Health & Wellness Degrees Online: Bachelor of Science in Health & Wellness

Growing emphasis on preventative health care is creating new opportunities in the health care- and health and wellness-related industries. Professionals with knowledge and training in health and wellness provide support, encouragement, and education to help people live healthier lives and prevent illness or injury. If you would like to broaden your knowledge and skills with a mind-body-spirit approach to health and wellness, then our online Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness may be just what you are looking for.

| Curriculum | Tuition and Fees

Program Highlights

In this program you will explore various approaches to health and wellness and study the concepts, values, and applications of this exciting field of health science. Your coursework will focus on:

Evaluating the scientific literature and research in wellness, prevention, and complementary health care
Discovering how to use your knowledge to educate individuals and communities
Developing the administrative, ethical, and professional skills necessary for leadership positions throughout the health care field
Completing an original comprehensive capstone project that demonstrates your ability to apply your health and wellness knowledge and skills to real-world scenarios

A Fast Track to a Master’s Degree

Students enrolled in a School of Health Sciences bachelor’s degree program can choose to complete an accelerated master’s degree option. Designed for high-potential undergraduate students interested in earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, the accelerated option allows you to work toward your bachelor’s degree while simultaneously completing up to five core courses in either the Master of Health Care Administration or the Master of Public Health. If you successfully complete these courses with a minimum course grade, and have applied and been accepted to the applicable Kaplan University master’s degree program, you will enter a shortened version of the master’s degree program.

The accelerated option allows you to earn your Kaplan University bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at a faster pace and lower cost than completing each degree separately. Qualification for the accelerated master’s degree options are subject to eligibility requirements. Please contact an Admissions Advisor for more information.

What Are the Career Opportunities?

The Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness program is designed to provide you with a solid foundation for careers in traditional health settings such as hospitals, private medical offices, and public health agencies. In addition, opportunities may exist in newly emerging preventive health services in corporate wellness centers, college health services, insurance agencies, or pharmaceutical companies. Demand for health educators is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations due to the rising cost of health care.*

Curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness

Course #	Course Title	Credits
100/200-level	100/200-LEVEL: COMMUNICATION COURSE	5 100/200-LEVEL: COMMUNICATION COURSE
	100/200-LEVEL: MATHEMATICS COURSE	5 100/200-LEVEL: MATHEMATICS COURSE
	200-LEVEL: COMMUNICATION COURSE	5 200-LEVEL: COMMUNICATION COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: ARTS AND HUMANITIES COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: PHYSICAL SCIENCE COURSE
300/400-level	300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE	6 300/400-LEVEL: SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE

