Health Science vs. Life Science: What’s the difference?

July 26, 2022

Among pre-medical students, there has always been a friendly debate about which of the two programs is best, however, there is no correct answer to the question. Both the programs share some similarities however, they also share many differences making them unique in their own way. As a prospective student choosing between the two programs, it can be quite difficult to determine which is the best fit for you. Due to this, you can feel free to view the simplified guide below as to what each degree would look like at Ontario Tech University.

The program category Life Science falls under is Biological Science. There are other specialization options in the Biological Science program which include Environmental Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, as well as Science and Management. For the Health Sciences program, there are Human Health Science as well as Public Health. The most comparable specializations of Health vs. Biological Science include Human Health Science and Life Science respectively.

Table 1: The similarities of Health vs. Life Sciences

	Health Science (Human Health Science Specialization)	Biological Science (Life Science specialization)
Location	North Oshawa Campus	North Oshawa Campus
Program length	Four (to five years)	Four years
Program load	Full-time	Full-time
Admission requirements	Ontario Secondary School Diploma Six 4U or 4M credits Required credits include English	Ontario Secondary School Diploma Six 4U or 4M credits Required credits include English
Admission cut-off	70s (more specifically mid-70s)	70s (more specifically low 70s)
Courses	Human Genetics and Society (Human Health Specialization) Nutrition and Health Introduction to Movement Neuroscience Anatomy and Physiology I and II Biology I and II Chemistry I and II Foundations in Clinical Biochemistry Ethics Research Applications I and II Introductory Psychology Critical Appraisal of Statistics in Health Science	Genetics and Molecular Biology Fundamentals of Nutrition Fundamentals of Neuroscience Human Anatomy Human Physiology Biology I and II Chemistry I and II Biochemistry I and II Bioethics Biology Thesis project I and II Introductory Psychology Statistics and probability for Biological Science
Career Opportunities	Medicine (will however need to take some Life Science courses such as Organic Chemistry) Physician Assistant Chiropractor Dentistry Pharmacy	Medicine (many of the prerequisite courses are Medical College Admission Test related) Physician Assistant Chiropractor Dentistry Pharmacy

I found it quite difficult to choose which program to embark on for my undergraduate journey, as both programs possess many similarities. To assist with my decision, I compared and contrasted the various differences between the two programs to see where I would find the best fit. At the time of selecting my program, I found myself drawn to the upper-year level courses in Biological Science (Life Science Specialization) which is what sold me on the program. My recommendation to choose between the two programs if you’re unsure would include looking into the program maps, talking to students within each program, connecting with people working in the field, etc. to get a better understanding of where you can see yourself best.

Table 2: The differences between Health vs. Life Sciences

	Health Science (Human Health Science Specialization)	Biological Science (Life Science specialization)
Degree	Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)	Bachelor of Science (Honours) Bachelor of Science and Management (Honours)
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences	Faculty of Science
Admission requirements	Required credits include biology, and one of the following options: Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, or Mathematics of Data Management	Required credits include Advanced Functions, as well as two of the following options: Biology, Chemistry, Calculus and vectors, of Physics
Recommended Courses	Chemistry (for the Human Health Science Specialization)	Calculus and Vectors Biology Chemistry Physics
Courses	Information Literacy & written Communications for health Sciences Health promotions & Healthy Active Living Social Determinants of Health Interpersonal and Inter-Professional Communication Principles of Prevention and Control Altered Physiology: Mechanisms of Disease I and II Introduction to the Canadian Health Care System Perspectives in Aging	Introductory Physics Mathematics in Bioscience Foundations in Bioscience Physics for Biosciences Cell Biology Introduction to Organic Chemistry Fundamentals of Microbiology Organic Chemistry Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology Animal Physiology Neuropharmacology
Career Opportunities	Health-care laboratory Admission Government agency jobs relating to quality assurance and biosafety Business and Industry working in research and regulatory affairs	Concurrent Education teaching secondary school Business Systems Analyst Bioinformatics Programmer Business Development Research Analyst

There is an evident overlap between the two programs, especially in the specialization relating to the human body and its anatomy, physiology, psychology etc. One of the main differences is the focus on overall health and the health industry in Health Sciences. At the same time, there is a large focus on physics, but mainly on biology and chemistry and their subdivisions in Biological Sciences. The career options that stem from both degrees mostly require further education and training; however, they are very similar positions in the Health Care industry’s clinical and business sides. It is important to choose a program that suits both your interests and needs, hence be sure to choose wisely.

Sources

Life Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved July 08, 2020, from https://ontariotechu.ca/programs/science/life-sciences-regular-and-co-op.php

Health Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved July 08, 2020, from https://ontariotechu.ca/programs/health-sciences/health-science.php

2019-2020 Undergraduate Academic Calendar. (n.d.). Retrieved July 08, 2020, from http://calendar.uoit.ca/preview_program.php?catoid=22

BHSc – Human health Specialization “Course Hub”. (n.d). Retrieved July 08, 2020, from https://shared.ontariotechu.ca/shared/faculty/fhs/documents/bhsc-hhs-course-hub.pdf

Career Centre: University of Toronto Mississauga. (n.d.). Retrieved July 08, 2020, from https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/careers-by-major-biology

By Nora Findakly

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