Best Online Health & Wellness Bachelor's Degree Programs

Online Colleges Offering Health and Wellness Degrees

Online Health and Wellness Degree Overview

Online degrees in health and wellness offer flexible distance learning opportunities for students interested in exploring several health topics with the intent of improving people's lives in a non-traditional patient-care environment. Many colleges offer curriculums in a fully online format, while other schools offer hybrid learning opportunities for both online and in-person courses.

Covering a broad spectrum of specializations and concentrations, health and wellness programs can lead to a variety of health-related vocations, such as nutritionists, fitness instructors, public health coordinators, community health advocates, or health coaches. Students who pursue online health and wellness degrees might gain essential competencies that include the ability to research health topics, professional writing, effective communication, interpersonal skills, and instructional skills.

Online Associate Degrees in Health and Wellness

An online associate degree in health and wellness typically requires 60 credits of general coursework and electives. Common general requirements include foundational college-level composition, mathematics, life and physical sciences, and social science courses, while the remaining elective credits allow students to learn about an array of health and wellness subjects in exercise and fitness, nutrition, and public health; however, programs and courses are widely varied depending on the school.

Usually, obtaining an associate degree in health and wellness is the first step students take toward a bachelor's degree in a related subject area. Most often, an associate-level health and wellness program culminates in an Associate of Science (AS) degree, although occasionally students may obtain an Associate of Arts (AA).

Online Bachelor's Degrees in Health and Wellness

Online bachelor's degree programs in health and wellness are designed to give students a comprehensive background in a specialized health science concentration; for example, exercise science, nutritional science and dietetics, stress management, and public health, among others. Requiring about 120 credits of undergraduate coursework, bachelor's-level health and wellness curriculums typically require students to take courses in human nutrition, physiology and anatomy, and research methods, although specialized health and wellness programs may cover many other components. As an example, some programs might include a health and wellness programming class where students learn how to develop their own nutrition and health education program to offer clients.

Students who enroll in bachelor's health and wellness degree programs sometimes choose to incorporate social science courses into their curriculums to better understand how psychology, race, gender, environment, and the economy correlate with certain community-based healthy behaviors. Many bachelor-level health and wellness degree programs also offer internships and health seminars or require a final capstone project to showcase key learning outcomes.

Graduates of bachelor's health and wellness degrees typically obtain a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health and Wellness, a BS in Nutritional Sciences or a BS in Nutrition and Health.

Online Master's Degrees in Health and Wellness

Students seeking a master's degree in health and wellness usually need a bachelor's degree. Though it typically doesn't need to be in a related field, coursework in nutrition, anatomy, and fitness could be helpful. Typically, master-level curriculums include 30 to 36 credits of advanced coursework and may take approximately two years to complete, although program lengths can vary.

While some master's-level health and wellness degree programs offer a comprehensive curriculum that broadly covers an array of health-related subjects, students in these types of master's degree programs may also choose to home in on a single and more distinctive specialization, such as integrative health, fitness and wellness leadership, or health promotion management.

By obtaining a master's degree in health and wellness, students are given the opportunity to enhance their field expertise and gain career advancement throughout wide-ranging healthcare professions. These programs might result in a Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition and Wellness, Wellness and Health Promotion Management or Integrative Health and Wellness.

Online Doctoral Degrees in Health and Wellness

A doctoral degree in health and wellness is the highest-level education students can pursue to advance their expertise in the field, oftentimes setting them up for several clinical and non-clinical leadership and research opportunities in health and medicine or teaching positions in higher education.

Students in a doctoral health and wellness program usually gain hands-on training and work experience that may include collaboration with healthcare professionals, the development of clinical strategies that improve clinician practices and healthcare outcomes, and the implementation of applied health education programs. Doctoral health and wellness degree programs tend to focus on research and writing about many health topics and may even provide the opportunity for individualized studies under the guidance and supervision of a senior faculty member or advisor.

Doctoral programs typically take about three years to complete, but several factors may determine actual program lengths. Many require at least some in-person components.

Online Certificates in Health and Wellness

Online certificates in health and wellness are designed for students seeking professional development, career advancement, foundational knowledge in health topics, or for those interested in a career change.

Different colleges and universities offer a variety of certificate programs and course offerings, such as more specialized subject areas like nutrition sciences, wellness consulting, fitness instruction, and health coaching.

Most certificate programs require that students complete 15 to 18 credits; lengths can vary from four to five months to a year.

Health and Wellness Specializations/Concentrations

There are numerous career paths that graduates can follow in the health and wellness industry and online bachelor's degree programs in this field allow students to gain the necessary tools and in-depth knowledge to find employment.

Although program options tend to be rather diverse from school to school, many online health and wellness bachelor-level programs offer specializations and concentrations in nutrition sciences, exercise sciences, community health, public health policy, and health sciences.

