The program has two major goals: to teach foundational skills to students whose career goal is to work in health care, particularly for those who want to become health care providers and to teach foundational skills to students who want to work with individuals, groups, or communities who face social, economic, or health challenges. In addition, interested students have the opportunity to explore a combination-degree program in Public Health.

Specializations

The college offers four specializations. All specializations except Occupational Therapy Accelerated can be declared at the freshman or sophomore years.

Applied Brain Sciences

Offers a suggested prerequisite course sequence for students interested in pursuing training in clinical psychology and neuropsychology, applied human neuroscience, or brain-health focused medical specialties (e.g., psychiatry, neurology).

Occupational Therapy Accelerated

A combination-degree program that allows students to take first-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program courses during their junior and senior years in the health science program.

Pre-Rehabilitation

Accommodates students interested in rehabilitation health care fields (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy).

Preprofessional

For students pursuing careers in fields such as medicine, physician assistant, and dentistry, all of which require significant basic science prerequisites. This specialization is set up to integrate commonly required preprofessional courses with requirements for the health science major.

Course Sequence

While all specializations are designed for students interested in health care, students should select the specialization that most closely approximates their career plans and overall academic performance. Included in specific tracks are typical prerequisites for UF graduate and professional programs.

Each specialization incorporates General Education Mathematics and Writing Requirements and Health Science critical tracking courses. All specializations accept AP, IB, or AICE credit for any prerequisite course. However, many professional schools have their own policies regarding test credit, and it is the responsibility of the student to determine whether a course for which they have earned AP/IB/AICE credit must be retaken to meet professional school requirements. Students must earn a minimum of C in any BHS critical tracking course that is not satisfied by AP/IB/AICE credit unless otherwise specified.

Occupational Therapy Accelerated

Occupational therapy is a professional program. The Occupational Therapy Accelerated Program gives students the opportunity to learn core health science content while simultaneously completing the first-year professional-level coursework required for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at UF.

Competitive applicants to the Occupational Therapy Accelerated Program will have met the following requirements:

• Applicants must be Health Science majors in the Pre-Rehabilitation specialization.
• Applicants must have completed all 2000-level prerequisites required for the professional program in occupational therapy.
• A minimum cumulative 3.8 GPA for lower division (freshman and sophomore level) undergraduate college coursework.
• A minimum 3.7 GPA for all prerequisite courses with no grade lower than a C.
• All applicants are required to complete a total of 30 hours of observational hours in at least two diverse OT settings. Diverse settings are settings that service clientele are significantly different; inpatient, outpatient, long term care, school-based, elders, pediatrics, orthopedics, rehabilitation, etc.
• Applicants must submit three recommendations. One of the recommendations must be from a professional level OT. The other two should be from professionals, such as a present or former faculty member, academic advisor, or employer.
• Applicants must submit a personal statement that addresses why they selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to their immediate and long-term professional goals. They must describe how their personal, educational, and professional background will help achieve their goals.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for entry to each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete PSY 2012 with a minimum grade of C
• 3.2 cumulative GPA on work from all institutions

Semester 2

• Complete BSC 2005 and BSC 2005L or BSC 2010 and BSC 2010L with minimum grade of C
• 3.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses, based on all attempts
• 3.4 cumulative GPA on work from all institutions

Semester 3

• Complete STA 2023 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete CLP 3144 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete APK 2100C with a minimum grade of C
• 3.6 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses, based on all attempts
• 3.6 cumulative GPA on work from all institutions

Semester 4

• Complete APK 2105C with a minimum grade of C
• Complete 60 cumulative credits
• 3.7 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses and minimum grades of C on all critical-tracking courses, based on all attempts unless otherwise noted.
• 3.8 cumulative GPA on work from all institutions

Semester 5

• Complete PHC 4101 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete HSA 3111 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete HSC 3057 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete OTH 6002 with a minimum grade of B
• Complete OTH 6722 with a minimum grade of B
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 6

• Complete HSC 3502 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete OTH 6209 with a minimum grade of B
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 7

• Complete HSC 3661 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete HSA 4393 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete OTH 6008C with a minimum grade of B
• Complete OTH 6419 with a minimum grade of B
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

• Complete SPA 4106 with a minimum grade of C
• Complete OTH 6242 with a minimum grade of B
• Complete OTH 6423 with a minimum grade of B
• Complete OTH 6539 with a minimum grade of B
• 2.0 UF GPA required

