Health Sciences Bachelor's Degree Programs
If you are interested in administrative work in the healthcare field, a bachelor's degree in health sciences will be a great boost to your resume. This article looks at some of the common medical courses you will find in a bachelor's program, and how you can advance your career through nursing or physical therapy positions.
What Does a Health Sciences Bachelor's Degree Program Entail?
If you earn a health sciences bachelor's degree, you may be eligible for advancement to jobs in healthcare management or administration. This degree teaches you the techniques and skills needed to manage the people and resources used to run a hospital or doctor's office. Your program may also present courses for pre-medical or health care management specializations.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Skills Learned</b></td><td>Management, pre-medical, health care</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td>Medical ethics, customer service, medical writing, medical terminology</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Program Format</b></td><td>Online or in class</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Career Options</b></td><td>Records manager, hospital manager, admissions supervisor, administrator</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 32% growth (<i>for medical and health services managers</i>)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesCanIExpect">What Courses Can I Expect?</h3><p>Health sciences bachelor's degree programs may provide courses on health law, training and development, health care delivery systems, health science statistics, conflict resolution, health care principles, leadership and organization. If you graduate from one of these programs, you may leave with the following skills:
</p><ul><li>Medical terminology
</li><li>Medical writing
</li><li>Finances and budgeting for medical facilities
</li><li>Health care data management
</li><li>Medical ethics
</li><li>Customer service
</li><li>Business communication
</li></ul><p>In order to graduate, you're typically required to complete general education courses in cultural diversity, mathematics, natural sciences, history, English composition, psychology and social sciences.
</p><h3 id="section---CanICompleteMyProgramOnline">Can I Complete My Program Online?</h3><p>You can find online learning options for health science bachelor's degree programs, but many require you to have completed some college-level education. These programs can offer online learning utilities, including virtual classrooms, electronic reading files, pod-casts and discussion boards. Many courses offered through online learning tend to focus on introductory, principles, ethics, theory, roles and policy courses. You may also find that some online programs offer hands-on learning with internships through affiliated health care organizations.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCanIDoWithMyEducation">What Can I Do With My Education?</h3><p>With a bachelor's degree in health sciences, you may be able to find positions at clinics, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, insurance companies, government agencies and sports facilities. Some of the jobs you may be able to pursue might include:
</p><ul><li>Hospital management
</li><li>Administrator
</li><li>Human resources
</li><li>Admissions desk supervisor
</li><li>Hospital records manager
</li></ul><p>If you aspire to continue your education and pursue a graduate degree, you may find that some schools offer programs resulting in a Master of Health Sciences.
</p><h3 id="section---EmploymentAndSalaryInformation">Employment and Salary Information</h3><p>The BLS reports that the employment of physician assistants is expected to increase by 31% between the years 2019 to 2029, while jobs will grow 18% for physical therapists, 7% for registered nurses, and decline by 3% for pharmacists all in the same decade. According to the BLS, in May 2020, physician assistants made an annual median salary of $115,390, while the wage for physical therapists was $91,010. Registered nurses were paid $75,330, and pharmacists earned a pay rate of $128,710.
</p><h3 id="section---ContinuingEducation">Continuing Education</h3><p>Students can go on to apply to a graduate program where they will acquire the necessary education for career advancement. In addition, they can enter a five-year program to receive a Bachelor of Science or Masters of Public Health degree (BS/MPH).</p>