Online Bachelor's Degree Programs in Healthcare Administration (BSHA)
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One of the fastest growing professions in the world, healthcare administration offers an opportunity to be at the center of all services delivered to patients. Working with their medical staff, healthcare administrators are responsible for planning, executing, and improving patient care processes on a day-to-day basis. A bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration lays a strong foundation for students in this dynamic field.
A number of universities offer online bachelor’s programs in healthcare administration. They generally comprise 120 credit-hours and offer a curriculum similar to their offline counterparts. Some of the courses included are healthcare economics, healthcare financial management, long-term care, and health law. Students learn how to read regulations regarding the US healthcare system, the management of different stakeholders in a health organization, communication, and leadership. Further, they become proficient in delivering quality patient care.
The following article covers six exceptional online bachelor’s programs in healthcare administration and three distinguished faculty members from these programs.
Featured BS in Healthcare Administration Programs
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University offers an online bachelor of science in healthcare administration (BSHA) degree. This program has been developed in alignment with standards from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). It offers the following concentrations:
- Health Information Management Concentration
- Patient Safety And Quality Concentration
Admission requirements for the program include a completed online application, transcripts from any schools attended, and an electronic attestation form stating that the student has graduated from high school or received a GED. SAT scores are not required for admission.
The program comprises 120 credit-hours and equips students with interpersonal and communication skills necessary to succeed in the field of healthcare. Some of the courses included in the curriculum are healthcare economics, healthcare delivery systems, healthcare research and evaluation methodologies, human resource management, human relations in administration, and healthcare quality management.
Concentration-specific courses include:
- Health Information Management Concentration – Healthcare data management, communication and technologies, healthcare IT infrastructure and network management
- Patient Safety And Quality Concentration – Patient safety systems and strategies, healthcare regulatory compliance and accreditation, performance improvement measurement and methodologies
Students learn how to engage with the various stakeholders in the field of healthcare, get an understanding of microeconomic and macroeconomic principles, and can assess rules and regulations pertaining to the healthcare system in the US. Upon completion of this program, graduates demonstrate the four competencies identified by AUPHA as critical to their success: communication, computational skills, critical thinking, and societal and cultural context.
At the end of the program, graduates can pursue jobs in behavioral health organizations, governmental healthcare agencies, consulting firms, health insurance companies, long-term care facilities, and hospitals.
- Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
- Estimated Tuition: $320 per credit-hour
Saint Joseph’s College offers an online bachelor of science in health administration (BSHA) program. The program is designed for students who wish to have a positive impact on patient outcomes.
Applicants to the program must submit a completed online application form and official transcripts from all regionally or nationally accredited institutions previously attended, among other documentation.
Made up of 128 credit-hours, the program provides students with a framework for growth as a healthcare administrator or manager. The courses include instruction on the American healthcare systems, human resource management, healthcare financial management, legal aspects of healthcare administration, ethics in health administration, and quality in healthcare administration. The program helps students develop leadership skills as well as an understanding of professional and ethical conduct.
The program can open up various career paths for graduates such as clinical leadership, health information management, and healthcare marketing.
- Location: Standish, Maine
- Accreditation: New England Commission on Higher Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
- Estimated Tuition: $356 per credit-hour
The University of Central Florida offers an online BSHA program. Students are not required to have any previous healthcare experience to pursue this degree.
In order to apply to the program, students must submit an official high school or home-school transcript, official SAT or ACT scores, an application essay, a “C” (2.0) or better score in each health services administration course, and TOEFL scores (for international students).
The program consists of 120 credit-hours. It is designed to prepare future health services administrators and healthcare managers to effectively plan and direct the delivery of healthcare. Students study courses such as U.S. healthcare systems, healthcare finance, long-term care and administration, healthcare economics, quality management, health law and ethics, and medical terminology.
Through the program, students are introduced to public health systems and hospital networks and the delivery of quality healthcare. They are also prepared to pursue advanced education in health services administration.
Graduates of the program can take up roles such as health information manager, patient care services administrator, human resources associate, nursing home administrator, community health manager, and training and development manager.
