Health Profession Programs
Caldwell University offers several undergraduate and graduate health profession degree programs for students interested in a healthcare career. Caldwell students go on to attend the nation’s top health professional schools and pursue careers in medicine, nursing, counseling, and the allied health professions. With a healthcare degree, students can join an innovative, exciting industry with plenty of in-demand opportunities.
Inter-Professional Health Education Collaborative
Responding to national and global needs to equip students for complex, technology-driven healthcare careers, Caldwell University created the Inter-Professional Health Education Collaborative (IPHEC). Coursework and events offered through IPHEC programming prepares students for the inter-professional collaboration crucial to success in a healthcare profession.
The IPHEC guides health profession students from different healthcare degree programs to learn about, from, and with each other. Students have opportunities to discover interdisciplinary learning experiences, experience our state-of-the-art simulation labs, and have exposure to innovations such as telemedicine to impact population health. Bringing together different areas of expertise, students across the health profession programs learn to collaborate and communicate.
Health Profession Affiliation Programs
Caldwell University’s health profession affiliation agreements with several professional schools facilitate students’ healthcare career aspirations. These agreements allow undergraduates to apply during their junior year for admission to professional programs like medical and dentistry schools. In several of these agreements, accepted students can enter the professional school after their junior year at Caldwell. The first year at the professional school can count as the fourth year of the undergraduate program.
Caldwell University maintains agreements with:
- Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School
- Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
- St. George’s University School of Medicine
- Lake Erie School of Dental Medicine
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Salus University’s Physician Assistant program and Pennsylvania College of Optometry
- American University of Antigua College of Medicine
- Seton Hall University (MSAT-Athletic Training)
- Northeast College (formerly New York Chiropractic College)
- Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons (Occupational Therapy)
- Touro College of Pharmacy (DPharm)
- New York Medical College (Physical Therapy)
- New York College of Podiatric Medicine
- Moravian University (Occupational Therapy)
Caldwell also offers a 3+1 Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology degree that requires a practicum in a healthcare setting to complete the program.
B.S. in Healthcare Administration
Administered by the School of Business and Computer Science, the B.S. in Healthcare Administration prepares students for careers managing the business aspects of healthcare organizations. Healthcare administrators plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services and adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology. In addition to a traditional four-year degree, the University offers a two-year completion option for those with an associate degree in a healthcare-related field.
Healthcare administration majors acquire sufficient scientific knowledge and the business acumen to succeed in any of the varied healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, and physical therapy facilities. Caldwell’s convenient location offers ready access to nationally-recognized healthcare facilities in New Jersey and nearby New York City for internships and experiential learning.
B.S. in Nursing
One of Caldwell’s most in-demand health profession programs, the B.S. in Nursing degree offers pre-licensure professional nursing education for:
- Traditional 4-year BSN students
- Students pursuing their BSN as a second Bachelor’s degree
- Transfer nursing students
- RN to BSN program—post-licensure degree completion for registered nurses
The program structure provides a strong liberal arts foundation that is further developed in nursing courses, clinical, and laboratory activities. Clinical experience in a variety of hospital and community healthcare agencies broaden professional and leadership preparation.
Graduates are prepared to provide safe, effective patient care to a diverse population and to practice in all types of healthcare settings. Upon program completion, pre-licensure graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing examination.
The baccalaureate degree in nursing at Caldwell University is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
B.S. in Communication Science and Disorders
Caldwell University’s new Bachelor of Science in Communication Science and Disorders is designed to prepare you for a number of growing career opportunities and graduate school paths related to speech-language pathology.
The major presents a curriculum based on the standards of the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA) and will prepare you for graduate studies and employment in the field. This interdisciplinary program incorporates course offerings in Communication Sciences, Psychology, Public Health, Modern Languages, and Sciences as well as 25 hours of guided clinical observation under a licensed speech-language pathologist.
B.S. in Public Health Education
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education is an interdisciplinary healthcare degree crossing the departments of Natural Sciences, Nursing, Business, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology. Public health educators teach patients, families, communities, and policy makers about effective health practices and how to lead healthy lives.
Graduates pursue healthcare careers in community health and public health, as well as in hospitals, insurance companies, primary care provider offices, private and commercial community health organizations, and research organizations. They can work as health coaches in wellness centers, or as educators within the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries or governmental public health organizations.
B.S. in Exercise Science
The Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science program exposes you to both the science and business sides of exercise, fitness, and wellness. Graduates of the Exercise Science program at Caldwell will be prepared for career opportunities and graduate programs in areas such as fitness training, sports medicine, physical therapy and rehabilitation, athletic training, and more.
Graduate Programs in Counseling
The Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree is a rigorous 60-credit program that prepares students to make a difference in the world of mental healthcare. Graduates hold a CACREP-accredited master’s degree that satisfies the coursework requirements for New Jersey licensure as a Professional Counselor (LPC). Emphasizing a cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation, the program prepares students with a strong conceptual and practical competence, while integrating the role of spirituality in clients’ and counselors’ lives. Graduates are prepared to work as counselors in agencies, hospitals, and other mental health settings, ultimately enabling them to engage as private practitioners.
The M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy Specialization program prepares students to be dual credentialed as both mental health counselors and art therapists. The CACREP accreditation of this degree has set it apart as the first of its type in the nation. Consisting of 63 credits, this interdisciplinary program also meets the educational requirements for the New Jersey LPC credential, and a registered art therapist through the American Art Therapy Association. Graduates pursue careers in mental healthcare, working in hospitals and social service agencies.The CACREP-accredited School Counseling master’s degree program prepares students to work within the guidelines of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA)’s National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. After fulfilling New Jersey Department of Education requirements, graduates work as School Counselors at all levels of education from K-12. Students who choose to take 12 additional credits beyond the 48-credit program will also have completed the educational requirements for the LPC credential in NJ.
Pre-Professional Pathways
In certain professions, students usually complete an undergraduate liberal arts degree before they are admitted into a graduate-level healthcare degree program. These professions include:
- Medicine (allopathic, osteopathic, and naturopathic)
- Dentistry
- Occupational Therapy
- Chiropractic Medicine
- Physician Assistant
- Athletic Training
- Veterinary Medicine
- Podiatry
- Pharmacy
- Public Health (graduate degree)
- Optometry
Pre-professional undergraduate students typically major in biology, chemistry, or health sciences. These majors are administered by the School of Natural Sciences, and they help students meet the requirements of professional schools. Most pre-professional students apply for admission into professional schools after their junior year and often after they graduate.
Caldwell’s Pre-Medical Post-Baccalaureate Program allows students who have already completed an undergraduate degree at Caldwell or at another institution to take additional courses they need to meet professional school requirements.
Pursue a Health Professions Degree Program at Caldwell
Choosing a health professions program degree at Caldwell University opens the door to numerous healthcare careers and opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives and in local communities.
Request information to learn more about attending one of Caldwell’s healthcare degree programs.