Best Online Master's Degrees in Health Science

BestAccreditedColleges.org has taken accessibility and affordability into consideration, and has compiled this list of some of the best options for obtaining an online master's degree in health science. We also took into consideration some unique factors, such as, available concentrations, opportunities to learn outside of the classroom, and curriculum's that meet the opportunities available within the field. If you are looking to advance your education with this online degree, any of the schools on this list would be an excellent choice!

1.Northern Kentucky University

First on our list is Northern Kentucky University, located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, a suburb that is only minutes away from downtown Cincinnati. Northern Kentucky University offers an online Master of Science in Health Science that prepares students for careers in management and leadership, education, or informatics, and is one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky! Highlights of this program include affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition, that is the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students, hands-on work with an instructor in an area specific to your elective courses, where students apply their learned skills and knowledge, and a flexible online format designed to accommodate working professionals. Northern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Next on our list is Oregon Institute of Technology, a university, based in Klamath Falls, Oregon, that offers an online Master of Science in Allied Health. Oregon Institute of Technology is the only polytechnic university in Oregon, meaning the university emphasizes technical subjects and applied skills! In this program, students gain skills in leadership, research, teaching, and business. Students will have the opportunity to learn both in the classroom and through hands-on learning in the form of internships, externships, and offered field experiences! Oregon Institute of Technology is accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

3. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has campuses throughout the Valley region and offers an abundance of fully-online graduate degrees, such as their online Master of Science in Health Science. This degree is offered with a variety of concentrations, including Clinical Laboratory Services, Health Care Administration, Health Professions Education and Technology, Healthcare Informatics, and Nutrition, all of which are completed in an accelerated timeline. Graduate students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley can expect to form close mentorship relationships with faculty, who provide advice and opportunities for each student. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has the additional benefits of available scholarships and financial aid.

4. University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida is a research university, located in Orlando, Florida, that offers an online Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics. Students have the benefit of a one-one-one enrollment coach to aid in understanding tuition and the application process, who then transfers students over to a personal success coach once enrolled. Students have the additional benefit of working directly with faculty who assist in arranging internships and establishing student's career track.

5. Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Gulf Coast University is located in Fort Meyers, Florida, and offers an online Master of Science in Health Science, which is for students who aim to work in health care administration positions and leadership roles upon graduation. To meet the fast-changing needs of the health care setting, the program's curriculum has two major highlights; the curriculum is a result of mutual collaboration between the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Business, and the university works with leading health care organizations in the region and continuously updates the curriculum to meet all current opportunities. Students have the added benefits of available financial aid, a tuition waiver for out-of-state-students to bring tuition to in-state rate, and the knowledge of knowing that Florida Gulf Coast University's tuition has remained the same over the last six years.

6. Touro University Worldwide

Touro University Worldwide is an online university that was founded upon Judaic foundation, and aims to ensure that everyone has access to education. Touro University offers an online Master of Science in Health Sciences - Health Education concentration and an online Master of Science in Health Sciences - Public Health concentration. These online degrees prepare students to assume leadership and supervisory roles, where they will have the education and skills to assess and plan, implement, and evaluate health programs. Both concentrations focus on prevention of illness and injury and aim to promote healthier lives, while the health education concentration prepares students to sit for the Certified health Education Specialists (CHES) examination, and the Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) examination.

To get a more in-depth look at our school ranking methodology, please visit our ranking methodology page.

Tuition information is based on published tuition and required fees, per data by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

An online master's degree in health science is a flexible degree option for working professionals wishing to further advance their leadership skills and abilities within the world of healthcare. While there are some careers available for those with a bachelor's degree in health science, a master's degree can move students to more advanced positions. Often, these degree programs allow students to focus their studies in a particular area of interest to prepare for a specific job. Earning a master's degree may also increase a professional's level of income. For instance, according to ''PayScale.com'', the median annual salary for graduates with an MHS was $76,134, as of January 2021, while the median annual salary for those with a Bachelor of Science (BS/BSc) in Health Science was $63,772 for the same time period.

How Long Does It Take to Earn an Online Master's in Health Science?

The time to degree completion for online master's degree programs in health science varies. Some of these programs allow students to work a little more slowly and earn their degree in 2 years, like many traditional master's degree programs. Other master's programs may allow students to work at an accelerated rate and finish their degree within 12 to 18 months, depending on the program. The formatting of the program, such as self-paced curriculum, and a student's personal preference with course load may also affect the time to degree completion.

