If you are interested in combining traditional and complementary medicine practices to ensure patients’ whole body health, then an integrative health degree may be for you.
Integrative medicine practitioners practice a holistic health approach that looks beyond the immediate illness to the patient’s health and wellness overall. Healthcare is constantly changing, with integrative medicine currently sitting at the cutting edge of the industry.
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Overall, healthcare occupations are predicted to have faster than average job growth in the coming years. Earning a bachelors in integrative health online may be your next step toward a rewarding career in healthcare.
Online Integrative Health Degrees
Online BS in Integrative Health degrees are designed to give students the knowledge and skills they need to become integrative medicine practitioners.
As a graduate of an online integrative health program, you may be able to practice, teach, and advocate for integrative health practices and applications. Integrative health programs focus on scientific classes, the mainstay of traditional medicine, and complementary approaches to overall wellness.
In particular, you might learn about the following subjects:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Mind-body connection
- Integrative health ethics
- Different therapies
- Holistic approach to health
- Nutrition
Online integrative health degrees may give you the option to choose a concentration, which could help you gain specialized knowledge in a particular area of medicine.
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Depending on the program you attend, you may concentrate your studies in a nutrition track, a pre-nursing track, or a pre-medical school track. Coursework in online BS in Integrative Health programs is meant to help prepare you for working with patients and helping them achieve an improvement in their overall health.
Some professionals with a bachelor degree in integrative medicine enter into a career as a complementary health practitioner in private practice or with a hospital organization. Government social services agencies and community health organizations could also be potential employers for integrative health practitioners.
In addition, some graduates find work as patient advocates and choose to pursue careers in the nonprofit and public policy spheres.
Integrative Health and Wellness Careers & Salaries
Healthcare is a growing field with a lot of career opportunities that may be available to integrative health practitioners.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that employment for healthcare occupations is projected to grow by 13% over the next decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $101,340 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $61,650 |
| Health Education Specialists | $60,600 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides | $49,180 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $48,520 |
| Athletic Trainers | $48,420 |
| Recreational Therapists | $47,940 |
| Exercise Physiologists | $47,940 |
| Community Health Workers | $46,590 |
| Fitness Trainers and Instructors | $40,700 |
A bachelors degree in integrative health can help prepare you for a number of professional and educational paths. Your degree concentration can impact your qualifications as well. For instance, a bachelors can help you prepare for a number of assistant or entry-level positions. Some graduates work as health educators, personal trainers, patient advocates, or assistants to health practitioners.
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Some integrative health degree programs also offer tracks designed to prepare you for nursing school or a health professional graduate program. Additional training and education could help you qualify for more practitioner roles.
Integrative Health Bachelor’s Curriculum & Courses
The coursework for integrative health programs focuses on the theories and applications of complementary medicine alongside traditional medicine.
As a student in an integrative health bachelor’s program, you may take courses similar to the following:
- Foundations of Integrative Health: This course is an overview of integrative health’s foundational concepts.
- Anatomy and Physiology: This course provides you with an overview of human anatomy and physiology, including cells, tissues, and other bodily systems.
- Psychology: This is an introductory psychology course meant to provide you with the foundations of the discipline
- Integrative Health Ethics: This course looks at the ethical issues surrounding integrative health.
- Introductory Chemistry: This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of chemistry.
- Nutrition: This course concentrates on the effects of nutrition and diet in a person’s life.
- Mind-Body Therapies: This course describes the relationship between the mind and body connection and its relation and intersection with integrative health.
- Health Literacy: This course introduces you to the best practices for health communication for the public.
- Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals: This course teaches you the research methods used in integrative health.
- Microbiology: This course serves as an overview of the field of microbiology.
Depending on the program, you may also be required to complete a capstone experience or an internship alongside your regular coursework
Admissions Requirements
Admissions requirements for integrative medicine programs typically differ from school to school. Still, each program typically has some common elements.
