Program Overview

Allied Health Sciences Major

The Allied Health Sciences major prepares students for immediate employment in various health fields, including case management/patient care coordination, health education, medical billing and account management, health marketing and sales, laboratory research, health insurance administration, and more. This degree also prepares students for admission to graduate and/or professional schools and programs that require a bachelor's degree, such as medical school, dental school, physician assistant, physical therapy, public health, health promotion sciences, etc.

Standard Plan & Concentrations

• AHS Standard Plan: This plan is designed for students who seek broad training in Allied Health Sciences in preparation for general health careers or graduate and professional programs. The plan is flexible, allowing students to tailor their plan of study to meet their career goals. Many students in this plan are pursuing graduate programs such as physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, or accelerated bachelors of nursing.
• Concentration in Health Sciences (HESCI): Students with an interest in health specialties that involve laboratory or diagnostic procedures or who are looking to pursue health fields that require a strong health science and pathology background should consider this concentration. Many students in this plan are pursuing medical school, dental school, optometry, pathology assistant, or pharmacy.
• Concentration in Healthcare Administration (HADM): This concentration is for students considering an administrative or managerial career in settings like hospitals, clinics, government planning and regulatory agencies, health maintenance organizations, hospital associations, consulting firms, computer vendors, health insurance companies, hospital equipment and supplies manufacturers, etc. This concentration is for students seeking employment or admission into graduate programs in public health, health administration, health insurance studies, corporate health, health policy and law, etc.
• Concentration in Public Health & Health Promotion (PHHP): If students are interested in working in social service agencies, worksite health promotion programs, government health agencies, hospital wellness programs, or business/industry/educational settings that emphasize health and health promotion to minimize the risk and impacts of disease, they may wish to consider this concentration. This concentration is designed to prepare students for positions in public health, health education, and counseling fields as well as for admission to graduate programs including the Department's Master's in Health Promotion Sciences, Master's in Public Health, gerontology, health education, health psychology, healthcare administration, or healthcare policy.
• Concentration in Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS): Students interested in occupational and environmental health and safety or applying marketable skills in a broad range of work environments such as manufacturing, construction, healthcare, public health, research and development, and academia among many others, should consider this concentration. Coursework includes related topics that prepare OEHS specialists to identify workplace hazards and develop strategies to reduce or prevent accidents, injuries, and illness. They promote health and safety within organizations by developing and implementing safer and healthier workplace policies and practices. The concentration provides a foundation for professional certification in individual disciplines such as occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and ergonomics.

Program Details

The Allied Health program at UConn offers a multitude of specific routes to learn about and experience skills in. The program provides a foundation for students to pursue various healthcare routes and prepares them for immediate employment or further education in graduate and professional programs. The program's flexibility allows students to tailor their plan of study to meet their career goals, with concentrations available in Health Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Public Health & Health Promotion, and Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Allied Health Sciences major can pursue a variety of career paths, including but not limited to:

• Case management/patient care coordination
• Health education
• Medical billing and account management
• Health marketing and sales
• Laboratory research
• Health insurance administration
• Graduate and professional programs such as medical school, dental school, physician assistant, physical therapy, public health, health promotion sciences, etc.

Conclusion

The Allied Health Sciences major at UConn is an excellent choice for students considering healthcare routes, offering a broad range of concentrations and career opportunities. With its flexible plan of study and preparation for immediate employment or further education, this major provides students with a solid foundation for success in the healthcare industry.