Clarkson University launches new bachelor’s in healthcare

POTSDAM – As the evolution of healthcare continues, Clarkson University’s Lewis School of Health Sciences is leaning into the progress in the field by offering a new Bachelor of Science in Healthcare degree program.

Clarkson’s new Healthcare major is designed for students who are interested in any facet of healthcare including pre-clinical, business, data analytics, public health policy, research, and bioethics, according to Lennart Johns, Founding Dean of the Lewis School of Health Sciences.

“Healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors and the world of healthcare is changing rapidly,” Johns said. “We have designed a curriculum with foundational knowledge, but also the flexibility to adapt to student interests and our changing world.”

Embedded within the core Healthcare curriculum are the 15 Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students that have been endorsed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Committee on Admissions (COA). The competencies fall into four categories: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Thinking and Reasoning, and Science.

“As these are core competencies for clinical practice in healthcare, it makes logical sense that the competencies extend to all areas of healthcare, including clinical practice, business, policy and bioethics, to name a few,” Johns said. “Clarkson knows that these competencies matter and they serve as the core of Clarkson's education in Healthcare.”

Students in Clarkson’s new Healthcare major will take 32 credits related to the Common Experience, 25 to 26 credits of core Healthcare, 19 credits of healthcare electives, and 43 to 44 credits of open electives. This design allows a student to be highly focused or diverse in their coursework and the flexibility to design their own curriculum to meet their intellectual interests and career goals.

Clarkson has recognized the advancements being made in the healthcare industry and is rising to the challenge of the changing landscape to give students interested in healthcare professions the right preparation as well as what industry leaders want from the next generation of health professionals according to Clarkson University President Marc P. Christensen, Ph.D., P.E.

“As the healthcare world expands, Clarkson’s growth in the field continues,” Christensen said. “We are developing new ways to facilitate our students’ service to their community by offering a flexible and relevant program that delivers what matters to industry as well as patients -- that will only become more important over time. Fostering an environment where students can explore their interest in healthcare while realizing its influence in other industries reinforces the cohesion we strive for here at Clarkson.”

Clarkson’s new Healthcare major serves to bolster the already robust Earl R. and Barbara D. Lewis School of Health Sciences. The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare program will join an undergraduate offering that includes Pre-Health Science tracks in Pre-medical, Pre-Optometry, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Public Health, Pre-dental, Pre-veterinarian, Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Occupational Therapy, and Pre-Physician Assistant Studies.

These programs, coupled with four graduate-level programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies and Bioethics creates a world of unique opportunities in the healthcare field at both the graduate and undergraduate level.

Clarkson University’s David D. Reh School of Business plays a complementary role to the Lewis School’s clinical-based programs with graduate programs in Healthcare Management, Clinical Leadership in Healthcare Management, and Healthcare Data Analytics.

Majoring in Healthcare is also the newest option for Clarkson’s Direct Entry Healthcare program. In this program, students complete four years of undergraduate study at Clarkson for a BS degree, then directly enter our master's or doctorate degree program in their chosen healthcare field. There is no second application, as long as all the requirements and academic criteria have been met. Clarkson’s Direct Entry program is designed to attract the best, brightest and most promising students who wish to enter the fields of healthcare. Direct Entry provides a guaranteed spot for first-year undergraduate students in our Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, MS in Occupational Therapy (MS-OT) program or MS in Physician Assistant Studies (MS-PA) program.

For more information on Clarkson’s new Healthcare major, visit clarkson.edu/undergraduate/healthcare.