This post was written by the team at Excelsior College, a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college focused on providing educational opportunity to adult learners.
The term “health sciences” covers a large variety of careers within health care. Those earning an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in health sciences may choose to specialize in clinical careers, health care management, or in specialized fields such as wellness or public health. It’s a degree increasingly in demand as the health care industry expands. The federal government projects 2.4 million jobs will be added in the health care industry by 2026. That’s an 18 percent increase over the number of jobs in 2016—far faster than the average growth of about 7 percent for all occupations.
Earning a degree in health sciences prepares graduates for some of the most rewarding and satisfying professions in the health care industry. The evolution of online degree programs has made this easier than ever, offering students flexibility in how they earn their degree.
CAREERS IN HEALTH SCIENCES
Where can a degree in health sciences take you? Much of that depends on where you want to go and where you are coming from in terms of your career. Some students who earn degrees in health sciences go on to pursue clinical jobs like dental hygienist, physical therapy assistant, surgical technician, EKG technologist, veterinary technician, or radiation therapist, or may pursue non-clinical jobs like medical and health services manager, claims reviewer, health education specialist, or community health specialist. Alternatively, many of those who choose to enter a health sciences degree program already work in the health care industry. They want to earn a degree to move up into higher positions in their field or to switch into another job within health care.
Programs vary by school. To offer an example of the possibilities, here’s a look at health sciences degree programs at Excelsior College by degree level. This by no means covers every career option but gives an idea of how the program can support a career in health care.
To learn more about Excelsior College’s educational alliance with the federal government, including tuition and fee discounts, click here.
