B.S. in with a major in Health Sciences
Harrisonburg, USA
BSc
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 6,434 / per semester *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* in-state tuition fee | $15,076: out-of-state tuition fee. Additional fees may apply
Key Summary
Health Sciences is a launching point to a wide variety of professionally rewarding careers that make a real difference to your community.
The Health Sciences major is designed for students interested in understanding the causes of disease, strategies for promoting wellness and behavior change, and the scientific basis and methodologies for analysis of health concerns for both individuals and populations. The major combines a broad foundation of health-related course work that allows the graduate to work in many health-related entry-level positions. Further, with a tailored choice of preparatory courses and the addition of a Pre-Professional Health Minor the graduate is suitable for entry into professional programs in dentistry, medicine, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, public health and veterinary medicine.
Why Choose JMU Health Sciences
- World-class faculty with experience in epidemiology, research methods, acute and chronic diseases, health sciences ethics and policy, environmental health science, and public health, and committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- JMU is recognized in Forbes college rankings for 2021 for its health sciences programs and was ranked 3rd among Southern Regional Colleges in the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings for 2022.
- Applied research training and experiences for all students as well as opportunities for elective internships.
- Opportunities through college-affiliated centers, like the Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS), for community engagement and experiential learning.
The B.S. degree with a major in health sciences consists of health science course requirements in addition to General Education requirements and B.S. requirements.
The health sciences major is designed for students interested in understanding the causes of disease, strategies for promoting wellness, and the scientific basis and methodologies for the analysis of health concerns. The major combines a broad foundation of health-related course work with a choice of preparatory courses suitable for entry into graduate programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry, occupational therapy, physical therapy, pharmacy, public health, physician assistant studies, athletic training, and veterinary medicine.
All students pursuing the health sciences major must complete the following core courses:
Major Requirements
- CHEM 120. Concepts of Chemistry [C3PP] Credits: 3.00
or - CHEM 131. General Chemistry I [C3PP] Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 131L. General Chemistry Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
or - CHEM 132. General Chemistry II Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 132L. General Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- MATH 220. Elementary Statistics [C3QR] Credits: 3.00
- HTH 100. Personal Wellness [C5W] Credits: 3.00
- HTH 150. Introduction to Health Sciences Credits: 2.00
- HTH 210. Medical Terminology Credits: 3.00
- HTH 231. Population Health Determinants Credits: 3.00
- HTH 245. Foundations of Infectious Disease Credits: 3.00
- HTH 255. Chronic Disease and Disabilities Credits: 3.00
- HTH 320. Statistical Methods for Health Science Research Credits: 3.00
- HTH 351. Health Behavior Change Credits: 3.00
- HTH 354. U.S. and Global Health Care Systems Credits: 3.00
- HTH 408. Health Research Methods Credits: 3.00
- HTH 423. Ethics and Critical Thinking in Health Credits: 3.00
- HTH 450. Epidemiology Credits: 3.00
Select 16 Credits:
- BIO 140. Foundations of Biology I [C3NS] Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 140L. Foundations of Biology I Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- BIO 150. Foundations of Biology II Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 150L. Foundations of Biology II Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 240. Genetics Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 240L. Genetics Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 245. General Microbiology Credits: 3.00 1 and
- BIO 245L. General Microbiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00 1
- BIO 324. Human Genetics Credits: 3.00
- BIO 370. Animal Physiology Credits: 4.00
- CHEM 241. Organic Chemistry I Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 241L. Concepts of Organic Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- CHEM 242. Organic Chemistry II Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 242L. Organic Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 2.00
- CHEM 260. Concepts of Biochemistry Credits: 3.00
- HTH 441. Biomechanics for the Healthcare Professional Credits: 3.00
- KIN 302. Exercise Physiology Credits: 3.00 2 and
- KIN 302L. Exercise Physiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00 2
- NUTR 280. Nutrition for Wellness Credits: 3.00
- PHYS 140. College Physics I [C3PP] Credits: 3.00 and
- PHYS 140L. General Physics Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- PHYS 150. College Physics II Credits: 3.00 and
- PHYS 150L. General Physics Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- PSYC 101. General Psychology [C5SD] Credits: 3.00
- PSYC 160. Life Span Human Development [C5SD] Credits: 3.00
- PSYC 250. Introduction to Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3.00 3
Select 8 Credits:
- BIO 245. General Microbiology Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 245L. General Microbiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 270. Human Physiology [C3NS] Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 270L. Human Physiology Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- BIO 290. Human Anatomy Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 290L. Human Anatomy Laboratory Credits: 1.00
Footnotes
1 Will not count for the 16 credits in this category unless also taking BIO 270/BIO 270L and BIO 290/BIO 290L.
2 Pre-Athletic Training minors only.
3 Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Physical Therapy, or Pre-Physician Assistant minors only.
