Beaver College of Health Sciences

Marie T. Huff, Dean
Denise L. Levy, Associate Dean
Gary H. McCullough, Associate Dean

www.healthsciences.appstate.edu

The mission of the Beaver College of Health Sciences is to elevate health and quality of life in our region and beyond by preparing future leaders through transformative education, collaborative research and community engagement.

The vision of the Beaver College of Health Sciences is to be a national leader in interprofessional education and innovative scholarship focused on sustainable health and quality of life.

The Beaver College of Health Sciences embraced the following core values that guide us in achieving our vision and fulfilling our mission. We are committed to:

WELLNESS - Building and preserving a community culture of health
SUSTAINABILITY - Promoting sustainable social, economic and environmental policies and practices to optimize health and well-being
INTEGRITY - Modeling professional and ethical behaviors
INNOVATION - Embracing and driving change that elevates excellence and reflects best practice
ACCOUNTABILITY - Honoring our commitments through transparency and stewardship
RESPECT - Treating others with dignity and civility
DIVERSITY - Appreciating differences and fostering inclusion
EQUITY - Striving to eliminate health disparities and promote access to care
COMMUNITY - Creating, growing and learning together

Departments

The Beaver College of Health Sciences consists of the following academic units:

Communication Sciences and Disorders
Health and Exercise Science
Nursing
Nutrition and Health Care Management
Recreation Management and Physical Education
Social Work

Degrees Offered

The Beaver College of Health Sciences offers the following degrees: Bachelor of Science (without teacher licensure), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). In cooperation with the Reich College of Education, the Beaver College of Health Sciences also offers the Bachelor of Science degree with teacher licensure in Health and Physical Education (K-12).

Admission to the Beaver College of Health Sciences

To be admitted to the Beaver College of Health Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements to officially declare a major:

Completion of at least 30 semester hours
A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for most degree programs, with the following exceptions: a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for Public Health and Nutrition and Wellness, a cumulative GPA of 2.8 is required for Nutrition Dietetics, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for Nursing, and a cumulative GPA of 3.2 is required for Communication Sciences and Disorders
Credit for RC 1000 or an equivalent course and credit for or current enrollment in UCO 1200 or an equivalent course
Admission to one of the majors offered in the College, which may include additional requirements. Please see the description of admission and retention requirements in the section for the specific department housing the major.

Some degree programs in the Beaver College of Health Sciences are competitive with limited numbers of slots available. Students should carefully review the description in the department of their intended program of study for individual major admission requirements.

Changing Majors/Minors

Students who wish to change, add, or delete a major, minor, or certificate program from the official record should complete a Request for Change form from the college of the program to be changed. This form allows students to change majors, minors, or certificates; add additional majors, minors, or certificates; delete majors, minors, or certificates; and change catalog years. The Beaver College of Health Sciences has made this form available online for current students on our website (https://healthsciences.appstate.edu/students/student-forms).

Basic Requirements for a Degree

NOTE: Although the requirements for most degree programs at Appalachian can be met within the minimum of 120 semester hours, the student should be aware that the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program of study requires additional hours. Students are advised to check with the department of their intended major early in their studies. Meeting graduation requirements is the student’s responsibility.

Bachelor of Science (without teacher licensure)

To earn the Bachelor of Science degree in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, a student must meet the following requirements:

Completion of at least 120 semester hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a major GPA of 2.0. (Public Health, Nutrition and Wellness, and Nutrition Dietetics require a cumulative GPA of 2.5; and Communication Sciences and Disorders requires a 3.2.)
Completion of the general education requirements
Completion of the major requirements from one of the following majors:
Communication Sciences and Disorders (See the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders .)
Exercise Science (See the Department of Health and Exercise Science .)
Health Care Management (See the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management .)
Nutrition and Foods (See the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management .)
Public Health (See the Department of Health and Exercise Science .)
Recreation Management (See the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education .)
Electives to complete at least 120 semester hours.
Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Bachelor of Science (with teacher licensure)

To earn the Bachelor of Science degree with teacher licensure, the following requirements must be met:

Completion of at least 120 semester hours with a GPA of at least 2.7. A transfer student must have at least a 2.7 GPA on all work at Appalachian.
Completion of the general education requirements.
Demonstration of proficiency in reading, speech, and written English.
Take PRAXIS I Academic Skills Assessments: Reading, Writing and Mathematics (SAT and ACT scores may be used in lieu of PRAXIS I scores provided required minimum scores are met), and, if required in the student’s field, PRAXIS II Subject Assessment or Specialty Area test. (The North Carolina State Board of Education has designated PRAXIS II as the standard examination.) A table of minimum cut-off scores is available in the RCOE Dean’s Office (COE 400).
Completion of the major requirements from the Health and Physical (K-12) major, including a second academic concentration (See the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education .)
Electives to complete at least 120 semester hours.
Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts.

