Online Bachelor's in Health Sciences

The opportunities for students, in this first course, for all majors are to learn personal and professional leadership styles and drivers by providing an overview of leadership basics. Leadership skills are utilized across fields of study. Regardless of the roles individuals assume in an organization, they will need to communicate effectively, influence others, and understand the way they respond to others and why. The course engages students in discussion, exploration, and application of leadership skills, principles, and practices. Students will learn about the relationships and connections leaders have with individuals and organizations. Topics include leadership communication, motivation, style, and characteristics. 

Credits: 3

Students are introduced to the U.S. healthcare system. The historical background including reform, shift in hospital and ambulatory care, public health’s influence, and evolving roles of stakeholders are discussed. Impact of health information technology, privacy, and legal/ethical issues are assessed. For profit versus not-for-profit entities are examined and the US healthcare system is contrasted to several other developed nation’s health systems. The influence of quality and safety initiatives, competition within the healthcare industry, and impact on patient care are evaluated. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HCM310 and HSC300 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

This course is designed to familiarize students with major concepts, theories, and research related to normal lifespan development from infancy, childhood, adolescence to late adulthood. Students will be introduced to developmental theories and examine the developmental tasks and challenges unique to each type of development process. Additionally, students will focus on impactful generational experiences and cultural norms that may reflect how individuals function in the world and the workplace. Students cannot receive credit for PSY235 and HSC305 as they are considered duplicative

Credits: 3

This course examines comprehensive factors of health that influence the well-being of individuals and communities. The course is designed to help students appreciate the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health outcomes and how to address them. Students will also examine how culture, race, and ethnicity have a direct impact on the healthcare received through biases and discrimination.

Credits: 3

This course will offer the student a basic overview regarding healthcare law in the United States and introduce students to the moral and ethical issues that healthcare providers are confronted with daily. It will provide a systemic analysis of healthcare provider services and moral, ethical, and legal issues that may involve healthcare professionals, patients, hospitals, clinics, and other organizations. Students will review legal, moral, and ethical constructs shaping today's healthcare environment, analyze the different types of reasoning in the decision-making process, and utilize various concepts to make identifiable analysis of healthcare challenges and issues. Readings and discussions will include the current standards surrounding the legal and ethical parameters impacting patients and healthcare workers. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HCM345 and HSC320 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between health sciences, work dynamics, and societal influences. As health professionals, understanding the broader context in which we operate is crucial to working in a healthcare setting. Key topics include the relationship between work and health; workforce dynamics, policy changes, and the role of health professionals in shaping these transformations; ethical dilemmas faced by health sciences professionals within the context of work and society; and promoting healthcare social justice. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for SOC300 and HSC330 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

This course introduces health sciences students to a wide range of topics important to understanding the field of public policy globally and its impact on healthcare. This course brings together ideas from history, political science, communication, social services, healthcare, and economics to address an important question: How have governmental associations and non-profit organizations come to shape and implement public policy to address global healthcare needs? Students will have the opportunity to evaluate current policies that address the most significant domestic and global social and public health issues of today and students will also create a public policy to address a social or public healthcare issue that is of interest to them. Students cannot receive credit for PMG320 and HSC350 as they are considered duplicative

Credits: 3

Students in the Medical Terminology course will gain the knowledge needed to navigate the intricate vocabulary of healthcare. Students will be introduced to medical terminology and common medical abbreviations including medical root words, prefixes, and suffixes. By the end of this course, students will have basic comprehension, and fluency of medical terms and be able to apply them to body systems within the health sciences environment. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for BIO220-D and HSC360 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

In this course the student is provided with an understanding of healthcare quality improvement including methods and tools to increase patient safety, improve healthcare outcomes and reduce risk in the healthcare setting. It focuses on applying expert knowledge and management expertise to the multiple challenges managers face in healthcare organizations. Special emphasis is placed on the role of work teams in quality improvement and risk reduction, including understanding the critical success factors for effective team performance. Additional reading and course discussions include assessing risk in complex healthcare organizations, assessing the value of different management techniques to monitor, anticipate, reduce, and eliminate disruptive and dangerous risks. The fundamental objective of this course is for the student to be able to apply quality and risk management principles in diverse healthcare environments in order to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HCM370 and HSC400 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

In this course, students will learn about the interdisciplinary area of health communication. Students will be able to discuss healthcare communication from research-based, practical, and theoretical approaches. Students will analyze the different areas of healthcare communication, which include healthcare delivery and promotion. Students will develop messages for healthcare campaigns. Students will discriminate among effective communication practices within a healthcare setting. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for COM412 and HSC410 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

