Online Bachelor's in Health Care Science Program Overview
Help people live happier, better, and longer lives in a broadly applicable health and wellness degree program. The online Bachelor of Science in Health Care Science – Health and Wellness Promotion offered by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences helps you build in-demand skills for understanding and influencing the health-related behaviors of individuals, families, and communities. This fully online degree program focuses on health and wellness promotion, preparing you for various professions in schools, worksites, corporations, community organizations, hospitals, military and veteran organizations, and senior living communities.
As you learn from professors with real-world experience, you’ll have opportunities to explore your own passions that can fuel your individual career path in health and wellness promotion. This flexible degree program gives you the opportunity to learn from wherever you are, complete an internship with an organization local to you, and even pursue a Physical Activity and Public Health Specialist (PAPHS) certificate. During your time at UCCS, you’ll be part of a reputable institution with strong healthcare programs and graduate ready to work in an in-demand field as an interdisciplinary health promotion professional.
Health Care Science Program Features
- Fully online – no on-campus requirements
- Small class sizes with applied learning and personal relationships with faculty
- Build skills for a wide range of job opportunities inside and outside the healthcare industry
- Easily transfer your credits with 38 credits of open electives built into the program or focus on the areas that interest you
Program at a Glance
Degree Program:
Health Care Science, BS
Offered By:
Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Tuition:
Cost Per Credit:
$506*
*Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken
Cost Per Credit:
$706*
*Approximate tuition per credit hour based on the number of credits taken
Credit Hours:
120
BS in Health Care Science Program Details
The BS in Health Care Science – Health and Wellness Promotion is offered fully online with asynchronous courses, meaning there are no set sign-in times, and you can complete your coursework at the time and place that works best for you. Your courses will be taught by the same faculty who teach the on-campus program at UCCS, which means you receive the same high quality education with the flexibility of the online format.
This health care science degree will teach you to improve health and wellness behaviors in a variety of settings. You’ll learn to:
- Assess the health needs of individuals, groups, families, and communities in diverse settings
- Plan, implement, and evaluate health and wellness programs using health behavior theory
- Communicate effectively within your profession to internal and external audiences
- Understand, consider, and respect cultural factors that affect health and wellness
When I began applying to schools, I wanted to be in a program that fostered growth. Now four years later, I am beyond grateful that I chose the Health & Wellness Promotion program at UCCS. The program has incredible faculty that want the best for their students. They truly care about our education, which allowed me to excel in the program. I am honored and grateful that I was able to experience a program that builds connections and grants many opportunities along the way.
— Nadine A. | Health Care Science Student
Faculty Highlights
Faculty members for the Health Care Science program are accomplished in research, ethics, and teaching. Several have been recognized for awards such as:
- The Daniel’s Fund Ethics Faculty Award
- Johnson Beth-El College Pre-Tenure Track Teacher of the Year
- Johnson Beth-El College Pre-Tenure Track Research of the Year
- Interdisciplinary Research Team Civic Engagement Award
Curriculum Overview
In the 120-credit-hour online BS in Health Care Science – Health and Wellness Promotion program, fall and spring courses are 16 weeks long, while summer courses can be four or eight weeks.
Two of the courses offered as part of the curriculum can help you prepare for relevant certification exams outside the program. The required synchronous Health Coaching course (HSCI 4650) prepares you for health coaching certification exams following the course. The elective Physical Activity and Public Health course (HSCI 4580) is associated with the Physical Activity and Public Health Specialist (PAPHS) certificate and will prepare you to take the certification course following this class.
Example Courses
This course gives an overview of theoretical and psychosocial perspectives of changing health behavior at the individual, interpersonal, and community level. It focuses on increasing professional skills in describing, applying, and integrating health behavior change techniques in the design of programs for individuals and communities.
The principles of learning/teaching are applied to problems in clinical settings. Teaching programs for individuals and groups are planned, implemented, and evaluated as part of the course.
This course explores health/illness concepts of various populations and introduces cross-cultural assessment skills. Cultural health belief systems, biological variation, and patterns of adaptation to the environment are included.
Health Care Science Degree Career Outlook
The healthcare industry needs more than clinicians. Communities also need people who coordinate wellness outreach programs, coach and advocate for patients, and manage health information, along with the essential administrative work of health promotion professionals. While this is not a clinical program, the BS in Health Care Science can be a foundation for continuing your education in physical therapy, medicine, nursing, athletic training, occupational therapy, and more.
