Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management

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The Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management prepares students for leadership roles in the health care system. All courses needed to complete the general education, major core, and elective requirements of the part-time degree are offered online, either in a synchronous or asynchronous format. To learn more about this undergraduate degree program, or to obtain application information, individuals should contact:

BPHM Degree Program

University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies
Zehmer Hall 
104 Midmont Lane
P.O. Box 400764
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4764
800-346-3882
www.scps.virginia.edu

 

Admissions Requirements

Pathway One:

• An associate’s degree from a regionally accredited college in emergency medical services, health information management, medical laboratory technology, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, radiography, respiratory therapy, or sonography
• A minimum 2.0 GPA in the applicable associate’s degree
• 60 transferable credits (C or better), including a Liberal Studies Core as outlined below:
  • English composition (prior college’s full sequence, typically two courses)

  • 3 credits of humanities

  • 3 credits of social sciences

  • 11 credits of math and/or natural science

Pathway Two:

• A high school diploma or equivalent
• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 from the institution attended most recently and good academic and social standing at that institution
• 45-60 transferable credits (C or better), to include the Liberal Studies Core as outlined below:
  • English composition (prior college’s full sequence, typically two courses)
  • 6 credits of humanities
  • 6 credits of social sciences
  • 8 credits of math and/or natural science
  • 10 additional credits in liberal arts course work (i.e., some combination of humanities, social sciences, math, or natural science)

Courses presented for the Liberal Studies Core generally must be eligible to satisfy an area requirement of the UVA College of Arts and Sciences.

Requirements for Degree

At least 120 semester credits, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 on all UVA course work, are required to earn the BPHM degree.  Depending on the number of credits transferred, students will need to complete 60-75 credits after admission to complete the degree. See https://www.scps.virginia.edu/bachelors-in-health-sciences-management/curriculum/ for degree requirements.

Students admitted to the BPHM degree program are generally expected to complete all remaining degree requirements at the University.  Those who matriculated with fewer than 60 transfer credits and who wish to take academic courses at another institution after matriculation at UVA must have the written permission of the BPHM Director and confirm the transferability of course work in advance. It is the student’s responsibility to provide an official transcript to the SCPS Central Admission Office as soon as outside course work is completed and to request that the additional transfer credits be posted to their official UVA record. 

Any transferable course work from other institutions must be completed prior to the semester in which the student enrolls in Capstone I (PSHM 4900).  Students are expected to have successfully completed at least 105 credits toward the BPHM degree in order to enroll in Capstone I. 

Time to Degree Students will generally enroll in 6 credit hours per term (fall, spring, and summer). They can complete the program in as little as 11 terms (3.6 years), but must complete the program in 21 terms (7 years).

Academic Regulations and Options

All students are subject to the academic policies specified in the section titled “University Regulations”. The following academic requirements and options apply to students in the BPHM program along with regulations listed in this Record under SCPS Academic Policies, Rules, and Regulations.

Add/Drop Regulations Students may add courses, with instructor and academic advisor permission, until the published deadline for the semester. The add deadline is also the last day to change the grading option for courses. Students may drop courses without penalty until the published drop deadline. Students who withdraw from an individual course or all courses after the semester has begun will be charged tuition for the semester on a prorated scale.

Students are responsible for the accuracy of their course enrollment record; changes to course enrollment may be made online through the Student Center in SIS, before the published deadlines.

Advising Providing advising related to academic matters and student services is an important element of the BPHM degree program. All students receive individual academic advising from prior to their first term of enrollment in BPHM. Students are responsible for consulting with their advisors each semester before enrolling in courses. Academic advisors work closely with the student to plan the program of study, to monitor the student’s progress, and provide advice on matters pertaining to the program, academic policies, and procedures. Students and advisors should use Academic Requirements, the University’s on-line academic advising tool, and the student’s unofficial transcript to help monitor progress toward degree requirements.

The academic advisor may also assist the student in identifying a faculty mentor to work with the student on the Capstone Project that is undertaken near the completion of the BPHM degree program. A student who wishes to take a non-BPHM UVA course for credit or a leave of absence from the program must secure approval from the academic advisor, as well as the BPHM Director.

Course Load BPHM students must register for a minimum of three UVA credits per semester. A BPHM student may not enroll in more than nine credits per semester of enrollment unless they receive prior approval from the program director.

Students who plan to apply for financial aid through the University need to carry a minimum of six credits per semester in order to be eligible for financial aid through the University. These students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine what the specific requirements are for the various types of aid they wish to receive.  Visit: www.sfs.virginia.edu

Credit/No Credit Option Students may choose a credit/no credit (CR/NC) grading option up until the add deadline for courses. Instructors have the right to prohibit students from taking courses on a CR/NC basis. The Major Core Requirement courses and Capstone I and II courses must be graded and may not be taken CR/NC. BPHM students may take no more than one course per semester on a CR/NC basis, and a maximum of nine credits may be taken on a CR/NC basis during a student’s tenure in the BPHM program. Due to the global pandemic, grades of CR/GC/NC earned during the spring 2020, fall 2020, J-term 2021, spring 2021, and summer 2021 terms do not count against the maximum number of credits that may be earned on a CR/NC basis that is imposed by schools and departments. 

