Apr 04, 2025  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Health Physics (BS)

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The mission of the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Physics is to provide a high-quality undergraduate education experience for students in the field of radiation safety. The educational experience is accomplished through rigorous classroom instruction aided by computer and multi-media instruction, practical laboratory experiences, an introduction to the principles of research, and mentoring.

Please see the UNLV School of Integrated Health Sciences, Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences web page for information about department programs, faculty and facilities.  Degree worksheets and 4/5 year plan for the major are available on the UNLV Degrees Directory.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Knowledge of the basic health physics sciences.
  2. Knowledge of the theoretical aspects of health physics.
  3. Familiarity with the practical applications of health physics.
  4. Competency in health physics problem solving.
  5. Competency in communicating technical information in written and oral form.
  6. Knowledge of basic principles of radiation science and safety.
  7. Knowledge of the chemical and biological effects of radiation.
  8. Obtain a strong foundation in math and the basic sciences.
  9. Familiarity with basic computer programming skills.
  10. (10) Familiarity with statistics of relevance to the field of health physics.

Career Possibilities

Health physicists work in a variety of disciplines, including:

  • Research
  • Industry
  • Education
  • Environmental protection
  • Enforcement of government regulations

Although the health physicist usually concentrates in one of these disciplines, a professional health physicist typically performs duties in several areas.

Advising

Please see advising information at the UNLV Division of Health Sciences Academic Advising Center.

Accreditation

For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.

University Graduation Requirements

Please see Graduation Policies  for complete information.

Health Physics (BS) Degree Requirements - Total: 120 Credits

Health Physics is the profession devoted to protection of the individual, population, and environment from the potentially harmful effect of ionizing and nonionizing radiation. The Health Physics program at UNLV is designed to train students for entry-level positions in health physics. Graduates also meet many of the prerequisites required for postgraduate studies in areas such as health physics, radiation therapy, pharmacy or medicine. The specific program objectives are that, upon graduation, the graduate should:

  1. Apply theoretical and practical health physics in the workplace.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the research process and its relationship to current and future health physics activities.
  3. Continue to acquire knowledge and experiences requisite to assuming a leadership role in the health physics profession.
  4. Function collaboratively with members of the health physics community and representatives from related health and safety professions.
  5. Have a solid academic foundation for graduate study.
  6. Conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner.

 

General Education Requirements - Subtotal: 37-38 Credits

 

First-Year Seminar - Credits: 2-3

 

English Composition - Credits: 6

 

Second-Year Seminar - Credits: 3

 

Constitutions - Credits: 4

 

Mathematics - Total Credits: 4

Distribution Requirement - Credits: 18

Please see Distribution Requirements  for more information.

  • Humanities and Fine Arts - Credits: 9
    • Two courses from two different areas - 6 credits
    • One  course in Fine Arts - 3 credits
  • Social Science - Credits: 9
    • One course each from three different fields
  • Life and Physical Sciences and Analytical Thinking 
    • Automatically satisfied by Major requirements

Multicultural and International

Multicultural, one 3 credit course required
International, one 3 credit course required

These courses may overlap with general education and major requirements. A single course may not meet the multicultural and international requirements simultaneously. Visit the Provost webpage for the list of approved Multicultural and International courses​.

Major Requirements - BS in Health Physics - Subtotal: 83 Credits

Total Credits: 120

 

Major Requirements - BS in Health Physics - Preprofessional Concentration - Subtotal: 83 Credits

 

Total Credits: 120

 

Notes

  1.  , must be taken for four semesters.
  2. Every student must complete a three-credit multicultural course and a three-credit international course. Courses satisfying other requirements may simultaneously satisfy the multicultural and international requirements except one course cannot satisfy both the multicultural and the international requirements.
  3. HPS 300  is a Milestone Experience course for Health Physics B.S.
  4. HPS 416  is a Culminating Experience course for Health Physics B.S.

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