Work in Health-Related Fields

Health Science professionals are committed to improving access and delivery of healthcare services and identifying community healthcare needs. Depending on areas of interest, Health Sciences students at APU may pursue concentrations in Pre-Health, Pre-Nursing, Behavioral Health, Healthcare Management, and Sports Science. Programs are available at the certificate, associate, and bachelor’s level.

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Health Sciences

Community health Certificate
Health Occupations Certificate

Students employed by Tribal Health Organizations working as Community Health Aides or those in registered apprenticeships endorsed by the Alaska Primary Care Association or the Alaska Department of Labor may earn academic certificates at APU.

The Health Sciences Certificates are designed to prepare pathways for students who are completing professional training programs as part of their work in the healthcare field. Check with your employer or with an APU Admissions representative to see if this program is a good fit for your career goals.

The Community Health Certificate covers basic healthcare information and medical language. The certificate consists of four training sessions delivered onsite at a regional Community Health Aide Training Center, followed by a clinical field component where knowledge and skills are reinforced and evaluated.

The Health Occupations Certificate provides foundational knowledge and experience in a chosen health occupation, featuring a registered apprenticeship program. The certificate prepares students to take national certification exams in their chosen concentrations. It is designed to grow capacity, particularly in Alaskan and Tribal Healthcare organizations.

The Health Occupations Certificate has several options: Billing and Coding Specialist, Electronic Health Records Specialist, Medical Administrative Assistant, Community Health Worker, Clinical Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, and Direct Support Professional.

Students completing a certificate program may continue on to complete the AAS degree and may apply for admission to Bachelor’s level degree programs at APU. Courses completed at the certificate level can apply to Associate’s or Bachelor’s level requirements.

Certificate Completion

Students complete from 22 to 41 credits based upon the specific certificate requirements.

Undergraduate Certificates are offered in:

Community Health (34 total credits)

Health Occupations (22 to 41 total credits) in the following areas of concentration:

Billing and Coding Specialist (24 credits)
Electronic Health Records Specialist (24 credits)
Medical Administrative Assistant (24 credits)
Community Health Worker (24 credits)
Clinical Medical Assistant (41 credits)
Pharmacy Technician (22 credits)
Direct Support Professional (24 credits)

Application
Application Fee*
Official Final High School Transcript**
Official College Transcript(s)
Applicants must provide documentation of current employment as a Community Health Aide or current enrollment in a APCA apprenticeship program.

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

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Pre-Nursing

HEALTH SCIENCES

There is a high demand for registered nurses throughout the State of Alaska. Seeking to help meet this demand, APU has created the Pre-Nursing program. Pre-Nursing at APU is grounded in cultural safety and delivers the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for our students to successfully continue to APU’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program.

Upon completion of pre-nursing, students may apply to a nursing program.

Pre-Nursing students can anticipate one year of full-time prerequisite Nursing coursework. Upon successful completion of this coursework, Pre-Nursing students are encouraged to apply to the Associate Degree in Nursing to work towards becoming a Registered Nurse. With the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through our program graduates go onto provide holistic care for communities across Alaska.

With the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through our program, our graduates can go on to provide holistic care for communities across Alaska. Students who begin in Pre-Nursing pursue many other degree options at APU including: Environmental Public Health, Liberal Studies, Health Care Management, and Counseling Psychology.

APU Pre-Nursing students who have successfully completed all prerequisite coursework with an extracted 3.0 prerequisite GPA and a 2.5 cumulative GPA are eligible to apply for the Associate Degree in Nursing.

Transfer credits may be used to meet prerequisites; however Culturally Safe Health Care is a prerequisite for all APU nursing students and must be completed at APU. Prerequisite coursework completed more than ten (10) years ago is not eligible for consideration for admissions into APU nursing programs. All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher and be eligible for transfer to APU if completed at another university. Nursing Major courses are not eligible for transfer.

Pre-Nursing courses are primarily offered on campus, during the day.

