Are you ready to become a professional in the fastest-growing sector of the health care workforce?
Whether your career interests include being a dietitian, audiologist, physician assistant, medical technologist, speech-language pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, clinical or rehabilitation counselor, or health information manager, we have the program for you.
East Carolina University is #1.
The College of Allied Health Sciences is the largest university provider of allied health professionals for the state of North Carolina, with 24 degree and certificate programs offered within eight departments.
This year, more than 80 students were awarded $143,000 in merit and need-based scholarships ranging from $500-$3,740.
Rehabilitation Services
We inevitably will face challenges in our lives – difficulty with emotional or mental health concerns, substance use or abuse, physical illness or disability, relationship issues, life transitions, and career decisions. With a degree in rehabilitation services, you will be able to help others make positive changes in their lives.
"I love how invested the professors are. They provide all types of valuable information to me whenever I need the help. It makes me feel like I’m at a small school instead of a large school. My professors are so passionate at what they do and they really want the best for their students. Just learning from them is a wonderful memory that I will keep forever." —Kristina Nguyen, recent graduate of rehabilitation services.
Clinical Laboratory Science
Do you enjoy solving puzzles and problems? Are you interested in medicine but don't want to work with patients? A clinical laboratory scientist is an individual who performs and evaluates laboratory tests using a variety of methods. The results of these tests provide the information needed to diagnose disease or monitor treatment.
"I heard about the program from one of my advisors and realized that I loved doing lab work and working in a laboratory setting. I loved that this field allowed me to contribute to the health and well-being of the people around me and that the work that I did made a difference." —Dana Billy, senior in clinical laboratory sciences
Speech and Hearing Sciences
The Speech and Hearing Sciences major at ECU is one of many programs in the College of Allied Health Sciences that allows you to make an impact on the lives of others.
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists work with people who have a variety of speech-language and/or hearing related disorders. Professionals with one of these two clinical degrees can work with individuals across the lifespan to evaluate, treat and improve a patient’s ability to have normal communication.
100 percent of our Communication Sciences and Disorders alumni receive jobs in health care within one year of graduation from their graduate clinical degree programs.
Health Services Management
Health care is a business, and like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly, especially during times of change.
You will develop the skills to be a supervisor or manager in health care in a variety of opportunities such as in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement communities, insurance companies, medical supply companies, public health departments or medical practices. You might manage an entire facility, specialize in managing a specific clinical area or department, or manage a medical practice for a group of physicians.
As health care changes, medical and health services managers must be able to adapt to changes in laws, regulations and technology. You will learn to work with clinicians and health services administrators as a team to develop clear and effective health information strategies for a health care organization.
Health Information Management
Pursue a career that has a high demand for professionals. Get advanced training in acquiring, storing and using information in a health care setting. The management of health care data has been greatly influenced by the field of informatics and technological advancements, such as the Electronic Health Record. As a result, federal, state and regional projections show an increased need for professionals with advanced knowledge and training in the principles of health informatics and information management.
Our BS in Health Information Management is the only program from a public institution in North Carolina whose graduates are eligible for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credentialing exam.
"I think that ECU prepares students for the real world by giving us so many opportunities with a focus on our professional skills. The professors and staff are constantly reaching out to us about shadowing or intern opportunities and give us reference or resume help. ECU provides so many chances to students that it seems impossible to not prosper here." —Kasey Turnage, graduate of health information management
Nutrition and Dietetics
Would you enjoy a career in educating others on the importance of healthy and wholesome eating habits?
Nutrition involves chemistry, biology, physiology, pharmacology, medicine, behavior science and other disciplines. In addition to preparing graduates to become registered, licensed dietitians, nutrition science is a great pre-professional major for careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and the allied health professions.
“All of the science in my nutrition and disease class went really deep into the cellular levels of nutrient metabolism. We learn a lot and the scope of everything that we have to know is surprising. This helps me to explain information to my patients.” –Cari Jones, a nutrition and dietetics student
“I loved it here! The professors are incredible, and our cohort was a big part of the reason I came here. ECU’s admission has a day full of interviews, which was awesome because I met all of my professors. Everybody welcomed me with open arms. I’ve had the most incredible experience.” —Sydney Frank (above), an occupational therapy student and ECU lacrosse team member
Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are experts in function and movement of the human body. They assist an athlete with an injury; a senior citizen with arthritis; an infant with a birth defect; an individual recovering from a vascular stroke — a diverse group of people, yet each can benefit in some way from physical therapy.
Physician Assistant Studies
The Physician Assistant, MS curriculum focuses on primary care. The PA program is divided into two phases, the Didactic phase and Clinical phase. The Didactic phase consists of 60 semester hours taught on ECU's Health Sciences campus. The clinical phase makes up 40 semester hours over a 12-month period.
You can be a part of making a difference in the health of the region, state and nation at the College of Allied Health Sciences at East Carolina University.
Our cutting-edge curriculum teaches students critical skills in preventive or rehabilitative health services. Our students' focus is on patients and clients, ensuring they get the most out of life.
At ECU, we are the new direction in health care education.
For information on your next steps, visit the Admissions website.
To learn more about the wide range of academic programs available at ECU, visit Degree Explorer.