Online Bachelor's in Health Science Programs (BSHS/BHS, BAS)
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Healthcare and social assistance make up one of the largest employment sectors in the United States, and it’s growing rapidly. By illustration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted 20 percent job growth nationally for health service managers nationwide between 2016 and 2026—much faster than the projected average for all occupations during that same decade (7 percent).
Considering this higher-than-average growth projection and strong employment outlook, a degree in health science may be a wise investment for those contemplating professional work in health-related industries—those new to the workforce and career-changers alike.
Two types of degrees are available in health science: bachelor of science in health sciences (BSHS) / bachelor of health science (BHS), and bachelor of applied science (BAS). The BSHS or BHS is best suited to students who are undecided in their career, but want to explore the options in a range of clinical and administrative healthcare professions, or pursue a health-related graduate degree in the future.
Graduate or professional health science programs include clinical research administration, regulatory science, epidemiology, microbiology, bioinformatics, and community health education. If considering an advanced degree in one of these fields, be sure to consult program-specific requirements to ensure that a health science bachelor’s degree is an accepted precursor to graduate study at that institution. Most graduate programs in healthcare administration will accept a bachelor’s in health sciences, but graduate laboratory science programs may require more undergraduate biology coursework, for example.
The BAS is considered a career training degree with a more hands-on, experiential nature than most traditional BSHS or BHS degrees. Such programs are specifically designed to provide workplace skill development; the BAS generally builds upon the training students received in associate-level (AAS) programs to gain access to work in a particular segment of the health industry. Because of this, many BAS programs, and some BSHS programs, are actually bachelor’s completion programs (or “bachelor’s completers”) designed for medical technicians who hold associate degrees and wish to complete their bachelor’s.
Undergraduate programs in the health sciences entail around 120 hours of coursework. Programs tailored to students already in possession of an associate degree accept transfer credits and typically take two years to complete. Program length varies, however, depending on the number of transferable credits, completion of pre- and co-requisite courses, and full- or part-time study.
Featured Online Bachelor’s in Health Sciences Programs
SNHU offers an online bachelor’s of science (BS) in health sciences degree for associate degree-holders in allied health professions. This includes individuals working as emergency medical technicians, medical assistants, dental hygienists, laboratory technicians, nuclear medicine technologists, and diagnostic technicians and technologists. Composed of both general education and degree-specific courses, SNHU awards up to 90 credits for prior coursework to ensure that the 120-credit program is as streamlined as possible for each student.
The general education program focuses on writing, communication, analysis, and problem solving, as well as an introduction to anatomy and physiology and statistics for healthcare professionals. Seven core courses allow for in-depth study of: healthcare finance, economics, delivery systems, healthcare reimbursement, ethical and legal considerations of healthcare, healthcare quality management, and a capstone project.
In addition to its affordability and the convenience of six, eight-week terms per year allowing students to study at their own pace, SNHU has a simple online application. The admissions committee even can request transcripts from applicants’ prior educational institutions for them.
- Location: Manchester, NH
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Estimated Tuition: $320 per credit-hour; $225 for service members and spouses of officers on active duty
Six academic pathways are available to students in the online bachelor’s in health sciences (BHS) at USD; these areas of study provide a foundation for entry-level jobs in healthcare and/or qualification for graduate study in a specific aspect of the health sciences field, and include:
- Pre-professional studies (graduate study in chiropractic medicine, optometry, public health)
- Healthcare studies (healthcare industry careers)
- Healthcare advancement studies (current healthcare workers with AA, AS or AAS degrees seeking advancement or a graduate degree)
- Undergraduate clinical informatics (intro to use of technology and electronic health records)
- Undergraduate public health (explore careers in public health, epidemiology, global health)
- Undergraduate research (fast-track to research careers in health disparities, clinical or translational research and data methodologies, biostatistics, biomedicine, and epidemiology)
Core requirements for the degree include study of principles of healthcare, professional communication and relationship-centered care, health literacy and culture care, human anatomy and physiology, and patient safety and quality improvement. Electives include topics as varied as global health, native people’s healthcare, promotion and policy, computerized medical records regulatory compliance, major issues in health and human services, health communication, and medical Spanish.
These undergraduate programs are available to first-time college applicants as well as transfer and returning students. Some courses require immunization, criminal background checks, and CPR certification along with instructor permission.
- Location: Vermillion, SD
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Estimated Tuition: $340.05 per credit-hour; $250 for active military officers
Designed for students with associate of applied science (AAS) degrees, ASU’s online bachelor of applied science (BAS) in health sciences is cross-disciplinary, preparing graduates for a variety of health careers.
In addition to foundation courses such as biostatistics, interpreting scientific literature, and healthcare policy and organization, this 120-credit online degree program includes the study of the fundamentals of wellness, applied medical/healthcare ethics, cultural aspects of health, vulnerable populations, and complementary healthcare.
ASU’s college of health solutions partners with institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, the Barrow Neurological Institute, and Dignity Health to provide BAS students in health sciences with professional resources and networking opportunities. Applicants who do not meet admission requirements, may still be granted entry to the program through the “earned admission track”.
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: One to two years (degree completion)
- Estimated Tuition: $720 per credit-hour
Housed in the College of Medicine, the online bachelor of science (BS) in health and rehabilitation sciences at Ohio State prepares students for careers in the health industry or for graduate study in a health-related field.
Offering a blend of business and healthcare courses, students are immersed in all aspects of the management and use of healthcare data. Sample courses include health promotion and disease prevention, the application of ethical decision making in healthcare, and individual differences in patient/client populations (ability, disease, disparity, culture).
