About the program
The College of Health Science and Department of Emergency Medical Services offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science-Paramedic for students interested in a career in pre-hospital medicine, EMS management, or EMS education. As the field of EMS continues to change and grow, leaders and educators with a background in EMS will be needed to help shape the future of pre-hospital medicine and healthcare. This program is designed to prepare students to be leaders and highly skilled professionals in the emergency medical field.
The Health Science Degree-Paramedic focuses on:
- A foundation in contemporary leadership and management principles;
- Ethically sound and evidence-based leadership and management skills;
- A well-rounded educational experience that provides strong career preparation;
- A commitment to lifelong learning, advancement, and service in the Emergency Medical Services field.
The BS degree consists of 124 semester credit hours. The first 47 credit hours are from the “core curriculum.” These general education courses may be taken at Missouri Southern or transferred from a regionally accredited college or university.
The second 59 credit hours prepares students for certification as a paramedic. These courses include certification as an Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic. Students who are certified paramedics should seek admission through the Paramedic to BS Track.
The final 30 credit hours focus on the skills and knowledge required of EMS leaders, educators, and researchers. These courses all have options for distance education classes using the internet for content delivery.
Paramedic to BS Track
Students who have already completed their paramedic education at Missouri Southern (prior to development of BS option) or at another institution and who have maintained their license in good standing may apply to the department’s Paramedic to BS Track. This special track allows licensed paramedics an opportunity to reach educational goals without repetition of courses or clinical experiences already completed as a paramedic student. If students did not receive college credit for their paramedic course, they may apply for credit through the Retro Credit Program.
Through a non-clinical, fully online program, currently licensed paramedics can pursue a Bachelors of Health Science-Paramedic degree that will provide them with a variety of exciting career advancement opportunities, including: supervisory, management, leadership, research, and education positons. The Paramedic to BS Track program is designed with the working professional in mind. The flexible, online format allows certified paramedics to achieve their goals easily and affordably.