Honor System The Honor System is one of the University’s oldest and most venerated traditions. Based on the fundamental assumption that anyone who enrolls at the University subscribes to a code of ethics forbidding lying, cheating, and stealing, the Honor System allows students the kind of personal freedom possible only in an environment where respect and trust are assumed. For nearly 180 years, students have administered this system at the University.

While the Honor System applies to students enrolled on- and off-Grounds through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, some procedures for administration of the system to continuing and professional studies students differ from those governing on-Grounds full time students. Off-Grounds students should consult the School of Continuing and Professional Studies website www.scps.virginia.edu or visit The Honor Committee website www.virginia.edu/honor for a copy of the by-laws under Governing Documents.

Leaves of Absence Students who wish to take a voluntary leave of absence for either a semester or a calendar year must consult with the BPHM Director and apply for such leave through their Student Center in the Student Information System (SIS). The School of Continuing and Professional Studies requires students on leave to apply for readmission at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the semester in which they intend to reenroll.

Probation and Suspension Students may be placed on academic probation, with a notation appearing on their transcripts, if they:

1. Fail to earn a minimum grade point average of 1.800 for the semester;
2. Fail to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0;
3. Earn more than one grade below C- in any given semester;
4. Earn a grade below D in any course during two consecutive semesters

Students on academic probation are expected to meet with their academic advisors prior to the end of the add/drop period so they may remedy their academic shortcoming(s). Students on academic probation who withdraw or take leaves of absence are eligible to return but do so on academic probation and are subject to suspension if they do not attain good standing within the first semester of their return.

Suspension involves enforced withdrawal from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.  A student placed on probation in any semester may be suspended if he or she does not regain good standing at the end of the next semester.  A student who has been suspended may apply for readmission after one regular semester or one calendar year has elapsed since the date of suspension. The BPHM Director determines the amount of lapsed time before readmission.  If readmitted, the student will remain on probation and will be suspended again if not in good standing.  While on suspension, students may not earn credits to advance their progress toward the BPHM degree.

Readmission Students who do not enroll at the University for more than two semesters and who are not on an approved leave of absence will be required to apply for readmission. Students returning from suspension will also be required to apply for readmission. Application for readmission must be made to the BPHM Director at least 30 days in advance of the next University registration period. Students should include with their applications a statement that (1) addresses their readiness to return to the program in light of any serious difficulties during their most recent enrollment (e.g., financial, medical, or personal hardship) and (2) outlines those courses that the student will take over the remaining semesters to qualify for a degree.

Refunds The refund schedule for classes offered through the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management is governed by the University’s refund schedule. For more information, please visit Student Financial Services www.sfs.virginia.edu/

Repeated Courses Two essentially identical courses, whether under the same course number or not, may not both be counted for degree credit. If a course is passed and repeated, only the first grade received is entered in the computation of the grade point average and counts toward the 120 credits required for graduation, although the repeated course and its grade do appear on the student’s transcript. If a course is failed and then repeated, both courses and grades appear on the transcript and are computed in the grade point average.

Satisfactory Academic Performance Students admitted to the BPHM program are expected to complete all degree requirements within seven years (i.e., twenty-one consecutive semesters including fall, spring, and summer) of matriculation into the program. Leaves of absence and suspensions do not change the requirement to complete all degree requirements within these parameters. All BPHM students are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the degree. To that end, each student’s academic standing is reviewed at the conclusion of each semester.

Withdrawal The following policies govern withdrawal from the BPHM program as well as from individual courses:

Course Withdrawal With the instructor’s permission, BPHM students may withdraw from a course with a grade of W, up to the midpoint of the course. After this cutoff, students must complete the course. With an endorsement from the professor, the BPHM Director will consider a student’s petition to withdraw from a course after the deadline because of compelling and highly unusual circumstances. Students who discontinue a course at any point without complying with the proper procedure are subject to a failing grade.

Enforced Withdrawal The Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies may compel a student to withdraw from the BPHM program for good cause. A student who is asked to withdraw from the program may petition the dean for readmission after one calendar year.

Medical Withdrawal A student may withdraw from the BPHM program for reasons of health with the approval of the Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and BPHM Director. A notation of Medical Withdrawal will appear on the student’s transcript.

Voluntary Withdrawal A BPHM student who wishes to withdraw from the program must formally withdraw from the University. The student is encouraged to meet first with the academic advisor of record; the student must meet with the BPHM Director for an exit interview. Leaving the program without following the requisite process results in the student’s receiving a grade of F in all courses that he or she fails to complete. A student who withdraws from the University voluntarily has the notation “Withdrawn [date]” recorded on his or her permanent academic record.

Financial Aid

BPHM students interested in applying for financial aid should consult the information provided by the office of Student Financial Services www.sfs.virginia.edu In general, requests for consideration of aid require that the student file the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the UVA Undergraduate Financial Aid Application. Minimum semester credit requirements for federal financial aid may be greater than those required by the degree program. Information about the FAFSA can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov; information about the Office of Financial Aid is available at www.sfs.virginia.edu or by calling (434) 982-6000.

Orientation

Orientation for new students is a key to success in the BPHM program. New students are required to participate in all scheduled BPHM orientation activities. Prior to the beginning of classes, students are provided with information about registration, University e-mail accounts, student services, as well as academic advising.

Awards, Honors and Scholarships

Final Honors Degrees with distinction, with high distinction, and with highest distinction are awarded to BPHM students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.400, 3.600, and 3.800, respectively, on all UVA course work.