Health Sciences Program

June Larson, Director
School of Health Sciences
Lee Medical Building #302E
Phone: (605) 677-5000
healthsciencesmajor@usd.edu
usd.edu/healthsciencesmajor

FACULTY

Professor:

June Larson, Nursing

Assistant Professor:

Musheera Anis-Abdellitif, Medicine, Child Psychiatry
Cassity Gutierrez, Public Health

Instructor:

Laurie Lind, Occupational Therapy
Cindy Mulder, Certified Nurse Practitioner, Adult and Women’s Health
Audrey Ticknor, Dental Hygiene
Becky Wolff, Nursing and Complimentary Therapies

Adjunct:

Brad Beauvais, Health Policy and Administration
Janet Corral, Health Technology
Melissa Hendricks, Physical Therapy
Jonelle Hook, Physical Therapy Assistant, Education
Kristi Leisinger, Health Services Adminstration
Ann Mollman, Nursing
Rob Stowe, Quality Improvement
Margaret Walker, Nursing

Advisor:

Audrey Ticknor, Dental Hygiene

MAJOR:

Health Sciences, B.S.

SPECIALIZATION:

Paramedic (anticipated spring 2015)

MINOR:

Health Sciences

The University of South Dakota is the only university in the regental system to offer a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. This dynamic major is interdisciplinary in nature and provides flexible options that allow students to prepare for many kinds of careers related to health. This major is appropriate for any student planning to enter graduate health programs. The major also provides the opportunity for students with a general but unfocused interest in the health professions to explore the many opportunities in the field and to gain foundational knowledge, values and interpersonal skills necessary in today’s health and human service settings. The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences will qualify students for:

Entry into graduate programs in a specific health profession.
Entry-level employment in health care or health care-related positions.
Career mobility and advancement for individuals with a health care background.

Pathway One: Pre-Professional Studies

The pre-professional pathway provides a foundation for study in a health profession program. In addition to the major courses, these students will take coursework needed for entry into an undergraduate or graduate health sciences program. USD offers the health sciences majors listed below. Please refer to the program page in the catalog or their respective websites.

Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Catalog Link	Webpage link
Addiction Studies Dept	www.usd.edu/ads
Medical Laboratory Science (B.S.)	www.usd.edu/medlab
Dental Hygiene Department	www.usd.edu/dh
Health Sciences (B.S.)	www.usd.edu/healthsciencesmajor
Nursing Department	www.usd.edu/nursing
Social Work Department	www.usd.edu/socialwork

Graduate Degree Programs

Catalog Link	Webpage Link
Addiction Studies (http://catalog.usd.edu) - select graduate	www.usd.edu/ads
Occupational Therapy (http://catalog.usd.edu/ - select graduate)	www.usd.edu/ot
Physician Assistant (http://catalog.usd.edu/ - select graduate)	www.usd.edu/pa
Social Work (http://catalog.usd.edu/ - select graduate)	www.usd.edu/socialwork

Doctoral Degree Program

Catalog Link	Webpage Link
Physical Therapy (http://catalog.usd.edu/ - select graduate)	www.usd.edu/pt

In addition to USD’s Health Science programs, pre-professional studies students can take coursework that prepares them for entry into graduate programs offered at other universities, including pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, medicine, chiropractic medicine, public health, etc.

Pathway Two: Health Care Studies

This pathway is for individuals who desire a career in the health care industry rather than in a clinically-based profession. The student’s course of study will build a solid academic foundation in humanities, math, science and healthcare. The student will be encouraged to earn up to two minors in addition to the Health Sciences major to create a unique program that will be geared toward individual goals and to increase marketability when seeking employment. The graduate will be prepared for entry-level employment in health care or health related careers.

Pathway Three: Health Career Advancement Studies

The Health Sciences Major at the University of South Dakota provides health career advancement for individuals who are already health care workers and who hold an AA, AS, or AAS degree and wish to advance in their current positions or in a related area of health care. After completing this degree, the graduate may go on to pursue graduate work in a specific area of health sciences if desired.

Pathway Four: Undergraduate Research

The undergraduate research pathway includes working with scientists in basic biomedical research, health disparities, clinical or translational research and data methodologies, biostatistics, and epidemiology. The desired outcome is that those students who explore research as undergraduates will continue their education in graduate research programs and contribute to the exceptional research activities in South Dakota.

Pathway Five: Undergraduate Public Health

The undergraduate public health pathway introduces public health as a career option. Knowledge of global health issues and the improvement of population health will better prepare the student for a future in healthcare professions, enabling the future practitioner to address vital social issues with an awareness of world context.

Pathway Six: Undergraduate Clinical Informatics

The clinical informatics pathway provides the opportunity to gain skill in the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in healthcare.