What is Integrated Health Studies? Heading link

The Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Integrated Health Studies (IHS) is an alternative and holistic approach for students interested in pursuing a career in the health science field. The IHS major is jointly supported by the LAS Departments of Biological Sciences and Psychology, and housed in the Department of Biological Sciences. This partnership along with the collaboration with various other departments and colleges at UIC make this a comprehensive and truly unique major. The primary goal of the degree program is to offer a diverse, interdisciplinary curriculum that includes relevant core content spanning the life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The complexity of human health, from the level of gene to society, makes up the framework for this major.

Students can choose between one of two concentrations: The Health and Science Concentration or the Behavioral Health Concentration.

Why Major in Integrated Health Studies? Heading link

This major provides a comprehensive understanding of how human health and disease are impacted by culture, social and economic forces, the environment, and personal behavior, as well as an appreciation for health issues that are unique to rural, urban, and global contexts. Through gaining foundational knowledge of the physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities, this interdisciplinary program will give students the skills to interact empathetically and holistically with the world around them. Students will be prepared to understand and consider the needs and behaviors of patients and people in society.

The IHS major is flexible in its course requirements and allows so students to shape the major to their own unique interests. IHS has become a strong fit for students completing pre-health educational goals as many of the courses required for IHS also overlap with pre-health prerequisites. Depending upon courses chosen, this major can range from 38 to 52 credit hours, which allows students to create a course plan that’s unique to their interests and goals. IHS students find that they have room in their schedule to choose a minor, double major, or other electives.

Student Testimonials Heading link

I very much enjoy thinking “outside of the box” and breaking away from traditional practices seen in healthcare and working towards improving it with the newer generations. Even more so, I enjoyed the law and ethics aspect of the major in which we learn what it means to respect an individual as a patient and how we should present ourselves as health professionals.

What’s unique about this major is that you are actually learning how the healthcare system works and about the challenges that patients and healthcare workers face on a daily basis. Having such an in-depth understanding of healthcare is extremely useful for students that want to pursue healthcare professions. Having this understanding even before arriving at professional/graduate school certainly puts me a step ahead!