Bachelor of Applied 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.

This program is for you if you hold an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) from a regionally accredited institution and seek to supplement the technical skills you acquired through your AAS with knowledge and experience that can prepare you for a managerial or supervisory role.

Admissions

Admissions requirements vary by campus.

Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

The BAS degree can be oriented toward several specific career fields, such as hospital administration, general supervision or entry-level management, and some human resources functions. Because of this degree’s flexibility, it tracks into approximately 34 occupations that can be grouped into three occupational clusters—a specialty business cluster, a supervisory cluster, and a management cluster.

Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

To graduate with the BAS, you must complete a total of 120 credit hours. You may apply 60 to 64 credit hours from your AAS to Indiana University. You then complete 56-60 credit hours of courses from IU, with at least 30 credit hours at the 300- and 400-level. Requirements are broken down as follows:

1. General education courses (33 cr.)
   Some of these will likely transfer in from your AAS. You will complete the rest through IU.
2. Applied science courses (48-51 cr.)
   These will all be transferred in from your AAS.
3. BAS core courses (18 credit hours)
   You will take all of these from IU. Rather than choosing from a specific list of courses, you will have the flexibility to choose from a range of courses that meet defined learning outcomes. See "BAS Core Courses" below.
4. BAS track courses (12 cr.)
   You will take all of these from IU. Rather than choosing from a specific list of courses, you will have the flexibility to choose from a range of courses that meet defined learning outcomes. See the "Courses You'll Take" tab.
5. Electives (0-12 cr.) Some will likely transfer in from your AAS. You will complete the rest through IU.

BAS Track Courses

As a BAS student, you must choose from one of the three tracks:

• Healthcare Management
• Sustainability Studies
• Individualized

You take courses related to the track you choose. These include a capstone course that helps you integrate what you have learned.

Healthcare Track

The healthcare management track may appeal to you if you hold an AAS in one of the many healthcare fields, such as medical assisting, healthcare support, paramedic science, and medical laboratory technology.

As a student in this track, you take courses that prepare you to:

• Compare and contrast the US healthcare system (including reimbursement) with other systems around the world.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical, legal, financial, and political factors that influence the provision of health services in the United States.
• Evaluate access to, and the cost of, US healthcare (including reimbursement practices) for different types of care.
• Effectively assess and implement improvements in clinical care, customer service, and human resource planning in a healthcare setting.
• Integrate knowledge and skills and apply to health management issues or challenges. This is the capstone course.

Sustainability Studies Track

The sustainability studies track may appeal to you if you hold an AAS in a science field, especially in biology, chemistry, ecology, geosciences, or other similar fields. 

As a student in this track, you will learn to:

• Articulate how your educational experience applies to work and career choices;
• Apply principles of sustainability to innovatively solve problems and implement sustainable practices

Individualized Track

Choose the individualized track if you hold an AAS in a field other than healthcare or the sciences. The individualized track is highly flexible.

As a student in the track, you take courses based on your interests, backgrounds, and needs. These courses prepare you to:

• Demonstrate your ability to think critically in the fields you study.
• Effectively present central ideas, issues, and methods of inquiry specific to the fields you study.
• Apply knowledge and skills from general education, the BAS core, and the individualized track to issues or challenges in your area of technical expertise.

The following examples show how you might tailor this track to meet your individual needs.

• If you have an AAS in Criminal Justice and want to advance your career in criminal justice, you might work with your advisor to design an individualized track that includes 300- and 400-level courses in criminal justice, public affairs, psychology, and sociology.
• If you have an AAS in Design Technology and want to change careers, you might select courses in web development and graphic design.
• If you have an AAS in Advanced Manufacturing and want to become a supervisor or manager, you might choose courses in human resource development, communication, and other management skills.

Core Courses

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Accounting and Bookkeeping (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• BUS-A 200 Foundations of Accounting
• BUS-A 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting
• BUS-A 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Economics (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• BUS-G 300 Introduction to Managerial Economics and Strategy
• ECON-E 103 Introduction to Microeconomics
• ECON-E 104 Introduction to Macroeconomics
• ECON-E 200 Fundamentals of Economics: An Overview
• POLS-Y 359 Economics and Public Management

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Legal, Ethical, Social, and/or International Topics (300-400 Level) (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• BUS-B 399 Business and Society
• BUS-D 300 International Business: operations of International Enterprises
• BUS-D 301 The International Business Environment
• HIST-B 391 Themes in World History
• HIST-G 369 Modern Japan
• HIST-G 385 Modern China
• HIST-G 387 Contemporary China
• HIST-G 410 China, Japan, and the United States in the 20th and 21st Century
• PHIL-P 306 Business Ethics
• PHIL-P 393 Biomedical Ethics
• POLS-Y 379 Ethics and Public Policy
• POLS-Y 380 Selected Topics in Democratic Government
• POLS-Y 403 Ethics and Public Policy
• BUS-J 404 Business and Society

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Supervision (300-400 Level) (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• BUS-W 301 Principles of Management
• BUS-Z 300 Organizational Behavior and Leadership
• BUS-Z 301 Organizational Behavior and Leadership
• BUS-Z 302 Managing and Behavior in Organizations
• BUS-Z 440 Personnel- Human Resource Management
• POLS-Y 358 Human Behavior and Public Organizations
• POLS-Y 387 Research Methocs in Political Science

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Marketing (300-400 Level) (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• BUS-M 300 Introduction to Marketing
• BUS-M 301 Introduction to Marketing Management

Demonstrate Knowledge and Skills in Sommunication (300-400 Level) (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• CMCL-C 427 Cross Cultural Communication
• CMCL-C 440 Organizational Communication
• SPCH-C 380 Organizational Communication
• SPCH-S 427 Cross Cultural Communication
• SPCH-S 440 Organizational Communication

Health Care Management Track (12 cr.)

Select three from the following:

• AHLT-B 311 Systems of Health Care Delivery
• AHLT-B 320 Global Systems of Health Care Delivery
• AHLT-H 415 Global Child and Adolescent Health
• BUS-H 320 Systems of Health Care Delivery
• PAHM-H 320 Health Systems Administration
• SPEA-H 320 Health Systems Administration
• SPEA-V 450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs
  VT: Medical Ethics

Learning Outcome 2

Select one from the following:

• AHLT-W 314 Ethics for Health Professionals
• BUS-H 352 Health Care Financial Management
• BUS-H 402 Hospital Organization and Management
• BUS-H 411 Management of Long-Term Care Facilities
• PAHM-H 441 Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration
• PAHM-H 474 Health Administration Ethics Seminar
• SPEA-H 441 Legal Aspets of Health Care Administration
• SPEA-H 452 Health Disparities

Learning Outcome 3

Select one from the following:

• AHLT-H 366 Leadership for Health Professionals
• PAHM-H 401 Strategic Planning in Health Organizations
• PAHM-H 372 Human Resource Management in Health Care Facilities
• SPEA-H 371 Human Resource Management in Health Care Facilities
• SPEA-H 402 Hospital Administration

Learning Outcome 4

Select one from the following

• AHLT-H 366 Leadership for Health Professionals
• PAHM-H 372 Human Resource Management in Health Care Facilities
• PAHM-H 401 Strategic Planning in Health Care Organizations
• SPEA-H 322 Principles of Epidemiology
• SPEA-H 371 Human Resource Management in Health Care Facilities
• SPEA-H 402 Hospital Administration

Capstone (3 cr.)

Select one from the following:

• AHLT-B 499 Health Management Capstone
• SPEA-H 474 HEalth Administration Ethics Seminar