Estimated time to completion: Two semesters (varies based on math/writing placement and full-time enrollment). studies are offered in a mixed format of:

On-campus
Online via synchronous learning

Pre-Nursing Coursework

Principles of Biology I (4)
Principles of Chemistry I (4)
Human Anatomy & Physiology I (4)
Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4)
Algebra for Health Sciences (4)
Lifespan Human Development (4)
Writing & Research I: Argumentation (4)
Culturally Safe Healthcare: Inquiry &
Practice (4)

Application
Application Fee*
Official Final High School Transcript**
Official College Transcript(s)

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
** If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher
If you have a lower GPA, we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

Upon successfully completing the prerequisites, students are eligible to apply to the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program.

The Pre-Nursing program is a pathway to prepare students for the ADN subject matter. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for admission and submit all required documents to be considered for admission to the program. Admission to the ADN program is not guaranteed.

Students who do not gain admission to the ADN program are able to pursue another concentration within Health Sciences or may elect to change their major.

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Health Sciences

Associate of Applied Science in Community Health
Associate of Applied Science IN Health Occupations

The AAS provides students with a strong liberal arts background that develops prized skills such as effective communication and critical thinking, along with core professional skills in the healthcare professions, in order to grow capacity healthcare organizations, particularly in Alaska.

Students who are interested in advancing their careers in health occupations may complete the Associate of Applied Science degree. Additional education is often rewarded in the workplace with promotion to supervisory and decision-making roles. Those who complete the AAS degree may move on to enroll in Bachelor level coursework.

In addition to the competency-based professional skills earned at the certificate level, AAS students develop the ability to see the big picture and solve problems by using a broad range of skills. Students develop skills necessary to communicate effectively, to think critically, to understand a variety of cultural perspectives, to engage in scientific inquiry, to practice social responsibility, and to enhance professional ethics.

Foundational Studies (24-28 credits)

EC Written Communication** (WRIT 10100) (4)
EC Presentation & Media Literacy (from 10000-20000 level COMM) (3-4)
CT Critical Thinking (from 10000-20000 level CRIT) (3-4)
CT Computation** (MT 10100, BA 10500, or higher placement) (3-4)
CH Cultural & Historical Perspective (various) (3-4)
SI Scientific Inquiry (various) (3-4)
EE Social Responsibility (LS 10200) (2)
EE Personal Responsibility (various) (1-2)

Major Studies (22-41 credits)

Undergraduate Certificate in Community Health or Health Occupations

Degree Completion

64 credits minimum are required to complete the degree program. Core competencies, foundational, major, and self-determined studies are offered in a mixed format of:

On-campus
Online via synchronous learning

Sample Foundational Studies

BA 10500 Business Math
COMM 20300 Communication for Health Professionals
CRIT 23300 Critical Thinking for Management
HS 20500 Culturally Safe Healthcare: Inquiry & Practice
HS 27000 Contemporary Issues in Healthcare
LS 10200 Ethics Colloquium
PY 21500 Lifespan Human Development
WRIT 10100 Writing and Research I: Augmentation

Major Studies

Community Health (34 total credits)

Health Occupations (22 to 41 total credits) in the following areas of concentration:

Billing and Coding Specialist (24 credits)
Electronic Health Records Specialist (24 credits)
Medical Administrative Assistant (24 credits)
Community Health Worker (24 credits)
Clinical Medical Assistant (41 credits)
Pharmacy Technician (22 credits)
Direct Support Professional (24 credits)

Application
Application Fee*
Official Final High School Transcript**
Official College Transcript(s)
Students must have completed a certificate in Community Health or Health Occupations, or must document current employment as a Community Health Aide or current enrollment in an APCA apprenticeship program.

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

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Health Sciences

Bachelor of Science

The B.S. in Health Sciences prepares students to work in health-related fields and for graduate study. The program emphasizes cultural safety and is rooted in cultural awareness, cultural competence, and cultural responsiveness. Health Sciences majors may choose a concentration in Behavioral Health, Healthcare Management, Pre-Health, Sport Science, or Pre-Nursing.

