Health Sciences

MajorBachelor of Science Health Science

BEGIN your healthcare path with confidence.

Butler’s Health Sciences program is designed for students aspiring to careers in healthcare. The program provides a pathway, foundational knowledge, and excellent professional school preparation for careers such as dentist, genetic counselor, occupational therapist, optometrist, physician, physical therapist, PA, and more.

This major offers a robust curriculum that blends foundational scientific knowledge with cutting-edge insights into human healthcare, taught by experienced content experts and healthcare practitioners. You also have the option to choose from six optional pre-professional tracks with specialized curriculum designed to meet graduate school pre-requisites. The track will appear on your transcript, further showcasing excellent academic preparation during the graduate school application process.

With a location in Indianapolis—a major healthcare corridor—you’ll have ample opportunities for experiential learning, job shadowing, and internships, all in your own backyard.

If you’re uncertain about what healthcare career path you’re interested in, the Health Sciences program can also help you discern what field aligns best with your personality and skill set. This versatile major provides a dynamic environment that challenges, encourages, and allows for exploration across various facets of the healthcare field.

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PROGRAM INFORMATION

CURRICULUM

The Health Sciences major curriculum is both challenging and flexible, designed to prepare students for a wide variety of graduate programs such as medicine, physical therapy, PA, dentistry, and more. Students in the Health Sciences program take several fundamental and advanced natural science courses, social science courses, and our “core” healthcare courses. Students individualize their curriculum by choosing from many healthcare-related elective courses, concentrations, and minors that optimally prepare them for their chosen career path.

Sample courses in this program could include:

BSHS 110 – Introduction to Healthcare
BSHS 230 – Healthcare Systems and Policy
BSBS 285 – Healthcare Immersion Abroad
BSHS 350 – Health Disparities
BSHS 450 – Healthcare Biostatistics
BSHS 460 – Evidence Based Healthcare

See all Health Sciences curriculum information

Concentrations

Medical Spanish

Pre-Professional Tracks

Butler prepared me for my career, both inside and outside the classroom.

“Butler’s Health Sciences program stood out to me because it was focused on preparing students specifically for a career in healthcare—it was an excellent gateway and transition into PA school and my eventual career.”

Miki Kawahara ’22, ’24
Health Sciences
Master’s in PA Studies
Honolulu, Hawaii

Read Miki’s Story

Meet Your Faculty

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Amy Peak

Associate Professor and Department Chair, Health Sciences
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Dr. Amy Peak is the Director of the Health Science and Healthcare & Business programs, and Chair of the Health Science department at Butler University. She has over 20 years experience in higher education and is a clinical pharmacist,…
View more about Amy Peak

Mikaela Drake

Associate Professor – Health Sciences
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Oscar Beltran Perez

Assistant Professor
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Dr. Beltran is a scholar and practician in the field of Health Sciences. He completed his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, but his work experience extends…
View more about Oscar Beltran Perez

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate ethical, professional, collaborative, and culturally-sensitive behaviors within the healthcare setting.

Integrate knowledge and skills from natural, formal, and social sciences with healthcare fundamentals to solve complex problems and optimize health outcomes.

Locate, critically analyze, and apply data in a manner that supports evidence-based healthcare.

Communicate effectively with laypersons and healthcare professionals on a variety of health-related topics.

Day in the Life of a Butler Health Sciences Major

the latest in health sciences

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Alumni Success Story: Sara Lagacy

Sara Legacy, a 2024 Butler University graduate, shares her story of being a Health Sciences major and how it prepared her for life after graduation.

Alumni Success Story: Nathan Richardson

Get to know Nathan Richardson, a 2024 alumn who talks about his experiences as a Health Sciences major.

Alumni Sucess Story: Miki Kawahara

Hear from Miki Kawahara, a Butler Alumni who studied Health Sciences and continued her education in the PA program.

Health Sciences FAQs

Butler’s Health Sciences degree is distinct from its Nursing program. The Health Sciences degree is ideal for students who want to keep their options open as they determine the healthcare career that’s right for them, whether that’s a healthcare career with an undergraduate degree or following continued education to be a PA, optometrist, dentist, or other provider. Butler’s Nursing program is for students who want to pursue nursing specifically.

A career in healthcare administration may focus more on the administrative, business, or management side of healthcare and the provision of healthcare services. Butler’s Health Sciences degree can lead to opportunities for this type of work, but it also provides prerequisites ideal for students who intend to apply to graduate school to work directly with patients. If you’re looking for a program that will directly prepare you for a career in healthcare administration, consider Butler’s Healthcare and Business major.