Health–Related Programs
Undergraduate
Numerous health-related programs at Florida State University address issues of prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, health sciences, and policy formulation. As part of an effort to develop and promote a coordinated plan for these programs, the following section lists and describes, by program/department, areas of study, services, degrees, and (in some instances) certification opportunities for students. For more detailed information and requirements, see individual program listings in this General Bulletin.
College of Communication and Information
The School of Communication Science and Disorders has a major in speech-language pathology and offers the graduate degrees of Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The scope of the School includes the whole of human communication, both normal and disordered. Students learn the total processes of communication, develop analytical and communication skills, and obtain experience in evaluation, treatment, and research. For additional information, please refer to the “School of Communication Science and Disorders” chapter in this General Bulletin, e-mail FSUComDis@cci.fsu.edu, call (850) 644-2253, or visit https://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu/.
The School of Communication Science and Disorders also administers three certificate programs: the Interdepartmental Certificate Program in Developmental Disabilities, the Bilingual Services Delivery undergraduate certificate, and the Graduate Prerequisites (Bridge) Program. The purpose of the Certificate Program in Developmental Disabilities is to provide upper-division undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines with knowledge regarding etiology, assessment, treatment, and policy issues related to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Students seeking certification must complete nine semester hours of coursework and three semester hours of practicum from an approved list of courses and practica. Courses are available in the following disciplines: art education; communication science and disorders; family and child sciences; middle and secondary education; music education/therapy; nursing; nutrition, food, and exercise sciences; physical education; psychology; and social work. The 12-credit Bilingual Services Certificate focuses on bilingual service delivery in speech-language pathology. This certificate is specifically designed to equip students working with bilingual children with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to approach clinical practice from an evidence-based mindset. These skills include assessment, treatment plan development, intervention, and plan implementation. The courses are constructed to provide the skills necessary to consume, conduct, and produce research as well as provide clinical service delivery with a focus on bilingual learners in the K-12 setting. All courses focus on topics related to a) cultural responsiveness, b) bilingual assessment, and c) bilingual intervention. An additional certificate program, the Communication Science and Disorders Graduate Prerequisite Program, was established to increase access to graduate training programs in Speech Language Pathology. Students with undergraduate degrees in other fields must complete coursework represented by this prerequisite program before beginning graduate study in speech-language pathology at Florida State University or many other programs throughout the nation. This program includes the prerequisite content in a series of six courses offered fully online, two courses each semester. Enrollment may occur at the start of any semester. For additional information, please refer to the “School of Communication Science and Disorders” chapter in the Graduate Bulletin or visit https://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu/.
The School of Information administers an undergraduate certificate in Health Information Technology and a graduate certificate in Health Informatics. The twelve hours of coursework required for each of these certificates prepare students to be leaders in the Health IT field by strengthening skills in information management, technology integration and implementation, information organization, and information leadership. Students gain a detailed overview of health informatics, providing them with an entry point into the industry and with knowledge and skills that will help them integrate emerging technologies into practice. The courses provide a broad understanding of the industry, current issues and events, such as the “meaningful use” of electronic medical records systems, and eHealth approaches for health promotion and patient self-management. For more information, visit https://ischool.cci.fsu.edu/.
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
The Department of Human Development and Family Science prepares students to work with children and families to promote healthy lifestyles and improve the quality of life using research-informed solutions in a variety of health and human service settings. The Human Development and Family Science curriculum provides a functional gateway into a variety of medical and health-related fields: majors go on to be pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, marriage and family therapists, and applied behavior analysts because success in each of these fields requires familiarity with normative development and the complexities of modern family life. The Human Development and Family Science curriculum emphasizes translational family science designed to compress the 17-year gap between scientific finding and implementation of that finding in everyday practice. Whether “everyday practice” takes the form of coordinating a youth mentoring program, delivering family resource management programs to new parents, advising Child Welfare Programs, or providing direct clinical care: everything Family and Child Scientists do is guided by established or emerging empirical evidence.
The Department of Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences provides students with a solid foundation in the scientific aspects of nutrition, foods, health-related physical fitness, exercise sciences, sports nutrition, athletic training, and sports sciences through its bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. Students are provided with in-depth study of the role that nutrition and physical activity play both in health and, in particular, the prevention of chronic disease. Any of the majors in the department may be used as pre-medical programs with inclusion of specific electives. For more information concerning pre-medical programs, contact the College of Medicine Pre-health Professions Advising Office at medinformation@med.fsu.edu or at (850) 644-5638.
