Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science
Collaborative Online Degree
This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU South Bend, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.
This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states.
Many online support services are available to assist you as you progress through the program.
The field of healthcare is continually evolving. Preventing disease is becoming as important as treatment. Applied health science focuses on prevention. It involves promoting wellness in families, organizations, and society at large through research, health education, policy making, and therapeutic intervention.
The IU Online Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science is an interdisciplinary program for students who have at least 30 credit hours of coursework that can be applied toward a university degree. The degree prepares you for careers or graduate studies in health-related fields. It offers two tracks: Community Health Education and Health Administration.
Your B.S. in Applied Health Science prepares you for a high-growth job market in areas related to disease prevention, quality of life, health planning, and therapeutic intervention. Graduates may work in a variety of public health, wellness education, and health organization fields, including:
- Wellness coordinator
- Environmental science and protection technician
- Health specialty teacher
- Occupational health and safety technician
- Community health worker
- Health educator
- Hospital administration (entry-level)
- Nonprofit health agency positions
Admissions
To apply to this program
- Complete application for admission.
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants may be asked for additional materials.
- This program is offered by IU South Bend, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, and IU Southeast. After applying, you will be assigned a home campus. You will submit application documents to the Office of Admissions of that campus.
Application Deadline
Rolling admissions. Application review will begin upon receipt of all required application materials.
Degree Requirements (120 cr.)
To graduate with the BS in Applied Health Science, you must complete a total of 120 credit hours. You may be able to transfer an associate degree or up to 64 credit hours from a regionally accredited two-year college and up to 90 credit hours from a regionally accredited four-year college or university. Course requirements fall into four categories and are defined by student learning outcomes.
- General Education Courses (30-42 cr.)
- Applied Health Science Core Courses (42 cr.)
You take applied health science courses that teach you how to
- Utilize problem-solving, critical-thinking, and decision-making skills in a variety of healthcare settings and situations
- Utilize effective leadership and management strategies in common healthcare delivery systems and environments.
- Apply evidence-based healthcare practices for optimum health outcomes.
- Demonstrate accountability within the legal and ethical parameters of the healthcare system.
- Integrate communication skills into professional roles.
- Utilize information technology in the delivery of healthcare.
- Explore the historical and contemporary social determinants of health that shape health status, health behavior, and health inequalities.
- Applied health science tracks (18 cr.)
- Community Health Education Track
Coursework will provide instruction in the skills necessary to conduct general health and wellness assessments and the techniques of health education. This track prepares you to take the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination.- Community Health Assessment, Education, and Promotion
- Program Assessment, Planning, Evaluation, Parts I and II
- Health Administration Track
Coursework will provide instruction in healthcare organization, planning, budgeting, and finance.- Healthcare Administration and Strategic planning
- Healthcare Budgeting and Finance
- Healthcare Organization Supervision and Resource Management
- Community Health Education Track
- Electives (as needed to total 120 credit hours)
Courses
Healthcare Delivery and Leadership (6 cr.)
This is an introduction course for all Applied Health Science students. It contains concepts and basics for other Applied Health Science program courses. Focus is on the components, their interaction and internal / external controls. As a person in leadership roles of organizations you will also discover how to effectively deliver health care services in hospitals, nursing homes, multi-specialty clinics, and home health care agencies. Students will examine how principles of effective leadership skills including organizational design, motivation, conflict management, teamwork, and strategic alliances are utilized in the ever changing healthcare environment.
Intercultural Health Communication (6 cr.)
This course explores issues related to intercultural communication practices. It examines the important role of social, cultural, and historical context in human interactions related to health disparities. This course is designed to increase students understanding of the growing interdependence of nations and peoples and to develop students' ability to apply a comparative perspective to cross-cultural social, economic, and political experiences.
Health Policy, Ethics, and Legal Issues (6 cr.)
In this course, students are introduced to the concepts of health policy and policy analysis, health care ethics and contemporary ethical dilemmas, and legal issues related to health care and health care outcomes. Students will be exposed to leadership strategies for effecting changes in policy, and in resolving legal and ethical dilemmas that arise in health care. Emphasis is placed on application of knowledge to real and simulated case problems.
Epidemiology/Biostatistics and Population Health (6 cr.)
In this course, students are provided an overview of the principles and practice of population health, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Students will be introduced to the basic terms and definitions of population health and the factors that lead to disease causation, as well as disease prevention. Students will explore and discuss the concepts of social justice, health disparities, determinants of health, culture, health systems, lifespan, and health promotion as they apply to groups of people, rather than to individuals. Through an introduction to epidemiologic terminology, methods, critical thinking, and basic analysis, students will be able to describe how disease is distributed within populations and communities.
Research in Health Sciences (3 cr.)
This course is designed as an introduction to using the research process to address health science problems and the use of evidence as a foundation for practice. Critical analysis of research studies will be emphasized.
Consumer Health (3 cr.)
Students are introduced to the ways consumers receive and use information to inform health practices and influence choices of health products, services, and providers. Concepts include health literacy and decision-making, internal and external influences on health care decisions and health outcomes, and effective health education. Exemplar health issues are discussed.
Economics of Healthcare (3 cr.)
Economics of Healthcare is a growing field and is an important aspect of public policy in developed and developing countries. The provision and production of healthcare has different characteristics and incentives from other consumer goods making health related markets a unique topic for study. This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students in healthcare fields to Health Economics. A number of topics including: basic economic concepts important for the study in health economics, why health is different from other goods, aspects of the US healthcare market, healthcare in other countries, and healthcare reform.
Informatics (3 cr.)
In this course, students will explore the impact of meaningful data on health care systems. The concepts of converting data to information to knowledge in the national effort to create electronic health care records that provide privacy and security while ultimately improving patient outcomes will be discussed. Details on meaningful use in electronic health records, health care data analytics, health informatics exchange, quality improvement strategies, public health informatics, and health informatics ethics will be examined.
Grant Writing and Internship (6 cr.)
This course is designed to assist the student in applying acquired knowledge and skills in appropriate professional settings. The internship focus of this course will provide students with a culminating project that demonstrates mastery of program competencies. The grant writing portion of the course will assist the student to gain introductory experience in the process of grantsmanship.