Course #	Course Title	Credits
EF 205	SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF EXERCISE AND FITNESS	5 SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF EXERCISE AND FITNESS This course familiarizes students with the scientific basis of exercise and fitness physiology and related human anatomy, including cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology. Students learn about energy metabolism as it relates to exercise and how aging affects human physiology, exploring current strategies in exercise and fitness training to facilitate disease prevention and healthy aging.
HS 100	INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH SCIENCE	5 INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH SCIENCE In this required introductory course, students will identify current issues in health science and how they relate to chosen health science professions. Educational and credentialing requirements will be defined for health science occupations. Students will create a personal education plan, choosing appropriate electives and identifying specific career optionsbased on personal goals and research of the profession. Professional traits and skills for success in the field will be explored as well as discussion of roles and responsibilities of selected health professionals.
EF 310	CURRENT TRENDS IN EXERCISE AND FITNESS-AGING WELL ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN	6 CURRENT TRENDS IN EXERCISE AND FITNESS-AGING WELL ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN This course focuses on the issues in exercise and fitness that each major age group encounters in society today. Students learn the unique challenges that senior adults, middle-aged and younger adults, and children and adolescents are confronted with, as well as the sociological, psychological, and economic factors that can impact favorable outcomes. Motivational strategies, techniques, and plans for designing age-appropriate exercise and fitness programs will be discussed and practiced, and current research in models of exercise and fitness programs in community- and corporate-based settings will be studied and evaluated for effectiveness.
HW 205	VITAMINS, HERBS, AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS	5 VITAMINS, HERBS, AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS This course introduces the most commonly used vitamins, herbs, and nutritional supplements. Single vitamins-their benefits, dosage, precautions, and contraindications-will be reviewed, as well as vitamin formulas routinely recommended. Nutritional supplements will be introduced and their categories, benefits, and safety issues will be explored and discussed. The principal systems of herbal medicine found worldwide will be illustrated along with their individual characteristics and common usage. This course also examines the growing popularity of herbal medicines from a sociological and ecological standpoint.
HW 210	COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE	5 COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE In this course, students explore the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), becoming familiar with the variety of professions that comprise it and their major concepts, methodological approaches, and theoretical foundations. Students investigate the multifaceted meaning of the term "holistic" and investigate how each CAM profession uniquely describes itself in light of this. Current research will be explored, including the impact of the National Institute of Health's CAM division.
HW 215	MODELS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS	5 MODELS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS This course introduces students to the concepts of health, healing, and wellness from a broad historical and multicultural perspective. Students will investigate how changing ideas about religion, philosophy, science, and psychology have influenced our understanding of health, and how the practice of medicine continues to be affected by global, social, and economic pressures. Contemporary models of health and wellness will be illustrated by drawing upon selected writings from each major proponent, and students will undertake the development of an original model of health and wellness based on an understanding of and sensitivity to current geopolitical and multicultural issues.
HW 220	CONTEMPORARY DIET AND NUTRITION	5 CONTEMPORARY DIET AND NUTRITION This course explores current dietary trends and examines the role geopolitical and economic forces have on our day-to-day food choices. The impact of the globalization of world food markets will be investigated, as will the ongoing controversies of genetic engineering, foodborne illnesses, and the organic food movement. The spectrum of popular diets and their advocates and critics will be discussed along with the current scientific research available for each. Students will reflect on the diversity of food choices, prohibitions, and taboos that exist within our multicultural and multiethnic communities, with an eye toward increasing awareness and sensitivity.
HW 410	STRESS-CRITICAL ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION	6 STRESS-CRITICAL ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION This in-depth course offers students a detailed look at the extensive research and practical approaches for identification, management, and prevention of stress. The health consequences of stress-physiological and psychological-will be discussed, as well as the sociological and economic effects of untreated stress on society as a whole. Current approaches to stress reduction and prevention will be illustrated, including mind/body therapies that have shown remarkable rates of success.
HW 420	CREATING WELLNESS-PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF HEALING	6 CREATING WELLNESS-PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF HEALING In this course, students explore the burgeoning fields of meditation, "mindfulness," and transpersonal psychology in theory and practice. Students will assess the role of personal mindset toward self and others as a foundation for wellness, and appraise the impact of positive/negative relationships in maintaining good health. A wide array of source material will be studied, including current research, and the shifting paradigms of curing, healing, and wholeness will be investigated.
SC 115	PRINCIPLES OF NUTRITION	5 PRINCIPLES OF NUTRITION This is an introductory-level course in which students investigate the fundamental concepts of nutrition: food sources, nutrient function, digestion, absorption, and metabolism. Special attention is given to learning to apply nutritional principles to food choices in a way that encourages a healthy lifestyle. Students will learn how nutritional needs change from infancy through adulthood, including pregnancy and the senior stages of life.
	100/200-LEVEL MAJOR ELECTIVE	5 100/200-LEVEL MAJOR ELECTIVE
	300/400-LEVEL MAJOR ELECTIVES	24 300/400-LEVEL MAJOR ELECTIVES
HW 499	BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS	6 BACHELOR'S CAPSTONE IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS This capstone course is the culminating experience for the Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness. This course builds on the concepts of all the courses students have taken within the program of study. The capstone course provides students with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their coursework in an original comprehensive project, and to assess their level of mastery of the stated outcomes of their degree program.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
	OPEN ELECTIVES*	59 OPEN ELECTIVES*

*Eligible students who choose to complete the accelerated Master of Health Care Administration or Master of Public Health option will take up to five graduate-level courses in addition to selected undergraduate electives.

Total Program Requirements	180 Total Program Requirements

Core
Major
Open Elective
Total Program Requirements

You Could Save Time and Money on Your Kaplan University Degree

Credit for Prior Learning

Our undergraduate degree programs feature large pools of open electives designed to offer greater flexibility when applying transfer credits toward program requirements. In addition, you can enroll in our portfolio development course, which helps you document your work and life experience in a portfolio you can submit for consideration for college credits. Qualifying transfer credit may reduce your total costs for undergraduate programs. Refer to the University Catalog for our transfer of credit policy.

Continuing Students

Students who earn their bachelor’s degree at Kaplan University and enroll in a master’s degree program may be eligible for an alumni tuition reduction. For more information, contact your Admissions Advisor.

Students in the Military

Kaplan University is proud to support our military and veterans in their educational pursuits by offering significantly reduced tuition. Undergraduate program tuition is reduced up to 55 percent for active-duty servicemembers and up to 38 percent for veterans. In addition, Kaplan University participates in the Yellow Ribbon program for all of our graduate programs, and both active-duty servicemembers and veterans are eligible for special tuition rates for these programs. A 10 percent tuition reduction is also available to spouses of active-duty servicemembers. For more information, call 866.583.4412 (Toll Free) to speak to a military Admissions Advisor or visit the Kaplan University military site.

Tuition and Fees

Cost per credit hour	$371.00
Total program requirements Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness	180
Total cost of tuition	$66,780.00
This program requires a $100 technology fee per term. A nonrefundable application fee, depending on your program and as described in the Tuition and Fees Supplement, may be required at the time of enrollment. We encourage you to explore the availability of financial aid and scholarships. For more information, contact an Admissions Advisor.

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*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Health Educators, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos063.htm (accessed April 2011). National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.