If you’re planning to pursue a master’s degree in a health-related field with the goal of working in public health, occupational therapy or physical therapy, as a physician’s assistant, or in another role, starting with a bachelor’s in Health Sciences is a smart move. A Health Sciences bachelor’s degree from a school like UW-Milwaukee via UW Flexible Option will give you the academic foundation and professional skills you’ll need to succeed in graduate school and advance your healthcare career.
What is Health Sciences?
Health sciences is the application of science to health, including the study of medicine, nutrition, and other health-related topics. A bachelor’s degree in health sciences provides essential healthcare knowledge and skills while building professional skills sought by healthcare employers, such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, information literacy, and information management.
Professionals with these skills are highly sought after by private companies, government organizations, hospitals or other patient care facilities. In addition to making you more employable, you’ll also need these skills to succeed in graduate school.
How Will a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences Help Me in Graduate School?
Here are three ways UW Flexible Option will benefit you if you’re considering a graduate program:
- You’ll improve your professional communication skills, including your ability to write and communicate with others. The Health Sciences curriculum currently offers five courses in which interprofessional communication is a focus. As an added bonus, students have access to the UW-Milwaukee Writing Center for assistance. The ability to write and present information clearly will give you an edge in graduate school, where emphasis is placed on writing and research.
- You’ll have a solid foundation in health-related topics so that you can be flexible enough to choose a graduate program that fits your interests. For example, a Health Sciences degree can help you prepare for a graduate program in occupational therapy, physical therapy, public health, education, or much more. The interdisciplinary nature of the Health Sciences curriculum will introduce you to a multitude of healthcare-related topics also, which provides exposure to areas of healthcare you may not have otherwise experienced. Whether you’re interested in a clinical or non-clinical role, a Health Sciences bachelor’s degree will give you the skills and knowledge to pursue the right career for you.
- You can choose additional credentials to boost your learning and complete the Healthcare Informatics certificate. This certificate requires six additional courses that include skills which will help you stand out to future employers and admissions committees for graduate programs. By completing the Health Sciences degree, you also earn the Interprofessional Leadership in Healthcare microcredential automatically, as the courses required for this microcredential are included in the degree. These credentials can prepare you for the extra rigor of graduate school.
Note: Some graduate programs may require students to fulfill prerequisites outside of UW Flexible Option. While these requirements will differ depending on the school and the program, it’s important to research the program you’re interested in to ensure you can fulfill the requirements.
Student Perspective: How One UW Flexible Option Alum Leveraged His Health Sciences Degree into a Master’s Degree
Andrew, an occupational therapy instructor and graduate of the UW Flexible Option Health Sciences program, wanted to enroll in UW Flexible Option so he could get his degree relatively quickly and move onto graduate school.
“I think this is a great way to advance your education. It’s an economical option. For someone who is already in a health-related field, this is really going to build upon the knowledge that you already have, and it’ll open so many more doors of opportunity after you finish this undergrad experience,” he says.
He completed 16 classes within one year, though it took a lot of dedication. Andrew has a degree from another country and has practiced occupational therapy for five years, but needed a bachelor’s degree from a school in the U.S. for his teaching career. Expediency was key.
“I always set aside a portion of my day or my week to make sure I would never fall behind, and that I would stay motivated, too. Because when things come up and you don’t do your schoolwork for a few days, or even a week, then you just lose that motivation. I feel like always chipping off a little piece at a time just kept me motivated.”
Now that Andrew has completed his health sciences degree, he has learned that teaching occupational therapy is where he belongs. After getting his bachelor’s degree, he received a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.
Andrew teaches community college students and promotes the Health Sciences degree because it worked well for him. “If you want to pursue a graduate education…I think this is a great option. You can work, and you can get experience while going to school. And it’ll position you to pursue one of those other options.”
His experience in Health Sciences gave him valuable time management skills and the ability to learn independently, both of which are important to succeed in graduate level coursework.
Ready to take the next step? Learn how the UW Flexible Option Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences can help you get ready for a master’s degree program by contacting us today at flex@uwex.wisconsin.edu.