- Biomedical Studies
- Community and Population Health - Aboriginal and Rural Health
- Community and Population Health - Environmental Health
- Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours (BHSc Honours)
Website: www.unbc.ca/health_sciences/undergraduate
The Bachelor of Health Sciences degree is a four-year program consisting of a range of courses that relate directly to the science of health, in the recognition that health is a complex entity defying a simple explanation or a single disciplinary perspective. The courses identified within the School of Health Sciences offer learning opportunities from a variety of disciplines, including the life sciences, social sciences, behavioural sciences, and ethics and law, to enable students to develop a body of knowledge and understanding relating to the dimensions of health. Some of these courses are considered to be ‘core’ and therefore central to the basic understandings of health, while others offer the student opportunities to learn about a specific health perspective that is focused on one of three Majors:
i) Biomedical Studies
ii) Community and Population Health - Environmental Health
iii) Community and Population Health - Aboriginal and Rural Health
Graduation from either of the Community and Population Health Majors enables students to embark on careers or graduate programs related to health care management, administration, information systems or public health.
Students pursuing the Biomedical Studies Major are required to complete a set of courses that enables them to be prepared for application to professional programs, such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, dentistry, speech pathology or physiotherapy. This major provides a foundational, multidisciplinary knowledge base that is focused on the natural and physical sciences, and social sciences, and includes population health and research methodology. Students interested in other fields requiring extensive biomedical laboratory skills may enroll in the degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BCMB).
All students graduating with the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree will have developed critical analytical skills, life-long learning skills, and the ability to work from the evidence of best practice.
General Requirements
To be awarded the BHSc degree, students are required to complete 122 credit hours of University-level courses.
Students enrolling in Health Sciences courses with prerequisites are required to have completed all prerequisite courses for those courses with a C or better, or have permission to enroll from the School Chair.
To change BHSc majors, students must apply through Student Advising.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Bachelor of Health Sciences program is based on academic qualifications and available space. At the time of application, students must specify whether they intend to pursue either the Biomedical Studies Major or one of the two Community and Population Health Majors. Priority admission is given to students who meet admission criteria and apply by the deadline of February 1. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed based on available space in the program. Self-identified Aboriginal applicants who meet or exceed the minimum requirements for admission to the program are given priority for up to twenty percent (20%) of the first-year seats for the Bachelor of Health Sciences program.
Applicants from British Columbia and Yukon secondary schools must:
- Meet the basic UNBC admission requirements, and
- Have completed Mathematics 12 or Pre-calculus 12, Chemistry 11 or Chemistry 12, Biology 12, English 12, and other approved Grade 12 courses as specified in the Admissions sections of the Undergraduate Calendar, with a minimum of 70% in each course.
Other Applicants must:
- Meet UNBC admission requirements, and
- Have completed the equivalent of Mathematics 12 or Pre-calculus 12, Chemistry 11 or Chemistry 12, Biology 12, English 12, and other approved Grade 12 courses as specified in the Admissions section of the Undergraduate Calendar, with a minimum of 70% in each course.
Students interested in specializing in the Biomedical Studies Major are strongly encouraged to take Pre-calculus 12 and Chemistry 12 before entering the Program.
Major in Biomedical Studies
Students pursuing a major in Biomedical Studies are required to complete the following 98 credit hours of courses. It is recommended that students take the following courses in the year of study indicated. Students must take an additional 24 elective credit hours of which at least 9 credit hours must be upper-division courses from any discipline for degree completion.
