College Life

Private Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• Boston College
• Brigham Young University
• Duke University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Johns Hopkins University

State Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota—Twin Cities
• University of Iowa
• University of Washington
• University of Pittsburgh

Classes in the Major

Nursing Principles. You can't become a nurse without first learning from the pros. In these courses, you'll get schooled in the ethics and principles of nursing. How it differs from other medical professions and what you're allowed to do as a nurse will also be covered. These courses will also come with a side of clinicals, where you'll experience nursing first-hand. Usually you have to take a couple Anatomy and Physiology courses before you begin your nursing courses.

Health and Diseases. Sounds like fun, right? Well diseases are no fun to have, but you'll have to stomach them if you want to study nursing. You'll spend a lot of time looking at pictures of everything from allergic reactions to dropsy (which is not as cute as it sounds). This may freak a lot of people out at first but you'll get used to it. Soon, you'll scoff at open wounds. You will also learn about the history of diseases and how they affect people over time. Antidotes and vaccines will be covered. Plus, there'll be work on identifying the symptoms and causes of diseases in some classes, too. 

Anatomy and Physiology. The body is made up of systems: cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, endocrine, urinary…you get the idea. In your anatomy courses, you first learn about these systems and then get to work identifying each of them with tissue samples and cadavers in the lab. You'll be tested on how they work together and even go over the effects of stuff like drugs, alcohol and violent rabid squirrels on the body.

Biology. Health sciences majors take courses on the structure of cells and organisms, while also studying the systems of the body. If you are yearning to know more about the digestive system or what happens to cells when you get sick, you're out of your mi—er, in for a treat. In these courses, you'll learn about reproduction, genes, and everything molecular. Since biology is the study of living things, you'll study up on everything from the evolution of humans to why Fido can run so much faster than you. I mean come on, we know he has four legs but he's so tiny.

Chemistry. So you figured that as a health sciences major, you wouldn't have to touch chemistry with a ten-foot pole, right? Think again. You'll still need to do a bunch of classes on organic chem. You'll need to learn about the physical properties of compounds that are important for your work with drugs and medicines. Plus, you'll get to bust out the white lab coat and goggles before being let loose in a real laboratory. Just try not to pull a Dee Dee.