Depending on the program, online master's degree programs in health science may require between 30 and 43 credits of coursework. Typically, these programs are designed with core health science courses and then multiple track or concentration options that require students to take additional courses focused in a particular subfield. While many of these programs are non-thesis master's programs, some may conclude with a culminating experience of some kind and/or provide the opportunity for hands-on experience in the field. Below, we further detail the curriculum for these programs.

Health Science Foundational Courses

Students in online MHS degree programs may take anywhere between 9 and 21 credits worth of core courses, while students in MS programs may take as little as 5 credits of core courses. These core courses are designed to cover common, big-picture themes of health science that help prepare students for advanced leadership positions. Some programs may include a final capstone course or practicum experience as a culminating experience in the core, required courses. Some of these capstone courses may require a final capstone paper or project. Although course titles vary by institution and program, some of the major topics that these core courses may cover include:

• Ethics
• Health policy
• Issues in health
• Research methods
• Writing/communication in health

Health Science Specialist and Elective Courses

Most online master's degree programs in health science give students at least 2 or more tracks or concentration options to choose from to further focus their studies. Some programs may even provide a generalist track, which gives students the chance to take some open electives and explore areas of interest. Students in a chosen track or concentration often have to take required concentration courses that help them develop specific skill sets and in-depth knowledge of a subfield. Coursework varies based on the track or concentration, but students may be able to choose from focused areas such as:

• Health education
• Health leadership
• Health promotion and social change
• Healthcare law
• Healthcare risk management
• Healthcare administration
• Sports medicine
• Higher education

Licensure and Certification in Health Science

While there is not a specific license or professional certification in health science, there are many different credentials that students may choose or be required to earn in the field based on their specific career. For example, graduates who decide to work in health education may be required to earn the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.'s Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential. This credential requires students to pass an exam and complete continuing education requirements every 5 years to maintain their certification. Other graduates may decide to work as medical and health services managers. These managers may choose to earn specific licenses or certifications based on their job title and duties. For instance, those who work in office management may earn certification from the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management, while those who work in health information management may earn certification from the American Health Information Management Association.

Admissions standards for online health science master's programs differ amongst schools, but programs typically require applicants to hold at least a bachelor's degree. Although this degree does not necessarily need to be in a particular field, some programs may require students to have prior exposure in health issues through coursework in areas such as biology, public health, exercise science, and psychology. Some programs may have specific prerequisite courses in areas such as chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Depending on the program, students may need to meet a minimum GPA requirement, such as a 2.75 or higher, and some programs may require that students have some prior work experience in healthcare or healthcare management/administration. Some of these degree programs may also require students to undergo an interview process. Other common application materials include official transcripts, references, a resume, and a goal/personal statement.

With several options to choose from, students may want to begin by deciding what type of online master's degree program in health science they want to earn. For example, an MHS degree likely gives students more in-depth knowledge of health science and a given concentration area, whereas an MS in another field with a concentration in health science may be more broad in nature. Students who choose an MHS degree program may then want to determine which programs best align with their particular career goals. Students may need to search for a program that offers a specific concentration area and/or provides hands-on experience through a practicum.

In addition to examining the curriculum of different programs of interest, students may want to investigate the formatting of the program, time to degree completion, and the cost of the program. With formatting, students need to find a program that fits their personal schedule and may allow them to study part-time or self-paced. Some students may prefer programs that allow them to finish their degree a little more slowly, while others may want to finish their degree in less than 2 years. The total cost of a program can be tricky to calculate, as students need to include any additional fees, but also need to consider the availability of financial aid, such as scholarships.

Career options for a master's in health science can include both practitioner and administrator positions in a variety of healthcare-related settings. Some graduates may go on to pursue advanced professional degrees to become advanced healthcare practitioners, such as attending graduate school to become a physical therapist, pharmacist, dentist, or occupational therapist. Others may take on leadership positions and work in areas such as hospitals, insurance companies, consulting firms, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations. Students' careers may line up with their chosen concentration in their master's degree program or they may pursue other related positions. A few examples of possible job titles for graduates include:

• Health education specialist
• Medical and health service manager
• Pharmaceutical sales representative
• Statistician
• Environmental scientist
• Clinic administrator
• Claims reviewer

Job Outlook for a Master's in Health Science

Due to the flexibility of a master's degree in health sciences preparing students for a wide range of careers, the overall job outlook for graduates should be positive. The field of healthcare is also growing, in general, as the demand for services increases, which should help students secure a position. The specific job outlooks do vary by position, but several available job titles have much faster than average job outlooks. For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health education specialists had a job outlook of 11% from 2019 to 2029, which equates to an increase of 7,100 jobs over the decade. Medical and health services manager positions should grow by 133,200 positions over this time period for a job outlook of 32%.

