University Catalogues

Health Studies Major

In the United States, health care is an industry with annual expenditures of more than $3.8 trillion a year. Health is a leading factor in workforce productivity, and health care costs play a major role on the bottom line of most businesses. All organizations that provide benefits to employees spend a large share of their energies on issues related to employee health and the ever-changing dynamics of the health insurance industry.

Despite attempts at reforms, our nation is currently on an unsustainable path of increasing health care costs. A student with a Health Studies degree will be prepared to help individuals and organizations acquire, convert or translate scientific, psychological, and business perspectives into a more effective health care delivery system.

The Health Studies major is an innovative program that integrates the Natural and Applied Sciences health and psychology curricula with Bentley’s core programs in business. In addition to a strong foundation in the laboratory sciences, students with a Health Studies degree will have the flexibility to tailor their studies to specific areas of interest, such as policy, psychology, biotechnology, and global or environmental health.

In addition to the specific major requirements described below, students must also complete all designated requirements in Foundations for Success, Contexts & Perspectives in the Arts & Sciences, Business Dynamics, Communication Intensive coursework, and the additional degree requirements for Arts & Sciences majors (including the Modern Language requirement).  Details can be found in the Degree Requirements section of the catalogue, including the Overview and the Arts & Sciences Majors tabs.

Course Title Credits
Required Courses28
NAS 110Human Biology4
or NAS 120 Elements of Living Systems
NAS 316Human Health and Disease in Today's World3
PSY 250Health Psychology3
Senior Capstone Experience: Internship in Natural and Applied Sciences or Research in Natural and Applied Sciences 3
Four Health, Psychology or Interdepartmental electives (organized according to one of the following tracks):12

General Health Studies

Course Title Credits
Select three or four electives from the following:9 to 12
Human Biology
Elements of Living Systems
Health of Nations: Anatomy and Function of Health Systems in the United States and Around the World
The Science and Business of Biotechnology
Human Nutrition: From Science to Life
Global Health Challenges
Human Inheritance
Water Quality
Science of Environmental Policy
Special Topics in Natural and Applied Sciences
Pioneers in Psychology
Dynamics of Personality
Abnormal Psychology
Positive Psychology
Social Psychology
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Gender Psychology
Human Relations in Health Care
Psychology of Self
Child Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Experimental Course in Psychology
Select no more than one elective from the following:0 to 3
Health Economics
Social Policy
Drugs Trades in World History
American Environmental History
Decision Support and Business Intelligence
Special Problems in Business and Professional Ethics
Drugs and Society
Health, Illness and Everyday Life

Health Policy

Course Title Credits
NAS 308Health of Nations: Anatomy and Function of Health Systems in the United States and Around the World3
NAS 302The Science and Business of Biotechnology3
Human Relations in Health Care
Select one of the following:3
Health Economics
Social Policy
Health, Illness and Everyday Life

Health Psychology

Course Title Credits
Select four of the following:12
Human Inheritance
Abnormal Psychology
Positive Psychology
Human Relations in Health Care
Nonverbal Behavior and Judging Others

Biotechnology

Course Title Credits
Select four of the following:12
NAS Experimental Courses (if appropriate)
The Science and Business of Biotechnology
Human Inheritance
Health, Illness and Everyday Life

Environmental Health

Course Title Credits
Select four of the following:12
Global Health Challenges
Water Quality
Science of Environmental Policy
NAS Experimental Courses (if appropriate)
Seminar in Natural and Applied Sciences
Special Topics in Natural and Applied Sciences
Environmental Psychology
Environmental Economics
American Environmental History