Overview
Participating Programs
Eligibility Requirements
Participation
Degree Completion Requirements
Degree Completion Plan
Offered By: Health Sciences Department
Program Director: Toby Spiegel, Psy.D, MA, BA
College of Medical Sciences
College Dean: Heather Heggem, DMSC, MPAS, PA-C
The embedded bachelor’s degree is a voluntary option designed for eligible SCU graduate students who are admitted in participating programs and begin their graduate program coursework after January 1, 2026. This option allows eligible students to earn SCU’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) degree “on the way” to completing their graduate degree should they choose.
Participating programs are currently:
- Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (DAcCHM)
- Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy - California (OTD-[CA]).
Individuals interested in participating in the embedded Bachelor’s Degree program must meet the following requirements. Exceptions to any requirements may be made on an individual basis with approval of the Program Director for the Bachelor of Sciences in Health Sciences program.
- Acceptance, ongoing enrollment, and good standing in a participating graduate program
- No prior bachelor’s degree
- At least 90 undergraduate semester credits from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or an equivalent foreign agency
- Note: Applicants may need more than 90 undergraduate credits to meet general education admission requirements; contingent admission will not be offered when minimum credits or general education requirements are not met
- Meet all Bachelor of Sciences in Health Sciences admissions requirements
Applicants to participating graduate programs will be asked if they would like to be evaluated for eligibility to participate in the embedded bachelor’s degree program. If eligible, they will be informed during the admissions process. Eligible students may thereafter choose to enter the embedded bachelor’s degree from the time of admission up to and including the end of the 4th term of their graduate program. To participate:
- Declare intention to participate in the embedded bachelor’s degree before the end of the 4th term of the graduate program
- Pay the embedded bachelor’s degree fee
- Sign the embedded bachelor’s degree completion plan and enrollment agreement with the Office of the Registrar
Students who later withdraw from, are dismissed from, or are no longer taking courses in the participating graduate program lose eligibility to participate in the embedded bachelor’s degree program. These students may choose to apply for participation in the standard Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program through the standard admissions process. If accepted to the program, successfully completed courses from the embedded degree completion plan may be accepted towards standard degree completion requirements upon acceptance to the standard program.
The embedded Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences may be conferred upon those who have fulfilled the following requirements
- Completed a minimum of 30 credits as indicated in the degree completion plan
- Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on the courses within the degree completion plan
- Met residency requirements
- Completed all embedded bachelor’s degree requirements within the timeframe permitted by the graduate program for degree completion
- Submitted a petition to graduate
- Be in good standing within the participating graduate degree program
Designated courses from participating graduate programs must be successfully completed to receive the minimum 30 credits towards the BSHS degree and fulfill embedded bachelor’s degree completion requirements. These courses are mapped to achieve BSHS general education and program learning outcome requirements. Exceptions are made on an individual basis by the BSHS Program Director.
Please see the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) for other program information.
rev2026-01-05
