B.S. Health Sciences

Improve your career well-being with a health sciences degree online

The focus of healthcare has expanded from diagnosis and treatment of the sick to include long-term wellness and disease prevention. Our transfer-friendly Health Sciences bachelor's degree program is designed for problem-solvers with a passion for changing the lives of individuals and communities by improving access to health and wellness services. The program structure enables you to customize your degree with focused coursework in cultural diversity, emergency planning, health informatics, healthcare management, and risk management and insurance.

Program Overview

The demand for professionals prepared to answer the call to improve quality and access to public health services in the United States is projected to increase by 20 percent* through 2025, a rate faster than the national average.  Franklin’s cross-disciplinary online Health Sciences degree program prepares you to take on broad roles in this growing industry. Core courses in medical terminology, community mental health, public administration and public heath provide you with the foundational knowledge to thrive in the ever-expanding realm of health and wellness.

You will be introduced to grant writing for nonprofits, which will not only help you identify and successfully pursue grant opportunities, you will also extend and apply your communication skills while leveraging interdisciplinary insight to solve real-world problems. In addition, you will learn to manage risk and mitigate liability, make ethical decisions and incorporate employment law procedures as part of the exploration of the legal aspects of healthcare management.

Program Outcomes

  1. Evaluate the economic, legal, social, and ethical challenges facing health and wellness

  2. Create professional communications using appropriate data visualization tools

  3. Analyze the benefits and challenges of organizational-level policies relating to health and wellness

  4. Formulate strategies to alleviate obstacles to achieving health and wellness

  5. Identify common terminology, tools, and practices used in health and wellness domains

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

Fundamental General Education
English Composition
ENG 120 - College Writing (4)

In this course, students acquire the writing competencies necessary for completing analytical and argumentative papers supported by secondary research. A variety of assignments, beginning with personal reflections, build upon one another, as students develop ideas that respond to, critique, and synthesize the positions of others. Students systematize and organize knowledge in ways that will help them in all their courses. The course also emphasizes the elements of critical reading, effective writing style, appropriate grammar and mechanics, clarity of language, and logical and cohesive development. It culminates in submission of an extended, documented research paper.

Mathematics
MATH 215 - Statistical Concepts (4)

This course introduces you to statistics with applications to various areas. The course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics included are: sampling techniques, data types, experiments; measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, graphical displays of data, basic probability concepts, binomial and normal probability distributions, sampling distributions and Central Limit Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis tests of a mean, or a proportion for one or two populations, and linear regression.

Science
SCIE 244 - Foundations of Anatomy & Physiology (4)

This course is designed for students interested in the allied healthcare professions. The course focuses on the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology that are necessary to be successful in any allied healthcare program. This course can be used to fulfill the general education science with a lab requirement, however, it is not recommended for students outside the allied health professions.

SCIE 254 - Health & Human Disease (4)

This course is designed for students pursuing allied health professions and provides an overview of human health and disease processes. Students will learn about common diseases and how they affect human health at cellular, organ, and systemic levels. Emphasis will be placed on the body as a system and how disease impacts the human body as a whole. The course focuses on the fundamental concepts of health and human disease that are necessary to be successful in any allied healthcare program. The pre-requisite for SCIE 254 is successful completion (a C or better) in SCIE 244.

Social and Behavioral Sciences
PSYC 110 - General Psychology (4)

This course is a survey of the various fields of study comprising modern scientific psychology. We will examine the theories, research findings, and applications in each of the major areas of psychology, with the goal of providing students with practical information they can apply to their personal and professional lives. The topic areas covered in the course include learning and memory, motivation and emotion, human development, theories of personality, psychopathology, and social behavior.

SOCL 110 - Introduction to Sociology (4)

Sociology is the scientific study of group behavior - whether the groups are dyads, small groups, associations, bureaucracies, societies, publics, aggregates, social movements, or mobs, etc. This introductory course introduces the student to sociological principles and theoretical perspectives that facilitate understanding the norms, values, structure, and process of the various types of groups into which people organize. The course focuses on applying the scientific method to studying social problems (e.g. poverty, crime, sexism, and racism) and basic institutions (i.e. family, government, economy, religion, education). Students will develop their "sociological imagination" as a way of understanding what their lives are and can be in relation to the larger social forces at work in local, national, and international environments.

Arts & Humanities

6 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Art, English Literature, Fine Arts, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion or Theater disciplines.

Additional General Education
PF 121 - Basic Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferrable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for time management, goal setting, reading comprehension, and advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments.

OR PF 321 - Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments. The assignments and activities in the course are created to closely simulate teamwork found in the workplace.

