BA in Allied Health
Allied health encompasses professions that provide technical, therapeutic, and support services within the healthcare field. The Bachelor of Arts in Allied Health program comprises a rigorous curriculum that combines foundational biological, chemical, and physical knowledge with a variety of applied topics including psychology, statistics, and electives tailored to the student’s career goals. This program also provides an environment where undergraduate students can develop a Christian worldview and learn to integrate their faith into their future careers as allied health professionals.
The BA in Allied Health program is excellent preparation for a variety of allied health professions and meets most of the prerequisites for careers or graduate work in cytotechnology, entry-level master’s in nursing, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, orthotics and prosthetics, physical therapy, physical therapy assistance, and radiation technology. Students interested in these careers may also consider APU’s Pre-Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy Track.
Note: Entry requirements differ among graduate schools and jobs. Students are responsible for researching the requirements of graduate programs and professions in which they are interested.
Traditional BA in Allied Health
66 units
All of the following requirements must be met to continue as an allied health, biological sciences, biochemistry, or chemistry major. A student’s failure to maintain these requirements will result in him or her being dropped from the major. Reentry to the major is by petition only.
- Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all biology, chemistry, biochemistry, math, and physics courses required for the major.
- Must complete each course required for the major with a C- or higher for the course to meet a degree requirement in the Department of Biology and Chemistry.
- Any single course within the major can be taken only two times at APU; students must change to a major outside the department after two unsuccessful (below C-) attempts in a single required course.
- Only two courses total within the major can be repeated; students must change to a major outside the department after unsuccessful (below C-) attempts in any three required courses.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ||
| BIOL 151 | General Biology I 1 | 4 |
| BIOL 220 | General Microbiology 2 | 4 |
| or BIOL 226 | Intro to Neurobiology | |
| BIOL 250 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 251 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 396 | Topics in Biology and Christian Thought 3 | 1 |
| BIOL 465 | Practicum and Topics in Allied Health 4 | 4 |
| BIOL 496 | Writing 3: Ethics and the Sciences 5 | 3 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 151 | General Chemistry I 1, 6 | 4 |
| CHEM 152 | General Chemistry II 6 | 4 |
| Math | ||
| MATH 130 | Introduction to Statistics 7, 8 | 3 |
| Physics | ||
| PHYC 155 | Physics for Life Sciences I 1, 6 | 3 |
| PHYC 145 | Physics Laboratory I 1, 6 | 1 |
| PHYC 156 | Physics for Life Sciences II | 3 |
| PHYC 146 | Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Psychology | ||
| PSYC 110 | General Psychology 9 | 3 |
| PSYC 290 | Human Growth and Development 9 | 3 |
| BA Electives, Group 1 | ||
| Select 8 units from the following: | 8 | |
| Regional Human Anatomy | ||
| Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry 10, 11 | ||
| Physiology of Exercise 12 | ||
| Kinesiology 12 | ||
| BA Electives, Group 2 | ||
| Select 9 units from the following (at least 3 units must be in PSYC): | 9 | |
| Teaching and Learning in STEM 13 | ||
| STEM Education Research Seminar 13 | ||
| STEM Teaching Practicum 13 | ||
| Directed Research Internship 13 | ||
| Pre-health Seminar 13 | ||
| Biological Science Internship 13 | ||
| Psychology of Child and Adolescent Development 9 | ||
| Psychology of Adult Development | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Research Methods in Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Personality | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Multicultural Psychology 14 | ||
| Psychology of Exceptional Children | ||
| Psychosocial Interventions in Pediatric Health Care | ||
| Stress and Coping | ||
| Total Units | 66 | |
- 1
Meets the General Education Natural Sciences requirement.
- 2
BIOL 220 is recommended for students interested in nursing careers. BIOL 226 is recommended for students interested in physical therapy careers.
- 3
BIOL 152 meets this requirement if taken at APU.
- 4
Meets the General Education Integrative and Applied Learning requirement.
- 5
Meets the General Education Writing 3 requirement.
- 6
This course may be waived with an appropriate Advanced Placement test score.
- 7
Meets the General Education Quantitative Literacy requirement.
- 8
MATH 130 does not meet the math prerequisite for BIOL 151 or CHEM 151. MATH 95, an ALEKS score of 45, or equivalent is the math prerequisite for BIOL 151; MATH 110 (with a B-), an ALEKS score of 65, or equivalent is the math prerequisite for CHEM 151.
- 9
Meets the General Education Social Sciences requirement.
- 10
Recommended for students interested in nursing careers.
- 11
CHEM 251, CHEM 261, CHEM 252, CHEM 262, and BIOC 360 taken together meet the requirements of BA elective CHEM 240 and an additional BA elective from either elective group.
