Healthcare Studies

Our new Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies and Spanish combines the university’s growing healthcare studies program – which prepares students for non-clinical careers in healthcare – with courses from its world languages program, which offers a concentration in Spanish. The new combined major is designed to fill a need for healthcare professionals who are fluent in Spanish and who have demonstrable intercultural competence. The program is designed for both heritage-Spanish speakers and non-heritage-Spanish speakers. The BS in Healthcare Studies and Spanish provides an avenue for students to combine professional preparation in healthcare studies with Spanish language skills, making them stand-out candidates in a growing healthcare industry.

Healthcare Studies majors benefit from a core group of classes that provide a foundation in understanding the healthcare industry. Enhanced by an emphasis on career development with exposure to motivating healthcare employers, the core is then supported by a wide variety of electives and a mandatory minor. Electives are selected from one of several departments including social work, criminal justice, sociology, music, world languages, sport and movement science, psychology and others. Students have the choice of their minor from the many offered at Salem State. This is all designed for Healthcare Studies majors to learn through experience and observation.

Beyond the traditional undergraduate experience, students can also earn their bachelor of science in healthcare studies entirely online or in an in-person evening/hybrid format through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. 

The Healthcare Studies minor is a nonclinical focus for a student to pursue an interest in healthcare studies.  The program builds on the foundation of liberal arts education and a common body of healthcare knowledge to include classes with a focus on an introduction to healthcare, healthcare policy, use of technology in healthcare, health and disability across the lifespan as well as leadership and management.