The 30 Best Online Bachelor's in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs
Jan 31, 2020
Staff Writers
Are you ready to discover your college program?
An online bachelor’s in healthcare administration degree puts you in a position to contribute directly to the health of individuals and groups living in your community. The healthcare industry is vast, and requires healthcare administrators to create and maintain efficient, safe, and effective healthcare environments. Healthcare administrators provide leadership in an array of healthcare organizations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that the healthcare industry will add approximately 2.4 million new jobs within the next decade, the highest projected growth rate in the country. By 2026, the projected number of professionals employed as medical and health services managers will increase by 20%. This translates to roughly 70,000 job opportunities across the country for graduates with an online healthcare administration degree. If you are seeking a marketable degree that places you at the forefront of a fast-paced and innovative industry, a bachelor’s in healthcare administration may be right for you. Read on to discover more about this exciting field.
Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Program Ranking Guidelines
We selected the accredited online bachelor’ in healthcare administration programs based on the quality of the program, types of courses provided, faculty strength, school awards, rankings and reputation, including the reputation for providing online degree programs.
Methodology for College Rankings
The motto of TheBestSchools.org is Finding the best school for you. Here is how we do it:
The value of any ranking list of schools and/or degree programs depends on having a methodologically sound assessment of each school’s/program’s characteristics, especially insofar as these can be objectively measured. A college or university is a complex entity, with numerous factors to consider, and distilling these down to the place where meaningful comparisons can be made to form a defensible ranking list becomes part science and part art.
To meet this challenge—and thereby provide you with the most useful and insightful educational rankings on the Internet — TheBestSchools.org formulates our rankings based on five informational categories (six, when considering online schools). The major metrics and qualities for which we rank are these (with expanded, detailed considerations and weights listed):
1. Academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum generally or within the selected discipline [weight = 25%]
Weighs school against known leading schools in that discipline
Weighs number of core curricula listed as advanced courses within that discipline and compares against introductory courses
Weighs school’s curriculum against known knowledge needs of major employers in that discipline
Considers number and types of specializations offered within that discipline
Considers faculty expertise in that discipline
Considers range of electives within that discipline
Considers quality of online environment offered to students (if applicable), particularly within that discipline
2. Strength of faculty scholarship [weight = 25%]
Considers education background of the faculty
Considers years of faculty experience both inside and outside of academia.
Considers faculty membership and leadership within relevant, prominent associations
Considers academic papers published by faculty in relevant, prominent periodicals
Considers awards and recognitions given to faculty members from prominent organizations and from other sources
3. Reputation [weight = 20%]
Considers a school’s reputation among academic peers and employers regarding the following:
Faculty
Curriculum
“Freshness” of academic knowledge
Adaptability to changes in employment sectors
Suitability of graduates for the workplace
4. Financial aid [weight = 10%]
Mandatory: Requires full accreditation from an agency endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and listed on the federal register to accept student federal financial aid
Considers range of school-sponsored financial aid such as scholarships and grants
5. Range of degree programs [weight = 20%]
Considers range of degree levels: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral and professional
Considers range of degree subjects offered, such as art & design, computers & technology, education & teaching, criminal justice, and business
6. Strength of online instruction methodology (if applicable) [weight = 25%; subtract 5% from each of the above for online schools/programs]
Considers the following of the online classes:
Types of online technology used to deliver content
Pedagogy style: asynchronous, synchronous, or both (depending on the degree)
Extent and quality of the online, community learning environment, including options for communication, interactivity, and collaboration between students and also between students and instructors
Variety, breadth, and depth of coursework, and its support, including project options and online tutoring
Considers the following of instructors:
Extent of training for teaching within an online learning environment
Amount of timely, consistent feedback to students
Extent of collaboration with prospective employers to ensure suitability of instructional materials for achieving desired skills
Ratio to number of students in a class
Number and quality of internships in a student’s geographical area for applicable degrees
Because students tend to review a variety of information when choosing a school, the weight a student gives any one criterion will vary. For instance, it’s not enough to offer a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too expensive or too difficult to get into.
To better serve the needs of prospective students, we are therefore increasingly offering filters that help you better use our rankings to find the schools that match your specific needs. These supplement our ranking criteria and include:
Accreditation
Public or private status
Acceptance rate
Retention rate
Graduation rate
ACT/SAT requirements
Cost in-state / out of state
Undergrad, grad, or both offered
Region
State
City
Get the best rankings here AND get them to suit your personal needs. That’s TheBestSchools.org advantage!
If you have any questions about our ranking methodology, please contact us.
Citations: For a broader account of our ranking methodology, especially as it relates to TheBestSchools.org's underlying educational philosophy and, in other ranking articles, looks beyond academic excellence (as here) to such factors as return on investment or incidental benefit, see our article "Ranking Methodology: How We Rank Schools at TBS." Reputation of schools and degree programs can at least in part be gauged through the school or department's publishing activity, citations, and desirability. At TheBestSchools.org, we keep track of such social and peer validation: "Making Sense of College Rankings." For nuts-and-bolts information about colleges and universities, we look to the National Center for Education Statistics and especially its College Navigator. Insofar as salary and inflation data are relevant to a ranking, we look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, nothing beats contacting schools and degree programs directly, which our researchers often do, with the result that all the entries in this article should be considered as belonging to this citation!
The Best Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs
Based in Orlando, UCF is one of the largest universities in the nation with over 60,000 students taking classes. UCF offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees to distance learners. The school’s bachelor’s in healthcare administration prepares graduates for entry-level management positions in the healthcare industry.