Recommended Schedule
First Year
- HTH 100. Personal Wellness [C5W] Credits: 3.00
- MATH 220. Elementary Statistics [C3QR] Credits: 3.00
- HTH 150. Introduction to Health Sciences Credits: 2.00
- 2-3 courses from Select 16 Credits / Units: 7.00-11.00
- General Education courses Credits / Units: 15.00-18.00
Second Year
- CHEM 120. Concepts of Chemistry [C3PP] Credits: 3.00
or - CHEM 131. General Chemistry I [C3PP] Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 131L. General Chemistry Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
or - CHEM 132. General Chemistry II Credits: 3.00 and
- CHEM 132L. General Chemistry Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- HTH 210. Medical Terminology Credits: 3.00
- HTH 231. Population Health Determinants Credits: 3.00
- HTH 245. Foundations of Infectious Disease Credits: 3.00
- HTH 255. Chronic Disease and Disabilities Credits: 3.00
- General Education courses and electives Credits / Units: 8.00-16.00
Choose one of the following sets: 4 Credit Hours
- BIO 245. General Microbiology Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 245L. General Microbiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 270. Human Physiology [C3NS] Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 270L. Human Physiology Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- BIO 290. Human Anatomy Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 290L. Human Anatomy Laboratory Credits: 1.00
Third Year
- HTH 320. Statistical Methods for Health Science Research Credits: 3.00
- HTH 351. Health Behavior Change Credits: 3.00
- HTH 354. U.S. and Global Health Care Systems Credits: 3.00
- General Education, select 16 courses and electives Credits / Units: 13.00-17.00
Choose one of the following sets: 4 Credit Hours
- BIO 245. General Microbiology Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 245L. General Microbiology Laboratory Credits: 1.00
- BIO 270. Human Physiology [C3NS] Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 270L. Human Physiology Laboratory [C3L] Credits: 1.00
- BIO 290. Human Anatomy Credits: 3.00 and
- BIO 290L. Human Anatomy Laboratory Credits: 1.00
Fourth Year
- HTH 408. Health Research Methods Credits: 3.00
- HTH 423. Ethics and Critical Thinking in Health Credits: 3.00
- HTH 450. Epidemiology Credits: 3.00
- General Education, pre-professional courses, and electives Credits / Units: 21.00
A successful career and a meaningful life is what it’s all about. Whether it’s an internship, a great first job or a top graduate school appointment, JMU Dukes make their dreams ignite. You will, too.
Here are current openings available to JMU students.
Jobs for JMU Students
Health
- Mental Health Intensive Inhome QMHP at Pathways
- Registered Nurse (New or Experienced) - DUH - General Surgery Trauma Stepdown at Duke Health
- (#R26155) Behavioral Health Home Wellness Nurse / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R26012) Mental Health Worker / Bachelor Level Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25305) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25244) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25758) Registered Nurse / RN / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Manager of Behavioral Health at AbsoluteCARE Medical Center and Pharmacy
- (#R25604) Registered Nurse / RN / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- Social Work Care Manager (LCSW) at PIH Health
- (#R25295) Blended Case Manager / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25308) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25308) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25234) Mental Health Worker / Bachelor Level Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25225) Blended Case Manager / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25222) Blended Case Manager / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R25212) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R24942) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
- (#R24843) Mental Health Professional / Therapist / Salisbury Behavioral Health at RHA Health Services, LLC
Healthcare
- Alcohol & Drug Counselor 2 at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Speech Language Pathologist - SLP at Aveanna Healthcare
- Maintenance Repair Worker 2 - Groundskeeping (2nd Shift) at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Therapeutic Program Worker at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Psychiatric/DD Nurse ALL Shifts Available (RN's Only) at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Police Officer 1- OPOTA Cert required at Summit Behavioral Healthcare
- Social Work Care Manager (LCSW) at PIH Health
- Speech Language Pathologist - SLP at Aveanna Healthcare