Health Sciences

A concentration in health sciences aims to prepare students for various careers in healthcare, including an understanding of information technology and public and global health crises. Students and current health workers who choose a specialization in health sciences oftentimes do so with the intent of gaining expertise in clinical professional studies, such as medicine, or undergraduate research in biomedicine, epidemiology, and even inequalities in healthcare.

Nutrition Sciences

A specialization in nutrition sciences is ideal for students who wish to study how food and nutrition impact our health and how to develop resources and customized programs to assist individuals in meeting their wellness goals. Degree programs that concentrate on nutritional sciences prepare students for careers in various healthcare industries, such as nursing, health administration, pharmaceuticals, public health, and schools. Many students who concentrate in nutrition sciences learn ways to create and implement their own nutrition programs and gain critical interpersonal, instructional, and problem-solving skills deemed essential for success.

Exercise Sciences

A concentration in exercise sciences is designed to prepare students for health careers focused on utilizing fitness and physical exercise to improve people's health and well-being. In pursuit of an exercise sciences concentration, students should learn how to increase athletic endurance, adopt new healthy habits, and assist in the prevention and recovery of injuries and illness. Exercise science curriculums may offer courses in sports nutrition, fitness program development, kinesiology, and sports psychology. Graduates who specialize in exercise sciences tend to work in community recreation centers, schools, gyms, and other organizations.

Curriculum/Coursework for a Health and Wellness Degree

Due to the wide range of specializations and concentrations in the field, health and wellness curriculums tend to cover just as many broad subject areas and health topics. However, nearly all health and wellness programs are deeply focused on improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

While specializations may differ at each school and program, most online bachelor's health and wellness curriculums include core coursework in the life and physical sciences, such as anatomy and physiology with lab components; research writing, and applied statistics. These requirements are meant to provide students with a background in how the human body functions, an ability to evaluate scientific literature on various health topics, and how to analyze and interpret numerical data. Students usually take elective courses in their chosen concentration to fulfill the rest of their programs.

The following course titles are most commonly offered in online bachelor's health and wellness degree programs:

• Statistics
• Human Nutrition
• Biology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Health and Wellness Programming
• Research Methods and Communication in Health Sciences

Anatomy and Physiology

This course aims to provide students with a foundational knowledge of the human body. Common concepts covered in this course include human anatomy and the body's various components, such as cells, tissues, and organ functioning. Other topics may provide overviews on how human anatomy functions within the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Anatomy and physiology courses are usually rigorous studies that include a lab component to provide a deeper hands-on understanding of the subject.

Health and Wellness Programming

This course is designed to provide students with the tools and know-how to develop a comprehensive health and wellness program. Key topics typically include strategies for assessing the health needs of individuals, groups, and organizations; goal-setting, how to implement step-by-step nutrition and wellness programs, and ways to gauge results and program outcomes. Additional related course concepts may cover ways to seek funding for nutritional programs, stakeholder alliances, and how to create community- and business-focused health promotion initiatives.

Human Nutrition

This course is designed to provide students with comprehension of chemical and biological concepts related to human nutrition, such as digestion, nutrient absorption, life cycle nutrition, micronutrient functions, and the correlation between wellness and disease. By the end of the course, students should be able to utilize critical thinking skills, research methods, and college-level composition skills to explain and write about different health topics.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Online Bachelor's in Health and Wellness?

Most online bachelor's degree programs in health and wellness require 120 credits of coursework, which takes about four years to finish. Ultimately, program durations depend on the full-time or part-time enrollment status of the student.

Other factors that determine the length of a program include whether a student chooses or is required to participate in internships and experiential training. Some programs offer accelerated curriculums, summer classes, and caps on how many credits can be taken at one time, which also may affect program lengths.

Students pursuing a bachelor-level degree in health and wellness may need to consider whether they will seek other credentialing in addition to their higher education program. This may require extra time to complete supervised fieldwork, additional courses, and an examination of subject area expertise.

Accreditation for Online Bachelor's in Health and Wellness Degrees

Accreditation is awarded to colleges, universities, and special programs that demonstrate quality and integrity with regards to its curriculums, faculty and training resources. Schools and programs that meet the criteria for accreditation strengthen their reputations and commitment to their students' learning outcomes.

Federal financial aid, tuition reimbursement programs, and many scholarship opportunities require that students be enrolled in an accredited college or university. Some employers also seek out graduates who have received their education from an accredited health and wellness program; for example, degree programs in public health may be accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Many online distance learning programs are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Additional accreditation information can be found on each college's website.

