play the victim.