This program may be pursued 100 percent online after the completion of prerequisites at any institution of higher education. Program prerequisites include college-level math, three science courses (chemistry, biology, microbiology and/or physics) with one laboratory component, and anatomy and physiology. Co-requisite courses may be completed after admission to the program and include psychology, sociology, medical terminology, and statistics. There are no on-campus requirements for OSU’s online BS in health and rehabilitation sciences.
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years of full-time study (degree completion); full- and part-time study options available
- Estimated Tuition: $20,599.20 total tuition
Online bachelor of science (BS) in health sciences students at Indiana University have the option of concentrating their studies in one of four tracks: gerontology, global health and rehabilitation studies, rehabilitation and disabilities, and preparation for graduate health professions programs.
The degree is delivered 80 to 99 percent online, and classes are taught by the same faculty members who instruct on-campus. Additional resources available to IU online students are success coaching, math and writing support, technology tools and training, an orientation to online learning, a 24/7 contact center, and career services.
Students may transfer 64 to 90 credits from accredited colleges and universities. Forty-four credits of core health sciences courses are required of all students and include topics such as survey of U.S. healthcare systems and services, health promotion and disease prevention, disability and society, human nutrition through the lifespan, and the aging and the older person.
This program is available to residents from all 50 states.
- Location: Bloomington, IN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Estimated Tuition: $957.58 per credit-hour
The University of Missouri’s bachelor of health science (BHS) in health science is offered 100 percent online with no required campus visits. Geared for individuals seeking careers in non-clinical health-related fields or graduate study, Mizzou online offers up to a 10 percent discount on tuition for veterans, military service members and their dependents, and community college graduates. Transfer students typically need 64 credit-hours beyond their associate’s degree to complete the BHS in health sciences program.
In addition to study of core health science curriculum topics such as public health principles, healthcare in the United States, health literacy, practice and education, and clinical ethics, students participate in capstone experiences including a health sciences internship and a healthcare organization and leadership course. Graduates entering the workforce typically occupy professional roles such as health educators, sales representatives, healthcare IT consultants, patient representatives, and clinical data managers.
Applicants are required to have at least a 2.5 GPA and 26 credit-hours of relevant prior coursework. Candidates who speak English as a second or additional language must submit English language proficiency test scores: TOEFL iBT (80) or IELTS (6.5).
- Location: Columbia, MO
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Estimated Tuition: $23,501.68 (or less depending upon number of credits transferred)
Maryville currently offers two bachelor’s programs in healthcare: general studies with a healthcare concentration and healthcare management. Both are delivered in 100 percent online formats with no campus visits and no entrance exam requirements.
The general studies bachelor’s degree provides students with a foundation in the skills needed to succeed in non-clinical healthcare professions within government, health education, and community health settings. The curriculum combines health science core courses in human development, statistics, and anatomy and physiology with healthcare concentration courses in ethics, informatics, public health, and medical terminology.
The healthcare management bachelor’s degree program combines the study of business, information systems, and communications with a chosen area of focus within the healthcare industry. Coursework entails general education, healthcare management, and business classes which prepare students for a mentored, immersive practicum experience and a culminating capstone project that addresses a pressing issue in modern healthcare.
Both of Maryville’s bachelor’s degrees in health sciences accept transfer credits and may be completed in preparation for graduate study in a health-related area of specialization.
- Location: Saint Louis, MO
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Estimated Tuition: Contact school for a customized assessment
Professors to Know in Online Bachelor’s in Health Sciences Programs
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Musheera AnisAbdellatif, PhD - University of South Dakota
Dr. Musheera Anis is an assistant professor in the health sciences department at the University of South Dakota, where she leads courses in nutrition and research methods, among others. She has more than 15 years of clinical experience as a pediatric neuropsychiatrist, and is interested in developmental psychology, psychiatric disorders, disability studies, and attachment theory. Her current research includes a trans-cultural study of attachment theory in three countries: the US, Nigeria and Egypt, through which she mentors both graduate and undergraduate students.
Dr. Musheera holds a PhD in child development and educational psychology (USD) and an MD (Mansoura University). She is the 2018 recipient of a USD School of Education Research Center grant to study the structure and function of adolescent attachment networks, and co-author of an article published in the Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing on cultural competency, sexual victimization, and student behaviors (2017). -
Botswana Blackburn, PhD - University of Missouri
Dr. Botswana Blackburn is the current program director of the health sciences program in the School of Health Professions at the University of Missouri and an associate teaching professor, where she leads courses in public health, healthcare in the U.S., and healthcare organization and leadership.
Dr. Blackburn holds a PhD in education and the social science consortium (University of Missouri–Kansas City), an MEd in health education and promotion (University of Missouri–Columbia), and a BA in broadcast journalism. Notably, she worked as a public health specialist and health educator for the Kansas City Health Department and as a treatment adherence coordinator for the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network. -
Crystal Dunlevy, EdD - Ohio State University
Dr. Crystal Dunlevy is an associate professor and the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her work as a educator, faculty member, and scholarly writer. In 2015 alone she was honored with three such awards: the Sphinx/Mortar Board Outstanding Educator, the Ohio State College of Medicine Faculty Award, and the Ohio State Emerging Service-Learning Award.
Among her many publications are two book chapters focused on respiratory care and an article in the Respiratory Care Education Annual on the use of tobacco in the LGBT young adult community in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Dunlevy holds degrees in educational theory, policy, and administration (EdD, Rutgers); technical education (MS, University of Akron); biology (BA, University of Akron); and respiratory therapy (AAS, University of Akron). Her research interests include teaching and learning, community health, and healthcare disparities.