Associate in Science in Health Sciences

Health Sciences graduates discussing health care policy in a meeting

Associate in Science in Health Sciences

Associate in Science in Health Sciences

Health Sciences graduates discussing health care policy in a meeting

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Launch Your Health Care Career with an AS in Health Sciences

100% Online Learning

The Associate in Science in Health Sciences is your gateway to a rewarding career in health care. In this interactive program, you expand your medical vocabulary, improve your professional communication skills, and gain an in-depth understanding of the U.S. health care system—all of which you can apply right away.

The AS in Health Sciences is especially suited to veterans and service members with military medical training, allied health professionals, and those working in medical billing and coding seeking new professional opportunities or a path to continue their education at the bachelor’s level.

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PROGRAM DETAILS

Online AS in Health Sciences

  • General Education21 Credits
  • Major Core12 Credits
  • University4 Credits
  • Electives23 Credits

Associate in Science in Health Sciences

  • Year 1 - Term 1
    • The future: the only constant is change. The only certainty is uncertainty. So how do you prepare today for what might come tomorrow? In this introductory, interdisciplinary course unique to Excelsior University, you will learn through questions, not answers. You will challenge your prior assumptions, open your mind, and consider society s future dilemmas, progress, and crises. You will plan and question your own future your educational path, career trajectories, personal interests, ambitions, and mindsets. And you will build the foundational skills and flexibility of mind research and writing, critical thinking, argumentative reasoning, metacognition, and self-regulation to help you navigate the uncertainty and change of our future societies, workplaces, and selves. Note: This course must be completed with a grade of C or higher. Registration in this course is restricted to incoming students with fewer than 60 transfer credits. This course duplicates IND301 and CCS120. Credit for only one of these courses will be applied toward graduation. The Cornerstone cannot be completed in the same term as a Capstone course.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      University Requirement
    • Information literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, interpret, and use information legally, ethically, and effectively. This course provides a broad overview of information literacy concepts, including the differences between academic and popular research methods, finding and evaluating sources, reading sources critically, writing with sources, and safely navigating information networks such as the internet. Students must complete information literacy within their first 13 credits at Excelsior.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      1
      Zero Textbook Cost
      University Requirement
  • Year 1 - Term 2
    • This class provides students with foundational knowledge and skills to prepare them for academic and professional writing. By analyzing the work of other writers, students will learn to approach writing from a rhetorical and genre-based perspective. They will practice sentence- and paragraph-level writing, learning to revise and correct their own work. They will also work on finding, documenting, and effectively integrating sources into a research-based essay. Both traditional (textual) and multimodal (textual and visual) composition will be addressed.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      Alternative Courses Available
      General Education: Written English I
    • In this interdisciplinary course, students will develop the analytical skills necessary to examine ethical issues in the workplace. Students explore conventional ethical theories and principles, develop ethical decision-making, and resolve common dilemmas. Students discuss the multiple challenges faced by professionals and identify ethical practices or codes that apply to each of their own professions.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      General Education: Ethics
  • Year 1 - Term 3
    • This course helps students to develop their skill as public speakers and oral communicators. Designed to provide students with a supportive environment where they can overcome the anxiety they may feel about public speaking, the class emphasizes techniques and practices for effective speech construction and delivery. Students will also develop critical thinking and listening skills. Students taking this course will need access to recording equipment for the purpose of creating podcasts, voiced-over PowerPoint presentations and videotaped speeches.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      Alternative Courses Available
      General Education: Humanities
    • In this course, you'll apply psychological principles and theory to your everyday life.  In addition to foundational topics like psychology as a science, learning and memory, human development, and consciousness, you will learn about some more specific topics like stress and health, psychological disorders and therapy, and human sexuality. Concepts learned in this course can be applied in any career to better understand behavior, thought, and emotion. Note: This course uses lower cost interactive courseware instead of textbooks.  
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
  • Year 1 - Term 4
    • The goal of this course is to help students develop mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills that will serve them well in their lives both in and out of school. Topics will include the important real-world applications of measurement units, managing money, statistics in the media, the mathematics of voting, and mathematics in the arts and nature. Providing correct solutions to routine problems is not the goal; more important is the ability to communicate effectively about mathematical reasoning and to solve realistic, practical problems both collaboratively with other students and individually. This is a survey course introducing the student to a variety of mathematical topics. It does not prepare a student for future courses that require a knowledge of algebra (e.g. PreCalculus or Statistics).
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      General Education: Math
    • This course introduces students to the skills and theories of interpersonal communication, which are essential for building and maintaining successful personal and professional relationships. Students will evaluate the complicated interactions of psychological, social and cultural forces involved in interpersonal exchanges, while learning about personality traits, the perception of self and others, listening, managing conflict, and verbal and non-verbal communication.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Arts & Sciences
  • Year 1 - Term 5
    • This course is designed to help you improve your academic and workplace writing skills. The course emphasizes research-based, argument-driven writing. You will complete a research paper, a workplace proposal, and an oral presentation related to your academic discipline or profession. You will practice finding, evaluating, and citing sources; paraphrasing and summarizing; outlining and paragraphing; and revising and proofreading.
      Prerequisites
      ENG101 English Composition I or ENG101A Advanced Composition I
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      Alternative Courses Available
      Arts & Sciences
    • This course is an introductory survey of US history from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 through the recent past. The course examines the evolution of the United States from a nation torn apart by war to a global superpower. Students will study major political, social, and economic trends in the modern United States, with a particular focus on diversity and cross-cultural encounters. Students will engage in primary and secondary source analysis and learn to communicate historical arguments using a variety of tools. This course uses a lower-cost interactive webtext instead of a traditional textbook.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      General Education: Social Science & History
  • Year 1 - Term 6
    • This course will prepare you for accurate oral and written use of medical language in a variety of health care settings and from multiple practitioner perspectives. You will gain a practical understanding of medical terminology that includes basic elements and word structure, body references, and specific vocabulary of the human biological systems. You will learn to interpret medical language into common terms and the proper language structure when using medical terms. 
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Major Requirement
    • This is a course designed for students who need to complete the General Education requirement for math and science as well as for those considering majoring in the natural sciences. The course covers the major areas of study and aspects of life on our planet explored by biologists. The course moves from the cellular and biochemical level through all classifications of living organisms to the examination of ecology and the biosphere. Students will also spend time examining the process of evolution for both populations and species. There is a final project that the students will work on throughout their time in the course. This final project is a presentation that will utilize both audio and video recordings. Several discussions in the course will require audio recordings to be submitted.  Students are expected to be able to access the appropriate technologies to complete these assignments. Freely available technology options will be provided in the course. 
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      Alternative Courses Available
      General Education: Natural Science
  • Year 2 - Term 1
    • This course provides the students with opportunities to explore the structure and function of the United States (US) health care delivery system. Students will learn about health care finance, settings for care, modes of delivery, the role of technology, and key trends in health care.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Major Requirement
    • This course provides students with an opportunity to explore multiple aspects of professionalism in the health care occupations. Topics covered include cultural competence, legal and ethical issues, effective communication, interdisciplinary teams, and professional competence.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Major Requirement
  • Year 2 - Term 2
    • This course is an introduction to microbiology. It covers the fundamental concepts of microbiology, including the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and algae. Students will explore the structure, function, genetics, and physiology of microorganisms, as well as their roles in the environment and human health. Microbiology covers the scientific methods necessary to understand microbial growth and metabolism and provides a historical perspective by reviewing the major scientific contributions that led to modern-day microbiology. Our scientific inquiry will include case studies, a variety of visual aids, virtual labs, discussions, and written assignments.

