Top 7 Healthcare Degrees That Don't Require Clinicals

Clinicals, also known as clinical experiences, are opportunities for students in healthcare programs to engage in direct patient care in healthcare facilities. Clinicals might involve shadowing, volunteering, or participating in an internship. Clinicals are common for healthcare providers like:

• medical assistants
• registered nurses
• nurse practitioners

While these experiences offer great opportunities for valuable hands-on interactions, they can be very time-consuming for busy students interested in healthcare careers. So, are there healthcare degrees with no clinicals? Healthcare degrees like medical coding, public health, and healthcare administration have no clinical requirements.

Below we'll examine these and other top healthcare degrees requiring no clinicals. We'll also explore schools offering healthcare programs without clinical experience requirements.

Top Healthcare Degrees Without Clinical Requirements

The number of healthcare degree programs requiring no clinicals might be greater than some think. The following are seven programs with no clinical experience requirements that offer career paths in the healthcare field.

1. Healthcare Administration

Healthcare administration degrees are designed to improve students' administrative skills as they prepare for non-clinical roles as healthcare administrators or other healthcare-related leaders. Concepts covered in these degree programs might include:

• health planning
• staff development
• financial management
• long-term care administration
• HR management
• organizational behavior

Students in health administration programs learn how to manage day-to-day operations in healthcare organizations from budgeting and staff recruitment to legal compliance and organizational efficiency. Schools commonly offer healthcare administration programs for students interested in undergraduate and graduate degrees.

2. Healthcare Management

Healthcare management, or health services management, is another great non-clinical degree option. Programs prepare students to lead healthcare professionals in medical settings. Management and information technology are often major components of this degree. Courses could cover:

• healthcare operations
• healthcare quality
• principles of management
• management information systems
• medical ethics
• healthcare informatics
• healthcare database systems

Healthcare managers manage patient safety issues and gather medical information for accreditation agencies, insurers, and providers. You can find healthcare management degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

3. Health Sciences

Health sciences degrees prepare students to take several non-clinical career paths within the healthcare industry. Programs teach concepts like health data management, clinical health informatics, clinical coding, medical science, and more. Courses might explore:

• U.S. healthcare system
• medical terminology
• human development
• health law and policy
• quality management
• healthcare technology

Some healthcare jobs degree holders can pursue include:

• health services manager
• case manager
• health information technician
• health data analyst

Associate degrees are available in health sciences. Programs are also available at the bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctoral degree levels.

4. Community Health

A community health degree teaches students how to promote health and wellness. Community health programs focus on:

• illness and disease prevention
• vulnerabilities in marginalized communities
• promoting good nutrition

Coursework could examine the following:

• environmental health
• health care systems and services
• mental health care
• nutrition, diet, and exercise
• consumer health
• health education methods

Programs in community health are offered at all degree levels. Common non-clinical healthcare careers in this field include:

• patient care coordinator
• health educator
• substance abuse counselor

5. Medical Coding

Medical coders are responsible for managing electronic health records. Degree programs in medical coding teach students to assign procedure and diagnosis codes for billing and health statistics purposes. Students also learn to organize medical records for patient care. The curriculum could cover:

• pharmacology
• medical law and ethics
• medical office procedures
• anatomy and physiology
• pathophysiology

The educational requirements for medical coders can vary by employer. Some clinical settings require a high school diploma or associate degree. However, you might encounter healthcare settings that require a bachelor's degree.

6. Public Health

A public health program explores the importance of promoting health and disease prevention. Degrees also teach students how to empower communities to manage disabilities and illnesses. These programs aim to discover the root causes of health problems and find solutions to improve the public's overall well-being and quality of life. Courses might cover:

• modern challenges in healthcare
• global health
• public health advocacy
• public health and social justice
• epidemiology

You can find public health programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. Non-clinical healthcare jobs in public health are available for students who want to become:

• environmental protection specialists
• health services managers
• data analysts

7. Global Health

Great non-clinical healthcare roles are available in global health. This field aims to reduce inequalities in healthcare across borders. Programs examine changes health professionals strive to make in:

• mental health
• chronic disease
• nutrition
• child health
• climate change

Some courses you might encounter in a global health program include:

• cultural anthropology
• global health
• epidemiology
• U.S. healthcare system
• epidemics

Students with global health degrees could pursue roles as:

• health education specialists
• epidemiologists
• public health advisors
• health policy analysts

Undergraduate and graduate programs are available in global health.

Colleges and Universities Offering Online Healthcare Degrees Without Clinicals

It's easy to find colleges and universities offering online healthcare degrees that don't require clinical experiences. The key is finding the program that works for you. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has revealed that employment in healthcare occupations is expected to grow much faster than average from 2022 to 2032. This means there are plenty of non-clinical healthcare services jobs to choose from. Here are some programs to help you qualify for these roles.

Walden University

At Walden University, students can choose from several healthcare programs that don't require clinicals. Some include:

• Bachelor of Science in healthcare management
• Bachelor of Science in public health
• Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)
• Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
• PhD in public health

These programs are offered online and incorporate media that simulate real-world public health issues. Depending on your chosen program, you could specialize in areas of study like behavioral health, leadership, and research.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University is home to the College of Health Solutions, which offers numerous programs requiring no clinicals. Here are some to consider:

• Bachelor of Applied Science in health sciences
• Bachelor of Science in healthcare administration and policy
• Bachelor of International Public Health
• Bachelor of Science in public health
• Master of Science in healthcare administration and policy
• Master of International Health Management

ASU's programs strive to prepare their students to transform the healthcare industry as healthcare professionals. Some programs are available on campus and online.

University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida's College of Health Professions and Sciences offers a great program for students who don't want to participate in clinicals. The Bachelor of Science in health sciences is a four-year program for students seeking careers in public health, behavioral health research, and more. Pre-clinical and health promotion tracks are available for this program.

George Washington University

At George Washington University, students can pursue a Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) in health care quality. This 100% online program prepares students for patient safety and quality roles. Courses explore:

• patient safety systems
• healthcare quality
• medicine development