Academic Catalog

Pre-Holistic Health Studies

St. Catherine University offers two alternatives for completing the Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies program. A dual-degree program is available to undergraduate students resulting in a B.A. or B.S. degree in select majors (see below and Dual Degree Programs tab), and a Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies (MAHS). The graduate entry level MAHS program is available to students who have completed a B.A. or B.S.

Standard Application Process for the Dual-Degree MAHS Program

In this option, students enter one of the University's pre-holistic health studies areas of study in biology, English, or public health: public policy that include all liberal arts core requirements and major course work in the particular field of study.

Students apply to the MAHS program during their junior year. Applicants must complete a dual degree application and meet all other admission criteria for consideration to the program including:

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants who have a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0 should submit an explanatory statement with their application for consideration.

  • Declared major in biology, English, or public health: public policy

  • Junior status

If accepted into the MAHS for their senior year, students typically are awarded the St. Catherine baccalaureate degree after nine months in the MAHS program.  The student’s major will be English, public health: public policy, or applied science in biology. Following successful completion of all the MAHS degree requirements, the MA degree is awarded. 

Students who are not accepted into the MAHS program can complete a major in biology, English, or public health: public policy. The curriculum for each of the areas of study is listed on the Dual Degree Programs tab.

The curriculum for each of the dual degree programs is listed below.

NOTE: The graduate MAHS courses students take after completing their B.A. or B.S. degree are listed at the end of each major, as they are not the same for every major.

Applied Science in Biology

Students must complete all liberal arts core requirements, 60 hours clinical experience and the following courses.

This major is available in the College for Women only. Students can earn a B.A. or a B.S. degree.

Applied Science in Biology Requirements
BIOL 1710Foundations of Biology: Diversity and Evolution with Lab4
BIOL 1720Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab4
BIOL 2710Introduction to Ecology with Lab4
BIOL 2720Sophomore Seminar2
BIOL 2810Genetics with Lab4
BIOL 4860WSenior Seminar4
Four additional credits in BIOL at the 3000/4000 level4
Required Supporting Courses
CHEM 1110General Chemistry I with Lab4
CHEM 1120General Chemistry II with Lab4
Select one of the following Statistics courses:4
ECON 1090
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
HLTH 1090
Biostatistics
PSYC 1090
Statistical Methods in Psychology
STAT 1089
Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
STAT 1090
Statistical Analysis
Total Credits38

Graduate Courses Taken after Admission to the Dual Degree Program (First Year of Master's Program)

HHS 6700Foundations of Holistic Health and Wellness2
HHS 6720Complementary/Alternative Approaches to Healthcare2
HHS 6730Culture as a Resource in Health and Healing2
HHS 6740Spiritual Wellness2
HHS 6760Ecology and Health2
HHS 7520Women and Holistic Health2
HHS 8900Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Mindful Inquiry3
Six elective credits from:6
HHS 6952
Independent Study
HHS 6982
Topics
HHS 7800
Mindfulness Based Meditation
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits21

Graduate Courses Taken after Completion of Bachelor's Degree

HHS 7500Core Concepts in Mind/Body Interactions2
HHS 7620Organizing for Social Change2
HHS 8940Research Methods and Statistics3
HHS 7710Alternative Approaches to Nutrition2
HHS 6820Movement, Relaxation and Health2
HHS 8980Research Seminar2
HHS 8920Practicum and Integrative Seminar2
Three elective credits from:3
HHS 7810
Perspectives of Health and Healing in India
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits18

Students who do not gain entry to the MAHS program after their junior year complete the following courses for a major (B.A. degree) in biology:

Six additional credits in biology at the 3000 or 4000 level including:6
At least one 4-credit field course
At least 4 credits at the 4000 level
BIOL 4602Internship2
or BIOL 4912 Research
CHEM 2010Organic Chemistry I with Lab4
Total Credits12

 Students who do not gain entry to the MAHS program after their junior year complete the following courses for a major (B.S. degree) in biology:

CHEM 2010Organic Chemistry I with Lab4
BIOL 4602Internship2
or BIOL 4912 Research
Eight additional credits in biology at the 3000 or 4000 level8
Total Credits14

English

Students must complete all liberal arts core requirements and the following courses.

This major is available in the College for Women only. Students must earn a B.A. degree.

