Allied Health Science Major
Allied Health Science Major: Prepare For A Career in Health Care
Carthage’s allied health science major combines laboratory science with courses essential for analyzing data and working in cross-functional teams — skills needed in the health care field. You’ll receive excellent preparation to complete your studies in graduate-level programs.
A degree in allied health science can lead to a wide variety of careers as a physician assistant, physical therapist, chiropractor, occupational therapist, epidemiologist, health care administrator, pharmacist, doctor, or athletic trainer.
Core values
We believe that developing healthcare professionals who can effectively work within an interprofessional team while thinking critically and integrating evidence into practice is essential.
Program outcomes
- Provide students with a multidisciplinary foundation in health sciences to prepare them for careers in the healthcare industry.
- Prepare highly competent professionals who improve health outcomes by excelling in interprofessional communication, teamwork, and the delivery of safe, ethical, patient-centered care.
- Develop individuals who can formulate appropriate questions, organize and test hypotheses and apply research results to improve health care outcomes.
Learn in and out of the classroom
When you’re an allied health science major at Carthage, you’ll take courses and electives in biology, chemistry, exercise and sports science, and physics. Your courses will include Structural Kinesiology, Introduction to Athletic Training, Healthcare Informatics, and Evidence-Based Practice.
Beyond the classroom, you can advance your skills and expertise through workshops, study abroad, and student organizations. Here’s a look at some experiential learning opportunities:
- Jump-Start Experiences — Get a “jump-start” toward the health care profession through faculty-led workshops and other mentor-guided activities.
- Grand Rounds — Weekly physician-led workshops keep allied health science students updated on developments outside their core studies while assisting them with inter-professional communication skills.
- Short-term Study Abroad — Regardless of what healthcare career path you may travel, an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion is imperative. At Carthage, you can study abroad to experience other cultures firsthand and learn about medical care in other countries. Options include a twice-yearly medical mission trip to Nicaragua, where students volunteer in rural medical clinics on the island of Ometepe.
- A Network of Mentors — Aspiring healthcare professionals consult frequently with faculty mentors and Aspire Center career specialists to select courses that match their abilities and goals. Carthage pre-health students can participate in activities such as interviewing and resume-building workshops.
- Student Organizations — AHS majors frequently choose to be involved in Carthage’s Pre-Health Club, Phi Epsilon Kappa, and Athletic Training Club.
See Allied Health Science Courses
Job market for Allied Health Science Majors
According to PayScale, the average salary for a U.S. worker with a bachelor’s degree in health science is $63,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment in the healthcare industry will grow much faster than the average for all occupations. The federal agency expects employment growth to continue at 18 percent through 2026. This will result in 2.4 million new jobs in healthcare, including allied health care.
Learn more about careers in Allied Health Science
Special academic options
PRE-HEALTH PROGRAM
Aspiring health care professionals consult with a faculty coordinator to select courses that match their abilities and goals.
Learn more about Carthage’s Pre-Health Program
3+2 MASTER OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
Carthage offers a five-year path to a Master of Arts degree in athletic training, shortening the typical route by a full year. AHS majors can apply to enter the professional phase of the program as juniors. Complete your first three years as an allied health science major, and upon acceptance into the master’s program, complete the graduate-level courses over two years. You’d graduate with a bachelor’s degree in allied health science and a master’s degree in athletic training in just five years.
Learn more about the 3+2 Master of Athletic Training program
4+1 MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Receive both a bachelor’s degree from Carthage and a Master of Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin in just five years. Carthage students may enroll in the Medical College of Wisconsin’s online graduate public health program prior to graduation from Carthage. Up to 15 credits of this graduate work may count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. After graduation from Carthage, these students continue as graduate students at MCW for approximately one additional year until they complete the Master of Public Health program.