Program Overview

Health Studies Major

The Health Studies major at the University of North Dakota combines courses to provide both a general knowledge base in the human and natural sciences and the perspective that health care demands.

Program Details

• Program type: Major
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated time to complete: 4 years
• Credit hours: 120

Why Earn a Health Studies Degree?

The B.S. in Health Studies is an especially good choice for students interested in becoming a practitioner or working within health care organizations and the medical industry. You'll become a critical consumer of information, lifelong learner, and problem solver, and you'll prepare to succeed in a health-related career. A Health Studies degree can be easily paired with any pre-professional degrees. It offers students a broader understanding of health care perspectives and opens the door to alternative career options such as health management or promotion.

Flexible Health Sciences Degree

The Health Studies degree has a core set of courses in anatomy, chemistry, physiology, and biology. It will prepare you to contribute to the health care field by taking a holistic and integrated approach combining the perspectives of social sciences with public health and ethics. You'll learn how to communicate effectively by taking specialized courses like Thinking and Writing and Health Communication. You'll have the option to specialize in one of the following sub-plans:

• Health Administration: Learn the leadership and communication skills to foster an environment for health care to be delivered successfully.
• Health Data and Informatics: Manage health data to support and improve care.
• Health Management: Contribute to the health care industry at the level of the health care organization or facility as a whole.
• Health Promotion: Learn to promote health through programming to increase individual and population well-being and quality of life.
• Health and Law: Analyze the policies, regulations, laws, and institutional and political structures that affect health care.

Health Studies Major at UND

• Launch your medical career by completing a real-world internship or co-op experience in health care.
• Explore your health, medical, and science interests by joining one of UND's 275+ student organizations.
• Examine today's complex health issues from a variety of perspectives.
• Let our team of academic advisors help you plan your major.
• Raise your grades by getting free academic support at UND.

What to Do with a Health Studies Degree?

Health Studies is a flexible major that opens the door to a world of health careers by allowing you to build your course of study around your professional goals. The major leads to rewarding careers in any area of health care, including:

• Medical Assistant
• Massage Therapist
• Medical Secretary
• Health Educator
• Midwife
• Holistic Therapist
• Corporate Wellness Manager
• Mental or Behavioral Health Technician
• Social and Human Services Assistant
• Personal Care Aide
• Case Manager

Health Studies Courses

• Service and Citizenship (IDS 495): Students will design community service projects, or will join existing projects, and engage in volunteer action during the semester.
• Thinking and Writing (IDS 280): The course will examine the nature of academic disciplines and fields and the way in which knowledge is generated, organized, and shared.
• Ethics in Healthcare (PHIL 251): Some ethical problems and ethical guidelines are of particular concern to citizens and to professionals interested in health care fields.
• Health Psychology (PSYC 335): A biopsychosocial approach is used to examine basic concepts, theories, and research in health psychology from the perspectives of the patient, caregiver, health care provider, and researcher.
• Introduction to Public Health (PHE 101): Introduction to the population health approach to public health.
• Health Communication (COMM 380): Introduces theories and practices of health communication.