In this course students will examine concepts of knowledge creation, data management and stewardship, use of metrics, and clinical and administrative applications in the provision of health care. The critical nature of aligning health information systems (HIS) with strategy is explored. Methods and processes related to selection and application in use of technology needed to make informed business decisions are discussed as are HIS governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management. Students will gain understanding of the opportunities and challenges of implementing robust and effective information management systems in a healthcare setting. Recommended Prior Course: HCM310

Credits: 3

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their cumulative knowledge of Health Sciences. Through a capstone project, students will take a hands-on approach by synthesizing and integrating the Health Sciences knowledge, theories, and skills developed throughout their coursework to address an individual or community healthcare issue, problem, or information gap that aligns with their personal and professional interests. Students should have completed the entire degree path and have a solid working knowledge of what Health Sciences entails, including skills for delivering healthcare services to diverse individuals and communities. On successful completion of the capstone course, students will have met the program outcomes for the Health Sciences degree.

Credits: 3

This course provides an in-depth examination of normal human nutrition, addressing major nutritional issues and their impact on both mental and physical development. It explores the intricate relationship between nutrition and overall health, emphasizing the significance of balanced dietary practices. The course also delves into food habits, cultural influences, and psychological factors that shape food choices, offering a comprehensive understanding of how these elements interact. Students cannot receive credit for BIO112-D and HSC340 as they are considered duplicative

Credits: 3

Pharmacology examines how drugs interact with biological systems to produce therapeutic effects. In this course, students will gain a thorough understanding of drug action principles, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. They will explore various drug classes, their mechanisms of action, and their applications in treating different diseases. Additionally, the course covers drug development, testing, regulation, and the ethical aspects of prescribing and monitoring drugs in clinical practice. Students cannot receive credit for CHE208-D and HSC341 as they are considered duplicative

Credits: 3

This course provides students with an in-depth exploration of the functions and mechanisms of the human body at the cellular, tissue, organ, and system levels. Key topics include examining the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, reproductive, and urinary systems. Throughout the course, students will engage in interactive lectures, laboratory exercises, and case studies to apply physiological concepts including mechanisms and regulation of normal body functions and pathophysiological aspects of disease to real-life situations. By the end of the course, students will have a comprehensive understanding of human physiology and its relevance to health and disease. Students cannot receive credit for BIO300-D and HSC342 as they are considered duplicative

Credits: 3

Focuses on the alterations in physiological, cellular, and biochemical processes, the associated homeostatic responses, and the manifestations of disease. Prior knowledge of cellular biology, anatomy, and physiology is essential for the study of pathophysiology. This course fulfills a General Education Natural and Physical Science requirement.

Credits: 4

In this course, students will be introduced to health science management in various healthcare settings. Students will gain an understanding of how to manage through strategy, planning, and directing with leadership. Workforce performance, quality management, process improvement, financial performance, healthcare analytics, and supply chain management are addressed. Current leadership roles in healthcare require the integration of a high level of patient care based on current standards and an understanding of how older models of management and leadership can be blended with contemporary practice. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HCM410 and HSC370 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

Managed care and health insurance covers healthcare issues surrounding management, insurance, and changes in payment mechanisms. In this course, students will investigate the history of managed care, and about moral hazard and sale of health benefits coverage, governance, and administration, and provider networks. Topics include fundamentals of cost-containment measures, quality healthcare, and complexities of Medicare Advantage payment plans and Medicaid expansion that occurred under the Affordable Care Act. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HCM400 and HSC371 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

This course delves into the foundations of community health, leveraging epidemiological concepts to prevent and control both communicable and non-communicable diseases through community health programs. Our strategies encompass the entire lifespan, from infants to older adults, while addressing health disparities and challenges within the community. We will also consider environmental health and safety, focusing on injuries that occur both within the community and the workplace. Additionally, we will explore various disease vectors, including natural, psychological, sociological, and unintended injuries, as key topics of interest. Students cannot receive credit for HCM430 and HSC372 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3

This course teaches the principles, practices, and issues in health services case management, with emphasis on prevention and intervention strategies for diverse populations, as well as professional writing and presentation of cases. Topics include interviewing skills, planning, assessment of community resources, referral procedures, coordination of serveices, and setting appropriate professional boundaries. Disclaimer: Students cannot receive credit for HSM405 and HSC373 as they are considered duplicative.

Credits: 3