About this program
This program provides individuals holding a health related associate degree the opportunity to complete a baccalaureate degree, Bachelor of Science in Health Systems (BSHS).
The growing and complex healthcare environment creates exciting opportunities within the health care industry. Our innovative baccalaureate degree completion program prepares individuals for positions of increasing responsibility and greater opportunities in clinical practice, management and leadership, community health, program development, education, and product sales. Several current trends support the need for baccalaureate preparation by those working in health related fields including:
- Health care reforms and increasing access to care
- Complex delivery and payment systems
- Technological advances in health care
- Emerging discoveries and evidence-based best practices
- A well informed and health conscious public
- Changing demographic including an aging population with more complex health needs
- Increased diversity of our communities
This multi-disciplinary program helps students build careers in health promotion and disease prevention within complex health systems located within diverse communities. Building on foundations of the liberal arts, behavioral and life sciences, students in this program learn to effectively lead people and projects.
Program Overview
This Health Systems educational program is based on academic excellence, and the values of community involvement, service, and health equity. Completion of a baccalaureate degree provides new and relevant knowledge and skills to healthcare professionals. An important benefit may be broadening employment prospects in traditional and/or non-traditional work settings. Contemporary non-traditional work settings and roles may include:
- Product development or sales
- School or community-based health programs
- Local, state or federal health programs
- Health care related project management
- Health care management or leadership roles
- Health care insurers or payers
- Educational roles
- Research
The health systems baccalaureate completion program is designed to meet the professional and educational goals of individuals involved in some aspect of the health care field. Students determine the pace of their education, allowing flexibility in advancing the education while maintaining employment. The curriculum, in establishing content domain areas, provides opportunities for students to individualize the degree program. Students work with their academic advisor to select courses appropriate to meet the focus area requirements.
The program focuses on:
- Expanding project management knowledge and skills
- Deepening professional growth in the role as a community minded health professional
- Preparing students to work within diverse communities and teams
- Expanding team collaboration and communication skills
- Preparing for greater leadership opportunities.
Student outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- effectively communicate with culturally diverse individuals, groups, and communities.
- collaborate across disciplines to address complex health care issues.
- evaluate and apply relevant scientific evidence to advance health.
- analyze dynamic situations within complex health care systems and make evidence-based, theory-informed decisions.
- effectively lead people and manage organizational resources to accomplish goals.
- design effective, stakeholder-informed prevention and health promotion strategies to advance community health outcomes.
- analyze ethical dilemmas specific to the provision of health care and determine actions based on sound ethical decision making.