A bachelor's degree program in health science can prepare you for a variety of career and educational opportunities related to healthcare. Read below to find out more about what you can do with a Bachelor of Health Science.
Bachelors in Health Science Careers
What can you do with a Bachelor of Health Science? With a BHS degree, there are a number of entry-level health science jobs you might pursue. These are non-clinical careers that do not require further medical education, although your advancement in some of these fields might require a related graduate degree or certification.
- Insurance or pharmaceutical industries: working in sales or patient claims
- Human resources: working as a benefits administrator
- Hospital administration: helping with practical and business aspects of running a hospital
- Social services: working as a patient care advocate
- Healthcare lobbying:working on behalf of an organization to influence political policy or law
<h3 id="section---FurtherEducation">Further Education</h3><p>A Bachelor of Health Science program also can prepare you for graduate study in numerous healthcare specialties that require a master's or doctoral degree, including:
</p><ul><li>physical therapy
</li><li>occupational therapy
</li><li>medical radiography
</li><li>nutrition
</li><li>medical doctor or physician
</li></ul><p>The amount of additional study required will depend on the field you choose to pursue. For example, to become an occupational therapist, you only need a master's degree, which takes about two years to complete. In contrast, physician training would require four years of medical school plus 3-7 years of residency, depending on your chosen specialty.
</p><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th> Possible Career Paths </th><th> Health Services Manager </th><th> Dietitian/Nutritionist </th><th> Occupational Therapist</th></tr>
<tr><td> Required Education/Training </td><td> Bachelor's degree; hospital work experience </td><td> Bachelor's degree; internship/residency </td><td> Master's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (2018) </td><td> $99,730* </td><td> $60,370* </td><td> $84,270*</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 20%* </td><td> 15%* </td><td> 24%*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---BHSProgramOverview">BHS Program Overview</h3><p>If you have a general interest in the <a href="http://learn.org/articles/What_is_Health_Science.html">sciences as they relate to human health</a>, but you're unsure which career you'd like to pursue, a Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) program can give you an overview of skills useful to several healthcare professions. Many programs allow you to choose a concentration or double majors in a related field, such as public health, gerontology or healthcare administration.
</p><p>Courses in an undergraduate health science program are likely to focus on healthcare ethics, current issues in healthcare and epidemiology, in addition to the liberal arts and humanities. Graduating from one of these programs could qualify you for entry-level work in non-clinical positions. It also could serve as the foundation for further education or training that could eventually lead to a clinical healthcare career.
</p><h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisFieldOfStudy">Important Facts About This Field of Study</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td> Prerequisites </td><td> High school diploma or equivalent, completion of general education requirements</td></tr>
<tr><td> Certificates </td><td> Available for health sciences as well as health administration and research</td></tr>
<tr><td> Online Availability </td><td> Yes, courses are available entirely online</td></tr></table>
