This interdisciplinary degree program is designed to provide students with career opportunities as entry-level health profession practitioners in a variety of health care fields. The coursework for this degree will also fulfill the standard natural, behavioral, and social science pre-requisites for entry into graduate professional health care programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, nursing and public health. The program aims to foster an understanding of the biological, psychological and social bases of health, and requires students to engage in individual scholarship or team research of an interdisciplinary nature. The Chapman bachelor of health sciences program distinguishes itself by providing students the opportunity to complement the science courses designated as pre-requisites for health care professional programs with expertise in health psychology, health communication, and medical sociology and ethics to prepare them for careers in a variety of health care professions.


Three options are available to students pursuing the B.S. in Health Sciences:

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences

Course of Study

Students must complete at least 79 credits of multidisciplinary coursework.  Listed below are the required and elective courses and a suggested 4-year plan. All courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a "C" or higher.


Core Courses (54 credits):
Sciences (32 credits)

Suggested 4-Year Plan

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Bridge Program: B.S. in Health Sciences and Doctor of Physical Therapy

This program guarantees excellent students a seat in Chapman University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and makes them eligible for scholarship money awarded to outstanding, incoming DPT students. 

Admission Procedures

Students eligible for early, guaranteed admission into Chapman University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program must meet the following criteria.

1. The B.S. in Health Sciences core courses (BIOL 204, BIOL 210, BIOL 365, BIOL 366, CHEM 140, CHEM 150, PHYS 107, PHYS 108, and PSY 203):
   a. Must be taken at Chapman University;
   b. May only be taken once;
   c. Must be taken for a letter grade;
   d. Must be completed by the end of the spring semester junior year;
   e. Must compute to a core GPA > 3.6.
   
2. Before October 1 of the junior year, the student seeking guaranteed, early admission must schedule an interview with Serena Healy (healey@chapman.edu), DPT admissions coordinator,  to review requirements and establish a plan to complete successfully the requirements for early, guaranteed admission.
   
3. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) must be taken before the beginning of the senior year with the following minimum scores earned:
                  Verbal                 500
                  Quantitative         600
                  Writing Sample     5.0

Students meeting the stated requirements will be admitted to the DPT program in the early fall of their senior year on a conditional basis until the following criteria for admission are complete.

1. 40 physical therapy observational/experience hours are completed and documented.
2. All BS Health Science degree requirements are completed and degree bestowed by the university.
3. Cumulative GPA at graduation > 3.4.

Students admitted on a conditional basis will be considered for scholarship awards.  

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4+1 B.S. in Health Sciences & M.S. in Health Communication

Course of Study

Students complete 54 credits of core courses, 13 credits of science requirements/prerequisites, and 12 credits of electives. Nine of the 12 credits of electives must be Health Communication courses (have a HCOM prefix). All coures in the major must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a "C" or higher.

Students in the 4+1 program may complete up to 9 credits of graduate coursework in their senior year provided they meet the admission requirements for the graduate degree.

Follow the 4-year plan for the B.S. in Health Sciences degree, but during the spring semester of the junior year of the program, contact the program director, Dr. Lisa Sparks (sparks@chapman.edu), for assistance in selecting 9 credits of graduate coursework to take during the senior year.

Candidates for the M.S. in Health Communication must successfully complete 30 credits of graduate course work.

Core Courses (15 Credits):

Students interested in the 4+1 program should contact the program director, Dr. Lisa Sparks (sparks@chapman.edu) or visit www.chapman.edu/cs/HealthComm/ for more information.

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