Overview
Healthcare is a basic need, like food, shelter and clothing. For this reason, there will always be a high demand for healthcare professionals and paraprofessionals. In addition, because of advances in medicine and technology, healthcare has become extremely complex, requiring workers with many different specialties. Entry-level jobs in many of these areas of specialization require only an associate degree, yet offer attractive opportunities for advancement upon the completion of higher degrees and certificates. Labouré College of Healthcare’s Associate of Science in Health Science provides students with an introduction to the fast growing and dynamic field of healthcare.
Building on a core of courses in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, the Health Science program provides a solid foundation of basic skills. In addition to this foundation, the Health Science degree includes a core of health science courses that provide a broad survey of the basic knowledge and skills required for success in many healthcare fields, with an emphasis on continued study at the bachelor’s level. In addition, students can transfer in courses from other areas of specialization. Students completing other areas of specializations may be eligible for additional exam-based credit and certifications in these fields.
Students who have credits from nursing, neurodiagnostic technology, intraoperative neuromonitoring, radiation therapy or other healthcare fields can also transfer these credits into the Health Science associate degree. Credits in the Health Science program can be applied to our Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BSHA) degree. However, it is the student’s responsibility to research transferability of course credit to and from the college.
The associate degree program is strategically designed to provide students with a focused education that enhances their professional skills through certificates, pathways, and tracks to degree completion. The diversification of program offerings is meeting community and market needs and is increasing students’ opportunities to be engaged in model work experiences through them.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Explain and apply a broad range of medical terms and essential health-related concepts
- Apply concepts from the behavioral and biological sciences to allied health practice
- Describe in-depth the roles and functions of the various components of the U.S. healthcare system
- Explain and critique the manner in which healthcare in the U.S. is funded
- State well-supported positions on contemporary healthcare issues
- Explain the fundamental scientific components of public health practice, including epidemiology, immunology, environmental health, disease prevention, and public health informatics and surveillance
- Describe in-depth the components of a wellness approach to healthcare, including nutrition, exercise, stress reduction. and mindfulness
- Use current technology in a variety of healthcare settings
- Apply rigorous evidence-based standards to practices in allied health
- Conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the professional, ethical, and legal standards of allied health practice
The 60-credit associate degree in Health Science contains five components:
- The 30-credit Labouré College of Healthcare Arts and Sciences Common Core that provides a foundation of knowledge and skills from the liberal arts and sciences.
- A 4-credit health-related integrative seminar that focuses on the development of signature works that require students to integrate the knowledge and skills learned in their liberal arts courses.
- A 30-credit Health Science core that encompasses essential knowledge of the healthcare field such as the nature of disease, medical terminology and procedures, the structure of the U.S. healthcare system, healthcare finance and policy, and roles and functions of healthcare providers.
- Optional elective courses
- Transfer of courses from other specialty areas
Program of Study
While the college makes every effort to avoid schedule changes, the college may cancel courses or alter course schedules without prior notification.
Professional Courses
| HSC 1010 | Introduction to Health Science | 3 |
| HSC 1020 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| HSC 2010 | Fundamentals of Healthcare Delivery | 3 |
| HSC 2020 | Survey of Public Health Practices | 3 |
| HSC 2030 | Holistic Health and Wellness | 3 |
| HSC 2000 | Health Science Electives | 6 |
| HSC 2001 | Health Science Specialty Track: EKG, Gerontology or Phlebotomy | 7 - 9 |
Arts and Sciences Courses
Total Credits: 60
Students are awarded the degree after meeting the requirements listed below:
- Completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours at the college
- Successful completion of the degree program as prescribed by the college
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher
- A minimum grade of C in degree professional courses and science courses (i.e., Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Biology, Microbiology, etc.) Some colleges may only allow students to transfer C+ or higher for science courses.
- A minimum grade of D- in all other associate degree courses
- Completion of all program requirements within six years of enrollment at the college