Bachelor of health science
You strive to make a difference in other people’s lives. With the healthcare industry experiencing rapid growth, an increasing number of opportunities allow you to leave a meaningful impact. Whether you earned an associate degree in a related area or currently work in the field, the University of Missouri’s online bachelor of health science prepares you for a spectrum of non-clinical roles and helps you fulfill prerequisite requirements for graduate and professional programs.
Multiple factors influence patient care and the rippling effect it has through a community’s population. Your career or previous education may have presented a few angles. The online bachelor’s in health science goes a step further while taking a holistic view.
Interdisciplinary course work focuses on population health from local to global levels, policy, administration and the health sciences. At the same time, the program reflects the Department of Health Sciences’ mission: to serve all citizens in the state and beyond through research, community engagement and education. The online bachelor of health science, in turn, trains you to influence patient care in an administrative, leadership or policy role or to continue your education in a more specialized program.
As you expand your skills, this rigorous, fully online program geared toward working professionals supports your aspirations through easily accessible content and hands-on learning. Faculty guide your progress, while a close-knit community helps you build career-enhancing connections with individuals across the globe.
Quick facts
Official name
Bachelor of health science in health scienceCampus
University of MissouriProgram type
Bachelor's degreeAcademic home
School of Health Professions | Department of Health SciencesDelivery mode
100% onlineAccreditation
Higher Learning CommissionFreshman credit hours
120Freshman estimated cost
$49,230.00Transfer credit hours
64Transfer estimated cost
$26,852.40*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Career prospects
Not every health care career involves working in a laboratory. Instead, the online bachelor of health science’s blend of policy, administration, public health, biological sciences, humanities and social sciences equips you with a broad, multifaceted skill set for elevating medical services and patient care in:
- Medical care management
- Corporate wellness
- Human services
- Medical sales
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution
- Hospitals and private practices
- Long-term care facilities
- Health clinics
- Government organizations
Illustrating demand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies 15% growth across health care occupations between 2019 and 2029. For non-clinical occupations, medical and health services managers are expected to see 32% more positions over that period.
Whether you seek to move up or transition to a different role, the online bachelor of health science benefits those currently working as a:
- Health educator
- Sales representative
- Health care IT consultant
- Patient representative
- Clinical data manager
Program structure
Students deciding to pursue this path must first complete prerequisite courses in writing and rhetoric, biology, the physical and behavioral sciences, statistics and diversity. From here, you progress onto a 20 to 25-credit hour core covering public health, health literacy, leadership and management, policy, funding and clinical ethics.
You’ll pair your core courses with 18 credit hours of electives covering leadership, policy and health and wellness services.
As you get closer to completing your degree, you’ll apply your knowledge and gain additional hands-on experience through a capstone project. The online bachelor of health science pairs internship or service learning opportunities approved by the department’s Office of Experiential Learning with a course in leadership principles.
Course work includes
Core courses help you:
- Understand what’s involved in clinical and non-clinical health careers
- Grow your knowledge of the U.S. healthcare system
- Learn the techniques for conducting qualitative and quantitative research
- Realize the impact of bioethics on service delivery
Review the full list of all core and elective courses and their complete descriptions.
Delivery
100% onlineAccreditation
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