Health and Wellness Licensure & Certification

States usually recommend that health and wellness professionals obtain credentialing before entering the field, and many employers typically require specific certifications for employment. For example, dietitians may want to consider a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential, which is available to students with a bachelor's degree in health and wellness specialties and 1,200 hours of supervised work. Nutritionists may also decide to obtain a Certified Nutritionist Specialist (CNS) credential through the American Nutrition Association.

Gyms and fitness centers typically prefer to hire instructors who have gotten exercise training certifications, as well. Nearly all fitness trainers require certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED) before being employed.

Other health and wellness specializations in health education, community health promotion, or public health and policymaking recommend voluntary licensure or certification, such as the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

It is not uncommon for health and wellness professionals to have to undergo recertification after a number of years to develop or enhance their skill sets. Sometimes, this includes on-the-job training, coursework, and an exam.

Health and Wellness Career Information

With so many specializations in health and wellness, there tend to be numerous professional opportunities in the field. Graduates with bachelor's degrees in health and wellness have likely gained essential skills like analytical thinking, problem-solving, research writing, public speaking, listening, interpersonal communication, and instruction.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2019, individuals who worked in health and wellness careers had a median salary of:

• Dietitians and Nutritionists: $61,270
• Health Educators and Community Health Workers: $46,910
• Fitness Trainers and Instructors: $40,390
• Medical and Health Services Managers: $100,980
• Exercise Physiologist: $49,170

How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist

Dietitians and nutritionists promote healthy behaviors and encourage their clientele to reach personal health goals by evaluating their needs and developing specialized nutrition plans and educational resources to assist them. Dietitians and nutritionists utilize special competencies in their field, such as listening skills, organizational skills, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. Due to the sensitive nature of their work, dietitians and nutritionists tend to be compassionate and empathetic when meeting with patients and clients.

Usually, individuals in this profession are self-employed but may offer consulting services to various businesses and organizations. Additional specialties under dietetics and nutrition are clinical dietitians who work in a clinical healthcare environment, community dietitians and nutritionists who develop special nutrition programs for their communities, and management dietitians who are employed in food service.

Job growth for dietitians and nutritionists, according to the BLS, is expected to increase by 8 percent (2019-2029).

How to Become a Health Educator or Community Health Worker

Health educators and community health workers are responsible for promoting healthy behaviors within their communities and across the healthcare industry. Although the roles are somewhat different, their overall work consists of creating and implementing health and wellness strategies that improve the lives of individuals.

Health educators are often employed in schools, healthcare facilities, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and government. Some of their duties typically include providing health education to individuals and groups, campaign and program development, and patient navigation of external health resources, for example, insurance benefits and health screenings.

Community health workers are usually involved in promoting health and wellness within their communities, researching and collecting data, and offering assistance and access to special health programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare. Community health workers are usually involved in providing information about community health with the intention of creating and advocating for new programs to meet the needs of populations.

According to the BLS, professions like health educators and community health workers are expected to see an increase in job growth by 13 percent (2019-2029).

Financial Aid and Scholarship Information for Health and Wellness Degrees

Students may find that enrolling in online bachelor's degree programs are often cost-effective alternatives to earning an in-person education. Tuition usually varies from college to college; however, distance learning tends to help students save money on room and board, transportation, and additional campus-related expenses. It's also not unusual for online degree programs to charge a technology fee that may include access to cheaper digital books and resources.

The federal government offers financial assistance to students who need help paying for college. Students can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility. Financial assistance may also be available to those who qualify for tuition reimbursement through their employer or who are active military members and veterans.

Additionally, there are many scholarships, grants, and prizes available to prospective and current college students that individuals can search for and apply to online. Otherwise, students can check with their financial aid offices for a list of scholarships offered by their schools, as well as to inquire about financing and additional tuition payment methods.

Murse World Scholarship

The Murse World Scholarship is offered to high school seniors and current students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university who are planning to or are actively studying a degree program in the health and medical field. Applicants must show proof of a 3.0 grade point average and submit a maximum 500-word personal statement explaining how they intend to make the world a better place by pursuing a health or medical career. Finalists will have their projects shared on the Murse World website where visitors can vote on who they think the winner should be. The finalist whose project receives the most votes will be awarded $1,000. Submissions are due no later than January 15.

Medical Scrubs Collection Scholarship

The Medical Scrubs Collection Scholarship is offered to high school seniors or current students enrolled in a medical or health degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university. Applicants must show proof of a grade point average of 3.0 and submit a maximum 500-word personal statement explaining what inspired them to pursue a career in helping others, as well as an 8.5' x 11' image with a brief caption. Finalists will have their projects shared on the Medical Scrubs Collection website where visitors can vote for whose project they think should win. The finalist whose project receives the most votes and highest-scoring from the judges will be awarded $1,000. Submissions are due by December 15.