Students at LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY

Loma Linda University has launched an Associate of Science (A.S.) in Health Sciences degree, a two-year college degree designed to prepare students for entry into numerous bachelor’s degree programs in several of the university’s eight schools, including pre-requisite courses for programs such as dental hygiene and nursing.

The program is approximately two-thirds general education courses, including English, history, humanities, psychology, as well as a first-year skills seminar on college education. Core healthcare science courses include anatomy and physiology, college algebra, chemistry, and micro-biology. The A.S. degree also includes courses on religion, such as Introduction to the Bible, as well as Whole Person Care.

The program is in-person and can be completed in 18 months.

“We’re wanting to open the doors to first-time, full-time freshmen, and we’ll give students a strong foundation for their future education,” said Gurinder Bains, MD, PhD, program director. “This is another way to offer an opportunity for young adults to start on their healthcare journey — to start here at Loma Linda University and to finish here at Loma Linda University.”

Bains said the A.S. degree is designed to help students in the classroom and beyond, with its seminar on college skills and service-learning opportunities.

The university is also providing career advisors to help students decide on options following completion of the degree. “We want students to succeed throughout their whole healthcare journey,” Bains said.

Learn more about the degree HERE.