An innovative new degree will prepare students for health care professions through a unique blend of coursework. The Iowa Board of Regents approved the Iowa State undergraduate degree -- bachelor of science in integrated health sciences -- during its Feb. 27 meeting. Enrollment in the on-campus program will open this fall.

The program is the first undergraduate degree in Iowa to offer a fully integrated, interdisciplinary approach to health sciences. Unlike traditional pre-health majors, the comprehensive program focuses on health and wellness from multiple angles, with classes in life sciences, behavior and social sciences, data sciences and the humanities.

Professor and chair Yanhai Yin and teaching professor Karri Haen Whitmer of the department of genetics, development and cell biology; and Elizabeth McNeil, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, teamed up to develop the degree with collaboration from 12 other academic departments in three colleges. 

The complete article by Stacey Maifeld of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, "New degree in integrated health sciences addresses demand for health care professionals," is featured in Inside Iowa State on March 6.