What jobs can you have with an online integrated healthcare studies degree?

Our online Bachelor of Science in Integrated Healthcare Studies at Ohio University helps allied health professionals move into jobs beyond direct patient care. Five common paths are healthcare department manager, health education specialist, patient advocate, community health program manager and occupational health and safety specialist. Each of these jobs typically requires a bachelor's degree, and our degree builds on the associate degree and clinical experience you already have.

How the integrated healthcare studies degree works

Integrated Healthcare Studies is a bachelor's completion degree in our College of Health Sciences and Professions. It is designed for students who have completed at least 60 semester hours in an allied health field. Unlike a traditional four-year degree, it starts from the clinical and technical training you have already finished. You then complete the remaining credits toward a 120-credit bachelor's degree.

Courses are fully online, and we offer both 7-week accelerated and 14-week formats. Qualifying associate degrees include respiratory care, physical therapist assistant, medical assisting technology and health information management. You can find the full list on our OHIO Online program page.

Five careers the degree can prepare you to pursue

Healthcare department manager or supervisor

Many allied health professionals want to lead the department they already work in, such as a respiratory care unit, rehabilitation clinic or imaging center. BLS reports that medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor's degree. BLS projects 24% employment growth for these managers from 2025 to 2035, with about 62,300 openings each year.

Our curriculum supports this path with a required leadership and critical thinking course and two communication courses. Your clinical experience shows you understand patient care. This degree adds the leadership and communication skills managers rely on.

Health education specialist or wellness program coordinator

Health education specialists teach people about health and develop programs that encourage healthier habits. They work in hospitals, nonprofits and public health departments. BLS projects 6% growth for these specialists from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,900 openings each year.

Our foundation courses, including Introduction to Public Health (HLTH 2000) and Survey of Human Disease (IHS 3020), give you a population-level view of health. That broader view complements the one-on-one patient education you may already do. Some employers also encourage the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) credential. It requires a bachelor's degree plus 25 semester credits of health education coursework, so talk with your advisor early about which courses count.

Patient advocate or patient navigator

Patient advocates help people work through diagnoses, insurance and treatment decisions. Our required course Overview of Healthcare Advocacy (IHS 3240) is built around this work. Unlike clinical roles, which focus on delivering treatment, advocacy roles focus on helping patients get through the healthcare system.

The Patient Advocate Certification Board offers the Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA) credential. Candidates qualify with a bachelor's degree or with equivalent experience, plus two letters of recommendation. Allied health professionals bring real hospital and clinic experience to this role.

Health program manager

Some graduates want to run programs rather than provide care directly. BLS reports that social and community service managers "coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being." They typically need a bachelor's degree, and BLS projects 7% growth for the field from 2025 to 2035.

Our curriculum requires at least four sociocultural courses and two global health courses. These courses cover how culture, community and access affect health outcomes, which is the core knowledge for designing community programs.

Occupational health and safety specialist

Occupational health and safety specialists inspect workplaces and design improvements that protect workers' health. BLS projects 19% growth for occupational health and safety specialists and technicians from 2025 to 2035.

BLS notes that specialists typically need a bachelor's degree in occupational health and safety "or a related field." Our catalog lets you choose environmental health and occupational health and safety courses for your healthcare professions and elective credits. That lets you shape the degree toward this path.

Why accreditation matters for your career

Employers and certification boards look for degrees from accredited universities. Ohio University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913. In 2025, that accreditation was reaffirmed without conditions for the next decade.

Keep in mind that our degree adds to your existing allied health license but doesn't replace it. Keep your current license and certifications active while you complete the degree.

Admission requirements and how to apply

Our 2026–2027 program requirements include:

• At least 60 semester hours in a health-related field
• One course each in math or statistics, English composition, natural sciences, and social sciences
• At least 9 more semester hours of health-focused courses
• A minimum 2.0 GPA

To have your transcript reviewed, contact our program team at ihs@ohio.edu or 740.593.4502. Our Online Getting Started FAQs can help you plan your first semester, and when you're ready, you can apply to Ohio University.