You may be required to submit one or more of the following as a part of your application:
- High school or GED transcripts
- SAT or ACT test scores (only some schools require it)
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume
As a prospective student, it is beneficial to ensure all elements of your application are completed and submitted, as this could affect your chances of acceptance.
Accreditation
Regional accreditation is a process that evaluates whether a college or university complies with certain standards and practices set by a regional accrediting agency.
Accreditation ensures that a school you are applying to is considered academically rigorous and meets a certain level of quality. Earning a degree in integrative health from an unaccredited school may affect your chances of pursuing graduate education or employment.
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You can visit the US Department of Education’s website to ensure the schools you are applying to are accredited.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
There are many financial aid opportunities that can make college more affordable and accessible for students who qualify.
One of the most common forms of aid available is government assistance. Grants and student loans can come from both the state and federal governments. Loans need to be repaid, while grants do not. To learn more about federal aid, you can visit the Federal Student Aid website. You will be able to create an account and fill out the FAFSA to see what type of aid you are eligible for.
Aside from government aid, private organizations and nonprofits may offer scholarships you can apply for. Some employers also have programs to help their employees attend college.
What Is an Integrative Health Degree?
An integrative health degree is a Bachelor of Science degree that focuses on teaching students how to coordinate both conventional and complementary therapies to benefit patients. Integrative health uses a holistic approach to health. This means that rather than seeing health from a medical-only perspective, it also utilizes other perspectives.
Integrative health practitioners want to improve a client’s overall wellness and health. They will use various treatments and experiment with changes to diet, lifestyle, and mental health. An integrative health degree may help you qualify to work in a variety of positions in healthcare.
What Can You Do with an Integrative Health Degree?
An integrative health degree may help you prepare for various roles in healthcare. As integrative health emphasizes wellness and therapies that promote wellness, you may be employed in physical rehabilitation, athletic training, or nutrition.
Other professionals pursue positions as health education specialists, community health workers, or patient advocates. Some integrative health degree programs also prepare you for nursing school, medical school, or a health professional graduate program. Most medical practitioner roles require a masters or a doctorate, but you might be able to qualify for assistant roles with a bachelors.
A growing number of universities offer an on-campus or online masters in integrative health for those wishing to further their educations in this field.
What Is an Integrative Health Practitioner?
An integrative health practitioner is a health practitioner who applies complementary therapies alongside traditional therapies for the goal of overall health and wellness of a patient.
The goal of integrative health practitioners is to improve a patient’s overall health by looking at the biological, social, behavioral, and environmental aspects of health. As an integrative health practitioner, you may see patients who have one or some of the following symptoms:
- Weight loss or gain issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Allergies
- Digestive issues
Integrative health practitioners may recommend lifestyle changes to their patients alongside medicine to ensure that their holistic health needs are met.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Integrative Medicine Degree Online?
It generally takes 4 years to complete a bachelors degree program with full-time study. The length of time it takes to complete an online integrative health degree, though, may vary from program to program.
The general 4 year completion time is based on a traditional 16 week semester and a standard schedule of five classes per semester. Some online health services degree programs offer shorter, 8 week semesters, so it might take less time to complete your degree if you study full-time and year-round, including during the summers.
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Part-time studies can help you have more flexibility with your schedule, but they can also extend your time to completion.
What’s the Difference Between Functional Medicine vs. Integrative Medicine?
Functional medicine differs from integrative medicine in that functional medicine seeks to identify the exact disease you suffer from and apply the correct treatment strategy.
Functional medicine emphasizes the following:
- Identification and curing of the root cause of an illness
- Genetic and environmental perspectives
- Causality
On the other hand, integrative medicine is more holistic, seeking to apply multiple perspectives to improve overall health and wellness. It is more general than specific.
Integrative medicine emphasizes the following:
- Whole body approach to health
- Complementary treatments alongside traditional treatments
- Other aspects of medicine apart from the biological or chemical
Though they both aim to help patients, functional medicine’s approach can differ greatly from integrative medicine’s approach.