Offering a variety of course delivery methods and multiple entry points throughout the academic year, the Health Sciences program at APU is a fit for first time freshmen, transfer students, and working professionals.

Students may choose to pursue a general degree in Health Sciences to build upon an Associates of Applied Science in Health Sciences, or may choose to focus on a concentration area in Behavioral Health, Healthcare Management, Pre-Health, Sport Science, or Pre-Nursing. Depending on the concentration area, courses may be offered on campus, by distance delivery, or a hybrid delivery. APU also offers both daytime and evening course offerings depending on the pathway and program requirements. A first-time freshmen student with full-time enrollment status each semester, can expect to complete their degree in 8 semesters across four years.

Career Opportunities

Depending upon the area of concentration within Health Sciences, graduates may continue on to careers as:

Nursing
Physician Assistant
Medical Doctor
Behavioral Health Practitioner
Healthcare Administrator

Core Competencies

Effective Communication
Critical Thinking
Cultural & Historical Perspective
Scientific Inquiry
Ethical Engagement

Contemporary Issues in Healthcare is a seminar course that is an integrated orientation to healthcare professions. Coursework and discussion includes labor trends, costs, access, holistic care, and the integration of traditional medicine in healthcare.

Culturally Safe Healthcare: Inquiry & Practice focuses on building self-awareness through examining personal cultural identities, beliefs, receptiveness, and flexibility in attitudes towards individuals from cultures different than one’s own.

Research Methods in Health & Behavioral Science provides an overview of methods of inquiry in health and behavioral sciences.

Degree Completion

128 credits minimum are required to complete the degree program. Core competencies, foundational, major, and self-determined studies are offered in a mixed format of:

On-campus
Online via synchronous learning

Behavioral Health (32)

Students who hold Alaska credentials as Behavioral Health Aides, Behavioral Counselors, or Chemical Dependency Counselors may apply previous coursework and training to this degree track. Coursework at APU provides additional education in the ethics and science of the profession.

Healthcare Management (33)

Healthcare Management students will pursue topics related to the Healthcare Industry, Finance & Accounting, Legal & Ethical Issues in Healthcare, and Healthcare Information, Management, Licensing & Accreditation.

Pre-Health/Pre-Med Interdisciplinary (52)

For students pursuing the Pre-Health concentration, coursework includes Human Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry. This concentration prepares students to enter into a variety of Health professions.

Sport Science (48)

Students with an interest in developing careers in competitive and recreational sports and exercise professions, and students who wish to positively contribute to the fields of wellness and physical fitness, often complete this concentration.

Pre-Nursing (32)

Pre-Nursing students will work through a series of required courses to become eligible to apply for the Associate Degree in Nursing at Alaska Pacific University. See the Pre-Nursing pathway for more information.

Foundational Studies

Written Communication (4)
Presentation & Media Literacy (3-4)
Critical Thinking (3-4)
Computation (3-4)
Intercultural Traditions (4)
Creative Endeavors (4)
Intercultural & Spiritual Understandings (3-4)
Biological/Physical Scientific Inquiry (4)
Social/Behavioral Scientific Inquiry (3-4)
Social Responsibility (2)
Personal Responsibility (1-2)

Major Studies

Communication for Health Professionals (4)
Culturally Safe Healthcare: Inquiry & Practice (4)
Contemporary Issues in Healthcare (4)
Research Methods in the Health and Behavioral
Sciences (4)
Introduction to Psychology (4) OR
Lifespan Human Development (4)
Strategic Leadership (3)
Senior Project I (4)
Senior Project II (4)

Application
Application Fee*
Official Final High School Transcript**
Official College Transcript(s)

*Fee waiver available for those who qualify
**If less than 24 college credits earned

Minimum GPA: 2.5 or higher – If you have a GPA lower than 2.5, there is an additional step in the admissions process, and we are happy to work with you to complete your application.

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