Students pursuing a degree in Exercise Physiology combine their study of nutrient metabolism, chemistry, and physiology with courses in exercise physiology and health taught by the department faculty.
The dietetics degree is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and prepares students for a post baccalaureate accredited internship, which is required to sit for the registration examination to become a Registered Dietitian. This program prepares students to apply their expertise in nutrition science and food service management in a variety of employment settings such as hospitals, Health Management Organizations (HMOs), sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs, business and industry, public health, education, research, and private practice.
The food and nutrition science major has a strong science base and prepares students for employment in the food industry, government agencies, and graduate health programs.
The athletic trainer's professional preparation is directed toward the development of specified competencies in the following content areas: risk management and injury prevention; pathology of injuries and illnesses; assessment and evaluation; acute care of injury and illness; pharmacology; therapeutic modalities; therapeutic exercise; general medical conditions and disabilities; nutritional aspects of injury and illness; psychosocial intervention and referral; health care administration; and professional development and responsibilities. Through a combination of formal classroom instruction and clinical experience, the athletic trainer is prepared to apply a wide variety of specific health care skills and knowledge within each of the domains. Students entering the undergraduate program will be required to complete a graduate professional athletic training program to become Board of Certification eligible.
College of Medicine
The College of Medicine offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) to prepare students for a career in healthcare or organizations that provide health or general human services to individuals and communities. Departments in seven colleges at FSU provide the curriculum for the program: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication and Information, College of Health and Human Sciences, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Social Work, and the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. The IMS degree provides students the opportunity to learn the foundational science, communication skills, and through the experiential component of the degree, the inter-professional skills necessary to succeed in the dynamic healthcare environment. The IMS degree prepares undergraduate students to become competitive applicants to health professions schools or gain direct entry into the health field. For information, please refer to the “Medicine” chapter in this General Bulletin, e-mail IMSAdvising@med.fsu.edu, call (850) 644-1843, or visit med.fsu.edu/IMSDegree.
College of Nursing
The College of Nursing offers bachelor's and doctoral degree programs. The mission of the College of Nursing is to educate clinicians, leaders, scholars, and advanced practitioners who can enhance the quality of life for people of all cultures, economic levels, and geographic locations. The College of Nursing integrates the liberal arts and sciences with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for lifelong learning, personal responsibility, and sustained achievement in the nursing profession and the communities in which our graduates reside. Information regarding undergraduate programs is available from the Office of Student Services at (850) 644-3296. Graduates of the baccalaureate program are prepared for beginning levels of professional practice in a variety of settings. Graduates of the doctoral program are prepared for advanced professional positions. For additional information, please refer to the “Nursing” chapter in this General Bulletin, e-mail info@nursing.fsu.edu, call (850) 644-3296, or visit https://nursing.fsu.edu/.
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy offers the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) and the Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees. Graduates will have a rich background in epidemiology, health economics, health behavior, health administration, health policy, and quantitative analytic skills. Careers are likely to include government agency or legislative staff positions, policy and consulting firms, think tanks, advocacy organizations and lobbying firms, international organizations focused on health and population issues, academic or media positions.
The program offers a combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Public Health (BS/MPH) program that makes it possible for college seniors with a 3.50 or higher FSU GPA to enroll in a limited number of graduate level MPH courses as elective hours toward their bachelor's degree. These courses may also count toward the MPH degree upon later acceptance and enrollment in the FSU MPH graduate program. For additional information, please refer to the “Public Health” chapter in this General Bulletin, e-mail aburdette@fsu.edu, call (850) 644-1025, come by 231 Claude Pepper Center Building on West Call St., or visit https://coss.fsu.edu/publichealth.
College of Social Work
The College of Social Work offers bachelor's and master's curricula that prepare professional social workers for practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities. This versatile and nationally accredited degree enables our graduates to work with diverse population groups in a wide variety of settings. The academic design includes both classroom and field instruction. The college also has a doctoral program that develops social work scholars and leaders in research and teaching.
Social workers are employed in mental health centers, schools, hospitals, home health agencies, runaway shelters, protective services, teen pregnancy programs, battered women's shelters, correctional facilities, family and children's agencies, private and public organizations, hospices, medical clinics, nursing homes, psychiatric facilities, and veterans' and military programs.
Opportunities are also available to expand electronic technology skills for use with clients, participate in ongoing research projects, and become involved in community service activities. For information, please refer to the “Social Work” chapter in this General Bulletin, e-mail info@csw.fsu.edu, call (800) 378-9550 or (850) 644-4751, or visit https://csw.fsu.edu.