SALT LAKE CITY, JULY 9, 2024 – Western Governors University’s (WGU) Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH) recently launched the Bachelor of Science in Health Science degree program to enable students to embark on a career in the healthcare industry. The fully online program provides a strong science foundation, preparing students to pursue competitive degree programs in healthcare or join the field of health sciences.

“We’ve launched this program to support students in gaining a comprehensive knowledge of the evolving healthcare industry before focusing on a specialized area they wish to serve. This program builds a solid foundation in science, which could competitively position the student for a possible admission into another clinical-based program or a non-clinical career of choice,” said LSH Academic Director and Associate Dean Stephanie LaPuma. “Students can discuss their goals with our highly qualified mentors and faculty to proceed in the program at a pace that works for their schedule. WGU also has a liberal transfer policy that makes it convenient for students to migrate credits from another institution to continue their program.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. The report further mentions that about 1.8 million openings are projected each year, on average, in healthcare occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.

WGU’s health science program aims to add more competent professionals to the health industry by providing access to individuals from diverse, nontraditional backgrounds. Rooted in providing industry knowledge from scratch, this program includes teaching about public health approaches, epidemiology, cognitive psychology, and biopsychosocial health models. Students also gain discipline-specific knowledge as they delve deeper into courses like psychology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and public health. With a wide array of potential jobs after completion of this degree — like patient educator, clinical technologist, wellness specialist, community health worker, and residential care coordinator — graduates of this program can work in diverse settings including hospitals, community care or research facilities, and health insurance or government agencies.

“WGU’s B.S. in Health Science is an interdisciplinary program that develops competence for biological, social, and behavioral sciences. While the program is certainly a path for new aspirants in the healthcare industry, it is equally effective for current allied health workers who wish to expand their knowledge and career tracks,” said LSH Department Chair for the program, Pam Borsum. “Graduates will be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to positively contribute to the dynamic field of healthcare and make a meaningful impact on the individuals and communities they serve.”

The 28-course (or 91-competency unit) multidisciplinary program helps students develop vital research, analysis, and communication skills that are relevant to several health careers. The program culminates with a capstone project that requires students to think deeply and use their creative problem-solving skills to propose an evidence-based strategy to address a real-world issue related to health sciences. This project enhances students’ knowledge of the subject and enriches the field for further development. Click to learn more about the program specifics.

About Michael O. Leavitt School of Health (LSH): The school, named in honor of the former governor of Utah and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, was established in 2006 with the mission to make a difference in the fields of healthcare, nursing, and higher education through competency-based education. According to the Utah Foundation Research Brief, LSH represents more than 170,000 jobs in the healthcare industry and the school produced a whopping 17 percent of the nation’s registered nurses earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2021. With more than 100,000 graduates and over 115,000 degrees already conferred by LSH, the school presently serves nearly 25,000 students nationwide. Learn more at Leavitt School of Health (wgu.edu).