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Bachelor of Science

A VCSU student works with liquids in the toxicology lab.
Health Science

Our Health Science degree is your first step to a career in physical or occupational therapy, medicine, physician assistant, chiropractics, pharmacy, medicine, veterinary studies, or graduate school.  The Health Science major is for students interested in working with patients or conducting biomedical research in graduate school. Our program has dedicated advisors guiding you get the training, course work, and experience you need for your future education and career.

Download Health Science Program Fact Sheet

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regional posted in the health sciences field in the last year
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Professor Hilde, Charisma, and Professor Kelly LaFramboise at VCSU

Charismha Tsosie

Health Science graduate, Class of 2022

“Health Science is an all-around program that meets the prerequisites for whatever professional program you’re going into,” she explained. “It applies towards what you want it to.” It was perfect for Tsosie, who was unwavering in her interest in healthcare and her desire to help others.

Read more about Charismha

Begin a customizable education and prepare for graduate or professional school

  • Getting ready for Med School
    The Health Science degree is tailored to help students get into the medical school of their choice. The degree includes all necessary pre-requisite courses. Your advisor and your fellow students in the Pre-Professional Club can support you in gaining work experience, observation hours, leadership skills and other necessary elements for admission.
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  • Become a Physical or Occupational Therapist
    The Health Science degree covers all pre-requisite courses needed for admission to Physical and Occupational Therapy School. Health Science graduates have a 100% admission rate into Physical and Occupational Therapy programs.
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  • Become a Chiropractor
    There are many practicing chiropractors in North Dakota with undergraduate Health Science degrees from VCSU. The Health Science degree is tailored to help students get into the chiropractic program of their choice.
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  • Become a Dentist
    The Health Science degree is tailored to help students get into the dental of their choice. The small class sizes and ability to take various arts courses like ceramics ensures future success in the dental careers.
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  • Become a Pharmacist
    The Health Science degree can be tailored include various chemistry, match and sciences to help students get into the pharmaceutical program of their choice.
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  • Become a Optometrist
    Getting a Health Science degree can ensure you have the required courses and optimal experiences to get into the optometry program of your choice.
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  • Become a Veterinarian
    The Health Science program ensures the required prerequisites are met and partnerships with local vet clinics ensure students have the ability to gain valuable hands-on experiences before graduation.
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  • Become a Nurse Practitioner
    The Health Science degree can help you get into accelerated nursing programs. This is often the first step in becoming an independent healthcare provider like a Nurse Practitioner.
    Learn more

Choose from other Specialized Programs

Study Nursing in Valley City

Students attending nursing courses on the campus of VCSU work with an instructor and a life-like doll. .

Your nursing career starts here. The Dakota Nursing Program was created through a collaboration between the Dakota College at Bottineau and VCSU to help students begin their education in Nursing. Through the Dakota Nursing Program, students earn their Practical Nursing (PN) certificate or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at VCSU while participating in campus events and student life.

Learn more about the Dakota Nursing Program at Dakota College at Bottineau in Valley City


Printable Fact Sheet about the Dakota Nursing Program.

Medical Laboratory Science

Lindsey Kiecker demonstrating to classmates

Medical Laboratory Science is a specialty program at VCSU, training future healthcare workers in practicing diagnostic medicine and generating accurate test results in chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology and microbiology. This degree path will earn you a degree from VCSU and a Medical Laboratory Science Certificate from UND.

Learn more about the Medical Laboratory Science degree

Cardiographic Technician Training

A student reads an EKG print out in the VCSU science lab

Valley City State University offers an eight-week course for individuals interested in becoming certified Cardiographic Technicians. The course, Allied Health 102, is a hybrid online and in-person course. Learn to conduct, read, and interpret different cardiac tests and assist in a hospital or clinic setting.

Beyond graduation

Explore the possibilities

The Health Science major is organized to prepare you to pursue professional programs such as:

  • Medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Optometry
  • Pharmacy
  • Chiropractic
  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physician assistant
  • Veterinary science
  • Mortuary science

Graduates of Health Science can also pursue graduate school in a variety of disciplines such as

  • Microbiology
  • Organic chemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular bioscience
  • Protein chemistry
  • Toxicology

Where you'll study

Our science students have the opportunity to study in the recently renovated L.D. Rhoades Science Center. Equipped with modern labs, spacious classrooms and highly-qualified faculty.
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An vector image of Rhoades Science Center with text labeling the image.

Plan of Study

  • General Chemistry I and II
  • General Biology I and II
  • English Composition (Gen Ed)
  • Introduction to Professional Writing
  • Concepts of Fitness and Wellness
  • Art and Music (Gen Ed)
  • Fundamentals of Teaching Health and Physical Education
  • Technology (Gen Ed)
  • Lab Science (Gen Ed)
  • Finite Mathematics, Precalculus, or Elementary Statistics (Gen Ed)
  • Speech Communication (Gen Ed)
  • Viking Voyage
  • Additional Humanities or Social Science
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I
  • Introduction to Sociology
  • Precalculus
  • Speech Communication
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology II.
  • Microbiology
  • Health Science Elective
  • Concepts of Fitness and Wellness
  • Calculus I
  • Literacies
  • Art and Music
  • General Elective

The third and fourth years of study include some required courses and multiple Health Science elective courses to ensure a student has the right courses to get into the pre-professional school of their choice.

This process also allows a student to work closely with their advisor to have internships or other experiences that can provide hands-on learning. This allows for a student to have the strongest application possible when pursuing graduate schools or specific career paths.

  • Research Methods
  • Literacies
  • Art and Music
  • Integrated Science Capstone

Some potential elective courses include:

  • Medical Terminology
  • Botany
  • Genetics
  • Mammalogy
  • Biostatistics and Experimental Design
  • Understanding Statistics
  • Cell Biology
  • Quantitative Analysis I
  • Organic Chemistry I or II
  • Elements of Biochemistry
  • Physical Chemistry I
  • Technical and Scientific Writing
  • Applied Calculus I
  • Calculus I or II
  • Applied Probability and Statistics
  • College Physics I or II
  • University Physics I or II
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology

Meet the advisor

Hilde van Gijssel

Hilde van Gijssel, Ph.D.

Professor
Departments

Science, Science - Health Science

Office Location
  • Rhoades Science Center 203B