About
Healthcare is a growing field, and in today's patient- and family-centered environment, you will find many career opportunities in direct service, management, marketing, advocacy and other industry roles. The Healthcare Services and Sciences (BS-HSS) program prepares you to serve in a variety of careers.
If you are interested in graduate programs, you will benefit from a program core preparing you to work effectively in the U.S. health system. You may also take prerequisite courses related to your intended type of graduate program. Advisors will help you customize your program to prepare you for graduate work.
If you want to prepare for administrative and other non-clinical positions, you will benefit from a curriculum that introduces the intricacies of today's healthcare and provides cutting edge skills in demand for entry-or mid-level careers in various settings.
If you are already working in health care and are interested in upgrading your knowledge and abilities with a bachelor's degree, you will find the interdisciplinary focus of the BS-HSS ideal. Your previous education in allied health fields may count for credit toward the pre-professional sequence or the professional core within the degree. Licensed or certified clinicians may qualify for the Clinical Practice in Health (CPH) track and receive additional credit.
Through our program, you will gain skills and competencies needed to function effectively in a variety of settings and roles. The program is designed to meet the needs of individual students and help you pursue your unique interests and career aspirations.
Mission
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Services and Sciences at Western Michigan University prepares students to understand the healthcare world and how to work successfully in it.
Careers
The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Services and Sciences (BS-HSS) prepares students to go directly to employment after graduation or complete a graduate degree in the fast growing field of health care. There is high demand for health care professionals.
The majority of HSS students plan to apply for a graduate degree. Students plan to pursue careers in occupational therapy, physician assistant services, nursing, physical therapy, speech pathology, medicine, audiology, blindness and low vision services and more.
Many students enter a health career directly after graduating with the HSS degree. A sample of health careers after a bachelors degree can be found here. Some of these require additional certification or licensure. Examples of all levels of health science careers are described here. A full table of possible health careers with salary information is found here.
Learning outcomes
While earning the B.S. in Healthcare Services and Sciences students will gain knowledge and learn to apply that knowledge as described in these ten learning outcomes:
- Demonstrates knowledge of the structure and function of U.S. health delivery systems across the continuum of care
- Measures and plans improvement in health care quality
- Uses health policy and law in planning and practice
- Uses research skills to develop evidence based plans: Formulates questions and uses search skills and critical evaluation skills to develop an evidence-based plan
- Uses knowledge about diversity, health disparities, health inequities and cultural humility to inform work in health
- Uses clear and effective oral and written communication skills. This includes health literacy and interprofessional communication
- Demonstrates professional behavior. This includes work ethic, attitudes, teamwork, responsible behavior, communication skills and commitment to learning
- Uses critical thinking to solve problems and make decisions
- Uses ethical decision-making processes, and a code of ethics to solve ethical dilemmas
- Describes the physical, mental, emotional, and social patterns of growth, development, and aging with emphasis on considerations for the health student