At a glance
Prospective students may enroll now for the fall 2016 semester in the new four-year BS program, designed to satisfy requirements for students entering health care professions or graduate-level biomedical research.
Alfred State is pleased to announce it has expanded its academic offerings to now include a Bachelor of Science major in health sciences.
Prospective students may enroll now for the fall 2016 semester in the new four-year BS program, designed to satisfy requirements for students entering health care professions or graduate-level biomedical research. Students in the program will be exposed to a rich offering of liberal arts courses and will advance from basic general biology and chemistry courses to upper-level courses in microbiology, genetics, bio-techniques, molecular and cell biology, genomics, biochemistry, research methods, the culture of health care, and ethical issues in health care.
The program further provides opportunities to select from a wide range of health-related technical electives to enhance the student’s expertise. These will prepare graduates for working with future colleagues from the health care profession and the diverse population that will require their services. In addition, this major will prepare graduates to seek transfer options to graduate or professional programs.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health care occupations is projected to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations, adding about 2.3 million new jobs.
Dr. Kathryn Link, program coordinator and assistant professor of Physical and Life Sciences, said the health sciences program allows for seamless transfer from the biological sciences Associate in Applied Science major, thereby providing students the ability to continue to work toward their career goals while remaining at Alfred State.
“We are now able to serve the students who have strong interests in the fields of sciences and health,” Link said. “Instead of choosing between a biology degree or a chemistry degree, students can combine interests in the sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) while diversifying knowledge on health-related topics.”
Dr. Skip Sullivan, president of Alfred State, said, “We are pleased to add health sciences to our expanding list of majors, and are excited about the projected job growth in this field in the near future. I thank all of the faculty who helped make this program possible.”
Dr. Kristin Poppo, provost, said, “Our new health sciences degree prepares students for a broad range of careers through rigorous preparation in the sciences. With a very positive employment outlook in this field, this degree provides a great opportunity for students.”
The program, Link noted, provides many science and health-related technical electives that students can select based on their interest, which provide plenty of hands-on, applied learning in the students’ area of interest. A research project or internship will also help broaden the students’ expertise.
“With the health care sector accounting for more occupations nationally than any other industry,” Link said, “we can lead the students into a career that directly applies their science and health interests.”