ENGL 1450Introduction to Linguistics and Language4
ENGL 3202Literary Theory and Practice4
Five electives, at least two of which are 3000 or 4000 level courses20
Total Credits28

Graduate Courses Taken after Admission to the Dual Degree Program (First Year of Master's Program)1

HHS 6700Foundations of Holistic Health and Wellness2
HHS 6720Complementary/Alternative Approaches to Healthcare2
HHS 6730Culture as a Resource in Health and Healing2
HHS 6740Spiritual Wellness2
HHS 6760Ecology and Health2
HHS 6820Movement, Relaxation and Health2
HHS 7520Women and Holistic Health2
HHS 7710Alternative Approaches to Nutrition2
HHS 8900Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Mindful Inquiry3
Three elective credits from:3
HHS 6952
Independent Study
HHS 6982
Topics
HHS 7800
Mindfulness Based Meditation
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits22
1

NOTE: Students might have to take up to eight additional undergraduate credits during the final year of their undergraduate degree program (when they are taking HHS courses) to reach the 130 credits required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their academic advisor to ensure that they will complete all undergraduate requirements by the end of their final spring semester.

Graduate Courses Taken after Completion of Bachelor's Degree

HHS 7500Core Concepts in Mind/Body Interactions2
HHS 7620Organizing for Social Change2
HHS 8940Research Methods and Statistics3
HHS 8980Research Seminar2
HHS 8920Practicum and Integrative Seminar2
Six elective credits from:6
HHS 7810
Perspectives of Health and Healing in India
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits17

Public Health: Public Policy

This major is available in the College for Women only. Students can earn a B.A. or a B.S. degree.

Public Health Core and Concentration Courses
HLTH 1090Biostatistics4
HLTH 2050Foundations in Public Health4
HLTH 3150Epidemiology4
HLTH 3250Global Health4
or HLTH 3210 Health Communications
HLTH 3350Environmental Health4
HLTH 4700Practicum Preparation2
HLTH 4754Practicum4
HLTH 4800WSenior Seminar in Public Health4
HHS 2000Culture, Health and Healing3
HHS 4100Holistic Health in Communities of Practice4
INDI 2220Medical Terminology2
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
MGMT 3850Healthcare Policy4
or ECON 3250 Healthcare Economics
Select two courses from COMM 1020 or 2000 level or higher courses on the legal, economic or communication dimension of health care and public policy from:8
COMM 1030
Speaking to Lead and Influence
COMM 2000
Foundations in Leadership
COMM 2050
Media, Culture and Society
COMM 3030
Rhetoric, Civic Participation and Social Justice
COMM 3100
Communicating across Cultures, Identities and Differences
COMM 4600
Leadership and the Art of Persuasion
DSCI 1000
Telling Stories with Data - Introduction to Data Visualization
DSCI 2100
Introduction to Programming: Applied Computing I
DSCI 3100
Database Management
DSCI 3200W
Analyzing Social Issues with Data
ECON 2610
Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 2620
Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 3250
Healthcare Economics
ECON 3450W
Haves and Have Nots: Development, Poverty, and Inequality
ECON 3460W
Global Financial Issues
ECON 3480W
International Economics: Trade and Immigration
FSNU 3350
Lifelong Nutrition
HIST 2200
Twentieth Century America
HIST 3250
History of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the U.S.
IPE 2800
Healthcare Teams: Opportunities and Challenges in Aging
IPE 4200W
Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice
POSC 2250
Introduction to World Politics
POSC 3070
Public Policy
Select one of the following:4
Biology laboratory science course
Chemistry laboratory science course
Total Credits55

Graduate Courses Taken after Admission to the Dual Degree Program (First Year of Master's Program)

HHS 6700Foundations of Holistic Health and Wellness 12
HHS 6720Complementary/Alternative Approaches to Healthcare 12
HHS 6730Culture as a Resource in Health and Healing2
HHS 6740Spiritual Wellness2
HHS 6760Ecology and Health2
HHS 7520Women and Holistic Health2
HHS 8900Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Mindful Inquiry3
Six elective credits from:6
HHS 6952
Independent Study
HHS 6982
Topics
HHS 7800
Mindfulness Based Meditation
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits21
1

Also meets requirement for Public Health: Public Policy major and concentration.

Graduate Courses Taken after Completion of Bachelor's Degree

HHS 7500Core Concepts in Mind/Body Interactions2
HHS 7620Organizing for Social Change2
HHS 8940Research Methods and Statistics3
HHS 7710Alternative Approaches to Nutrition2
HHS 6820Movement, Relaxation and Health2
HHS 8980Research Seminar2
HHS 8920Practicum and Integrative Seminar2
Three elective credits from:3
HHS 7810
Perspectives of Health and Healing in India
HHS 7830
Energy Healing I
HHS 7835
Energy Healing II
Total Credits18