Health Sciences Majors

Health Sciences at Ithaca College is not just a general science degree.  It is a highly intentional, rigorous pathway that prepares you for advanced study in the medicine, health professions or clinical research.  The B.S. in Health Sciences degree is chosen by students desiring direct career preparation, motivated by a desire to care for others, and possess an intense interest in science and the human body. 

Our major provides a solid preparation for your studies with coursework in the foundational science courses including anatomy & physiology, biology, and chemistry. In addition, you have the option to pursue advanced science courses such as microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, physics, neuroscience, animal sciences, and much more.

Our students also examine how access, culture, language, income, geography, and representation shape people's health experiences. This broader view helps future health professionals provide more informed, compassionate, and equitable care.  

Our program's experiential learning opportunities let you apply your knowledge in real-world settings. Through engaging classes, mentored research, and fieldwork you will enhance your understanding of healthcare and develop practical skills. 

Depending on your ambitions and goals, you can customize your studies by selecting from one of the following concentrations: Premedical Concentration or Planned Clinical Concentration.

Our graduates have been successful in gaining admission to graduate programs in medicine, physician assistant, nursing, clinical research, genetic counseling, pharmacy studies, clinical nutrition, and dietetics. 

They have pursued their passion to help people through graduate study at institutions such as Drexel College of Medicine, Harvard University, University of Connecticut, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia College Osteopathic and other highly regarded institutions.  Some have been accepted to physician assistant programs at Ithaca College, Thomas Jefferson University, and Northeastern University. Nursing programs at Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, University of Rochester, and Columbia University have welcomed our graduates. Others have pursued studies to become a homeopathic clinician, practitioner of Eastern medicine, or chiropractor.

Our department has an agreement with the School of Nursing at the University of Rochester to accept qualified students for studies in nursing.  For more information, contact the Department Chair, Dr. Amy Frith.