Health Sciences Majors: Premedical or Planned Clinical Concentration

The bachelors of science in health sciences is an extremely flexible major designed for students with varied career goals. It prepares students with a solid foundation for work in fields as diverse as allied health, clinical research, medicine, nursing,  nutrition, and therapies that integrate both Eastern and Western healing traditions.

You will take core courses in health promotion that will give you the knowledge you will need to address current challenges in health and wellness including Foundations of Public Health, Critical Health Issues, Disease and Lifestyle, Human Nutrition, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Policy, Health Inequalities, and Leadership & Health Promotion. 

You will also familiarize yourself with the structure and functions of the human body with foundational science courses including anatomy & physiology, biology, and chemistry.  In addition to these foundational science courses, you will have the option of completing upper level science courses such as microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, physics, neuroscience, animal sciences, and much more.

You can customize your studies by selecting from one of the following three emphases:

As you know, there are many different pathways to prepare for advanced studies in the health sciences, be it medicine, dentistry, physician assistant or other health care career options. Learn more about the support Ithaca College provides by exploring the pre-health options.   There you can familiarize yourself with the different course requirements and academic programs, gain an understanding of application procedures and timelines, and explore frequently asked questions (FAQs).  

You can get involved by registering with the Health Professions Advisory Committee where you can take part in events, take advantage of their expertise in preparing your application for advanced study.  

The philosophy and methodology you'll learn will give you the tools you'll need in advanced study. With further professional training or graduate study, you could be a nurse practitioner, medical doctor, registered dietitian, physician assistant, or clinical researcher. Or you may choose an alternative path, studying to become a homeopathic clinician, practitioner of Eastern medicine, or chiropractor.  Victor A. Lopez-Carmen ’17, a health sciences/premedical major, is currently working on his medical degree at Harvard University Medical School.  In addition to his studies, Victor has devoted  much of his time to improving health care and access for indigenous peoples. You can read about Victor's efforts in the IC View article "A Medical Warrior with the Heart of a Soulful Healer".

Examples of the pathways of our recent graduates include:

Graduate School

Job Titles