Department of Healthcare Systems and Innovation Programs

The B.S. Healthcare Studies degree program prepares students for entry-level jobs within the healthcare sector, provides a strong academic foundation for those advancing to graduate school, and prepares students with the prerequisite coursework and advisement to apply to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program.  

Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in healthcare occupations will grow 16% from 2020 to 2030, which is must faster than most occupations.    

Many Connecticut healthcare employment opportunities exist in the Greater New Haven region, as the healthcare industry is a dominant contributor to the local economy.  Employers are seeking professionals attuned to the dynamics of an evolving healthcare system.  They have expressed a growing demand for bachelor-level trained employees in critical non-clinical positions.  Employers are seeking employees who possess a skill set that includes knowledge of overall health, health informatics, health systems, and healthcare management.  The B.S. Healthcare Studies degree program will address the development of these skills and help employers meet these needs. 

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The concentration in Health Science Foundations is the pre-acceptance program for students interested in applying to Southern's upper division BHSc in Health Science. The program requirements list all of the HLS major requirements, plus the prerequisites for the Health Science program.  

• Students preparing to apply to the Health Science program at Southern must complete the courses listed under “Health Science Prerequisites” and must have an overall GPA of 3.20 or higher, as described on the Health Science application website
• Students admitted to the Health Science program will have their major changed to Health Science where they will complete the final two years of the four-year B.S. Health Science degree program.   
• To continue in this concentration, students must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA. Students not admitted to Health Science or those who do not maintain a 3.0 GPA will need to select a different major or continue with Healthcare Studies in a different concentration.  

The Healthcare and Clinical Research concentration prepares students for careers in the field of Clinical Trials coordination and management. Major research hospitals such as Yale New-Haven Hospital conduct a large number of clinical trials on potential treatments for cancer and other diseases, and this is a large area of employment growth. Clinical trials researchers help recruit and screen patients for clinical trials, work with patients to collect data and ensure research protocols are followed, help manage and report data, ensure quality control, and related duties. 

Students who complete this program and who work in clinical trials research for 1-2 years will be eligible to take a certification exam to become a certified clinical research professional (CCRP). This is a valuable and highly marketable credential that will help in long-term career advancement. 

If you’re comfortable working with data, and have good attention to detail and a strong work ethic, this might be a good career path to explore. 

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This concentration prepares students for employment as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant. SLPAs are support personnel who work under the supervision of a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), usually in school or rehab settings. SLPAs assist speech language pathologists in treating individuals with speech, language, fluency and voice disorders in a variety of settings. They provide a wide range of services including implementing speech and language programs designed by the SLP. The SLPA concentration is a flexible option for students who may want to work in the field before choosing to pursue a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology. Students graduating with this concentration will be eligible to apply for the national American Speech-Hearing-Language Association certification. Included in the coursework is 100 hours of practicum experience that meets fieldwork guidelines for the national certification program. 

If you enjoy working with people of all ages, in a variety of settings such as schools, health clinics, private practice, early intervention and other work settings with the goal of improving communication and overall quality of life, this might be a good career path to explore. Visit American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 

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The STEM Foundations in Nursing concentration is specifically for students who are planning to apply to the BS in Nursing program at SCSU. The program requirements list all of the HLS major requirements, plus the prerequisites for the Nursing program. The requirements can be found in the Catalog page here.

• Students preparing to apply to the Nursing program at Southern must complete the courses listed under “Nursing Prerequisites and Cognates” with a grade of ‘C+’ or better in each if taken prior to fall 2023 and a grade of a ‘B-‘ or better in each if taken fall 2023 or later. Students who have earned three or more grades below the minimum required in any of the Nursing prerequisites are ineligible to apply for the Nursing program, as described on the BS Nursing Website.
• To continue in this concentration, students must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA and have no more than two grades below the minimum grades required in any of the Nursing prerequisites. Students who do not meet these requirements will need to select a different major or select a different Healthcare Studies concentration. Students who do not select a different major or concentration will be removed from the STEM Foundations for Nursing program. 

This concentration prepares students for careers as therapeutic recreation directors in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and senior centers. Therapeutic Rec Directors are responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing individual and group activities for residents of a facility. 

Graduates of this program will meet the Connecticut Health Code qualifications for therapeutic recreation directors in skilled nursing facilities. 

If you enjoy working with an aging population, and are creative, outgoing, and compassionate, this might be a good career path to explore. 

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