KU’s online Bachelor of Health Sciences provides students with a broad foundation in health sciences and the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and skills in specialty areas related to their anticipated health care profession. Bachelor of Health Sciences students can explore elective courses that help them concentrate their knowledge in nutrition, public and population health, environmental health, health policy and management, and clinical trials management. Students should be sure to discuss their long-term plans with their academic advisor for help in selecting the best courses for their desired educational pathway and career plans.
The field of health sciences covers a variety of in-demand professions, from nutritionists to public health experts and more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects health care related careers to grow 14% by 2028. Some career pathways within health care and health sciences are projected to double or even triple this rate.
Someone with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences might apply their knowledge in the following ways:
- Managing health care facilities, overseeing operations, and developing strategic plans as a health care administrator.
- Working as a public health specialist on initiatives to improve public and community health, such as disease prevention and health promotion programs.
- Developing and implementing nutrition and health education programs for various populations, including schools, workplaces, and community organizations.
- Researching and implementing public health initiatives.
- Continuing to graduate school in a variety of specialized areas in health care or medicine.
- Coordinating clinical trials for new medicines and therapies developed by scientists.
- Advising local or state governments on health policy and health care issues.
The Bachelor of Health Science follows university admission requirements for transfer students. First-year students apply for admission through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
This program offers flexible pathways for students to complete their degree. Students can take foundational courses at community colleges or the KU Lawrence Campus, and complete upper-level coursework through the School of Professional Studies.
Upper-level courses requirements for the major are available online.
The School of Professional Studies strongly encourages students to contact an academic advisor prior to applying for admission to develop a personalized degree completion plan. To schedule an appointment, please call 913-897-8539.
Transfer students with an associate’s degree or equivalent:
- Students with an associate's degree or equivalent, after meeting with an advisor and developing a degree completion plan, can typically begin taking junior and senior-level courses in their major.
Transfer students with 24-59 credit hours:
- Students with 24-59 credits, after meeting with an advisor and developing their plan, may still need to complete prerequisite and lower-level courses.
- Please note that online lower-level courses are limited, and no lower-level courses are offered at the Edwards Campus.
- Students may find more lower-level course availability in-person at the Lawrence Campus or at a community college.
- Schedule an appointment with an advisor and create a personalized plan, contact 913-897-8539.
First-year students:
Incoming first-year students wanting to pursue this major apply through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. An academic advisor will guide you through lower-level course selections and help you declare Health Sciences as your academic major when you are ready to begin junior and senior level courses.
First-year students should select the following options on the KU admission application:
Program: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Plan: Deciding
Subplan: Health and Behavioral Sciences
The following table describes the specific courses to fulfill the Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) degree requirements.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| 5 |
| MATH 101 | College Algebra: _____ (or MATH 104, 115, 125) | 3 |
| 3-5 |
| MATH 365 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| or MATH 107 | Introductory Statistics |
| BIOL 240 | Fundamentals of Human Anatomy (5 hours if you take lab) | 3 |
| BIOL 246 | Principles of Human Physiology (5 hours if you take lab) | 3 |
| BTEC 310 | Scientific Communications | 3 |
| or HMGT 310 | Health Communication |
| HMGT 320 | Applied Healthcare Law and Ethics 1 | 3 |
| or BTEC 501 | Biotechnology Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research |
| HSES 371 | Medical Terminology for Health Professionals | 3 |
| or HEIM 230 | Medical Terminology |
| BSCI 400 | Microbiology | 3 |
| or BIOL 200 | Basic Microbiology |
| HSCI 340 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| HMGT 300 | Introduction to Healthcare Management | 3 |
| HMGT 305 | Health Policy and Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| HSCI 315 | Exploring Careers in Health Science | 1 |
| HSCI 415 | Career Readiness in Health Sciences | 1 |
| |
| Principles of Statistics in Public Health | |
| Natural Hazards and Environmental Risks | |
| Environmental Toxicology | |
| Economics and Finance of Healthcare | |
| Healthcare Law and Regulation | |
| Introduction to Clinical Trials Management | |
| Principles of Nutrition | |
| Principles of Nutrition and Health |
| Nutrition Through the Life Cycle | |
| Public Health Nutrition | |
| Nutrition Assessment | |
| Introduction to Epidemiology | |
| Population Health | |
| Introduction to Environmental Health | |
| Epidemics, Pandemics, and Pestilence | |
| Topics in Health Sciences: _____ | |
| Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism | |
| Advanced Sports Nutrition | |
| Advanced Environmental Health | |
| Drugs and Diseases in Society | |
| Research and Data Analysis in Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences | |
| Sport and Exercise Nutrition | |
| Health and Human Sexuality | |
| Healthcare Delivery Systems | |
| Legal Aspects of Healthcare | |
| Applied Statistics and Research Methods in Healthcare | |
| Sociology of Health and Medicine | |
| Sociology of Global Health | |
| 3 |
| Total Hours | 118-120 |
While completing all required courses, students must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Total Hours: Satisfied by a minimum of 120 total hours.
Junior/Senior Hours: Satisfied by a minimum of 45 junior/senior (300+) hours.
Graduation GPA: Satisfied with a minimum 2.0 KU GPA and a minimum of a "C" in all Health Science Core, Elective and Capstone requirements.
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the Bachelor in Health Science.
| Freshman |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| MATH 101 (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)*)030 | 3 | Introductory Biology Course with Lab (Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE))*040 | 5 |
| Chemistry Course* | 3-5 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Elective | 2 | |
| | 14-16 | | 14 |
| Sophomore |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| BIOL 240 (5 hours if you take lab) | 3 | BIOL 246 (5 hours if you take lab) | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Junior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| HMGT 300 | 3 | BSCI 400 | 3 |
| HSCI 315 | 1 | HMGT 305 | 3 |
| HSCI 340 | 3 | HSES 371 | 3 |
| MATH 365 | 3 | Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Health Science Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| | 16 | | 15 |
| Senior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| HMGT 310 | 3 | HSCI 415 | 1 |
| HMGT 320 | 3 | HSCI 599 (Capstone) | 3 |
| Health Science Elective | 3 | Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Health Science Elective | 3 | Health Science Elective | 3 |
| Health Science Elective | 3 | Health Science Elective | 3 |
| | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 16 |
| Total Hours 120-122 |
Notes:
* This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Applies a broad-based and integrative foundational understanding of fundamental biological, medial, and social knowledge to solve problems and issues in the health sciences.
- Masters a breadth of knowledge across multiple health sciences disciplines that includes public health, health policy, and the healthcare system.
- Explains and analyzes the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, and environmental factors that impact human health and contribute to health conditions and disparities.
- Applies professional and career skills to meet the requirements for nonclinical health professions or admission to professional programs in health fields.