COMM 150 - Interpersonal Communication (4)

By using applied critical and creative thinking, students in this course will develop a set of communication skills that will enhance their personal and professional relationships and endeavors. This course will focus on skill development in key areas such as self, perception, listening, verbal messages, conversations, relationships, conflict management, persuasion, and presentation skills.

OR SPCH 100 - Speech Communication (4)

This basic public-speaking course intends to improve the student's ability to think critically and to communicate orally. Theory and practice are provided in various speaking situations. Each student is required to speak before an audience, but class work also involves reading, gathering and organizing information, writing, and listening.

BUSA 200 - Database Fundamentals (2)

This introductory course focuses on applying information technology to business strategies using databases. The student will gain a working knowledge of current database technology, including relational database concepts, database design, data extraction, and data warehousing while working with database applications.

ENG 220 - Research Writing: Exploring Professional Identities (4)

This is an intermediate course focusing on the composition of research papers. Students in this course prepare to be active participants in professional discourse communities by examining and practicing the writing conventions associated with their own fields of study and work. By calling attention to the conventions of disciplinary writing, the course also prepares students for upper-division college writing and the special conventions of advanced academic discourse. Course activities include three extended research papers, semi-formal writing addressing interdisciplinary communication, and readings fostering critical engagement with disciplinary conversations.

Professional Core
ACCT 202 - Financial/Managerial Acct for Non-Majors (4)

This course is an introduction to financial and managerial accounting. It is designed for non-accounting majors. Financial accounting emphasizes how general purpose financial statements communicate information about the business's performance and position for users external to management. It emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information. The course also examines the major elements of the financial statements. The managerial accounting portion of the course studies internal reporting and decision-making. The course assists those who wish to learn "what the numbers mean" in a clear, concise and conceptual manner without focusing on the mechanical aspects of the accounting process.

OR ACCT 215 - Financial Accounting (4)

This course is an introduction to accounting, emphasizing how general-purpose financial statements communicate information about the business corporation's performance and position for users external to management. Approximately one third of the course emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information and includes exposure to recording transactions, adjusting balances and preparing financial statements for service and merchandise firms according to established rules and procedures. The balance of the course examines major elements of the statements such as cash, receivables, inventory, long-lived assets, depreciation, time value of money, payroll, bonds, and other liabilities and stocks. Concepts of this course are applied to ACCT 225 (Managerial Accounting). Students are advised to avoid any time lapse between these two courses.

HCM 210 - Healthcare Foundations (2)

This course will provide fundamental information regarding health, healthcare, and the healthcare delivery system. Students will become familiar with the various types of healthcare organizations, stakeholders, and healthcare issues in order to shape their understanding of the different components of the healthcare delivery system. Through the exploration of health information, students will discuss and analyze the role healthcare professions play within healthcare.

HCM 442 - Legal Aspects of Healthcare Management (4)

Understanding cultural competency, ethics, policy, and law is necessary for healthcare professionals in a continuously evolving healthcare system. This course will provide students with practical knowledge and methods for applying ethical, legal, and cultural decision-making frameworks to mitigate risks. Topics will include regulatory compliance, patient consent, privacy and confidentiality, and cultural competence.

HIM 150 - Medical Terminology (2)

This course will introduce the foundations of medical terminology nomenclature and use. Emphasis will be on the fundamentals of prefix, word root, and suffix linkages to build a broad medical vocabulary.

SOCL 335 - Applied Research Methods (4)

Applied Research Methods introduces students to the basic research designs and data collection techniques involved in human subjects? research common to social research environments. After completion of this course, the student should know the basics of social research ethics, the steps of the research process, the strengths and weaknesses of selected types of qualitative and quantitative research strategies, issues of selecting or creating and refining instruments of measurement, how to properly select an appropriate sample of subjects, and how to interpret selected statistical measures utilized in hypothesis testing.

PUBH 201 - Introduction to Public Health (4)

This course provides a basic introduction to public health concepts and practice by examining the philosophy, purpose, history, organization, functions, tools, activities and results of public health practice at the national, state, and community levels. The course also examines public health occupations and careers. Case studies and a variety of practice-related exercises serve as a basis for learner participation in practical public health problem-solving simulations.

