MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Baptist College of Health Sciences announced Thursday its new name — Baptist Health Sciences University, during a virtual news conference on Facebook.
“We’re excited to change our name to Baptist Health Sciences University,” said Betty Sue McGarvey, president of Baptist Health Sciences University. “This change better reflects the curriculum we offer and the value we provide to our community. It also reflects our focus on providing stellar undergraduate education, as well as new opportunities for our students to pursue graduate degrees in health care.”
Baptist Health Sciences University will now offer 13 majors across several disciplines. Three new programs were available this trimester and include the following:
- A doctor of nursing practice with a concentration in adult-gerontology primary care. These new programs will allow graduate nursing students to select either an acute care or primary care population specialty, and attain nurse practitioner credentials at the doctorate level.
- A baccalaureate degree in neurodiagnostic technology. This program incorporates new technologies, such as magnetoencephalography and autonomic testing, and courses in long-term monitoring, neuroimaging, neuropsychology and a capstone project focused on the special interest of the student.
- A medical imaging sciences baccalaureate degree. This degree will give working radiologic technologists credentialed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in radiography the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Health Science degree in medical imaging sciences.
“I am proud of Dr. McGarvey and her team for making the Baptist Health Sciences University a reality,” said Jason Little, president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Health Care. “We rely on the university to educate the next generation of health care leaders for the communities we serve and look forward to welcoming new graduates into the Baptist family.”
Students currently enrolled in the fall semester will see these changes on campus as early as Sept. 1, 2020. Current enrollment in courses will not be affected.
“COVID-19 has already changed the health care and education space and will continue to do so for years to come,” said McGarvey. “With our new name, programming changes and an increased number of specialized graduate degrees, Baptist Health Sciences University will continue to make a positive impact on the health of the Mid-South.”
Baptist Health Sciences University (formerly known as Baptist College of Health Sciences) was started in 1912 and offers 13 majors in nursing and allied health, including undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 2017, the Memphis Business Journal ranked the college first among Memphis-area colleges and universities for best return on investment. Based on a comparison of postgraduate earnings with cost of attendance, Baptist Health Sciences University alumni earn more than graduates of any other college or university in the area.