What you will study
UCM鈥檚 undergraduate Health Studies program is interdisciplinary to promote your career
interests and tailor the program accordingly. Throughout the program curriculum, you鈥檒l
learn to:
- Negotiate cross-cultural ideas of what it means to be healthy
- Influence others鈥� lifestyles to encourage healthy habits in any environment
- Discuss and sway current U.S. health policies and news coverage about public health
We encourage students to focus on three areas: academics, experience and professional
skills.
- Academics: See new relevant course options in , Four-Year Plan and the Approved Electives to focus on a career direction.
- Experience: Begin exploring career options by volunteering or working in the health-related
area you find interesting.
- Professional skills: Develop your skills by studying abroad, attending/presenting
at a professional conference, participating in a research study and becoming a certified
health educator specialist.
4 Year Plan Approved Electives
Excellence in Health Studies
- Best Value: Bachelor鈥檚 Degree College for General Health Services/Allied Health/Health Services
(College Factual, 2022)
- Most Popular: Bachelor鈥檚 Degree College for Health Professions (College Factual, 2022)
Unique learning opportunities in health studies
Your experience in UCM鈥檚 Health Studies program will take you far beyond the classroom.
By the time you enter the job market or begin filling out graduate school applications,
you鈥檒l have hundreds of hours of practice in the real world.
- Internships: Complete a 300-contact hour field experience, applying principles or theories in an
approved community, corporate or clinical setting. Students have interned at Dairy
Farmers of America, Humana, Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, Wellsource
and Kansas City Probation & Parole Division #5.
- Study abroad: Learn about global health while living and working in another country. Opportunities
to study abroad include 鈥淎 Taste of France With Nutrition鈥� 鈥� a 10-day culinary tour
for course credit. Look forward to 2024 trip to Pura Vida Cosra Rica.
- Applied nutrition: Bring your knowledge and experience to the communities that most need it by working
with food assistance programs such as the Salvation Army, local soup kitchens, Open
Door and many others.
Internships and more
Interns will have a wide variety of responsibilities and opportunities! To know more
details about internships, join the Health Studies group in Brightspace under My Community.
The Brightspace Health Studies group serves as a communication site which includes
internship details, club information, job listings and scholarships. Interns will
have a wide variety of responsibilities and opportunities!
What can you do with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Health Studies from UCM?
Health care in the United States is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to
become the largest job sector in the United States within the next decade. With this
growing demand for experienced health care professionals, the time to earn a bachelor鈥檚
degree in Health Studies is now.
96% of UCM鈥檚 Health Studies program graduates end up at their first choice of job
or in a graduate program. They have gone on to earn graduate degrees in epidemiology,
health administration, public health and occupational therapy. Many of our graduates
work in schools, hospitals, corporations and government agencies.
What to do with a Health Studies degree from UCM
Explore more options for future jobs with UCM鈥檚 degree in Health Studies using the
interactive tool below. You can gain insights on health care salaries, job outlooks
and more.
Financial assistance options for your UCM Health Studies degree
You鈥檝e chosen to dedicate your career to helping others. We offer many scholarships
to make that path as accessible and affordable as possible.
Beyond the general scholarships available through the 欧美视频,
numerous scholarships are available specifically for Health Studies majors, including:
- Mike and SueAnn Carter Scholarship
You can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Meet Anna Leonard
BS Health Studies 鈥�24
"When I was introduced to Health Studies, I knew it was the perfect fit. It was great
for what I wanted to do with my future. There are so many doors that can be opened
in the Health Studies program, and so many people that are here to support you."
Meet Dr. Karen Doyle
Associate Professor of Health Studies
Dr. Karen Doyle is a UCM alumna who earned her Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology/Gerontology
at the University of Kansas. Her research interests are in workplace health/well-being
and health coaching for addiciton recovery. At UCM, she provides leadership as the
Health Studies coordinator, teaches Community Health courses and supervises interns.
A Tradition of Helping Communities
Make an impact through community health and public policy
UCM鈥檚 Health Studies program has been teaching students the value of working within
local communities and influencing public policy to help those most in need. Graduates
leave with a rich appreciation for the role that health care plays in the lives of
those around them.
Meet Leah Holt
BS Health Studies '24
鈥淪pecifically, I can speak to the Health Studies department. I would say that the
department itself really kind of latched on, but particularly Dr. Doyle, reaching
out to me and making sure that, you know, it may seem overwhelming at first entering
Health Studies but here鈥檚 everything you can do. She took a personal interest in helping
me.鈥�
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Certifications
鈥淭丑别 Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES庐) examination is a competency-based tool used to measure possession, application
and interpretation of knowledge in the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Education
Specialists delineated by . The exam reflects the .鈥�
鈥淧romote physical activity from the playground to policy-makers by becoming an ACSM/NPAS
Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist (PAPHS). In collaboration with ACSM and the National Physical Activity Society (NPAS)
鈥� learn how to make your voice heard for the advancement of your community on the
way to building partnerships, developing initiatives, and advocating for programming
that centers on physical activity as a path to stronger public health.鈥�
&苍产蝉辫;鈥�Wellcoaches founded the first coaching school for health and wellness professionals in 2002,
in collaboration with the American College of Sports Medicine, and published the first
coaching textbook in health and wellness. Since then, Wellcoaches has defined the
cutting edge and the gold standard for high impact, evidence-based, and innovative
education, training, and certification. We provide the tools and skills to become
game-changing professionals in corporate, healthcare, military and consumer well-being.
We have trained more than 10,000 coaches in nearly 50 countries and now train 1,200
coaches per year.鈥�
Professional Organizations
