The mission of the Department of Health Sciences is to educate and train students who will collaboratively address human health from interdisciplinary natural and social scientific perspectives in order to promote health and to improve the lives of individuals and communities.
The Health Sciences major is ideal for future physicians, public health professionals, nurses, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrists, physical therapists, optometrists, occupational therapists, epidemiologists, and other health professionals. The major offers concentrations in 'Bioscience' and 'Public Health Sciences' that enable future health care and public health professionals to engage in cross-disciplinary conversations. Students interested in health-related professions take a set of core courses and then choose from electives suited to their interests. The flexibility of this major allows students to meet the requirements for entry into a wide range of graduate and professional programs.
For qualified students, the major offers several accelerated and combined degree programs, including programs leading to a master's degree in public health (MPH), generalist nursing (MS), or occupational therapy (MS) or a professional degree in medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, pharmacy, podiatry, or pathologists' assistant programs.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies requirements | 64-80 |
| Major Core requirements | 20 |
| Major Concentration requirements | 44-64 |
| Major Concentration electives | 0-8 |
| Open electives | 32-48 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the Health Sciences degree, students will be able to:
- Evaluate scientific research and evidence-based approaches to human health on an individual and population level.
- Identify the core concepts and principles of public health and explain how they promote health and prevention of disease.
- Explain the foundational biological principles related to human health.
- Identify and analyze ethical issues in research, health, and public health.
- Explain how social determinants influence an individual's health and create health disparities.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills and work collaboratively with individuals of varied perspectives.
College Core Requirements
Modern Language Requirements
Students who intend to graduate with the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. Such competence may be demonstrated in one of several ways:
- completing the last course in the fourth-year high school sequence of any language
- completing the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language
- completing a college course beyond the first-year level in any language
- achieving a satisfactory score on any of the Modern Language placement examinations administered at DePaul
- achieving a satisfactory rating in a proficiency examination accepted by DePaul
- achieving a score of 3 or higher on the Advance Placement (AP) test for any language
- achieving a score of 5 or higher in the Language B assessment from a Standard or Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) program
- achieving a satisfactory score on the CLEP examination
Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.
For further information regarding satisfactory scores and possible credit from the DePaul placement, AP, CLEP, or IB examinations, please contact Student Records.
Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College of Science and Health will abide by the College of Science and Health Modern Language Requirement in place on the effective date of the ICT.
BA students who meet College requirements and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” of the Liberal Studies Program. While Bachelor of Science (BS) students are not required to demonstrate competency in a modern language, the “Modern Language Option” is available to them for language study at any level. Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.
Major Declaration Requirements
All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. After researching College programs, the student should declare a major field by visiting Campus Connection and using the Declarations and Inter-College Transfer tool. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor or staff advisor in the department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience.
To change major fields, or to declare a minor or concentration, the student must use the Declarations and Inter-College Transfer tool described above. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the College or an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| LSP 112 | FOCAL POINT SEMINAR | 4 |
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Not Required for Bioscience Concentration | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Required 3 | 4 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Required 1 | 4 | |
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
For Public Health Sciences Concentration Only: Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning (CR) course and a Statistical Reasoning (SR) course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162 MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
- 3
Students in the Combined Occupational Therapy (MS) program must complete the Experiential Learning requirement by taking OT 412 and OT 422. Students in the Accelerated 3+ Pre-Pharmacy program are not required to take an Experiential Learning course.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 3 Courses Required
(See notes below)
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- 1 Course Required (Not Required for Bioscience Concentration)
[must be a Computational Reasoning (CR) Course]
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 2 Courses Required
(See notes below)
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 2 Courses Required
(See notes below)
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- Not Required
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 3 Courses Required
(See notes below)
Notes
Students must complete one approved health ethics course: REL 229 (RD) or PHL 229 (PI) within their liberal studies program or an elective in the major, HLTH 229.
Students in the Accelerated 3+ Pre-Medicine program have a two course reduction in the Philosophical Inquiry (PI) domain. Students in the Accelerated 3+ Pre-Pharmacy program have a one course reduction in the Arts and Literature (AL) domain, a one course reduction in the PI domain, and do not need to take Experiential Learning course. Students in the Combined Occupational Therapy (MS) program have a one course reduction in the AL, PI, and Social, Cultural and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI) domains.
Specified required courses within Liberal Studies may have grade minimums (e.g. C- or better). Please consult your advisor or your college and major requirements.
Students with a primary major in Health Sciences are required to complete the Capstone offered by the Health Sciences department. Students double majoring or pursuing dual degrees with the primary major or primary degree in Health Sciences are required to complete the Capstone offered by the Health Sciences department. Health Sciences students in the University Honors Program shall take the University Honors Capstone. They are not expected to take both the Honors Capstone and the primary major or primary degree Capstone.
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as the Experiential Learning requirement or a general elective.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major.
Major Requirements
Core Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HLTH 200 | FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH SCIENCES | 4 |
| HLTH 210 | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH | 4 |
| HLTH 250 | HEALTH CARE POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES | 4 |
| HLTH 350 | HEALTH SCIENCES CAPSTONE | 4 |
| BIO 191 | GENERAL BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS | 4 |
All majors will also complete one approved health ethics course, which can apply to the Religious Dimensions or Philosophical Inquiry learning domains (REL 229 or PHL 229) within their liberal studies program, or to their electives in the major (HLTH 229).
Concentration Requirements
Students must select a concentration within the major and complete the requirements. A maximum of one concentration may be selected. Health Sciences concentrations include: Bioscience or Public Health Sciences.
Students are advised to talk with their advisor before double majoring, because some major combinations are prohibited. No more than 50% of the credits that apply to one major may be drawn from another major.
Concentration Requirements
Concentrations provide an opportunity for students to narrow the focus of their major. In addition to the college core requirements, liberal studies requirements and major requirements, student are required to choose one of the following concentrations.
The concentrations listed below may only be taken by students who have been conditionally admitted into a corresponding pre-professional program. Details regarding application and admission are provided within each of the concentration descriptions.
Accelerated Concentrations
- Accelerated 3+ Bioscience/Generalist Nursing Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Medicine Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Pathologists' Assistant Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Pharmacy Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Physician Assistant Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Pre-Podiatric Medicine Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)
- Accelerated 3+ Public Health Sciences/Occupational Therapy Concentration, Health Sciences (BS)