Health Sciences A.S. Degree

Students can enroll in A.S. Health Sciences courses to gain an overall view of healthcare in the United States. The program courses may be prerequisites for other health degrees.

Many find that the Health Sciences A.S. degree is a great fit for a general career in healthcare, rather than a specific clinically focused area. Students can take all six core A.S. Health Sciences courses online.

Certificate in Health Care Services

• Upon successful completion of the A.S. Health Sciences Program, graduates receive a certificate in Health Care Services.
• The embedded Certificate in Health Care Services prepares you to work in the health care field.

Students who want to pursue a degree in one of the SPC selective admissions health areas may want to consider the A.A. Health Science plan. This Associate in Arts Degree can also prepare you to transfer to a bachelor’s degree at St. Petersburg College or at a state university.

Consult with a career specialist at the Health Education Center to explore your options at HEC_Advising@spcollege.edu.  

Academic Skills
Academic skills that all perspective students must possess for optimal performance with or without reasonable accommodations.

• Reading Skills: ability to learn, retain and understand information from College-level textbooks and academic journals.
•  Communication Skills: ability to communicate effectively in English using oral, written and electronic forms.
• Quantitative Skills: ability to identify and apply mathematical formulas, procedures and processes.
• Computer Literacy: ability to send and retrieve information from a variety of electronic forms and to be proficient using a learning management system such as D2L or MyCourses.

Student Expectations

• Computer proficiency: sufficient computer skills, including but not limited to:
  • Microsoft Office 2007 and newer versions
  • Using the computer as the main communication tool AND the main learning tool
  • Downloading, uploading, saving, and submitting assignments
• Attitude: demonstrate and maintain a professional attitude
• Knowledge: demonstrate the knowledge required to be a leader or manager in health care and human service settings
• Skills: possess sufficient critical thinking by adequately analyzing and integrating information, and exercising sound judgment in solving work-related problems

OUTCOMES
The graduate will meet the following learning outcomes upon completion of the Program:

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the administration of healthcare facilities, including accreditation, licensure, reimbursement systems, legal and ethical issues, and documentation.
2. Students will submit documentation demonstrating best practices fir interprofessional team-based healthcare based on ethics and professional obligations.
3. Students will demonstrate compliance with legal and governmental requirements related to health services management.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

• Academic integrity is very important to St. Petersburg College. To ensure a consistent process across the College, SPC’s Academic Integrity Procedure was updated in 2017-2018. The updated BOT Procedure was approved in August 2018 and first implemented in academic year 2018-2019.
• Each SPC student is required to abide by the Academic Honesty Policy.
• Failure to abide by the SPC Rules and Procedures will result in reporting the incident to the Academic Integrity Council.
• How does academic integrity applies to the healthcare field? Imagine if the documentation of your condition had errors and the treatment prescribed caused more harm. Think about the medical errors that occur. For example, if a patient’s blood pressure reading was not documented because the healthcare provider was in a hurry, the patient could be a risk for a stroke.

Continue your education at SPC

• The Health Sciences A.S. Degree transfers to our Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Health Services Administration. A Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Degree is a recognized professional baccalaureate degree that emphasizes the application of a skillset that is acquired during an academic program in a chosen field. The student will integrate the common core values of the AS and/or HSA Programs throughout each course. These common core values are professional engagement, critical thinking and integrity.
• Some students who already have an AA enroll in the AS-Health Sciences Program while waiting to get into a selective admissions program. Students who are not selected for admission to the focus limited-admissions area of choice may remain in the AS Health Sciences Program. Consult with a career specialist to explore your options.

HEALTH CONTINUING EDUCATION

We also offer  health continuing education through the Workforce Institute.