Major Area Required
COMM 355 - Introduction to Grant Writing for Non-Profits (4)

In today's competitive and budget-conscious workplace, we need to be as efficient and cost effective as possible. For many organizations, that means pursuing and getting external funding in the form of grants. Nonprofits of all sizes must now be continually working on grants?searching for and identifying potential funding sources/grants, completing both new grants and re-applying for grants, as well as reporting to funders on grants received. Because of the importance and complexity of grants, all full-time and many part-time nonprofit employees are involved in supporting these activities. This course focuses on the essential skills of the grant-writing process and how to write a grant. There are many types of grants and funding arrangements, and in this course we will address nonprofit, project-based grants. Each student will write a grant proposal using information and resources provided as a starting point. Grant writing is typically a collaborative process, but it is important for each student to learn all the steps of putting a grant together; therefore, each student will work on his or her own project. Students are encouraged to share their proposals with a nonprofit and offer to work on a "real" proposal with them after completing the course; however, students are not to submit any proposal on their own to any funder. The work completed in this course is for academic purposes and strictly for the learning experience of the student. If a proposal is re-crafted in collaboration with an established nonprofit and submitted to a funder, that is wonderful, but not a requirement or expectation of the course. This course will enable students to recognize when a grant might be appropriate as a source of funds for a nonprofit organization or project, identify and understand nonprofit status, adhere to conventions and standards associated with successful grant applications, locate grant opportunities, analyze grant requirements, prepare metrics for success, and develop a written grant proposal. This course will provide an opportunity for students to extend and apply their communication skills. Students pursuing this course will also leverage interdisciplinary insights to solve a real-world problem.

COMM 400 - Intercultural Communication (4)

This course provides an overview of issues, processes, and theories involved with communicating with individuals from different cultures. Topics include thinking and communicating in global contexts and professional relationships in diverse environments.

PUBH 250 - Health Behavior (4)

This course will provide students with an overview of how the social and behavioral sciences contribute to primary prevention in the rapidly expanding field of health behavior. Emphasis will be placed on theory-driven approaches that are supported by empirical investigations. Students will acquire a working knowledge of foundational theories used in public health practice as well as the ability to measure key theoretical constructs.

PUBH 300 - Health Education and Promotion Concepts (4)

Students taking this course will learn effective communication skills to positively influence the norms and behaviors of both individuals and communities. Common themes are health education methods, including theories and models, promoting multicultural diversity, social marketing concepts, and health communication strategies.

PUBH 310 - Health Program Planning (4)

This course encompasses the important steps in planning an effective health program; including planning frameworks, needs assessment, and implementation steps. Students will incorporate health behavior theories, health determinants, and behaviors to effectively strategize effective programs to improve health of a population.

PUBH 400 - Health Program Evaluation (4)

This course will lead students through the various types of health program implementation and evaluation strategies, including quality, fidelity, and desired effect. Concepts will include various theories and approaches, as well as qualitative and quantitative assessment methods to determine program success.

PUBH 495 - Health Education and Promotion Capstone (4)

This course is designed to be the cumulative learning demonstration of a Health Education and Promotion degree. Students will be asked to identify a real-world problem that affects the health and/or wellbeing of a population, and propose evidence-based solutions that provide targeted actions to promote improved health. Specifically, students will develop a health program plan incorporating health behavior theories and an appropriate framework. Experience obtained through volunteering, internships, civic engagement, and other types of service learning is encouraged to supplement academic research and application

SEMT 240 - Disaster Planning & Response (4)

In planning for catastrophic disasters using strategic protocols and tools are needed for incorporating environmental and social into efficient responses. The importance for understanding the history of previous catastrophic events, and learning from those responses. What worked well? What didn?t? Will better prepare us for the future challenges as they arise. Students will explore the nuances of planning for and respond to catastrophic disasters. The course will discuss domestic and international approaches to planning and responding to such disasters. The Emergency Manager will spend most of their time in the field planning for critical incidents and disasters and understanding the key components to a good plan that involves many agencies at all levels of government and at different stages of the event is essential. Students will delve into the logistics of mass care, mass evacuations, and critical infrastructure damage.

SOCL 355 - Community Mental Health (4)

This course will provide students with a comprehensive overview of community mental health. This includes an exploration of the history, financing, and delivery of mental health services. Mental health problems will be examined across the lifespan. The course will critically examine how services are conceived, funded, provided, and evaluated. Factors contributing to mental health problems and approaches to preventing mental illness are also explored. Students will learn about model programs and evidence-based practices that are currently being promoted in Ohio and elsewhere.

University Electives

22 credits from the following types of courses:
Any undergraduate courses offered by the University except developmental education courses.

Students may take a graduate level course to fulfill requirements in an undergraduate program. Please review the academic policy and speak with your advisor for more details. Students should choose from the following graduate courses: HCM 733, HCM735, HCM742, HIM 702, HIM 710, and HIM 761.

Additional Requirements

All students are required to pass College Writing (ENG 120), and either Basic Learning Strategies (PF 121) or Learning Strategies (PF 321) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Students who enroll at Franklin with 30 or fewer hours of transfer credit are required to pass PF 121 Basic Learning Strategies in place of PF 321 Learning Strategies. Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) or Speech Communication (SPCH 100) must be taken prior to enrolling in any course at the 300 level or above. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.