Degree Offered
- Associate of Applied Science
Nature of the Program
An associate in applied science degree in health science prepares students to either enter the workforce in an entry-level position in a hospital, a doctor’s office or other health care facility or to enter a bachelor degree program in health science. Three tracks are available: one in healthcare administration, one in science and one in social science. The tracks allow students to specialize in a more specific healthcare field. All the tracks require general science, ethics, communication and social science courses that provide a foundation for any career in health science. The healthcare administration track primarily focuses on business elective courses in subjects like business technology, accounting, and computer information systems. The science track primarily focuses on additional science course electives in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and microbiology. The social science track requires electives in subjects like sociology, social work, and psychology
Career Opportunities
The healthcare administration track prepares students for entry-level administrative jobs, in areas such as billing, coding, and scheduling. The science track can be used to transfer into a bachelors degree and/or begin to complete requirements for professional health science careers, like medicine, physicians assistant, and dentistry. The social science track allows students to work in social service departments to assist social workers and other positions.
Faculty
Chair
- Erin Cunningham - M.S. Biology
Year @ PSC 2007
Advisor
- Sheri Chisholm - Ph.D. Institutional Leadership, M.S. Immunology Biotechnology
Year @ PSC 2009
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum grade of C- is required in all coursework. | ||
| Core Coursework | ||
| WVUE 191 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| or BCOR 191 | First-Year Seminar | |
| ENGL 101 | Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric (GEF 1) | 3 |
| MATH 124 | Algebra with Applications (or higher; GEF 3) | 3 |
| CS 101 | Intro to Computer Applications (GEF 8) | 4 |
| HIIM 110 | Introduction to U.S. Healthcare Delivery System | 3 |
| MDS 270 | Effective Public Speaking (GEF 4) | 3 |
| PALM 200 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| PHIL 331 | Health Care Ethics (GEF 5) | 3 |
| Track Coursework | 37 | |
Health Care Administration Track | ||
| Principles of Accounting 1 | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Drugs and the Body | ||
| Business Communications | ||
| Business Mathematics | ||
| Spreadsheet Applications | ||
| Customer Service Relations | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
or ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
Electives (10 Hours) * | ||
Science Track | ||
| General Biology 2 and General Biology 2 Laboratory | ||
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
or ANTH 105 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| Introduction To Health Careers | ||
| Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Human Development | ||
Electives (17 Hours) ** | ||
Social Science Track | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
or ANTH 105 | Introduction to Anthropology | |
| Drugs and the Body | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| Introduction To Health Careers | ||
| Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
| Understanding Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Human Development | ||
Electives (15 Hours) *** | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- *
Choose electives from the following for the Health Care Administration Track: BTEC 103, BTEC 106, BTEC 205, BTEC 211, BTEC 225, BTEC 260, BTEC 295, CIS 112, CIS 118, CIS 152, ACCT 202, ENGL 102.
- **
Choose electives from the following for the Science Track: HN&F 171, CHEM 111 and CHEM 112, CHEM 115 and CHEM 116, BIOL 108, BIOL 230 and BIOL 231, MICB 200.
- ***
Choose electives from the following for the Social Science Track: PSYC 232, PSYC 251, PSYC 281, SOC 207, SOC 221, CRIM 232, ANTH 254, SOWK 151.
- ****
Students in the Health Care Administration Track have the option of completing BCOR 191 or WVUe 191 as their First-Year Seminar requirement.
Suggested Plan of Study (Health Care Administration Track)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | MATH 124 (GEF 3) | 3 |
| HN&F 171 (GEF 2) | 3 | PALM 200 | 3 |
| BTEC 109 | 3 | CS 101 (GEF 2) | 4 |
| HIIM 110 | 3 | BTEC 113 | 3 |
| BCOR 199 | 3 | BIOL 108 | 3 |
| BCOR 191 or WVUE 191 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ACCT 201 | 3 | ECON 201 or 202 | 3 |
| BTEC 107 | 3 | BTEC 200 | 3 |
| MDS 270 (GEF 4) | 3 | PHIL 331 | 3 |
| Health Care Administration Track Elective | 3 | Health Care Administration Track Elective | 3 |
| Health Care Administration Track Elective | 2 | Health Care Administration Track Elective | 2 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Suggested Plan of Study (Science Track)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HIIM 110 | 3 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| BIOL 102 & 102L (GEF 2) | 4 | PALM 200 | 3 |
| MATH 124 (GEF 3) | 3 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| CS 101 (GEF 8) | 4 | SOC 101 or ANTH 105 (GEF 4/7) | 3 |
| WVUE 191 | 1 | HLSC 270 | 1 |
| MDS 270 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | PSYC 241 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | 3 | PHIL 331 | 3 |
| Science Track Elective | 3 | Science Track Elective | 3 |
| Science Track Elective | 3 | Science Track Elective | 3 |
| Science Track Elective | 3 | Science Track Elective | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Suggested Plan of Study (Social Science Track)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| CS 101 (GEF 2) | 4 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| HIIM 110 | 3 | PALM 200 | 3 |
| MATH 124 (GEF 3) | 3 | BIOL 108 | 3 |
| SOC 101 or ANTH 105 (GEF 4/7) | 3 | PSYC 101 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| WVUE 191 | 1 | HN&F 171 (GEF 8) | 3 |
| HLSC 270 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | PHIL 331 | 3 |
| STAT 111 | 3 | Social Science Track Elective | 3 |
| PSYC 241 (GEF 8) | 3 | Social Science Track Elective | 3 |
| MDS 270 (GEF 4) | 3 | Social Science Track Elective | 3 |
| Social Science Track Elective | 3 | Social Science Track Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Health Sciences
Graduates of the associate degree program will be able to:
- Apply problem solving skills in relation to health
- Use core terminology utilized in community health and medicine effectively
- Describe the components and functions of the United States health care system
- Demonstrate acceptable oral and written communication skills