Health Sciences Curriculum

In addition to several foundational courses in biomedical sciences and business, all students in the Health Sciences major will take a six-semester sequence of courses as part of the Health Sciences core curriculum.  The Health Sciences core curriculum provides an introduction to the professions within the health care system, as well as the opportunity to explore current issues and controversies facing health care professionals in multiple fields.  

Students pursuing the Health Sciences - Clinical and Medical Sciences major follow a sequence of courses and experiences that focus on the application of biomedical and clinical sciences in preparation for clinical work in the primary health care professions as well as allied health fields.  The Clinical and Medical Sciences major also provides students with an opportunity to focus on laboratory-based courses and research experiences as preparation for careers or post-graduate education in research, drug development and other fields within the health sciences.  

Students pursuing the Health Sciences - Healthcare Administration major follow a sequence of courses and experiences that focus on developing skills in management, marketing and data analysis.  The Healthcare Administration major prepares students for employment in related health care fields such as the insurance industry, health systems, pharmacy benefit management companies, managed care organizations and health related non-profit organizations. 

Students pursuing the Health Sciences - Public Health major complete courses that promote and support individual and community health and well-being. Public health students develop the critical thinking and analytic skills necessary to confront topics such as access (and lack of access) to health care, disease prevention, health economics, and others.

Drake Curriculum

All undergraduate students at Drake University are required to complete The Drake Curriculum.  The Drake Curriculum is designed to help students meet their academic, personal and professional goals as they acquire fundamental knowledge and abilities in ten Areas of Inquiry (AOIs): Artistic Experience, Critical Thinking, Engaged Citizen, Historical Foundations, Information Literacy, Global and Cultural Understanding, Scientific Literacy, Quantitative Literacy, Values and Ethics and Written Communication.  Students work with their academic advisors to plan their program of study by integrating courses in the Areas of Inquiry that will prepare them for civic and professional leadership.

In addition to fulfilling their Areas of Inquiry as part of the Drake Curriculum, students also complete a First-Year Seminar during their first semester at Drake.  First-Year Seminars are topical courses that help students develop foundational critical thinking, written and oral communication skills to prepare for advanced coursework later in their Drake education.  

All Health Sciences students complete a Senior Internship, which is the culmination of their experiential learning in their field of study.  During the senior internship experience, Health Sciences students demonstrate their ability to apply what they have learned in the classroom and throughout their experiential education opportunities to a real-world field experience.