New Undergraduate Health Sciences Degrees

In a significant move, in 2024 ��ɫ��, an established leader in graduate-level education for over a century, has begun offering a range of undergraduate health sciences degrees. These new programs aimed to address the surging demand for skilled healthcare practitioners and professionals. The offerings include:

Dr. Anne Killen, provost and vice president of academic affairs at ��ɫ��, spoke to us recently about the educational advantages these new programs offer students.

A focus on interprofessional education.

��ɫ�� has been a leader in health sciences graduate degrees for over a century – so why expand to undergraduate programs now? To Dr. Killen, the answer lies in the College’s institutional mission: a commitment to academic excellence, leadership and professional best practices in the health sciences. “Offering undergraduate programs at Northeast is a natural fit to advance that mission and help fill the ever-growing needs for qualified professionals to fill in-demand career opportunities across the country,” she says.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics¹, job growth will be much stronger in healthcare fields than in most other industries. ��ɫ�� offers undergraduate programs that prepare students for successful careers in high-demand fields. Healthcare professions, in particular, offer competitive salaries and abundant job opportunities.

“One of the hallmarks of a Northeast education is our commitment to uncompromised academic excellence, with a focus on interprofessional education to achieve the best outcomes in patient care,” says Dr. Killen. “Our faculty and staff recognize the value of graduating qualified healthcare providers to help fill the ever-growing needs of the healthcare industry.”

Advantages of a Northeast undergraduate education.

Undergraduate students at ��ɫ�� will have access to many advantages enjoyed by graduate students. For on-campus programs, this includes access to the College’s anatomy center, which features both traditional cadaveric dissection and virtual dissection technology. Additionally, the College's emphasis on interprofessional education will enhance the overall experience for all students. Interprofessional education involves students from more than one discipline learning about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration both academically but also in preparation for practice. It aims to prepare healthcare professionals to work together in integrated teams and is designed to break down professional silos, enhance communication skills, and foster a collaborative approach to patient care.

“At ��ɫ��, health sciences is what we do,” Dr. Killen affirms. “It’s our sole focus for education. Our faculty, research, clinical education, and technology is directed toward advancing health science education and healthcare now and in the future.”

Dr. Killen highlighted ��ɫ��’s faculty as an exceptional point of pride. The College’s faculty are not only experts in their fields of study, but also qualified practitioners with real-world experience. As Dr. Killen notes, “Students enrolled at ��ɫ�� have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field who bring their wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to the classroom.”

All on-campus programs have a robust clinical component built into the curriculum, which entails hands-on immersion in an active healthcare setting. These experiences often begin in a student’s first trimester of study, and are situated within hospitals, regional health providers, VA hospitals, large network providers and regional health providers – including College-run health centers across New York state. These opportunities allow students to gain real-world experience and exposure to a variety of patient cases, situations, and populations.

According to Dr. Killen, students enrolled in ��ɫ��’s programs learn the science and art behind their chosen professions, while being emersed in educational environments. “Additionally, our trimester schedule allows students to complete their degrees in less time than many other programs — for example the AAS in Radiologic Technology or Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs can be completed in less than two years,” Dr. Killen says.

The latest in health sciences education technology.

Undergraduate students at ��ɫ�� will have access to the same technology, resources, and opportunities as the College’s graduate students. For example, students enrolled in associate level programs will learn anatomy and physiology in Northeast’s world-class anatomy center. Cadaveric dissection is taught across Northeast’s in-person program offerings, and Associate-level students may find themselves studying alongside Northeast’s doctoral students in environments such as the Computerized Anatomy Resource Lab, affectionally known as the CARL. The CARL offers interactive, cutting-edge 3-D technology and the opportunity to integrate real-life case study assignments that explore human health conditions.

The College has also recently completed an extensive renovation project to create an imaging sciences suite of classrooms and laboratories. These modern classrooms are complete with hospital simulation spaces and functioning radiographic and sonographic technology, allowing students to learn and refine skills in the classroom under the supervision of expert faculty.

The Northeast undergraduate experience.

“Our College is situated on nearly 300 beautiful acres adjacent to Cayuga Lake, in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. Students enrolled at ��ɫ�� will have the opportunity to live and learn with their peers on a campus fully dedicated to the health sciences,” Dr. Killen says.

Northeast’s enrolled undergraduate students will have access to the same campus facilities and services as graduate students, including the athletic center, dining hall, coffee shop, and complimentary chiropractic care, just to name a few. Students may choose to live on-campus in the suite style residence halls in a community of like-minded individuals and are encouraged to join one of the College’s numerous clubs and organizations. Students may also take advantage of free tutoring, career services, academic coaching, and campus-wide events.

Advice to high school students and career changers.

What is Dr. Killen’s advice to high school students and recent high school graduates that are thinking of studying health sciences? “Degrees in the health sciences will provide individuals with rewarding life-long careers that offer excellent compensation and provide a variety of job opportunities across the nation,” she says.

For high school students exploring these careers, Dr. Killen recommends that students “do their homework” when looking into a health science education. Students should make sure to select an accredited college that focuses on providing a variety of clinical education experiences and has faculty who are dedicated to the advancement of their chosen profession.

Dr. Killen also recommends students take advantage of opportunities to earn college-credit while in high school. Having the ability to transfer coursework into college as a freshman will allow room in the academic schedule for students to explore areas of interest or specializations.

For adults considering a job change or looking to enhance their career, Dr. Killen thinks they’ll find their home away from home at Northeast as well: “These new programs are excellent opportunities for adult students looking to find a rewarding career in a growing job market. Adult students will appreciate the trimester model and the opportunity to earn their college-degree in less time – entering the profession quickly and earning a competitive salary.”

“Whether your dream is to be working in the operating room, the emergency room, the patient room or the locker room, a ��ɫ�� education will help get you there.”