Health Sciences
Associate's Degree
- Next Start Dates
- April 06, 2026
- May 13, 2026
2 specializations
in Health Sciences
22-25 courses to complete (varies by specialization)
Health Sciences Program
Here’s your chance to broaden your healthcare experience and develop career-focused skills you’ll need as an allied health professional. Our blended on-campus and online Health Sciences Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) is offered at Illinois campuses and allows you to choose among two specializations: Healthcare or Medical Assisting. You pick the Health Sciences specialization, and we’ll take care of you from there.
For non-Illinois campuses interested in a Healthcare Associate's degree, please visit our Healthcare Associate’s degree page. If you are just entering the healthcare field, you can also check out our Healthcare Certificate.
On This Page:
- Take Advantage of Our Credential Ladder
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Blend of On-Campus & Online Health Care Courses
Gain a solid understanding of the healthcare industry with career-focused curriculum in the format best suited to your specialty. Based on which specialization you choose for your Health Sciences degree program, either all your courses will be performed online, or you will have a blend of on-campus and online courses.
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Acquire Key Allied Health Science Skills
You’ll become proficient in the core areas of professional development and career success: critical thinking, written and interpersonal communication, and patient services.
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Institutional Accreditation
Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
What Types of Health Science Courses Will I Take?
Expand your general education concepts and foundational knowledge as an allied health professional throughout your Health Sciences program. Depending on the chosen career track, Health Sciences students will have varying types of online or on-campus courses with experienced health care faculty to help develop real-world technical and specialized skills in healthcare or medical assisting.-
Healthcare Specialization
Core Course Examples:
Structure and Function of the Human Body
PHA1500 / Online / 4 Credits- Provides a working knowledge of the structure and function of the human body, including cells, tissues, human anatomy and physiology of the skeletal and muscular systems.
- Introduces the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive and endocrine systems.
Medical Law and Ethics
HSC2641 / Online / 4 Credits- Studies the United States legal system and court process with emphasis on legal and ethical issues within the healthcare environment and public health.
- Learn about various laws and regulations that impact healthcare, including privacy and confidentiality rules.
Specialization Course Example:
Healthcare Exploration and Careers
HSC1675 / Online / 3 Credits- Assists with students’ program and career path selection by exploring the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare professions.
- Provides a high-level overview of the organizational structure and interactions within the healthcare system.
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Medical Assisting Specialization
Core Course Example:
Medical Terminology
HSC1231 / Online / 4 Credits- Builds foundational knowledge of basic medical language and vocabulary, with an emphasis on prefixes and suffixes, origins, and anatomic roots denoting body structures.
- Focuses on word parts, abbreviations, basic disease and surgical terms.
Specialization Course Examples:
Fundamentals in Clinical Techniques
MEA1350 / On Campus / 6 Credits- Develops and applies skills in injections, phlebotomy, basic vital signs, and proper and efficient patient care within a clinical setting.
- Introduces reasoning and sequencing of immunizations, basic lab functions and applied lab skills, as well as learn basic CPR.
Clinical Laboratory Applications and Diagnostic Procedures I
MEA1460 / On Campus / 6 Credits- Develops and applies skills and procedure technique within pulmonary, audiology and ophthalmology, as well as introduces common injuries and treatment of orthopedics.
- Studies patient care assessment, procedures, and applicable tests within women’s health, the importance of good nutrition, including an understanding of common eating disorders.
Your Future is Full of Possibilities in Health Science
We’ve made advancing your health sciences education even easier by offering courses and credentials that fit into a busy working schedule. When you’re ready to build on the foundational knowledge of prior Certificate or Diploma coursework and on your in-field experience, an Associate’s degree in Health Sciences program is a natural next step.