      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
  • Year 2 - Term 3
    • This course focuses on the structure and function of the human body. Topics and body systems that will be studied include: the chemistry of life, histology and the integumentary system, skeletal and articulation system, muscular system, nervous system, sensory system and the endocrine system.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
    • This is a laboratory course that utilizes simulations and hands-on experiments to study body systems that include: cells, blood, integumentary system, muscular system, nervous system, skeletal system and the endocrine system. Students use the scientific method in an experimental environment, learn and use safe laboratory practices, perform dissections, perform experiments, gather and analyze data, and present data and conclusions in scientific laboratory reports. (1 credit course)
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      1
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
  • Year 2 - Term 4
    • This course focuses on the structure and function of the human body. Topics and body systems that will be studied include: blood, the cardiovascular system, lymphatic and immune system, respiratory system, digestive system, nutrition and metabolism, urinary system and fluid balance, and reproductive systems.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
    • This is a laboratory course that utilizes simulations and hands-on experiments to study body systems that include: temperature regulation and metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, digestive system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, urinary system, the reproductive system, and human development and genetics. Students use the scientific method in an experimental environment, learn and use safe laboratory practices, perform dissections, perform experiments, gather and analyze data, and present data and conclusions in scientific laboratory reports. (1 credit course)
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      1
      Alternative Courses Available
      Major Elective
  • Year 2 - Term 5
    • This course introduces the science of lifespan development and the concept of human growth as being a product of the interaction among the biology, psychology, and environment of the individual. This course examines the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and environment factors across the lifespan. Students will explore, analyze, and present theories and evidence associated with developmental science from conception through death. Concepts learned in this course can be applied to any career focusing on health or human services and can help learners raise healthier children and live in more functional families. 
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      General Education: Lifespan
    • This course provides an introduction to the genre of rock and roll, its form and derivations, and rock and roll artists and bands spanning the years 1955 to 1970. Through reading and numerous listening examples, this course will look at the state of American popular music after World War II, the inception of rock and roll in the 1950s, the growth of youth culture in America, and the growing popularity of rock and roll through radio, film, and television.
      Prerequisites
      None
      Credit Hours
      3
      Alternative Courses Available
      Arts & Sciences
  • Year 2 - Term 6
    • This end-of-program capstone course provides students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the health care delivery system and professional practice in interpreting health science-based scenarios. Students will apply effective critical thinking and communication throughout the course.
      Prerequisites
      The Capstone must be the last course taken. All major core and university requirement courses must be complete. The capstone can be paired with 1 other course that is considered to be general education course (excluding courses to meet the Written English Requirement and the Ethics Requirement), a concentration course, elective, or lab course (even if the lab is in the major).
      Credit Hours
      3
      Zero Textbook Cost
      Major Requirement
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Graduates at commencement
Excelsior gave me the opportunity to follow my dreams … there’s no time frame on getting your education.