1st year - 34 credit hours
| BIOL 103-3 | Introductory Biology I |
| BIOL 104-3 | Introductory Biology II |
| BIOL 123-1 | Introductory Biology I Laboratory |
| BIOL 124-1 | Introductory Biology II Laboratory |
| CHEM 100-3 | General Chemistry I |
| CHEM 101-3 | General Chemistry II |
| CHEM 120-1 | General Chemistry Lab I |
| CHEM 121-1 | General Chemistry Lab II |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| HHSC 101-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences I: Issues and Controversies |
| HHSC 103-3 | Health Care Systems |
| HHSC 105-3 | Functional Anatomy |
Two of the following:
| ENGL 100-3 | Introduction to Literary Structures |
| ENGL 104-3 | Introduction to Film |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
2nd year - 32 credit hours
| BIOL 203-3 | Microbiology |
| BIOL 210-3 | Genetics |
| CHEM 201-3 | Organic Chemistry I |
| CHEM 203-3 | Organic Chemistry II |
| CHEM 204-3 | Introductory Biochemistry |
| CHEM 250-1 | Organic Chemistry Lab I |
| CHEM 251-1 | Organic Chemistry Lab II |
| HHSC 201-3 | Ethics and Law in Health Care |
| HHSC 311-3 | Nutrition |
| PSYC 101-3 | Introduction to Psychology I |
| PSYC 102-3 | Introduction to Psychology II |
| STAT 240-3 | Basic Statistics |
| or ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
3rd year - 23 credit hours
| BCMB 306-3 | Intermediary Metabolism |
| BIOL 311-3 | Cell and Molecular Biology |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| HHSC 305-3 | Human Physiology I |
| HHSC 306-3 | Human Physiology II |
| HHSC 325-1 | Human Physiology I Lab |
| HHSC 326-1 | Human Physiology II Lab |
| HHSC 351-3 | Research Design and Methods for Health Sciences |
| PSYC 309-3 | Introduction to Health Psychology |
4th year - 9 credit hours
| HHSC 401-3 | Principles of Epidemiology |
| HHSC 445-3 | Human Health and Development |
| HHSC 471-3 | Health and Chronic Disease Management |
Note: Students intending to apply to professional health degree programs are encouraged to take the following courses as electives: PHYS 110-4, PHYS 111-4, MATH 100-3 and MATH 101-3.
Major in Community and Population Health - Aboriginal and Rural Health
Students pursuing a major in Community and Population Health - Aboriginal and Rural Health are required to complete the following 97 credit hours. It is recommended that students take the following courses in the year of study indicated.
1st year - 26 credit hours
| BIOL 103-3 | Introductory Biology I |
| BIOL 104-3 | Introductory Biology II |
| BIOL 123-1 | Introductory Biology I Laboratory |
| BIOL 124-1 | Introductory Biology II Laboratory |
| CHEM 100-3 | General Chemistry I |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| HHSC 101-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences I: Issues and Controversies |
| HHSC 103-3 | Health Care Systems |
| HHSC 105-3 | Functional Anatomy |
One of the following:
| ENGL 100-3 | Introduction to Literary Structures |
| ENGL 104-3 | Introduction to Film |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
2nd year - 24 credit hours
| BIOL 203-3 | Microbiology |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| or GEOG 202-3 | Resources, Economies, and Sustainability |
| HHSC 102-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences II: Rural and Aboriginal Issues |
| HHSC 201-3 | Ethics and Law in Health Care |
| HHSC 311-3 | Nutrition |
| PSYC 101-3 | Introduction to Psychology I |
| PSYC 102-3 | Introduction to Psychology II |
| STAT 240-3 | Basic Statistics |
| or ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
3rd year - 23 credit hours
| ENPL 313-3 | Rural Community Economic Development (CED) |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| FNST 303-3 | First Nations Religion and Philosophy |
| or FNST 304-3 | Indigenous Environmental Philosophy |
| HHSC 305-3 | Human Physiology I |
| HHSC 306-3 | Human Physiology II |
| HHSC 325-1 | Human Physiology I Lab |
| HHSC 326-1 | Human Physiology II Lab |
| HHSC 351-3 | Research Design and Methods for Health Sciences |
| PSYC 309-3 | Introduction to Health Psychology |
4th year- 18 credit hours
| HHSC 401-3 | Principles of Epidemiology |
| HHSC 421-3 | Medical Geography |
| HHSC 445-3 | Human Health and Development |
| HHSC 471-3 | Health and Chronic Disease Management |
| HHSC 473-3 | Health Promotion |
| SOCW 444-3 | Social Work Critical Issues in Aging |
Students must take an additional 6 credit hours from the following list, of which at least 3 credit hours must be upper-division courses. Students must ensure that all prerequisites are fulfilled prior to registering in any course.
