Health Science

Faculty:
Lee, Pippin, Rogers, Schiska, Schooler, and Strait
Health Sciences Building 112 • 417-625-9328

Mission

The mission of the Health Science degree is to provide a comprehensive baccalaureate degree that complements an associate allied health major or those pursuing a career in the non-clinical or healthcare administrative area of health care.. The degree is designed to promote critical thinking, communication, information skills, and leadership with a commitment to lifelong learning. Our graduates are academically prepared to pursue opportunities for advancement or graduate school.

Program Goals and Objectives:

GOAL:

The student will obtain the knowledge and skills needed to advance the health and quality of life.

Objectives

Students will analyze current research and health data; in order to make evidence-based decisions for health services and patient care. ( HS 0402 )
Students will recall the evolution of the U.S. health system and the major settings, providers, and funding for the delivery of public and private healthcare services. (HS 0390 )

GOAL:

The student will have the fundamental academic skills to be an effective communicator and discuss problems of access to healthcare for a diverse population.

Objectives

The student will be able to outline the phases of effective health communication. (HS 0402 )
The student will identify the role of the various health care providers and the significance of interprofessional communication to improve health outcomes of the patient or a community. (HS 0390 , HS 0402 )
Student will write grammatically and stylistically correct assignments that reflect a review of relevant literature. (HS 0402 )

Health is widely acknowledged as a major growth industry, with employment opportunities forecast to continue their strong upward trends of recent years. Opportunities for advancement will be greatest for people with a baccalaureate degree.

Associate degree-prepared health profession majors and clinicians in the field who desire a baccalaureate degree have limited options to fulfill their educational goals. Graduates and clinicians from the health professions continually inquire about baccalaureate degree options to meet their busy professional lives. The Health Science degree is a specified course of study that would enhance a clinician’s expertise and opportunities for advancement. The design of the Health Science curriculum is to prepare students for career paths in the health sector, including administration, management and health promoters in educational or clinical settings in a school, medical sales, pharmaceutical marketing and distribution, community or public health environments. Graduates from the Bachelor of Health Science program may qualify to enter graduate programs or professional health science areas such as physician assistant, physical therapy and public health.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences is granted to students who complete the required program of study. These requirements include the basic General Education Requirements for all Bachelor of Science degree programs, required science and other supportive courses in the health science area. The degree is designed with two options:

Emphasis One: Allows students who complete an Associate in an allied health field to select a degree that will strengthen and utilize the associate curriculum within the Health Science degree. There are three specific options in this emphasis area designed for graduates who complete a degree in Dental Hygiene, Radiology or Respiratory with the fourth area being for students who transfer with an Associate Allied Health Degree. Students who completed one of the aforementioned allied health programs may qualify for earned retro-credit.
Emphasis Two: Is available for students who do not have a health profession background but would like to pursue a Bachelor of Health Science degree. As a major in BS Health Science, students will undertake a course of study that blends three areas of emphasis that is comprised not only of the Health Science (18 hours) General Education Requirements but includes courses in Business (21 hours) and the Life/Health Sciences (21-27 hours).

The courses in the curriculum are offered on campus as well as web based. The demand for this degree will be great among current students, past graduates and clinicians currently working in the health industry.

Students must pass all HS core and/or all affiliated dual prefix courses with a ‘C’ or higher to graduate.

Retro Credit Program/Pathways to Health Science Credit Policy - this policy is currently under review as of 6/1/2018

Many Allied Health programs grant Associate degrees with 80+ credit hours. These students often desire to complete a Bachelor’s degree to complement their professional career. Retro Credit is available for transfer students who graduated with an Associate degree in Dental Hygiene, Respiratory Care, Radiology, Nursing or a Paramedic certificate. The Bachelor of Health Science or Nursing degrees offers these students the ability to apply for Retro Credit to assist in meeting the Bachelor’s degree requirement. In order to qualify for Retro Credit Health Science and Nursing majors must have graduated from an accredited program in dental hygiene, radiology, respiratory care, nursing, or paramedic, passed a national written board examination and currently be licensed to practice in at least one state.

The Retro Credit program will benefit students by transcribing up to 33 credit hours of upper division hours depending on the discipline in the semester the student will graduate. A charge is assessed based on the number of credit hours transcribed. This equates into a cost and time savings for students completing a Bachelor’s degree. This program not only benefits transfer students but Missouri Southern alumni who graduated prior to upper division courses being a part of their curriculum.

A Bachelor’s prepared healthcare professional is highly marketable for management/supervisory positions, state and federal sector employment, medical/dental sales, pharmaceutical representative and the ability to teach in the field. Therefore, graduates will have more career options available to them. Courses for these programs are available online so practicing clinicians can complete their Bachelor’s degree at their pace from anywhere in the world.

For more information on Health Sciences, or any of the degrees /courses listed above, contact:

Dr. Tia M. Strait
Health Sciences Advisor
Health Sciences Building 112
417-625-3155 • strait-t@mssu.edu

Kim Rogers
Interim Chair, Dental Hygiene
Health Sciences Building 136
417-625-9754 • rogers-k@mssu.edu

Edward “Ted” Lee
Chair, Emergency Medical Services
Health Sciences Building 325
417-625-3020 • lee-e@mssu.edu

Alan Schiska
Chair, Radiology Technology
Health Sciences Building 325
417-625-3118 • schiska-@mssu.edu

Glenda Pippin
Chair, Respiratory Therapy
Health Sciences Building 325
417-659-4405 • pippin-g@mssu.edu

OR check out mssu.edu/health-sciences

Programs

Major

Approved for the 2019-20 catalog

Healthcare Administration, BS, HA00

Courses

Health Science