Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in General Health Sciences
Healthcare careers are providing an expanding number of career opportunities in Connecticut and nationwide.
Overview
Healthcare careers are providing an expanding number of career opportunities in Connecticut and nationwide. The General Health Sciences major will help Albertus students pursue careers and/or advanced study in a variety of health fields including nursing, nutrition, physical therapy and more. Graduates who major in health science will be prepared to assume roles as health/wellness professionals in private business and industry, community organizations, and health care settings. The program includes instruction in personal health, community health and welfare, nutrition, epidemiology, disease prevention, fitness and exercise, and health behaviors.
General Health Sciences Student Perspective
Dalton Sargent ‘18, a Biology Major and S-STEM Scholarship recipient, reflects on his time in college noting that the community here is like a family, and Albertus feels like his home.
“This is an important stepping stone to what I want to do. I plan on going on to medical school to become a doctor someday.”
Dalton talks about the tradition and spirit of Albertus, and how students experience
this at special events like homecoming weekend and candlelight convocation.
Hear Dalton's Story
My time at Albertus has allowed me to find a career path that I am passionate about. Upon graduation, I plan to continue my education at Johns Hopkins for a masters in Individualized Health Genomics, while working full-time as a molecular lab technologist.
Stephanie Lynne Latella, '19
The Albertus General Health Sciences Faculty
Scientific History of Albertus
The sciences at Albertus go back to the early days of our history. In 1927, Marcella O’Grady Boveri arrived at this fledgling college to establish a department of science.
Marcella's background was amazing for a woman of her time.
She was, in 1885, the first woman to graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a concentration in biology; she studied comparative zoology and embryology at Bryn Mawr; and by 1893 she had become a full professor at Vassar.
Three years later, she was admitted to study science at the University of Wurzburg in Germany, the first woman ever granted acceptance to the science program there. At Wurzburg, she studied with Theodor Boveri, director of the Zoological–Zootomical Institute and one of the world’s first cancer researchers. They married in 1897 and worked together on the chromosome theory of cancer until his death in 1915.
Marcella Boveri remained in Germany until 1926 when she returned to the United States for what was supposed to be just a brief visit: however, fortuitously for Albertus, she learned from a friend who was married to a former Yale University dean that the new liberal arts college in New Haven was looking for a woman of distinction to create and run its science department. When her contacts at Yale assured her that the resources of its Osborn Zoological Laboratory and Yale libraries would be available to her, she accepted the offer from Albertus. Marcella Boveri remained at Albertus until she retired in 1943; she died in October 1950.
General Health Sciences Program FAQ
Frequently asked questions regarding the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in General Health Sciences, curriculum, recommended minors, career paths, and internship opportunities.
What degree is offered in General Health Sciences at Albertus?
Albertus offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in General Health Sciences.
What does the General Health Sciences curriculum cover?
It provides a scientific foundation across biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, public health, and healthcare systems, paired with at least one required internship.
What sample courses are part of the program?
- Anatomy and Physiology I & II (with Lab)
- Chemistry of Nutrition
- Population Health
- Biostatistics: Math for Healthcare
- Nutrition for Health and Fitness
- Ethical Issues in Healthcare
- Global Health
- Introduction to Psychology
- Practicum / Internship
What minors are recommended to complement this major?
Students are encouraged to minor in Healthcare Management or Spanish to strengthen their ability to serve diverse communities and advance health equity.
What career paths and graduate programs does this degree prepare you for?
Graduate & Professional Fields:
- Medicine
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Nursing
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Veterinary Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Chiropractic Medicine
- Public Health
Direct Careers:
- Health Education
- Nutrition
- Food Science
- Pharmaceutical Sales / Marketing
- Clinical Research
- Science Technician
- Patient Care Coordination
Where do General Health Sciences students complete internships?
Placements include:
- Yale New Haven Health
- Stamford Hospital
- Bridgeport Hospital
- Middlesex Hospital
- Nuvance Health
- Valley Orthopaedics Specialists
- Elevate Physical Therapy
- Select Physical Therapy
- Ahlbin Rehabilitation Center
- Mount Carmel Veterinary Hospital
- Albertus Magnus College Sports Medicine
What STEM grant initiative supports Health Sciences students?
The U.S. Department of Education MSEIP grant established the STEM Academy for Growth and Equity (SAGE) and SAGE Scholars program, supporting minority students and women in STEM with small class sizes and internship opportunities.
Interested in learning more about the diverse courses offered at Albertus?
I was drawn to science because I love solving mysteries, and to me that is what science does.
Devon DeLallo, ‘17, Biology Major, Future Veterinarian
Request General Health Sciences Undergraduate Information
The Albertus General Health Sciences Degree Mission Statement
The Department of Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics prepares students to explore the natural world, improve human and population health, and solve complex scientific and societal challenges through inquiry, quantitative reasoning, and ethical leadership. Rooted in the liberal arts and the Dominican tradition of the search for truth, the department empowers students to discover, innovate, and serve their communities through science.