| ANTH 201-3 | Medical Anthropology |
| ANTH 206-3 | Ethnography in Northern British Columbia |
| ECON 410-3 | Health Economics |
| FNST 249-4 | Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio |
| FNST 305-3 | Seminar in First Nations Studies |
| POLS 403-3 | Social and Health Policy and Administration |
| SOCW 440-3 | Social Work in Mental Health |
| SOCW 441-3 | Social Work and Substance Use |
| SOCW 443-3 | Social Work and Health Care |
Major in Community and Population Health - Environmental Health
Students pursuing a major in Community and Population Health - Environmental Health are required to complete the following 97 credit hours. It is recommended that students take the following courses in the year of study indicated:
1st year - 26 credit hours
| BIOL 103-3 | Introductory Biology I |
| BIOL 104-3 | Introductory Biology II |
| BIOL 123-1 | Introductory Biology I Laboratory |
| BIOL 124-1 | Introductory Biology II Laboratory |
| CHEM 100-3 | General Chemistry I |
| FNST 100-3 | The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada |
| HHSC 101-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences I: Issues and Controversies |
| HHSC 103-3 | Health Care Systems |
| HHSC 105-3 | Functional Anatomy |
One of the following:
| ENGL 100-3 | Introduction to Literary Structures |
| ENGL 104-3 | Introduction to Film |
| ENGL 170-3 | Writing and Communication Skills |
2nd year - 27 credit hours
| BIOL 203-3 | Microbiology |
| ECON 210-3 | Introduction to Health Economics and Policy |
| or GEOG 202-3 | Resources, Economies, and Sustainability |
| ENPL 205-3 | Environment and Society |
| HHSC 102-3 | Introduction to Health Sciences II: Rural and Aboriginal Issues |
| HHSC 201-3 | Ethics and Law in Health Care |
| HHSC 311-3 | Nutrition |
| PSYC 101-3 | Introduction to Psychology I |
| PSYC 102-3 | Introduction to Psychology II |
| STAT 240-3 | Basic Statistics |
| or ECON 205-3 | Statistics for Business and the Social Sciences |
3rd year - 20 credit hours
| ENSC 308-3 | Northern Contaminated Environments |
| FNST 302-3 | First Nations Health and Healing |
| HHSC 305-3 | Human Physiology I |
| HHSC 306-3 | Human Physiology II |
| HHSC 325-1 | Human Physiology I Lab |
| HHSC 326-1 | Human Physiology II Lab |
| HHSC 351-3 | Research Design and Methods for Health Sciences |
| PSYC 309-3 | Introduction to Health Psychology |
4th year - 18 credit hours
| HHSC 401-3 | Principles of Epidemiology |
| HHSC 421-3 | Medical Geography |
| HHSC 445-3 | Human Health and Development |
| HHSC 471-3 | Health and Chronic Disease Management |
| HHSC 473-3 | Health Promotion |
| SOCW 444-3 | Social Work Critical Issues in Aging |
Students must take an additional 6 credit hours from the following list. Students must ensure that all prerequisites are fulfilled prior to registering in any course.
| ECON 410-3 | Health Economics |
| ENPL 208-4 | Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio |
| ENPL 304-4 | Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio |
| HIST 360-3 | An Introduction to Environmental History |
| NREM 306-3 | Society, Policy and Administration |
| or POLS 344-3 | Society, Policy and Administration of Natural Resources |
| POLS 403-3 | Social and Health Policy and Administration |
Electives and Academic Breadth for all BHSc Majors
Students take electives at any level sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum 122 credit hours. This includes taking any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours (BHSc Honours)
Entry to the Honours Program takes place after the end of the third year (i.e., upon completion of 90 credit hours) and requires a minimum Cumulative GPA of 3.33 over the most recent 30 credit hours or permission of the School Chair. Consultation with Student Advising is highly recommended before applying. Attaining the minimum requirement does not guarantee entry to the Honours Program, which is at the discretion of the School Chair. Subsequent to entry and to remain in the Honours Program, students must maintain a minimum Semester GPA of 3.33 in each semester. All Honours students complete a thesis project (HHSC 490-6 Honours Thesis) under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Students are responsible to find their own undergraduate thesis research supervisor. Faculty members are under no obligation to supervise Honours students.
To be awarded the BHSc Honours degree, students must complete all requirements for the BHSc in their major of choice and the following 9 Honours credit hours:
HHSC 490-6 Honours Thesis*
HHSC 497-3 Senior Seminar
*Students must achieve a minimum grade of B (3.0) in HHSC 490-6 to be granted the Honours designation.
The minimum requirement for completion of a BHSc Honours is 131 credit hours.
All honours thesis research must comply with the Research Ethics Board requirements and is carried out at the discretion of the School of Health Sciences.
Updated: December 5, 2024