Health Sciences Concentrations

Choose Your Path to Success
The Health Sciences program at UNC Asheville offers three distinct concentrations to support diverse interests and career goals. The Health Sciences concentration is ideal for students preparing for clinical or graduate programs in fields such as medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing. The Public Health concentration focuses on population health, health education, and policy, preparing students for roles in community health, advocacy, and public health organizations. The Health Promotion concentration emphasizes wellness coaching, behavior change, and preventive care, offering a strong foundation for careers in holistic health and lifestyle management. Each concentration combines interdisciplinary coursework with practical skills to prepare students for meaningful careers or advanced study in health-related fields.

Health Sciences: General
The Health Sciences: General concentration offers a flexible, science-rich path designed for students aiming toward clinical or allied health professions, while also appealing to those interested in broader health and wellness roles. In addition to the core curriculum—covering topics such as physical activity, mental and emotional health, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and health behavior—students complete at least 24 credit hours in foundational sciences, typically including biology, chemistry, physiology, and related electives, along with statistics and research-based courses. This concentration emphasizes depth in biological and chemical sciences, providing vital preparation for graduate and professional programs such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition science, and pre-medical studies, as well as careers in holistic health and wellness education.

Health Promotion
The Health Promotion concentration focuses on preparing students to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles across diverse populations and settings. Coursework emphasizes health education, communication, program planning and evaluation, behavior change, chronic disease prevention, and health equity. Students build skills to develop and implement health initiatives in environments such as community centers, workplaces, schools, care facilities, and government or nonprofit sectors. This concentration offers a solid foundation for careers in health coaching, fitness and nutrition promotion, wellness programming, or further graduate study in fields like public health, health education, exercise physiology, and holistic wellness practice.

Public Health
The Public Health concentration is designed for students passionate about advancing population health through community engagement, education, policy development, and systems-level change. Coursework covers health promotion, program planning and evaluation, epidemiology, health behavior, public health ethics, and health equity—equipping students with skills to design, implement, and assess health initiatives in settings such as schools, public health departments, community organizations, hospitals, and nonprofits. Graduates are prepared to advocate for systemic policy changes, coordinate community-based health programs, and pursue graduate study in fields like community health, health policy and management, epidemiology, mental health counseling, and social work.
Ready for what's next?
UNC Asheville’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program offers flexibility and support for students interested in the health sciences, public health, or other health-related topics.