How to Become a Health Education Specialist

Health education specialists typically need to have at least a bachelor's degree, but some health educator positions may require a master's or even doctoral degree. Usually, students need to have a background in areas such as health education, health promotion, public health education, or other related areas. During their education, students may participate in internships or other hands-on learning experiences. Depending on their position, some health education specialists may be required to earn their CHES credential. These professionals need to have excellent communication, instructional, and problem-solving skills.

Health education specialists made a median annual salary of $55,220, as of 2019, per the BLS. These educators help serve their local communities by determining health needs in the area and addressing these needs through health education programs and initiatives. This may require them to create learning materials, promote programs, evaluate programs, and train staff to help run programs.

How to Become a Medical and Health Services Manager

Medical and health services managers include job titles such as clinical managers, health information managers, and nursing home administrators. Usually, these managers are required to hold at least a bachelor's degree, but master's degrees may be preferred and are common in the field. Students may have a degree in areas like health management, health administration, business administration, and other related areas. These professionals must also have work experience in a clinical or administrative position. Professional certifications are available for these managers, but are specific to the different positions. Medical and health services managers need to be detail-oriented, communicate well with their staff, and possess the appropriate technical skills for their position.

According to the BLS, medical and health services managers made a median annual salary of $100,980, as of 2019. While job duties differ somewhat by position, in general, these managers work to ensure the efficiency of health services by setting goals and implementing strategies to meet these goals. Some administrative duties these managers may have include creating schedules, supervising staff, evaluating finances, and organizing records.

Health science professionals should consider joining a professional organization in order to utilize resources and professional development opportunities that these groups offer. Many of these organizations provide membership and valuable online learning tools. For health science professionals, there is a wide range of organizations to choose from based on position. For example, there are groups for higher-level healthcare administrators, health educators, and more. A couple of examples of available professional organizations in the field include:

• American College of Healthcare Executives- ACHE has members in a wide range of top-tier leadership positions from various areas within the field of healthcare. The group offers leadership development opportunities for these professionals, as well as an updated list of available executive positions in its job center. The organization is organized into different chapters and holds annual events for addressing issues in healthcare.
• Society for Public Health Education- SOPHE boasts close to 4,000 health educator members from the U.S. and other countries. Members work in a variety of settings, but the group provides professionals with news and information while working to promote healthy communities. Professionals can also take advantage of scholarships and awards provided by the group.

Applicants to online master's degree programs in health science are not usually required to have a degree in a specific area. However, some programs may require some prerequisite courses and/or require students to have some exposure to health-related topics. These requirements can often be met with a BS in Health Sciences and other related degree programs in areas such as biology, exercise science, psychology, and public health. Some students may also already be working in practitioner or administrative positions prior to earning their master's degree, and therefore, may hold a degree in areas like nursing or healthcare administration.

Graduates with their master's in health science who wish to further their education have several different options. Students who wish to continue their studies in health science can pursue a Doctor of Health Science (DHS/DHSc). Some of these degree programs are available in online formats and may allow students to further focus their studies with concentrations. The salary and employment options for those with a DHS may increase. Other students may decide to pursue professional school to become a healthcare practitioner in a given field, such as a physical therapist or pharmacist.

Students who need assistance paying for their online master's degree program have several options. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should still be completed by graduate students to see what loans and/or grants they may qualify for at the federal and state levels. Students may then investigate grant and scholarship options at their institution(s) of choice and outside organizations.

There are several different scholarship options available specifically for students wishing to study health sciences and other related areas. Some of these awards are provided by professional organizations and other groups at the national or local levels. Students may want to check if awards are only available one time or if they are renewable. Amounts typically vary, as well as specific criteria for scholarship applicants. A couple of available scholarships for master's students in health science include:

• S. Evelyn Lewis Memorial Medical Health Science Scholarship- This award is available from the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., to undergraduate or graduate women pursuing study in health or medical science. The amount varies, but is awarded for full-time study at an institution for 1 year.
• Helen P. Cleary Scholarship- Available from SOPHE, this scholarship is open to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing study in health education. The scholarship specifically helps pay for the CHES credential exam fee and study materials to the amount of $440.