Nov 13, 2024  
2023-2024 University Catalog 
    
2023-2024 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biomedical Health Sciences/Pre-Optometry Concentration, BS


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About the Program


The Biomedical Health Sciences (BMHS) major is designed to prepare students for entry into professional and graduate schools in a wide arena of health professions and health sciences. This concentration is specifically designed for students interested in examining, diagnosing, treating, and managing eye diseases, injuries, and disorders.  The coursework builds a solid foundation in the biomedical health sciences to prepare our undergraduates for the challenges of pursuing a career in the diverse and ever-changing industry of healthcare and health science. Due to the thoughtful design of our curriculum, students take similar coursework the first two years of enrollment, allowing the flexibility of switching from one BMHS program to another. The most outstanding feature of BMHS is that the course requirements for entry into many professional or graduate schools are incorporated into the plans of study, resulting in no extra coursework for most of our undergraduates.

School of Health Sciences

Biomedical Health Sciences Supplemental Information  

Degree Requirements


120 Credits Required

Pre-Optometry Concentration (24 credits)


Other Departmental/Program Course Requirements (15-16 credits)


Electives (13-14 credits)


  • An Ethics course (such as PHIL 11100 Ethics or PHIL 27000 Biomedical Ethics) is highly recommended for elective credit.

GPA Requirements


  • 2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Science degree.​

Pass/No Pass Policy


  • A student may elect the Pass / Not-Pass grading option for elective courses only, unless an academic unit requires that a specific departmental course/s be taken Pass / Not-Pass.  Students may elect to take University Core Curriculum courses Pass / Not-Pass; however, some major Plans of Study require courses that also fulfill UCC foundational outcomes.  In such cases, students may not elect the Pass / Not-Pass option.  A maximum of 24 credits of elective courses under the Pass / Not-pass grading option can be used toward graduation requirements. For further information, students should refer to the College of Health and Human Sciences Pass / Not-Pass Policy.

University Requirements


University Core Requirements


For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the University Senate Website.
  • Human Cultures: Behavioral/Social Science (BSS)
  • Human Cultures: Humanities (HUM)
  • Information Literacy (IL)
  • Oral Communication (OC)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
  • Science #1 (SCI)
  • Science #2 (SCI)
  • Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
  • Written Communication (WC) 

Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement


The Civics Literacy Proficiency activities are designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue students in an effort to graduate a more informed citizenry. For more information visit the Civics Literacy Proficiency website.

Students will complete the Proficiency by passing a test of civic knowledge, and completing one of three paths:

  • Attending six approved civics-related events and completing an assessment for each; or
  • Completing 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement that use C-SPAN material and completing an assessment for each; or
  • Earning a passing grade for one of these approved courses (or transferring in approved AP or departmental credit in lieu of taking a course).

Upper Level Requirement


  • Resident study at Purdue University for at least two semesters and the enrollment in and completion of at least 32 semester hours of coursework required and approved for the completion of the degree. These courses are expected to be at least junior-level (30000+) courses.
  • Students should be able to fulfill most, if not all, of these credits within their major requirements; there should be a clear pathway for students to complete any credits not completed within their major.

Sample 4-Year Plan


16-17 Credits


14 Credits


14 Credits


16 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


16 Credits


14 Credits


Fall 4th Year


  • Science and Health Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Science and Health Selective-Credit Hours: 3.00
  • HSCI Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • English Selective (any 20000 level or above ENGL course) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Spring 4th Year


  • Science and Health Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • HSCI Humanities, Behavioral/Social Sciences Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • HSCI Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 2.00-3.00

14-15 Credits


Pre-Requisite Information


For pre-requisite information, click here.

World Language Courses


World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japenese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS=Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)

Critical Course


The ♦ course is considered critical.

In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major.  Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful.  These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program”. 

Disclaimer


The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements.

Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student.

The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

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