Health Profession Studies, B.A.

The B.A. in Health Profession Studies program is intended to prepare students for many possible jobs, including those in the following areas: patient/hospital intake, patient care assistant, patient care coordinator, hospital or doctor office manager, patient advocate, rehabilitation aide, health advocate, patient navigator, community support staff, activity leader in long-term care facility, and hospice. Employment opportunities can be found with many types of employers, including hospitals, dental offices, laboratories, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, hospice homes, community and public agencies, and large health care organizations. Students can also successfully apply for a variety of professional entry-level graduate or postbaccalaureate programs, such as Accelerated B.S.N., Direct Entry M.S.N., M.S. in Speech Language Pathology, etc.

Students who complete the Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching Track will have completed a National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) Approved Training Program and can sit for the National Board Certification Examination.  Those who pass the exam earn the National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) credential.  

Occupational/technical credits from a health-related A.A.S. program may transfer as general electives for transfer students majoring in GCU’s Health Sciences or Health Profession Studies programs.

Upon successful completion of the program of study, the student will receive a B.A. in Health Profession Studies and will have given evidence of the following outcomes and goals:

• Students will use and apply the knowledge related to the health care professions:
  1. scientific: human anatomy and physiology;
  2. health care systems, insurance products, and legal parameters of the health care profession; and
  3. social systems and clinical processes.
• Students will demonstrate effective communication evidenced through development of academic and scientific research, team collaboration, and oral presentations as well as an ability to communicate with diverse populations.
• Students will apply career-based skills and personal preferences through internships, clinical experiences, and/or capstone requirements along with external evaluation of these experiences.
• Students will show personal integration of Mercy core values and the ethics and standards of the profession through service learning and application of ethics and the standards of the profession.

To earn this degree, students must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and the major requirements below.

Major Sequence

¹

General Education

²

Major