Dental hygienists are licensed professionals who work in dental offices. Dental hygienists focus on several areas of oral care, including cleaning teeth, conducting screening procedures for a variety of dental conditions, taking and developing dental x-rays, making impressions of patients’ teeth, educating patients about good oral health and more. The dental hygiene program at Valdosta State University trains students to be professional dental hygienists and leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree.

Exercise Physiology is the study of acute and chronic adaptations associated with physical activity and exercise training.  The major comprises the study of how exercise impacts health and human performance and prescribing individualized exercise programs to meet participant health, fitness and human performance goals. A degree in exercise physiology serves as a pathway to direct employment and provides prerequisite education to pursue advanced study at the graduate level. If a future career involves movement, allied health, or medicine then a degree in exercise physiology is an excellent credential.

Graduates are employed in fields such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports performance, cardiopulmonary and oncology rehabilitation, clinical exercise physiology, dietetics, sports nutrition, medicine (physician, physician assistant), pharmaceutical sales, health coaching, education, and many more. (note:  Careers may require advanced degree beyond a BS in exercise physiology.)

The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree program prepares students for the healthcare industry, currently one of the strongest employment sectors nationally. The program helps students to identify talents and interests in the field that can be developed within the program, leading to careers in fields such as medical assistance, healthcare informatics, marketing and public relations, public health, health education, and environmental health. The degree program can also lead to graduate level study in healthcare fields such as anesthesiologist assistant, athletic training, dentistry, exercise physiology, medicine, nursing (as a second degree), occupational therapy, optometry, physical therapy, and physician assistant. Specific pre-requisites are required depending on the specific healthcare field chosen.

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in the medical system as clinicians with expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions. NP’s emphasis is on health promotion, management, and disease prevention. They work in a variety of settings including hospitals, health care provider offices, clinics, schools, academia, and other environments in which medical care is rendered. Students in the Valdosta State University Post-Master's certificate program develop critical thinking skills, gain an appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives, and learn how to address policy disputes and social problems related to health care. Upon completion of the program, Valdosta State Post-Master's students assume leadership in the fields of nursing and health care, making a positive impact on their communities and touching people’s lives every day.

Nurses play a crucial role in the medical system, treating and caring for ill patients, preventing illnesses, assisting doctors, and promoting health and well being. Nurses work in a variety of settings including hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, schools and other environments in which medical care is rendered. Students in the Valdosta State University nursing program develop critical thinking skills, gain an appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives, and learn how to address policy disputes and social problems related to health care. Upon graduation, Valdosta State nursing students assume leadership in the fields of nursing and health care, making a positive impact on their communities and touching people’s lives every day. 

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in the medical system as clinicians with expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions. NP’s emphasis is on health promotion, management, and disease prevention. They work in a variety of settings including hospitals, health care provider offices, clinics, schools, academia, and other environments in which medical care is rendered. Students in the Valdosta State University MSN program develop critical thinking skills, gain an appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives, and learn how to address policy disputes and social problems related to health care. Upon graduation, Valdosta State MSN students assume leadership in the fields of nursing and health care, making a positive impact on their communities and touching people’s lives every day.

Nutritional science is an academic discipline that offers an intellectual approach to the study of nutrition as it contributes to health promotion by primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. The study of nutritional science provides accurate assessments of the roles of functional foods and nutrients as they affect and are affected by humans’ intellectual, biological, psychological, social, cultural, environmental, economic, and spiritual being. This minor includes the integration of holistic health concepts with alternative and complementary healing practices and contemporary medical regimes. This minor offers students the opportunity to explore research demonstrating the importance of nutritional balance (variety, moderation, and activity) to quality of life and holistic health. The nutritional status of Americans is compared and contrasted to other environments and cultures around the globe. The minor encourages the acquisition of practical experiences, the development of intellectual expertise in various aspects of nutritional science, and initiation of creative interventions to facilitate and motivate behavioral changes related to nutritional problems and diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.