The Bachelor of Science in Health Science is intentionally designed for students planning to continue into graduate or professional healthcare programs. Through rigorous science coursework, personalized faculty mentoring, clinical observation and research, you’ll gain the academic preparation and practical experiences that many healthcare professions expect before admission.  

Health Science is one of the most versatile undergraduate majors for students pursuing careers in healthcare. Rather than preparing you for a single profession, the program builds a broad scientific foundation that supports many graduate and professional pathways. If you’re interested in patient care but haven’t committed to one specialty, Health Science gives you the flexibility to explore different fields while completing the prerequisite coursework common to many healthcare programs.

Students interested in physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, athletic training, nursing, chiropractic medicine, or clinical exercise physiology can all begin with the same strong undergraduate foundation before specializing through graduate education.

Concordia University Chicago helps students connect classroom learning with real-world healthcare experiences. Through required practicum hours, faculty-guided research and strategic partnerships, you’ll strengthen your academic preparation while exploring future career paths.

Students interested in medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy can pursue the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Early Acceptance Program. At the same time, qualified students may also benefit from the Rush University General Entry Master’s (GEM) in Nursing partnership or the North Park University pathway in athletic training. CUC’s location near Chicago further expands opportunities for practicum experiences, professional networking and educational programs through the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) consortium.

The curriculum combines the natural and behavioral sciences to help you understand health, human movement, and patient care from multiple perspectives. You’ll complete foundational coursework in anatomy and physiology, general biology, chemistry, physics, kinesiology, exercise physiology and statistics while strengthening your scientific reasoning, communication and analytical skills.

Electives such as nutrition, sports nutrition, and biomechanics allow you to tailor your education further while completing many of the science prerequisites commonly required by graduate and professional health programs.

Preparing for graduate school involves much more than earning good grades. Throughout the program, you’ll work one-on-one with a faculty advisor who helps you map prerequisite coursework, identify observation opportunities and prepare for the graduate school application process.

Faculty advisors guide students through important milestones, including selecting prerequisite courses, planning observation hours, preparing for entrance exams where applicable, and staying on track for competitive graduate and professional programs. Students interested in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing or athletic training can also explore CUC’s partnership opportunities with LECOM, Rush University and North Park University while working with their advisor to determine eligibility.

Beginning in your junior year, you’ll complete a required 150-hour Health Science Practicum in a healthcare or health science setting. This experiential learning opportunity allows you to observe healthcare professionals, better understand daily clinical practice, and gain valuable experience before applying to graduate school.

Many graduate health professions programs require documented observation hours as part of the admissions process. By incorporating this experience directly into the curriculum, CUC helps students build stronger graduate school applications while exploring potential career paths.

During your senior year, you’ll complete a required research practicum under the guidance of an Exercise and Sport Science faculty member. Students investigate topics ranging from anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to nutrition, behavior, and wellness while developing skills in scientific inquiry, data analysis, and scholarly communication.

Research experience strengthens your understanding of evidence-based healthcare while helping you develop the analytical skills expected in graduate and professional programs. Students may also have opportunities to present or publish their work.

Concordia University Chicago’s location in River Forest places you just minutes from one of the nation’s largest healthcare markets. The Chicago metropolitan area offers access to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, specialty clinics, community health organizations, and other healthcare settings where students can gain valuable exposure through practicum experiences.

Students may also participate in educational opportunities offered through the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) consortium, expanding their academic and professional perspectives beyond campus.

Every Health Science student is paired with a faculty advisor who provides individualized support from enrollment through graduation. Advisors help students develop an academic plan, monitor progress toward graduate school prerequisites, and identify opportunities that align with their professional goals.

Students in Concordia’s health programs frequently describe faculty as approachable, supportive, and committed to helping them understand challenging scientific concepts as they prepare for future success in healthcare.

As a Health Science major, you’ll graduate with knowledge and experiences that prepare you for advanced education and future healthcare careers, including:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Scientific inquiry and evidence-based practice
• Clinical observation and professional readiness
• Research design and data interpretation
• Health and wellness principles
• Scientific communication
• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Ethical decision-making in healthcare

A Bachelor of Science in Health Science is an undergraduate degree that provides a broad scientific foundation for students preparing for graduate or professional education in healthcare. At Concordia University Chicago, the program combines coursework in the natural and behavioral sciences with faculty advising, a required practicum, and faculty-mentored research to help students prepare for advanced study in a variety of health professions.

Yes. Health Science is specifically designed for students planning to continue into graduate or professional programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, athletic training, nursing, chiropractic medicine, and clinical exercise physiology. The curriculum emphasizes the science prerequisites, observation experiences, and research opportunities that many competitive programs value. Individual graduate schools may have additional admission requirements, so students work closely with faculty advisors to build an academic plan that supports their goals.

Both majors provide a strong science foundation, but they serve different purposes. Biology often appeals to students interested in laboratory research, biotechnology, or the biological sciences, while Health Science is intentionally structured for students pursuing patient-centered healthcare professions.

Health Science combines foundational science coursework with a required practicum, faculty-mentored research, and graduate school advising. This interdisciplinary approach helps students prepare for professional programs while exploring a range of healthcare career options before choosing a specialty.

Yes. During junior year, every student completes a required 150-hour Health Science Practicum in a healthcare or health science setting. This experience allows students to observe healthcare professionals, gain exposure to clinical environments and better understand the daily responsibilities of their intended profession.

Students also complete a senior research practicum, working one-on-one with faculty on original research involving anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, behavior, and other health science topics. These experiences strengthen graduate school applications while developing skills in scientific inquiry and evidence-based practice

Yes. Health Science provides the academic foundation many students need before applying to medical, dental, pharmacy, and other professional programs. Students work with faculty advisors to identify prerequisite coursework, observation opportunities and application timelines that align with their intended profession.

Eligible students may also explore the LECOM Early Acceptance Program, which offers structured pathways into medicine, dentistry and pharmacy for qualified applicants.

Concordia University Chicago offers several partnerships that can help qualified students prepare for graduate education. In addition to the LECOM Early Acceptance Program, eligible students may pursue the Rush University GEM Nursing partnership or the North Park University Athletic Training Pathway. These opportunities provide additional guidance and clearly defined pathways toward selected professional programs.

CUC’s River Forest campus gives students convenient access to one of the nation’s largest healthcare communities. Hospitals, rehabilitation centers, specialty clinics, outpatient practices, and community health organizations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area create valuable opportunities for practicum experiences and professional networking.

Students may also participate in educational opportunities offered through the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) consortium, expanding their academic experience beyond campus.