- 12
Recommended for students interested in physical therapy careers.
- 13
Up to 3 units combined of BIOL 311, BIOL 312, BIOL 313, BIOL 390, BIOL 394, or BIOL 395 may count toward major elective units.
- 14
Meets the General Education Intercultural Competence requirement.
BA in Allied Health: Business Emphasis
Allied health encompasses professions that provide technical, therapeutic, and support services within the healthcare field. The Bachelor of Arts in Allied Health with Business Emphasis program comprises a rigorous curriculum that combines foundational biological, chemical, and physical knowledge with core business courses including accounting, marketing, and microeconomics. This program also provides an environment where undergraduate students can develop a Christian worldview and learn to integrate their faith into their future careers as allied health business professionals.
The BA in Allied Health with Business Emphasis program is excellent preparation for a variety of careers in industry, government, and health care that require a background in science and business, including but not limited to such fields as healthcare administration, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sales and service, and public health. Students in this major are required to collaborate with science and/or business faculty in a research project, or participate in an off-campus internship in a business setting.
Note: Entry requirements differ among graduate schools and jobs. Students are responsible for researching the requirements of graduate programs and professions in which they are interested.
All of the following requirements must be met to continue as an allied health, biological sciences, biochemistry, or chemistry major. A student’s failure to maintain these requirements will result in him or her being dropped from the major. Reentry to the major is by petition only.
- Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all biology, chemistry, biochemistry, math, and physics courses required for the major.
- Must complete each course required for the major with a C- or higher for the course to meet a degree requirement in the Department of Biology and Chemistry.
- Any single course within the major can be taken only two times at APU; students must change to a major outside the department after two unsuccessful (below C-) attempts in a single required course.
- Only two courses total within the major can be repeated; students must change to a major outside the department after unsuccessful (below C-) attempts in any three required courses.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Biology | ||
| BIOL 151 | General Biology I 1 | 4 |
| BIOL 152 | General Biology II | 4 |
| BIOL 240 | Biology of Microorganisms | 4 |
| BIOL 280 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 496 | Writing 3: Ethics and the Sciences 2 | 3 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 151 | General Chemistry I 1, 3 | 4 |
| CHEM 152 | General Chemistry II 3 | 4 |
| CHEM 240 | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | 4 |
| Math | ||
| MATH 130 | Introduction to Statistics 4 | 3 |
| Physics | ||
| PHYC 155 | Physics for Life Sciences I | 3 |
| PHYC 145 | Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| PHYC 156 | Physics for Life Sciences II | 3 |
| PHYC 146 | Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Business | ||
| ACCT 120 | Principles of Accounting I | 3 |
| ECON 200 | Survey of Economics 5 | 3 |
| MGMT 210 | Principles of Management 6 | 3 |
| MKTG 260 | Principles of Marketing 7 | 3 |
| FIN 300 | Business Finance for Managers | 3 |
| Required Internship Course | 3 | |
| Business Internship 7 | ||
or BIOL 395 | Biological Science Internship | |
| Upper-Division Electives | 6 | |
| Principles of Biochemistry 8 | ||
| Biomolecular Chemistry 8 | ||
| Biomolecular Metabolism 8 | ||
| Genetics 6 | ||
| Ecology 9 | ||
| Neurobiology 6 | ||
| Vertebrate Biology | ||
| Medical Microbiology | ||
| Regional Human Anatomy | ||
| Mammalian Physiology | ||
| Plant Biology | ||
| Molecular Biology | ||
| Stewardship Ecology | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Practicum and Topics in Allied Health 6 | ||
| Advanced Topics in Biology | ||
| Total Units | 66 | |
- 1
Meets the General Education Natural Sciences requirement.
- 2
Meets the General Education Writing 3 requirement.
- 3
This course may be waived with an appropriate Advanced Placement test score.
- 4
Meets the General Education Quantitative Literacy requirement.
- 5
Meets the General Education Social Sciences requirement.
- 6
Meets the General Education Integrative and Applied Learning requirement.
- 7
Meets the General Education Intercultural Competence requirement. (This applies to BUSI 350, not BIOL 395.)
- 8
Students should take BIOC 360 if taking only one semester of biochemistry. For a two-semester sequence, BIOC 270 and BIOC 370 should be taken. Credit will not be given for both BIOC 360 and BIOC 270, nor for both BIOC 360 and BIOC 370.
- 9
Meets the General Education Civic Knowledge and Engagement requirement.
BA in Allied Health/Doctor of Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway
The Bachelor of Arts in Allied Health/Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Accelerated Pathway provides an opportunity for students pursuing a career in physical therapy to meet the requirements for entry into APU’s DPT program after 3.5 years of undergraduate coursework. Students accepted into the DPT program begin DPT coursework in the spring semester of their fourth year, taking up to 18 units of required DPT courses that also count toward the BA in Allied Health and APU undergraduate graduation requirements. Upon completion of the spring-semester DPT courses, students are awarded the BA in Allied Health degree and continue in the DPT program.