Is an Integrative Health Bachelor’s Degree Worth It?
Yes, an integrative health bachelor’s degree is worth it for many students. Healthcare is a growing field, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projected job outlook for healthcare occupations is very optimistic. In fact, the field is expected to see 13% job growth over the next ten years, which is faster than the predicted average for all occupations.
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In addition, integrative health is becoming a more essential part of healthcare. Traditional medicine will always be important, but approaches to health that emphasize whole body health are increasingly popular. If you want to help others meet their wellness goals through a multi-faceted approach to healthcare, then earning an integrative health bachelor’s degree may be worth considering.
Universities Offering Online Bachelors in Integrative Health Degree Programs
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
Arizona State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health. This interdisciplinary program combines health and wellness strategies from diverse sources to promote holistic care. The program consists of 120 credit hours, or 40 classes. Each class is 7.5 weeks long, and all classes meet entirely online.
Arizona State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Kennesaw State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Health Science. Graduates often pursue careers as behavior analysts, public health workers, or infection control managers. On average, students can complete this 120 credit program in 4 years of full-time study. Students can choose to attend online, in-person, or using a hybrid of both learning models.
Kennesaw State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Maharishi International University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Ayurveda Wellness and Integrative Health. The program incorporates key concepts in diet and nutrition, purification therapies, body rhythms, and mindfulness. Classes can be attended either fully online or fully in-person. Regardless of the attendance model students choose, they will have opportunities to gain hands-on clinical experience.
MIU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
National University of Natural Medicine offers a 100% online program for a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health Sciences. The curriculum is centered on three core disciplines: social sciences, integrative health sciences, and natural sciences. Students must complete a minimum of 91 major-specific credits to graduate. On average, students can complete their coursework in 2 years of full-time study.
The National University of Natural Medicine is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Northern Vermont University offers a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Health. Students interested in holistic wellness practices, evidence-based care, and mind-body connection may find an ideal fit in this program. While most classes meet online, students are also required to complete an internship that will likely include hands-on work in the field.
Northern Vermont University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Ohio University offers a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Healthcare Studies. This program is designed for students who have completed an associate degree in allied health or a related field. Students can potentially transfer in up to 60 of the program’s 120 required credit hours. The program utilizes a convenient online format to accommodate students’ schedules.
Ohio University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Parker University offers a fully online program for a Bachelor of Sciences in Integrative Health. Courses cover concepts like community health, behavioral studies, natural healing, and nutrition. The program spans 120 credit hours of general education and major-specific coursework. Classes are taken one at a time, and each one is 4 weeks long.
Parker University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Purdue University Northwest offers a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Human Health. Students can choose pre-professional tracks for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Chiropractic Medicine. All classes meet 100% online. On average, students can complete the program’s 120 required credit hours in 4 years of full-time attendance.
Purdue University Northwest is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Southern California University of Health Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. The program offers concentrations on campus in Eastern Medicine and Chiropractic Studies or online in Human Genetics and Genomics. Incoming students can select one of three start dates each year. Full-time students can typically complete their degree requirements in 2 years.
Southern California University of Health Sciences is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Weber State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Education. Students can specialize in Integrative Nutrition, Sport Nutrition, or Integrated Studies. The program spans 120 total credit hours. Upon graduation, students may pursue further studies to become certified for a wide variety of healthcare provider professions.
Weber State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Getting Your Integrative Health Degree Online
Integrative health applies complementary treatments next to traditional treatments when approaching a patient’s illness.
This dynamic approach makes integrative health an innovative subfield of healthcare. Integrative health degree-holders may be well-placed to take advantage of the positive job growth projections for healthcare over the next ten years. If you are looking to work in healthcare, you may be interested to learn more about integrative health to see if this path is right for you.
You can start exploring accredited colleges and universities to see what online program and concentration options are available for integrative health degrees.