As a Health Sciences Associate’s degree graduate, you can choose to enter the workforce, or you can continue your education by seamlessly transferring your credits into our Health and Wellness Bachelor’s degree-completion program.2
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Health Science Program Typical Career Paths
Healthcare Specialization
Common careers:
- Medical services technician
- Medical registration or receptionist
Learning Includes:
- On Campus
- Online
- Campus Support and Resource
Medical Assisting Specialization
Common careers:
- Medical assistant
- Medical office administrative assistant
Learning Includes:
- On Campus
- Online
- Campus Support and Resources
- Field Experience
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
Tuition & Savings
Do the Math
Healthcare Specialization
With multiple start dates a year and a total of 22–25 courses, students who enroll can finish in as few as 18 months.1
$322 tuition per full-time credit
x 91 total credits
_______________________
$29,302 total full-time tuition
+ $6,250 total fees
_______________________
$35,552 estimated full-time tuition and fees
Learn more about the financial aid cost of attendance (COA).
Explore our Tuition Estimator Tool
Do the Math
Medical Assisting Specialization
With multiple start dates a year and a total of 22–25 courses, students who enroll can finish in as few as 18 months.1
$331 tuition per full-time credit
x 91 total credits
_______________________
$30,121 total full-time tuition
+ $6,250 total fees
_______________________
$36,371 estimated part-time and full-time tuition and fees
Learn more about the financial aid cost of attendance (COA).
Explore our Tuition Estimator Tool
Other Ways to Save
Higher education should be a manageable investment. Talk to an admissions representative and learn how our Health Sciences program is designed to be more affordable with transfer credits, self-directed assessments, grants, corporate grants and military grants for those who qualify.
Find more about:
- Military Tuition Benefits
- Corporate Alliances
- Federal Financial Aid
- Transfer Credit and Other Knowledge Credit®
Estimate Your Tuition
Rasmussen University is committed to making education more affordable for all students. Our tuition estimating tool can help you visualize the cost of your degree online and see what savings opportunities are available to help you achieve it.
Rasmussen University believes in helping you make your education as affordable as possible.
Our interactive tuition estimator is designed to help you discover how much you could save on a degree from Rasmussen University.
Simply enter your ZIP code, select the program and credential you're interested in, and click “next”.
Right away, you can see the total estimated cost of your selected degree.
As you engage with the tool, you may see this number start to go down.
You also have the option to see how attending full-time or part-time could impact your tuition—and what your tuition estimate looks like, broken down by quarter.
The tuition estimator walks you through a number of ways you could reduce your overall tuition.
Click the tabs or the “back” and “next” buttons to move through the tool.
Within each tab, answer the question shown as accurately as you can, by interacting with the slider, select menu or radio buttons shown.
You might not feel totally confident in all of your answers. That's okay. This tool is just generating an estimate of how much your degree might cost.
The last tab of the tool shows you your results, including how much you could potentially save on your Rasmussen degree.
Remember, the numbers shown here are just estimates, and the true cost of your degree will vary.
Talk with an admissions representative for more information about how to make your Rasmussen degree as affordable as possible.
The Ultimate List of Healthcare Jobs You Can Launch in 2 Years or Less
You’ve likely been considering a career change for a while, and you want something more than what will just pay the bills. A health science career may be the perfect path for you.
Read more
What Should I Know Before I Enroll?
Entrance Requirements
Entrance requirements for the School of Health Sciences vary by program. To learn more and receive help planning your healthcare career path, contact an admissions representative who will speak to you about immunizations, background checks and entrance exam scores.
Transfer Credits
We believe in giving credit where it’s due. You can get an estimate of your transfer credits without an official transcript in one business day (on average). Talk to an admissions representative today, or explore our Transfer Policy page for our seamless credit policies designed to maximize credits, potentially save money and expedite graduation.
Help Paying for College
Higher education should be a manageable investment. Talk to an admissions representative and learn how these programs can make it more affordable with self-directed assessments, credit for prior learning, grants, scholarship opportunities, corporate grants and military grants for those who qualify.
Where Can I Find a Health Sciences Program Near Me?
At Rasmussen University, we want our Health Science courses to be available on your schedule, not the other way around. Select programs are available for enrollment through a specific campus and nationally online, but students complete the courses online and are able to utilize online and on-campus support and resources. See below to find out where you can find a Health Sciences program near you.
- Online
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Illinois
Illinois Campuses
- Non-Illinois Residents*