Participating in this accelerated pathway does not guarantee admission to APU’s DPT program. Students must meet the APU DPT program’s admission requirements prior to beginning DPT coursework in the spring semester of the fourth year of the accelerated pathway.
Requirements
Students must meet all of the following requirements to continue as an undergraduate student in the BA in Allied Health program, continue in the BA in Allied Health/DPT Accelerated Pathway, and earn a BA in Allied Health degree. A student’s failure to maintain any of these requirements will result in the student being removed from the accelerated pathway.
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The minimum unit requirement to earn an undergraduate degree at Azusa Pacific University and the BA in Allied Health degree is 120 units.
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While in the accelerated pathway, students must earn a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 in all university coursework attempted, including all required BA in Allied Health courses. For more information about APU’s undergraduate graduation requirements, visit the Graduation Requirements and Commencement page in the catalog.
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The accelerated pathway curriculum is designed with a specific course sequence. To progress through the curriculum, courses must be taken in the assigned sequence based on course prerequisites.
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For students to progress through the accelerated pathway, they must earn a grade of B- or higher in each required course in the pathway.
-
Up to one course required for the accelerated pathway major may be repeated for a grade of B- or higher. Students who do not earn a B- or higher in the course after one repeated attempt will be removed from the accelerated pathway.
-
Students removed from the accelerated pathway, including the DPT courses during spring semester, may continue in the BA in Allied Health major to finish out all APU and BA in Allied Health undergraduate degree requirements (or students can choose another major).
See the course requirements for the BA in Allied Health/DPT accelerated pathway below. For more information about the BA in Allied Health program, visit the program website.
In addition to meeting the coursework and graduation requirements of the BA in Allied Health program, all undergraduate students are required to meet Azusa Pacific University’s General Education requirements. Students should visit the General Education section of this catalog to become familiar with those requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ||
| BIOL 151 | General Biology I 1 | 4 |
| BIOL 226 | Intro to Neurobiology | 4 |
| BIOL 250 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIOL 251 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 396 | Topics in Biology and Christian Thought 2 | 1 |
| BIOL 465 | Practicum and Topics in Allied Health 3 | 4 |
| BIOL 496 | Writing 3: Ethics and the Sciences 4 | 3 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 151 | General Chemistry I 5 | 4 |
| CHEM 152 | General Chemistry II 6 | 4 |
| Math | ||
| MATH 130 | Introduction to Statistics 7, 8 | 3 |
| Physics | ||
| PHYC 155 | Physics for Life Sciences I 5 | 3 |
| PHYC 145 | Physics Laboratory I 5 | 1 |
| PHYC 156 | Physics for Life Sciences II | 3 |
| PHYC 146 | Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Kinesiology | ||
| KIN 363 | Physiology of Exercise | 4 |
| KIN 364 | Kinesiology | 4 |
| Psychology | ||
| PSYC 110 | General Psychology 9 | 3 |
| PSYC 290 | Human Growth and Development 9 | 3 |
| Doctor of Physical Therapy Courses (meet BA in Allied Health requirements) | ||
| PT 701 | Human Anatomy | 8 |
| PT 702 | Clinical Skills I | 6 |
| PT 706 | Seminar I | 2 |
| PT 707 | Professional Relationships | 2 |
| Total Units | 75 | |
- 1
Meets the General Education Natural Sciences requirement.
- 2
BIOL 152 meets this requirement if taken at APU.
- 3
Meets the General Education Integrative and Applied Learning requirement.
- 4
Meets the General Education Writing 3 requirement.
- 5
Meets the General Education Natural Sciences requirement and may be waived with an appropriate Advanced Placement test score.
- 6
This course may be waived with an appropriate Advanced Placement test score.
- 7
Meets the General Education Quantitative Literacy requirement.
- 8
MATH 130 does not meet the math prerequisite for BIOL 151 or CHEM 151. MATH 95, an ALEKS score of 45, or equivalent is the math prerequisite for BIOL 151; MATH 110 (with a B-), an ALEKS score of 65, or equivalent is the math prerequisite for CHEM 151.
- 9
Meets the General Education Social Sciences requirement.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:
- Demonstrate a broad knowledge base in their chosen field.
- Effectively communicate scientific ideas and research orally.
- Effectively communicate scientific ideas and research in writing.
- Demonstrate proficiency in problem solving and applying the scientific method to scientific questions.
- Demonstrate laboratory skills and techniques.
- Express a Christian worldview that integrates faith with their vocation.