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester One		Credits
Quest 1 (Gen Ed Humanities)		3
ENC 1101	Expository and Argumentative Writing (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement)	3
PSY 2012	General Psychology (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Social and Behavioral Sciences)	3
Gen Ed Mathematics		3-4
Elective		3
	Credits	15-16
Semester Two
ANT 2000 or SYG 2000	General Anthropology (Gen Ed Social Sciences) or Principles of Sociology	3
Select one:		4
BSC 2005 & 2005L	Biological Sciences and Laboratory in Biological Sciences (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Biological Sciences; only if pre-OT)
BSC 2010 & 2010L	Integrated Principles of Biology 1 and Integrated Principles of Biology Laboratory 1 (Critical Tracking; State Core Gen Ed Biological Sciences)
ENC 1102	Argument and Persuasion ( Gen Ed Composition; Writing Requirement)	3
Civic Literacy course		3
State Core Gen Ed Humanities with International or Diversity		3
	Credits	16
Semester Three
APK 2100C	Applied Human Anatomy with Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences)	4
CLP 3144	Abnormal Psychology (Critical Tracking)	3
STA 2023	Introduction to Statistics 1 (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Mathematics)	3
6000-word Gen Ed writing course with International or Diversity; Writing Requirement		3
Elective		1
	Credits	14
Semester Four
Quest 2		3
APK 2105C	Applied Human Physiology with Laboratory (Critical Tracking; Gen Ed Biological Sciences)	4
6000-word writing course (Writing Requirement)		3
Electives		5
	Credits	15
Semester Five
HSA 3111	US Health Care System (Critical Tracking) 1	3
HSC 3057	Research Methods and Issues in Health Science (Critical Tracking) 1	3
HSC 3537	Health and Medical Terminology	3
OTH 6002	Founda Occupa Therapy (Critical Tracking) 2	3
OTH 6722	Professional Devt Ot (Critical Tracking) 2	1
PHC 4101	Public Health Concepts (Critical Tracking) 1	3
	Credits	16
Semester Six
HSC 3502	Survey of Diseases and Disability (Critical Tracking) 1	3
OTH 6209	Appl Lifespan Hum Dev (Critical Tracking) 2	3
Electives		8
	Credits	14
Semester Seven
HSC 3661	Therapeutic Communication Skills with Patients, Families and the Health Care Team (Critical Tracking) 1	3
HSA 4393	Wearable Technology, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence for Health (Critical Tracking) 1	3
OTH 6008C	Neurosci Human Occupa (Critical Tracking) 2	5
OTH 6419	Pathophys Cond in Ot (Critical Tracking) 2	3
Elective		1
	Credits	15
Semester Eight
OTH 6242	Clinical Kinesiology (Critical Tracking) 2	3
OTH 6423	Clin Musc Anatomy (Critical Tracking) 2	5
OTH 6539	Occupational Therapy Theory (Critical Tracking) 2	3
SPA 4106	Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation (Critical Tracking) 1	3
Elective		1
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120

¹

Minimum grade of C required. 

²

Minimum grade of B required. 

Students can complete missing coursework in the summer, but all first-year tracking criteria must be completed by the end of the Summer term.

The Bachelor of Health Science prepares students for a career in health care systems or organizations that provide health or general human services to individuals/communities with health concerns. Students will learn the foundational interprofessional skills necessary to succeed in the dynamic healthcare environment and/or enter postbaccalaureate academic programs such as medicine, physical therapy, and public health.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Receive a satisfactory grade (S) in the BHS capstone portfolio.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes | SLOs

Content

1. Describe key elements of the US healthcare system.
2. Comprehensively describe major chronic illnesses and disabilities.
3. Describe the core functions of public health.

Critical Thinking

4. Develop and apply critical analysis skills to contemporary health issues.

Communication

5. Apply effective basic communication skills for health professionals.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Academic Learning Compact 5

Courses	SLO 1	SLO 2	SLO 3	SLO 4	SLO 5
HSA 3111	I, R
HSC 3057				I, R, A
HSC 3502		I, R	I
HSC 3661					I, R
OTH 3416		1, R
PHC 4101		I, R	I, R
Capstone Exam	A	A	A	A	A

Assessment Types

• Assignment
• The Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) capstone exam in the final semester

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