- Location: Orlando, Florida
- Accreditation: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
- Estimated Tuition: $383.86 per credit-hour
Drexel University offers an online bachelor of science in health services administration. The curriculum for the program focuses on career skills defined by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership and provides students with a solid foundation in health services administration.
Admission requirements include high school diploma or GED, previous college semester credits from a regionally accredited institution (preferred but not required), official high school transcripts, official ACT/SAT scores no more than five years old, and proof of English proficiency for international students.
The 180- to 184 credit-hour program offers students with a blend of healthcare and business education. The coursework explores topics such as healthcare human resources, healthcare law, financial management in healthcare, healthcare marketing, and management of health services.
The program equips students with fundamental skills to manage healthcare operations effectively. Additionally, they also get a chance to grow their professional network and develop a host of marketable skills.
On successful completion of the program, graduates can work in hospitals, private practices, healthcare consulting firms, health analysis firms, insurance companies, and clinics. They are well-equipped to pursue a career in fields such as insurance analysis, medical office management, marketing and communications, HR and recruitment, and pharmaceutical account management.
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
- Estimated Tuition: $513 per credit-hour
The Indiana Wesleyan University College of Adult and Professional Studies offers an online bachelor of science with a major in healthcare administration (BSHA) program. The program trains students to mitigate complex problems in healthcare and design plans for growth.
Program applicants must submit high school graduation proof (or GED), original transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities, completion of at least 60 transferable credit-hours from a regionally accredited college or university or an institution accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and TOEFL scores (if English is not the student’s primary language).
This program comprises 120 credit-hours (including at least 60 transferable units). Some of the courses include healthcare management and leadership, communication in business, human resources management, technology and information systems for healthcare, healthcare principles and policies, and healthcare marketing.
The program helps students create communication strategies for their organization, implement ethical standards in all their decisions, and evaluate new technologies for their healthcare organization. It opens up opportunities in various types of healthcare settings for graduates.
- Location: Marion, Indiana
- Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
- Estimated Tuition: $449 per credit-hour
Regis University offers an online bachelor of science in healthcare administration (BSHA) degree. This is a 100 percent online program and does not require any campus visits. The program equips students with the necessary leadership, analytical, technical, and communication skills for a management position.
Admission requirements for the program include a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above, 12 semester-hours of college-level coursework, a criminal background check, official transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions attended, a current resume, personal statement, and TOEFL scores, if English is not the first language of the applicant.
The program is made up of 120 credit-hours. The coursework includes foundations of health law, an assessment of quality care and patient safety, healthcare informatics and information systems, project management in the healthcare sector, and health statistics and research methods. Students get a thorough understanding of healthcare delivery systems, healthcare policy, strategic and project management, healthcare information systems, and finance. They become qualified to evaluate, hire, and train staff; manage financial operations; and help the business side of their healthcare organization run smoothly.
Graduates of the program can take up roles such as healthcare administrator, nursing home administrator, clinical manager, hospital administrator, and practice administrator.
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 30 months
- Estimated Tuition: $535 per credit-hour
Professors to Know in Healthcare Administration Programs
Dr. Jesse F. Ballenger is an associate professor in health administration at Drexel University. He teaches healthcare ethics, health services for the elderly, and the history of healthcare. His specializations include bioethics, the history of medicine and healthcare, gerontology, and medical humanities. Presently, his research work explores the ethical and policy implications of the history of medical, social, and cultural responses to dementia and aging.
He completed his PhD and an MA in history at Case Western Reserve University and a BA in history at Kent State University.
Dr. Kendall Cortelyou-Ward directs the healthcare informatics program at the University of Central Florida. She teaches courses such as organization and management of health agencies, health services administration internship, healthcare automation, long-term care administration, human resources in healthcare, and healthcare services management. Her research efforts are focused on healthcare workforce issues, healthcare informatics, and consumer informatics. She is a member of professional organizations such as Health Information Management Systems Society and the Academy of Management, and her research has appeared in prominent journals such as the Journal of Cases in Information Technology, the International Journal of Privacy and Health Information Management, and the Internet Journal of Medical Informatics.
She holds her PhD and MS from the University of Central Florida, and a BS from the University of Florida.