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student. Please refer to the Reich College of Education section of the bulletin for additional information related to teacher licensure requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, the student must meet the following requirements:

Completion of at least 126 semester hours (120 for the RN to BSN program) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a minimum major GPA of 2.5
Completion of general education requirements (or the RN to BSN required core)
Completion of major requirements for the Nursing major (See the Department of Nursing.)
Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) in EACH each required course counted towards the program of study (81 credit hours for the BSN, and NUR courses for the RN to BSN).
Electives to complete 126 semester hours (120 for the RN to BSN program).
Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Bachelor of Social Work

To earn the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, the student must meet the following requirements:

Completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and a major GPA of at least 2.5
Completion of general education requirements
Completion of major requirements for the social work major (See the Department of Social Work.)
Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) in each SW course and cognate course counted towards the program of study.
Electives to complete 120 semester hours.
Compliance with regulations concerning the settlement of all expense accounts

Meeting graduation requirements is the responsibility of the student.

Academic Advising

Academic advising for students in the Beaver College of Health Sciences is provided by the Office of Advising and Academic Support. These trained professionals are available to consult with students regarding questions related to academic programs of study or other concerns affecting academic success. Academic advisors partner with departmental faculty, who work as mentors, to create an advising team which serves as a strong resource for students. Students are encouraged to meet with advisors and faculty mentors regularly and consistently throughout their academic career.

Students pursuing a major in another degree granting college who want to change/add a health sciences major will be required to meet with one of our advisors to develop an academic plan.

The Office of Advising and Academic Support works to develop, enhance, and implement supportive academic services to undergraduate Health Sciences majors. Undeclared students and students in other major programs are also provided with academic services related to classes offered within the college. Students should become familiar with the services provided by the office by visiting healthsciences.appstate.edu/students/office-advising-and-academic-support.

In addition to advising services, the Office of Advising & Academic Support in the Beaver College of Health Sciences certifies students for graduation; provides academic audits; assists students with special course approval, dropping and adding classes, overload requests, and official additions of minors and majors; and responds to inquiries regarding academic policy.

Through Health Professions Advising, the Beaver College of Health Sciences also serves as a resource to students who wish to explore careers in health professions. All Appalachian State University students and alumni, including those from other Colleges, may avail themselves of the services provided by Health Professions Advising, including graduate school pre-requisite checks and development of competitive applications. Health Professions Advising is available to all students, regardless of undergraduate major.

Although academic advising is provided for all students, the final responsibility for meeting requirements for graduation remains with the student. The Office of Advising and Academic Support automatically sends an audit to students upon eligibility to apply or application for graduation (whichever occurs first) and encourages students to review this document thoroughly.

Grade-Point Average Requirements for Graduation

To graduate, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required (except for Public Health, Social Work, Nutrition Dietetics, Nutrition and Wellness, and Nursing programs, which require a 2.5 GPA; Communication Sciences and Disorders, which requires a 3.2 GPA; and teacher licensure, which requires a 2.7 GPA). A minimum GPA of 2.0 is also required in the major (2.5 for nursing and social work). Included in the calculation of the major GPA are all courses taken in the major department, all courses in the approved program of study/contract/concentration, and all required general education courses. Additional course-level minimum requirements will be listed on programs of study or in the relevant departmental section of the bulletin. Teacher licensure programs require a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA from admission into the teacher education program until graduation, including for admission to student teaching.

Internship, Clinical, and Practicum Programs

The internships, clinicals, and practicums offered in the Beaver College of Health Sciences provide students with opportunities to:

Learn outside of the regular classroom and gain on-the job experience;
Experience professional practice required for licensure or certification, while earning academic credit toward their degrees; and,
Develop personal professional contacts with potential employers.

In the internship, clinical, or practicum, students work in an appropriate organization related to their course of study. Professionals in the sponsoring organization, in close cooperation with faculty in the student’s major department, provide internship instruction. The student’s career interests should be considered when the student makes choices regarding their internship placement. In many majors in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, an internship, practicum, clinical training or field experience is required in the program of study. If not required, the internship, clinical, or practicum may be available as an elective. Students seeking further information should contact their major advisor or their departmental chair. Additional requirements, such as criminal background checks, may be necessary before students begin internships, clinicals, and practicums. Please consult the appropriate student handbook for more details.

Scholarships

The Beaver College of Health Sciences offers scholarships to upper-division students who have declared one of the majors in the College, and select scholarships to incoming first year students who are intending to major in the College. These scholarships are awarded based on specific criteria as designated by the scholarship donor or the College. Students receiving scholarships in the Beaver College of Health Sciences must be in good academic standing and make acceptable progress toward completing a degree in the College.

For more information, visit the Beaver College of Health Sciences Scholarship Website at healthsciences.appstate.edu/students/scholarships, or contact the Dean’s Office, Beaver College of Health Sciences, ASU Box 32170, Boone, North Carolina, 28608.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Institute for Health and Human Services

Gary H. McCullough, Director

www.ihhs.appstate.edu

The purpose of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services is to provide multidisciplinary research opportunities, clinical services, community outreach, and training programs related to holistic health and well-being with the overarching goal of improving lives through transformative social, environmental, and healthcare advances. The Institute aspires to take education and research beyond the walls of academia by engaging the very people it serves in the process of training future providers, building research relevant to rural health, and creating a sustainable culture of health through regional community partnerships in education and preventive services.

Courses

College of Health Sciences