- Registered Nurse ICU - New Grads Welcome! at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Registered Nurse Med/Surg at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
- Speech Language Pathologist - SLP at Aveanna Healthcare
- Registered Nurse (RN) Unit Coordinator (UC) at Sentara Healthcare
- CAT Scan Technologist - Part Time - Weekend - SWRMC at Sentara Healthcare
- CAT Scan Technologist - FT - Suffolk, VA at Sentara Healthcare
- Physical Therapist at InTouch Healthcare Solutions
- Medical Scribe (Birmingham, AL) at Oak Street Health
- Medical Scribe (Berwyn, IL) - Spanish Bilingual at Oak Street Health
- Medical Scribe (Berwyn, IL) - Spanish Bilingual at Oak Street Health
- Medical Scribe (Mandarin or Cantonese Bilingual) - Chicago, IL at Oak Street Health
Internships for JMU Students
Health
- Accounting Intern – Summer 2023 at WPS Health Solutions
- Talent Acquisition Intern – Summer 2023 at WPS Health Solutions
- Clinical Mental Health Counselor - Internship at Tree of Life Family Services LLC
- Luminis Health Website Intern at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Communications Internship at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Social Media Internship at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Marketing Intern at Luminis Health
- Environmental Science and Engineering AmeriCorps Fellow at U.S. Dept. of Interior - Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
- USDA-ARS Biological Sciences Research Internship at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
- USDA-ARS Research Fellowship in Microbiology and Pathobiology at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
- Actuarial Intern - Health - Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Salt Lake City - 2023 Full-Time Internships at Milliman
- Study Technician- Animal Operations Summer Internship at Labcorp
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Environmental, Health, and Safety Intern- Renewables- IEA- Nationwide, the USA at Infrastructure & Energy Alternatives, Inc
- Finance Analyst Intern at eBay
- Early Careers Actuarial Intern - Southeast Region at Aon
- Friends of Puerto Rico Volunteer Manager at AmeriCorps
- Experience Design Intern - Undergraduate Summer 2023 at Elevance Health (formerly Anthem, Inc.)
- 2023 Information Technology Summer Analyst Program (New York) at Societe Generale
Healthcare
- Software Development Intern ( Paid ) at ChenMed
- Data Analytics IT Intern (Paid) at ChenMed
- IT Software Development Intern ( Paid) at ChenMed
- Luminis Health Website Intern at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Communications Internship at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Social Media Internship at Luminis Health
- Luminis Health Marketing Intern at Luminis Health
- Technical Writing Intern (Fall 2022/Remote) at IQVIA
- Study Technician- Animal Operations Summer Internship at Labcorp
- Clinical Vet Tech Intern at Labcorp
- Data Analytics Intern at Aware Recovery Care
- Therapist Intern at Pasadena Villa Outpatient - Knoxville
- Experience Design Intern - Undergraduate Summer 2023 at Elevance Health (formerly Anthem, Inc.)
- Summer Intern-Solutions Strategy & Analytics Delivery at Vizient, Inc.
- Summer Intern-Strategy Management at Vizient, Inc.
- Summer Intern- Application Development at Vizient, Inc.
- Summer Intern-Solutions Strategy & Management at Vizient, Inc.
- Summer Intern- Technology at Vizient, Inc.
- Health Policy Intern at Community Education Group
Madison awards more than 400 one- to four-year scholarships each year to incoming students. The primary criterion for merit-based scholarships is exceptional academic performance. Other selection criteria may include leadership, involvement, and career goals.
The Madison Scholarships Hub is the application center for all JMU Foundation scholarships at James Madison University. To access the Madison Scholarships Hub, log in to MyMadison. Under the Applicant tab, click on the Madison Scholarships Hub logo.
All students are encouraged to fill out the General Application in the Madison Scholarships Hub to be considered for various scholarship opportunities. Qualifications for the majority of our scholarships are based on the General Application information as well as information pulled directly from your admissions application.
Review the criteria carefully for any recommended scholarship opportunities you are presented with and if you meet the qualifications, click apply to submit the additional required information. Deadlines vary across departments so be sure to complete the General Application as soon as possible to receive full consideration. Some scholarship opportunities become available starting in the fall while others open later so be sure to check back in January, February and March.