Healthcare Systems and Innovation is the home of the B.S. in Healthcare Studies major.
Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing career areas in Connecticut. When we think of the people who work in hospitals, we usually think of doctors and nurses – however, they make up only a tiny portion of hospital employees. There’s an enormous range of professions in hospitals and healthcare centers – these include many different jobs in direct patient care, clinical research, administration and management, patient support, and healthcare data analytics, among many other areas.
The B.S. in Healthcare Studies provides students with knowledge about how the healthcare system works. This knowledge is extremely valuable and appealing to employers in the healthcare field.
What careers can this degree lead to?
Most healthcare professionals move between roles as they gain experience. Some professionals start with an associate degree and find that they need a bachelors degree to advance professionally. Other professionals decide to pursue a master’s degree in a specialized area.
You’ll be able to pursue many different professional avenues in healthcare with a BS in Healthcare Studies. This degree will be especially valuable as you gain professional experience.
See the "Careers" link on this page to see some career paths for Healthcare Studies graduates.
Programs Offered
The General major in Healthcare Studies, which provides core knowledge for healthcare careers and flexibility to select courses to meet the student’s specific interests or career path. Many students in the Healthcare Studies General program select a minor in a complementary field, such as Public Health, Medical Spanish, Wellness, Business Administration, and Management.
The Healthcare and Clinical Research concentration of Healthcare Studies, which prepares students for a career in the important and fast-growing clinical trials research field.
Interdisciplinary programs
The HLS concentration in Speech Language Pathology Assistant is a joint program with Communication Disorders. This prepares students to become an SLPA.
The HLS concentration in Therapeutic Recreation in Aging is a joint program with Recreation, Tourism & Sports Management. This prepares students for employment as therapeutic recreation directors in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and senior centers.
Pre-Professional concentrations
The HLS concentration in STEM Foundations for Nursing is for students preparing to apply to the BS in Nursing college pathway.
The HLS concentration in Health Science Foundations is for students preparing to apply to the BSc in Health Science.