Caleen Oliver
Bachelor of Science, 2015

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Institutional Accreditation

Excelsior University is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission) www.msche.org. Excelsior University’s accreditation status is accreditation reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 23, 2022 was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States.

All of Excelsior University’s academic programs are registered (i.e., approved) by the New York State Education Department.

FAQ

60 credits are required for the Associate in Science in Health Sciences.

  • Cornerstone Course
  • Written English Requirement
  • Ethics: Health Care Ethics Suggested (HSC 214 Ethics and the Health Professions)
    • HIS 214 Ethics and the Health Professions or HSC 312 Ethics of Health Care
    • Humanities elective
  • Social Sciences
    • Lifespan Developmental Psychology
    • Social science elective
  • Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    • Natural science supportive of health sciences (minimum 2 credits)
    • Mathematics (minimum 2 credits)
    • Additional courses to reach required credits
  • Information Literacy
  • Arts and Sciences Electives
  • Applied Professional and/or Additional Arts and Sciences Courses
  • Capstone Course

The Health Sciences Component provides you with a solid knowledge base in the health sciences field.

Core Health Science Courses

Medical Terminology

This course introduces you to the medical language that’s necessary to every career in health care. As you become familiar with medical reporting style guidelines established by the American Association of Medical Transcription (AAMT), you learn how to read and pronounce medical terms. After this course, your working vocabulary will include terminologies of disease, pharmacology, and biological systems in human anatomy and physiology, and you’ll know how to use these terms correctly while writing and talking in health care settings.

Health Care in the United States

Learn how the U.S. health care and health insurance systems work, and how your work fits into the bigger picture. This course covers the ways public, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations deliver, finance, and manage health care services. Topics include: federal regulations such as the Affordable Care Act; access disparity; Medicaid, Medicare, and private health insurance systems; electronic medical records and medical office information technology; quality and safety in health care settings; and careers in licensed and non-licensed health care professions.

Professionalism in Health Care

Learn best practices for communicating with co-workers, clients/consumers, and families; resolving workplace conflict; planning your professional development; improving your cultural competence with diverse populations; and responding to fraud, malpractice, safety, and negligence. Instruction also covers organizational policy, patient rights, informed consent, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Health Science Electives

You may be able to satisfy your health sciences electives requirement with credit awarded for your health care license or certification or prior coursework/transfer credits in a health science discipline. Visit the Credit for Health Care Credentials page to learn more.

Sample health science electives at Excelsior University include courses such as:

  • Anatomy and Physiology (I and II)
  • Introduction to Health Care Management
  • Spanish Communication for the Health Care Professions
  • Why We Overeat: Perspectives on Nutrition
  • Sex, Gender, and Health
  • Addictions in America
  • Health in the News
  • Biology of Health and Disease

Associate Health Sciences Capstone

This course assesses the knowledge you gained through the associate health science program curriculum. Explore the health care delivery system as it relates to specific health care professions, and exercise and refine your communication skills through activities such as resume writing and responding to interview questions.