Bachelor of Health Science

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Florida

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) at the University of Florida is designed for students who want to build a strong foundation for careers in healthcare and professional health programs, combining knowledge of the healthcare system, human disease, disability, communication, and patient-centered care. Students can choose from Preprofessional, Pre-rehabilitation, or Applied Brain Science specializations, preparing for pathways such as medicine, physician assistant, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, neurology, clinical psychology, and psychiatry.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students begin with essential science and health-related foundations, including PSY 2012 General Psychology, STA 2023 Statistics, and BSC 2010/BSC 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology I and Laboratory. These courses establish the scientific and analytical background needed for more advanced health science study.

Year 2:

Students progress into core health science subjects that introduce the healthcare environment and research. Courses such as PHC 4101 Public Health Concepts, HSA 3111 U.S. Health Care System, and HSC 3057 Research Methods and Issues in Health Science develop an understanding of healthcare delivery, public health, and evidence-based practice.

Year 3:

The curriculum moves deeper into human health, disease, and professional preparation. Students study subjects such as HSC 3502 Survey of Diseases and Disability, OTH 3416 Pathophysiology, and HSC 3661 Therapeutic Communication Skills with Patients, Families and the Health Care Team, strengthening their ability to understand disease processes and communicate effectively with patients and healthcare teams.

Year 4:

Students concentrate on their chosen specialization and develop knowledge directly connected to their intended professional pathway. Preprofessional students can take HSC 4557 Medical Pharmacology in Clinical Care and HSC 4608 Clinical Diagnosis and Decision Making, while Pre-rehabilitation students can explore HSC 4064 Wearable Technology, Robotics, and AI for Health and HSC 4541 Musculoskeletal Assessment in Rehabilitation; Applied Brain Science students can take CLP 4420 Introduction to Neuropsychology and CLP 4421C Clinical/Behavioral Neuroanatomy with Lab.

Focus Areas:

Patient-centered healthcare, human disease and disability, public health, healthcare systems, research methods, pathophysiology, therapeutic communication, pre-medical and pre-professional preparation, physical and occupational therapy preparation, rehabilitation, applied brain science, neurology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, pharmacology, clinical diagnosis, musculoskeletal health, neuropsychology, AI and health.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop knowledge of the U.S. healthcare system, biological foundations of disease and disability, patient-centered communication, research methods, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, leadership, and evidence-based healthcare practice. The program also allows students to develop specialized preparation for professional and graduate programs in healthcare and related fields.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The BHS is specifically designed as preparation for professional and graduate-level healthcare education, with pathways supporting medicine, physician assistant, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, health administration, neurology, clinical psychology, and psychiatry. UF's official BHS materials do not list a separate program-specific professional accreditation for the BHS degree itself.

Reputation (Employability & University Standing):

The University of Florida has strong national recognition that can add value to a student's academic and career profile. In the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, UF was ranked No. 8 among U.S. public universities and No. 34 overall; UF also reports $1.33 billion in research expenditures for fiscal year 2024–25, highlighting its research-intensive environment.

The BHS also offers progression opportunities within UF, including a Bachelor's/Master of Public Health, BHS/Occupational Therapy Doctorate, and Bachelor's/Master of Biostatistics combination pathways.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The University of Florida’s Bachelor of Health Science gives students opportunities to develop practical skills through research, applied coursework, health-focused projects, and exposure to an interdisciplinary academic health environment. Courses such as HSC 3057 Research Methods and Issues in Health Science connect students with research processes, while the program’s specializations introduce applied areas such as wearable technology, robotics and AI for health, clinical diagnosis, neuroanatomy, and musculoskeletal assessment. Students can also pursue undergraduate research through opportunities such as the BHS Honors Program, University Scholars Program, and Emerging Scholars Program, giving them avenues to work alongside faculty and present research.

The program is supported by UF’s wider Health Science Center environment, giving students access to health-focused research facilities, laboratories, centers, institutes, and specialized information resources:

Research Methods & Poster Presentation: HSC 3057 introduces students to research methods and issues in health science, and the course culminates in a research poster session within the College. Recent PHHP Days also included presentations from BHS students, demonstrating opportunities to communicate undergraduate research.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities: BHS students can pursue research through the Bachelor of Health Science Honors Program, University Scholars Program, Emerging Scholars Program, and UF Center for Undergraduate Research.
Applied Health Technology: Students in the Pre-Rehabilitation specialization can study HSC 4064 Wearable Technology, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence for Health, providing direct academic exposure to emerging technologies used in healthcare and rehabilitation.
Clinical and Applied Learning: The curriculum includes courses such as HSC 4608 Clinical Diagnosis and Decision Making, HSC 4541 Musculoskeletal Assessment in Rehabilitation, and OTH 4412/OTH 4412L Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Laboratory, giving students applied preparation relevant to their selected pathway.
Applied Brain Science Resources: Students following the Applied Brain Science pathway can study CLP 4421C Introduction to Clinical/Behavioral Neuroanatomy and Lab and PHC 4796C Artificial Intelligence in Psychological and Brain Sciences, connecting coursework with laboratory and emerging AI applications.
Research Laboratories: PHHP maintains a broad network of research laboratories, including the Brain Health Equity and Dementia Prevention Lab, Global Pathogen Discovery Lab, Healthy Aging and Functional Ability Lab, Perception and Plasticity Lab, Quantitative Aging and Neurocognitive Training Laboratory, Technology for Occupational Performance Lab, TeleRehab and Research Experience Clinic, and Vestibular Sciences and Balance Lab.
Specialized Research Centers and Institutes: Students are part of a research environment that includes the BREATHE Center, Institute for Driving, Activity, Participation and Technology, Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Bioinformatics, One Health Center of Excellence, Center for Pain Rehabilitation Research, and Center for Technology and Child Health.
McKnight Brain Institute: Students interested in brain and neurological health benefit from the wider UF environment surrounding the Evelyn F. & William L. McKnight Brain Institute, which houses individual, shared, and core laboratory facilities as well as computing and information-technology resources supporting multidisciplinary neuroscience research.
Health Science Center Libraries: The UF Health Science Center Libraries provide dedicated academic and research resources for the six UF health science colleges, with computer laboratories, public-use computers, professional library staff, electronic resources, and study space.
Health Professions/Nursing/Pharmacy Complex: PHHP is based within the Health Professions, Nursing, and Pharmacy (HPNP) Complex, supporting interdisciplinary learning alongside UF’s Nursing and Pharmacy communities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The University of Florida’s Bachelor of Health Science is designed to prepare students for healthcare careers as well as further professional and graduate education. Graduates can build on their knowledge of healthcare systems, disease and disability, patient communication, research, and ethical decision-making to pursue roles in healthcare and health-related organizations or continue into professional programs such as medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, nursing, and health administration.

Typical career directions include: Clinical Research Coordinator, Healthcare Services Coordinator, Patient Care Coordinator, Health Program Coordinator.

Here are some of the ways UF supports students as they move toward employment and further study:

Career Connections Center: UF provides career support through Gator CareerLink, career fairs, employer networking, internships, job-shadowing and other professional opportunities. The Career Connections Center's Career Showcase brings together employers from areas including healthcare, research, biotechnology and other industries.
Health & Life Sciences employer connections: UF's 2026 Health & Life Sciences Career Week included employers recruiting for healthcare, research, biotechnology and biomedical opportunities, with participating organizations including Johnson & Johnson, Ensemble Healthcare, Florida Department of Health – Marion County, PABCO and U.S. Army Medical Recruiting.
Internships and professional experience: UF's Career Connections Center supports paid and unpaid internships, co-ops, externships and micro-internships. The university reports that internships help students apply classroom learning in the workplace and develop professional, teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.
Employment and salary figures: UF does not publish a current BHS-specific employment rate or median starting salary on the official program page. Rather than applying a university-wide salary figure to BHS graduates, students can use UF's Career Hub, which provides labor-market information, salary data, in-demand skills and current job/internship opportunities.
Research and professional development: BHS students can pursue research and professional-development opportunities through programs such as the University Scholars Program and other undergraduate research opportunities. UF also highlights opportunities for students to gain experience through volunteering, shadowing and research alongside their degree.
Graduation outcomes: UF specifically reports that BHS graduates progress into professional or graduate degrees in medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, nursing and health administration. The program also offers combined-degree routes, giving qualified students opportunities to begin advanced study while completing their undergraduate degree.
Accreditation and long-term value: The BHS program page does not identify a separate professional accreditation for the Bachelor of Health Science itself. Its value is primarily as a broad pre-professional health science degree that prepares students for subsequent professional or graduate education; students should therefore view accreditation requirements for the specific professional program they intend to enter separately.

Further Academic Progression:
Students can continue into professional or graduate education after completing the BHS. UF provides specific progression opportunities including the Bachelor’s/Master of Public Health, BHS/Occupational Therapy Doctorate, and Bachelor’s/Master of Biostatistics combination programs; depending on their specialization and career goals, students can also apply to professional programs in medicine, physician assistant studies, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing and other health-related fields.