Online Bachelor’s in General Studies with Healthcare Concentration Curriculum

An emphasis on cellular and molecular levels and a survey of organs and organ systems introduces human structure and function.

Biology 102 continues the study of human structure and function, emphasizing cellular and molecular levels, and survey of organs and organ systems.

This course introduces students to both descriptive and inferential statistics. The following concepts and techniques are included: measures of central tendency and variability; sampling distributions; interval estimation; hypothesis testing (t-test, ANOVA); correlation and regression; chi square tests. Statistical software projects are required. Prerequisite: MATH 102 or 115 or higher

A knowledge of normal growth and development is essential to professional practice in many disciplines. This course explores the process of human development, particularly in Western cultures. A holistic life-span approach is used to promote an understanding of the biophysical, cognitive, affective, social, and spiritual functioning of healthy individuals.

An interprofessional course for students in the health professions. Students will study transmission genetics, DNA and chromosomes, population genetics, genetics of immunity and cancer and ethical aspects of genetic counseling.

The course introduces students to the biology, chemistry and biochemistry disciplines by learning about the applications to nutrition in all three subject areas. In addition to an introduction to the human body the course covers carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fluids. Understanding alcohol consumption, physical activity levels and healthy body weights will also be discussed.

The course offers an initial study of individual health with an emphasis on wellness and prevention. The second focus of the course is on the history, evolution, and development of the present American health care system including the role of the various health care providers.

A basic-level medical terminology course for those who plan to be involved or are already involved in the health care practice management field. The course will cover the definition, spelling and pronunciation of medical word roots and combining forms, prefixes, suffixes and medical abbreviations. Healthcare practice business terminology is also addressed in this course. This survey course is not recommended for students majoring in the health professions.

A course in professional standards for practice managers. Participants in this course will gain knowledge of how to effectively communicate within healthcare settings. Consideration will be giving to understanding the range of stakeholders in healthcare settings, the impact of social media, how to effectively communicate with patients and families, and the role of communicating for purpose and policy change. Students will develop personal communication skills and gain understanding of the importance of collaborative problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, and the need for continuous learning through presentations, case studies and written assignments.

Students will learn about the evolution of software and technology in the healthcare environment and learn how to identify what technology is appropriate based on the needs, size, specialty and sophistication of a medical practice. They will also gain an understanding of federal mandates, such as "MACRA", "MIPS", etc., relate to technology. A discussion of privacy and security standards as related to HIPAA, including the application of HIPAA requirements as related to healthcare management software, will be undertaken. Students will learn how to maneuver through the software and technology selection, negotiation and implementation process through case studies and written assignments.

This course explores the theoretical and conceptual aspects of cultural healthcare. Topics include culture and ethnicity, cultural variations in response to actual or potential problems of health and illness; review of research literature; and methods of caring for and treat individuals with culturally influenced responses.

This course provides an introduction to core counseling skills that incorporates therapeutic listening and empathy communication techniques, crisis management, etc. related to professional/client relationships across cultures-specifically in health profession settings.

This course provides an overview of the discipline of ethics in the healthcare context. Ethical theories and approaches are studied, followed by an exploration of general bioethics issues. The course then proceeds into a more specific focus on ethical issues that will face the individual health care practitioner. The goal of this course is to provide the basic ethical tools necessary for recognizing ethical issues and working toward the resolution of ethical problems.

An introduction to public health practice in the United States, this course examines the formal structures and institutions of public health, and prominent public health problems.

Students will examine the policy, structure, and trends of heathcare delivery in the US, and then compare those to health services in other countries across the globe.

The Practicum is designed to give students the opportunity to learn about practice management by immersing themselves in the daily activities of a practice management professional. During the practicum, students often observe meetings, work collaboratively on site projects, conduct informational interviews, with the goal of increased understanding of the profession and potential career paths. Specific assignments during the practicum will be tailored to the opportunities available at the assigned site.

This course provides a multidisciplinary perspective of the biological, psychological and sociocultural aspects of aging. An overview of the issues that significantly impact the older adult, their family and society is presented. The demographic profile of America's older adult serves as a basis for explaining issues related to physical and mental health changes, role transitions, care and living arrangements for the older adult.

This course explores the processes of aging, using several theoretical frameworks and practice models to promote understanding of the biophysical and psychosocial domains of the aged person. Strategy and intervention toward health promotion is emphasized.

The behavioral, affective, cognitive, physiological and causative theories of delirium and dementia are presented. The assessment of individuals with cognitive impairment and interventions for the related disorders are discussed. The course also examines the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on the total family functioning. The impact of this disease on the physical, emotional and social health of the caregiver is explored. Caregiver burden is defined and ways of assisting the caregiver are outlined.

This course examines legal, regulatory and policy issues as well as resulting financing options associated with elder care services.

The course focus is pharmacological therapies prescribed for common illnesses in the aged, with regard to complex drug regimes, polypharmacy, potential for drug-drug interruptions, side effects, and drug metabolism in the elderly. In the course, health promotion and disease prevention behaviors are discussed in relation to physiological changes associated with aging and disease states.

Students will explore the various introductory perspectives of disability; the individual perspective, society at large, the family perspective, sexuality and disability, educational system perspectives, and legal and ethical issues. The course will explore how these perspectives can drive public policy and service delivery systems. Students will gain knowledge and a foundational understanding of the history of rehabilitation as well as the philosophy. This course will also provide the student with working knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act Title I, II, andamp; III.

Students will gain an understanding of the complexities related to living with disability. The course addresses changing needs in recovery, independence and rehabilitation of people with disabilities. Course focus will provide students with knowledge and skill sets to implement individual program plans.

Positive Psychology is an emerging field that involves the study of satisfaction among workers, policies that result in the strongest civic engagement, and how people’s lives can be most worth living. Positive Psychology focuses on building factors such as resilience, coping skills, protective factors, and strengths so that people may not just face and manage the problems of life but flourish and thrive. This course will involve an exploration of positive emotion, meaning and purpose, positive relationships, and positive accomplishments. Students will also learn about factors that influence levels of happiness, and strategies to increase well-being, life satisfaction, and longevity

This course examines the interaction of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors in promoting health and preventing illness. You will learn an overview of psychological research methods, theories, and principles for stress management that can be applied to enhance approaches for promoting health. Topics include but are not limited to factors underlying health habits and lifestyles, methods to enhance health behavior and prevent illness, and stress management. General Education Area: Social Science Prerequisite: PSYC 101, or PSYC 202H

This course covers the domains of psychopathology as it is represented in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Students will examine the nature, course, symptoms, consequences, and treatment of abnormal behavior. Current empirically-based treatments and evidenced-based practices will be reviewed.

This course addresses mental illness and its impact on various institutions of society.The definitions and symptoms of mental illnesses will be presented.The focus will be on how mental illness impacts societal institutions, including criminal justice, occupational, educational, and others.Particular emphasis is placed on problems and limitations in the mental health system and how society is adversely affected by those problems.The course objective is to learn a realistic appraisal of mental illnesses and effective philosophies and methodologies to begin correcting problems related to mental illness in society.

This course surveys the social, biological, and psychological aspects of human sexual behavior. Scientific research related to sexual anatomy, arousal, gender, and life span sexual behavior will be explored. Topics may also include but are not limited to sexual orientation, cultural variations in attraction and love, and sexual morality. Cross-listed: SOC-330