Allied Health Sciences

Return to: Colleges/Schools/ Departments

The Department of Allied Health Sciences is a multidisciplinary department offering courses of study leading to Bachelor of Science degrees in Allied Health (Allied Health Leadership Concentration), Respiratory Therapy, Nutrition, Radiologic Science, and Dental Hygiene. The department offers Online Degree Completion degrees in Respiratory Therapy, Dental Hygiene, and Radiologic Science. (See BSAH Online Degree Completion Information.)

All programs offered in the department call for a high degree of individual motivation, good physical health, and manual dexterity. Instruction is individualized and performance standards are exacting.

One class per year is admitted for Respiratory Therapy, Dental Hygiene, Nutrition, and Radiologic Science. Students are required to attend designated consecutive semesters to complete the programs. The Allied Health Leadership Concentration has open enrollment throughout the academic year.

The number of students admitted to each of the Allied Health career programs is limited. Admission is based on: successful completion of admission requirements; interview with an admissions committee; and space availability. The number of applicants admitted to each program is determined by several factors, including the number of available seats for clinical experiences, the predicted number of positions available in the health care industry for graduates, and enrollment limitations imposed by accreditation agencies. The limitation in class size and increasing popularity of the programs have created a highly competitive environment for applicants. Applicants will be notified in writing of the actions taken by the respective admission committees.

Students must apply and be admitted to East Tennessee State University. Students must also submit an application to the Allied Health degree in which they are seeking admission.

The Bachelor of Science degrees prepare students to qualify as contributing members of the Allied Health team dedicated to the conservation of life and the maintenance of health. The program correlated classroom and clinical instruction enables the student to be competent in a specific area. This approach will enable graduates to competently perform tasks as identified in the respective scopes of practice as autonomous health care providers. Students admitted to the program must have a strong and diverse academic background that will facilitate individual judgment, critical thinking skills, and utilization of appropriate professional decision-making skills. Students must also possess psychomotor, cognitive, and affective skills demonstrating competence, flexibility, responsibility, and sensitivity to client populations.

Students that have successfully completed an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy, or Radiologic Science are eligible for enrollment into an online B.S. completion program in their discipline. Associate of Applied Science graduates are required to contact and be advised by the Department’s admission coordinator after completion of ALHE 3010, Allied Health Professions.

The Allied Health Leadership concentration offers students that have previously graduated from an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) health related program the opportunity to obtain a baccalaureate degree by using more of the A.A.S. credit hours than normally transfer to a four-year institution. The B.S. completion program is designed for health care providers in a medical field such as medical assisting, medical laboratory technology, cardiovascular technology, physical therapy assistant, and occupational therapy assistant. Students must complete 41 credits of general education requirements, 20 credits of allied health core courses, and 24 credit hours in the Allied Health Leadership concentration.

Respiratory Therapy and Radiologic Science degrees are designed for students who have completed one or two years of pre-professional college work (a minimum of 40 credit hours) that includes the prerequisite courses required by the major. The curriculum consists of 79 credits for both degrees. The baccalaureate degree in these majors requires a minimum of 120 credits.

Admission Requirements for B.S.

Admission to the Respiratory Therapy, Nutrition, Radiologic Science and Dental Hygiene professional programs is a competitive process and is entirely separate from the student’s admission to ETSU. A limited number of students are admitted annually to each degree by an admissions committee. Each applicant is evaluated on the basis of academic record and personal interview. Evidence of university admission, updated high school and/or college transcripts, and department application forms must be returned to the departmental office by March 1 for the applicant to be considered by the admissions committee.

To gain admittance to a degree area, the student must complete all admission, health, and academic requirements. Due to the large number of applicants, limited enrollment, and accreditation standards, all candidates are evaluated through a number of different instruments.

To be considered for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy, Nutrition, and Radiologic Science programs, applicants must meet the requirements for admission to ETSU. Prior to being admitted to the professional core, applicants must complete the following requirements:

1. Maintain a college GPA of 2.50 or better on a 4.0 scale;
2. Complete prerequisite general education and other allied health core courses as required by the degree obtaining a grade of C or better in each course within the first two attempts by the time of admission to the professional core;
3. Complete an additional minimum of 16 credit hours from the general educational core (program specific courses) maintaining a college GPA of 2.50 or better on a 4.0 scale;
4. Meet specific health and/or essential functions.

Allied Health BSAH Online Degree Completion Programs - ALHE Leadership, Radiologic Science, and Respiratory Therapy

The Department of Allied Health Sciences also offers a BSAH Online Degree Completion Program for Allied Health (Allied Health Leadership Concentration), Respiratory Therapy, and Radiologic Science. The online programs are designed to offer students having an Associates of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, or who have completed a certificate program and are licensed or license eligible, to earn their baccalaureate degree online. Leadership applicants must meet the same requirements in a medically related field: MLT, OT, PT, LPN, MA, optician, medical office management, etc. Students who have completed a certificate program must complete intensive courses in addition to intensive courses Allied Health majors complete as part of the ALHE Core and Degree courses. These courses are part of ETSU’s standard admissions criteria and should be completed as part of the General Education core requirements. New online classes begin each semester - Spring, Summer and Fall.

Traditionally, A.A.S. graduates or students who have received certification in a medically related field find that many of their allied health credit hours do not transfer to a four-year institution. This concentration allows A.A.S. graduates or healthcare providers who hold a certification the opportunity to receive undergraduate credit for allied health professional courses completed at a community college. The BSAH Online Degree Completion Program allows these students to obtain a baccalaureate degree by using more of their A.A.S. hours or medical certification than normally transfer to a four-year institution. The degrees will build upon their existing knowledge to enhance skills in communications, critical thinking, problem solving, research and leadership theories.

Our programs are 100% online and extremely flexible. The BSAH Online Degree Completion Program allows students to enroll for the number of courses each semester that best fits with individual career goals, work and family schedules. In addition, the online program will equip graduates with entry-level management, group dynamics, and supervisory skills as they relate to the allied health disciplines. Successful completion of the concentration will increase the mobility of graduates into leadership positions in their respective professions.

The BSAH Online Degree Completion Program consists of 120 credit hours; of which, 30 credit hours (10 classes) must be completed through ETSU. A minimum of 50 semester credit hours must be completed at a senior level institution (these hours are included in the “bridge credit” hours).

All new students in the program must complete ALHE 3010 and ALHE 4070 during the first semester. Upon successful completion of these courses, students will be awarded a block of “bridge credit” hours:

Radiologic Science: 51 bridge credit hours            Respiratory Therapy: 43 bridge credit hours           Allied Health Leadership Concentration: 1 - 15 field cognate hours

Students also receive a grade of “P” pass for ALHE 2010   and ALHE 2020   (included in “bridge credit” hours)

Admissions Requirements and Application Process
Students seeking admission to the BSAH Online Degree Completion Program should contact Kay Benincasa, Admissions Coordinator/Advisor, at (423) 439-5052 for advisement. Upon application to the program, applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript for evaluation to Ms. Benincasa. When the evaluation is completed, the student will receive the results via email and be advised accordingly. Periodic advising and re-evaluation of transcripts is highly recommended.

Students seeking admission to the BSAH Online Degree Completion Program must meet the following criteria:

1. College GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale on all transferable credit
2. Transcript(s) proof of graduation from an accredited allied health professional program; or certificate
3. Licensed or eligible for professional licensure in discipline

Return to: Colleges/Schools/ Departments