Dr. Petra Hauf is the vice-president of UNB Ssaint John. (Cameron Fitch Photo UNB)
The University of New Brunswick is introducing a new undergraduate degree to address health-care issues in the province.
The Bachelor of Health is an interdisciplinary four-year program which, if approved, will be offered at the Saint John campus this fall.
Dr. Petra Hauf, vice-president Saint John, says the program came about because of an academic planning process which noted health is a priority.
“The university went for an academic planning process and identified for the Saint John Campus health as one priority, coastal studies as another, as well as business, social, and community studies,” she said.
Hauf said there’s a special focus on health right now and a need of a new interdisciplinary program.
“We all know that we have to reform our health care system to make it more effective and also financially sustainable,” she said.
“We will require new approaches and new ideas, and UNB wants to be a part of finding solutions by providing integrated health education to create the next generation of problem solvers in healthcare.”
Hauf said the program is meant to develop people who have the mindset to look across the different disciplines, to think outside the box and to be innovative in their approaches.
“The program is designed to prepare students for a variety of occupations in health in a broader way,” said Hauf.
The degree will combine approaches from the faculty of arts, the faculty of business, and the faculty of science. The three majors available are society and health, management in health, or biomedical sciences and health.
Once the program receives final approval from the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, admissions will be accepted.
