Online Health Care and Health Sciences Degree and Certificate Programs

Yes. You can definitely earn a health science degree online. 

Whether you choose to study at a university or at an online college of health science, it’s not only possible to earn your health sciences degree virtually—it’s smart. Learning online can help you save on tuition costs and give you greater control of your time.

Most of today’s online health sciences degree programs are widely accepted, well-respected sources for beginning a career in health care, advancing your current credentials, or keeping your skills up-to-date. Whatever level of the profession you’re in, there’s an online path for you.

While online health sciences programs deliver coursework fully online, many health science careers require a live clinical or practicum experience where you can apply the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom. Purdue Global degrees allow you to complete these practice experiences where you work, under the mentorship of a Faculty Advisor, or at a participating health facility in your community.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

Health sciences is a broad field with many subject areas. When considering a program, it can help to review your goals with yourself and the potential outcomes of a particular degree. Are you looking to enter into the field of health care or earn a role within a corporate or community organization? Do you already have a career and are looking to make a shift? Are you aiming for a leadership role or special certification? Once you can define for yourself where your objectives lie, you’ll be better able to choose the field that’s right for you.

The different levels of health sciences degrees offered by Purdue Global include the following:

• Associate’s: An associate’s degree qualifies you for entry-level health science careers and typically takes two years to complete. We offer military-friendly associate’s degrees in health science.
• Bachelor’s: A bachelor's degree is designed to provide you with a more well-rounded foundation. It sets you up with hands-on skills for your relevant job market and starts you on a career path. We offer bachelor’s degrees in health and wellness, health care administration, health education and promotion, health information management, health science, and nutrition.
• Master’s: A master's degree can help you advance your career. We offer master’s degrees in health care administration, health education, health informatics, health information management, and public health.
• Certificates: Certificates are shorter-term credentials that will often transfer in for master's degree credits or prepare you for entry-level careers in health science. Certificate programs offered by Purdue Global include medical assistant, medical billing and coding, and medical office administration.

Different fields in health science require varying levels of patient interaction. Depending on whether you want to be patient-facing or behind the scenes, you can choose from the following paths:

• Patient-facing fields in health science: medical assistant, medical billing and coding, medical office administration, health information management, nutrition, and health and wellness.
• Behind-the-scenes fields in health science: health care administration, health informatics, health education and promotion, health science, and public health.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

You might have some questions about going to class online. Our programs were built to be tailored to you, with direct support available whenever you need it. Whether by connecting with expert faculty or engaging with other students, you’ll never be alone in your studies.

Purdue Global is dedicated to providing the best online platform for effective learning. There are two major components to online learning with us:

• Live Seminars: these are the interactive, real-time portion of your education, led by a faculty member.
• Online Classroom: this is where you complete your work and take quizzes and tests. You can also connect with peers and faculty in this space. You’ll find all the resources and tools you need, including your course syllabus, grading rubrics, checkpoint activities, the classroom discussion board, assignment drop box, and reading materials.

While online health sciences programs deliver coursework fully online, many health science careers that are patient-facing require a live clinical or practicum experience where you can apply the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom. Purdue Global allows you to complete these practice experiences where you work, under the mentorship of a Faculty Advisor, or at a participating health facility in your community.

Purdue Global also offers plenty of academic support for round-the-clock assistance:

• Tutors for writing, math, science, technology, and business
• The ability to submit a paper or ask a question about writing, math, science, and business
• Time management help
• Plagiarism information
• Webinars
• Numerous writing workshops on topics such as:
• Professional writing
• Grammar and mechanics
• Thesis development
• Citations

Our health sciences faculty not only hold advanced degrees but also have significant work experience in their fields. That means they’re knowledgeable about the current health care landscape—and they bring that knowledge into the classroom. You’ll learn from these experts no matter which class you’re taking, and can take advantage of their expertise during office hours.

Field Experience, Practicum, Externship, and/or Clinical Requirements: The field experience/practicum/externship/clinical provides the student with a supervised onsite learning experience in conjunction with an online course. The student is responsible for identifying an appropriate field experience/practicum/externship/clinical site, submitting all required documentation, and obtaining approval from the appropriate school staff.

Yes, many online health sciences school programs are accredited, including those offered by Purdue Global. Still, you must do your due diligence and research the accreditation status of each institution you are considering. As an institution, Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Purdue Global’s online Medical Assistant Certificate is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.CAAHEP.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Accredited online medical assistant programs must pass a rigorous qualification process. Our CAAHEP accredited program is assessed on an ongoing basis to assure that it meets the Standards and Guidelines of the profession.

Additionally, the Purdue Global Medical Billing and Coding Certificate program is approved by the AHIMA Professional Certificate Approval Program (PCAP). This designation acknowledges the coding program as having been evaluated by a peer-review process using a national minimum set of standards for entry-level coding professionals. This process allows academic institutions to be acknowledged as offering an AHIMA-approved coding certificate program.

The Health Information Management accreditor of Purdue Global is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). 

Purdue Global and our Master of Health Informatics and Master of Health Information Management programs are also recognized by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) as an Approved Education Partner (AEP). As a HIMSS AEP, Purdue Global has met HIMSS’s rigorous standards for delivering world-class, effective health care and health IT education. HIMSS-approved educational programs provide advanced knowledge in health information and technology or health care and prepare candidates to sit for the CAHIMS or CPHIMS exam.

Health sciences is a rapidly evolving field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth rate for jobs in health care occupations from 2021 to 2031 is 13% (much faster than the average for all occupations). Demand for health care services is expected to increase due to an aging population, evolving public health situations, and greater demand for preventive health care services.

Careers in health science require strong communication, analytical problem-solving, and ethical skills. Graduates receive a well-rounded education that’s valuable in a variety of settings and jobs with health science degrees within hospitals, community organizations, schools, corporate settings, and more.

So, what can you do with a health science degree? Here are some health science career pathways you may qualify for, depending on your program:

Medical and Health Services Manager

Health services managers plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of health care providers. Their employment is expected to grow 28% from 2021 to 2031.

Medical Assistant

Medical Assistants maintain medical records and perform clinical tasks, often interacting with patients, doctors, and technicians. Employment is expected to grow 16% from 2021 to 2031.

Dietitian or Nutritionist

Dietitians and nutritionists plan and evaluate nutritional programs to help people live healthier lives. Their employment is expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations from 2021 to 2031.

Home Health and Personal Care Aide

Personal Care Aides monitor the conditions of people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Employment is expected to grow 25% from 2021 to 2031.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.

The length of time it takes to complete your health sciences degree depends on the type of degree you’re studying for and your previous experience. Many students enroll at Purdue Global with a range of prior learning credits and experiences. Our student body includes everyone from professionals looking to advance their careers to career-changers who are new to the health sciences field. To make things easy, we provide a graduation date calculator to help you determine your expected graduation date based on your unique situation.

There are many health care careers you can launch in 2 years or less. Depending on the degree, average completion times vary from student to student. Undergraduate health sciences programs take an average of 4 years.

For weekly time commitments, we estimate Purdue Global students should plan for the following:

• For students enrolled in 10-week terms: ~15-18 hours per week, per course
• For students enrolled in 12-week terms: ~20-25 hours per week, per course

(These estimates include time spent in the online classroom in addition to offline study. Advanced courses may require additional time.)

We offer various ways to shorten your path to a health sciences degree. For example, our various Exceltrack™ programs allow you to control your pace and the number of courses you take at a time, allowing you to earn the same degree, but faster and for less tuition.

See Notes and Conditions below for important information.