What can you do with a BS in Health Care Science degree? Some potential job titles for health care science graduates could include: health coach, community health program manager, health behavior specialist, health communications professional, outreach and education coordinator, health information manager, or health and wellness coordinator.
Health Care Science Salary Information
- Community Health Workers: $46,190*
- Health Education Specialists / Coaches: $59,990*
- Social and Community Service Managers: $74,240*
* Bureau of Labor Statistics, Median Salary in the U.S. in 2022
Why UCCS Online?
The long-standing health science program at UCCS offers students both a stepping stone to more advanced education and a complete degree from which you can launch a long, fulfilling career. Unlike many healthcare-focused degrees, the health science program can be applied to a wide range of jobs inside and outside the healthcare field, such as community outreach, school settings, and more.
This program is ideal for students working full-time, giving them to flexibility to log in to their online classes at the most convenient time and place for them each week. The uniquely small class sizes in the program mean you’ll have the opportunity to build a relationship with your instructors who can help you discover potential professions and career paths after graduation based on your interests.
Tuition and Fees
At UCCS Online, we strive to keep our tuition costs affordable so that you can get a world-class education that fits your budget. When you earn a degree, you’re not simply getting a diploma — you’re making a lifelong investment in yourself and empowering your future career. We know that affordability is an important factor, and that’s why we’re here to help you explore all of the options available to fund your education.
We’re here to answer your questions about tuition and financial aid, help you take care of the paperwork, and make sure you’re able to focus on reaching your goals. From financial aid and scholarships to corporate tuition assistance programs, we’ll work with you to find the best way to finance your degree.
A $50 application fee applies for this program; however, once per year this fee is waived for Colorado residents. Please reach out to an Enrollment Navigator for more information about any costs associated with your application.
You may be eligible to pursue scholarships. Each year, UCCS awards $100 million in financial aid, and you can explore options through the UCCS Financial Aid Office.
Admissions Information
Interested in the UCCS Online BS in Health Care Science program? In your application, simply select the Bachelor of Science in Health Care Science (Health and Wellness Promotion) online program. For students applying to start the program as a freshman (first year student), the following admission criteria will apply:
- GPA of 2.5 or better
- Composite score of 18 on the ACT or a total score of 840 (prior to March 2016) or 920 (after March 2016) on the SAT (92 index)
The ACT and SAT are accepted but not required for this program. If your records vary in any way from the above admissions criteria, you will be considered on an individual basis by evaluation of your overall academic records, including:
- The quality of your high school program of study
- The level of your college entrance test scores (SAT or ACT)
- Any information unique to your individual situation
Completion Time
The 120-credit-hour BS in Health Care Science – Health and Wellness Promotion program can be completed in approximately 45 months or just under four years. You can potentially shorten the time to graduation if you have your previously earned college credits evaluated for transfer into UCCS.
Ready to Get Started?
Connect with UCCS's Enrollment Team to get more information about this in-demand online health care science bachelor's degree program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The health sciences are in demand, and the industry needs graduates who can enter the workforce equipped with interdisciplinary skills and experiences for a wide range of jobs connected to the healthcare field. A health sciences degree can prepare you to advance your education and your career while being flexible enough to keep your professional options open. Since it is so broad and versatile, studying health science and health and wellness promotion can be a great fit for students from all kinds of backgrounds and previous work experiences.
After you graduate with your bachelor’s degree, you can leverage your knowledge and skills to build upon your existing career, or you can pursue a career change. Some jobs you may want to pursue could require advanced education in a master’s or doctoral program. UCCS offers several graduate programs both online and on campus that can help you reach your goals.
During the program, you will complete an internship along with a variety of coursework like prerecorded lectures, related videos, readings, discussion boards, quizzes and more. For every three-credit-hour class, you should expect to dedicate around five hours to your studies per week. Shorter classes such as those offered during the summer term will require more time each week.
Online learning will offer you the flexibility to study at the place and time that works best for you. You can also choose a pace that is sustainable for your lifestyle, which can help you take into account your current career, family, and commitments outside of school.
Additionally, UCCS’s online programs are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, which means you’re earning the same high quality degree as students on campus, and your diploma will not mention that your degree was earned online.
The UCCS T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center career is available to help you prepare to change or advance your career after graduation. They offer:
- Handshake, a career management platform with thousands of internship and job postings
- Career events aimed at exploring fields and connecting with alumni and employers
- Customized classroom workshops aimed at integrating career development into curriculum
- Curated resources for students from specific populations