The online health administration degree program’s 120-credit curriculum includes core studies in quality management, epidemiology, health law and ethics, and community health. Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also complete a capstone experience and meet general education requirements such as coursework in foreign language, communications, mathematics, and social science. All UCF’s online programs aim for flexibility by delivering coursework asynchronously. While the program enforces a minimum GPA of 2.5 for all its students, students should earn a GPA of at least 3.0 if they hope to enter graduate study at UCF.
Out-of-state online students receive a discount comparable to on-campus, in-state students. Many students enter the program after completing an associate degree or equivalent. These transfer students need a GPA of at least a 2.0 at their previous institution. Applicants not in possession of at least 60 credits must submit SAT or ACT scores and high school transcripts.
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, the U of M serves as one of the Volunteer State’s best public universities. The school offers several of its degrees to distance learners, including an online healthcare administration degree. The bachelor’s program requires students to complete a total of 120 credit hours, including 41 hours of general education courses and a 45-hour healthcare leadership core focused on healthcare human resources, professional healthcare writing, and health policy issues, as well as 11 lab hours. Students earning the healthcare administration degree online complete the following courses:
Business Principles/Healthcare
Epidemiology
Health Policy Issues
Healthcare Human Resources
Healthcare Informatics
Healthcare Leadership
Law/Ethics of Healthcare
U.S. Health System
The online health administration program also includes an internship in healthcare leadership completed in concert with a senior project to form a capstone experience. Most full-time students — including online students — complete the program in four years. The U of M delivers online coursework asynchronously.
Applicants must submit high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores. All transfer applicants — both those with at least 24 hours and those without 24 hours — need a GPA of at least a 2.0 on all prior college coursework. Memphis offers almost 30 transfer pathways in partnership with several Tennessee community colleges. On-campus and online students pay the same tuition rate, though out-of-state students pay a different rate.
Based in the city of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan is an evangelical, Christian-affiliated university that focuses on the liberal arts. The school now offers an online healthcare administration degree. Students may complete the degree without ever visiting the campus in Marion; however, they may elect to take some coursework on campus.
The program’s curriculum consists of 48 total credits. As such, the online health administration program awards a completion degree, and prospective students need to already hold an associate degree or at least 60 transferable credits when they apply. They also must have previously attended either a regionally accredited school or a school accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education.
The online health administration degree program’s 48 credits include the following online college courses:
Communication in Business
Ethical Decision–Making for Healthcare Administrators
Finance for Healthcare Administrators
Healthcare Management and Leadership
Healthcare Marketing
Healthcare Principles and Policies
Human Resources Management
Technology and Information Systems for Health Care
Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also fulfill liberal arts requirements in areas such as biblical studies, social science, English, and mathematics. Students can earn a maximum of 60 credits through Indiana Wesleyan’s Prior Learning Assessment program. The program delivers coursework asynchronously and offers several start dates throughout the year. Students pay the same tuition rate regardless of where they live.
Keiser University boasts an extensive online presence, offering distance learning programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. One such distance learning program — the university’s online health administration degree — serves as a bachelor’s-level offering that requires students to complete a total of 120 credits. The program’s curriculum includes a 24-credit lower division major core, a 48-credit upper-division major core, and 12 credits of general education courses in foundational areas such as research writing, management information systems, interpersonal communication, and statistics.
Students earning the healthcare administration degree online cover key topics such as finance, leadership, and marketing in a healthcare context. Students also learn the basics of coding, accounting, office administration, and healthcare management. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Ethics in Healthcare
Healthcare Finance
Healthcare Setting Analysis
Issues in Healthcare Communication
Leadership in Health Organization
Public Health Management
Public Policy in Healthcare
Research Methods in Healthcare
Risk Management in Healthcare
The online health administration program delivers coursework asynchronously, and students never need to visit any of Keiser’s campuses to complete their degrees.
Keiser does not list any freshman application requirements aside from presenting proof of a GED or a high school diploma. As such, prospective students do not need to submit SAT or ACT scores or meet a minimum GPA threshold. Keiser accepts transfer credits with a grade of “C” or better on a case-by-case basis. All students must complete at least 25% of a program’s required credits, or at least 30 credits of the healthcare administration bachelor’s program, through Keiser.
A Catholic and Franciscan-affiliated university based in Chicago suburb, Joliet, Illinois, the University of St. Francis enrolls more off-campus students (2,453) than on-campus students (1,713). The school offers a bachelor’s-level healthcare administration degree online consisting of 120 credits.
Students can complete their healthcare administration degree online at St. Francis without visiting campus. However, students can also complete some coursework on campus and face-to-face if they wish. Students completing the healthcare administration degree online engage with courses asynchronously through seven-day modules. The program awards a completion degree, and as such, all prospective students need at least 64 transferable credits or an associate degree to apply. Applicants also need a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 from their previous college coursework.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Epidemiology
Ethics in Healthcare
Health Information Management
Health Law, Regulation, and Policy
Healthcare Accounting and Budgeting
Healthcare Delivery
Management in Healthcare Organizations
Medical Sociology
Organization and Human Resource Management
St. Francis allows students to blend delivery methods and transfer up to 80 credits into the program. Students can earn credits by completing the Prior Learning Assessment. Additionally, the program offers coursework during all three terms. Most online students at St. Francis take courses part time, completing two, three-credit courses per semester.
Originally founded as a division of the College of William & Mary in 1930, Old Dominion University enrolls around 25,000 students. The school in Norfolk, Virginia, maintains an extensive online presence, including an entire online department — ODU Online.
One of ODU Online’s offerings — the BS degree in health sciences — is recognized as one of the nation’s best healthcare administration online degree programs. The 120-credit curriculum allows transfer students to bring up to 90 approved credits with them. The curriculum covers key topics, including policy, politics, public health, and epidemiology. The program concludes with an internship that serves as a capstone experience. Students completing the healthcare administration degree online engage with coursework both synchronously and asynchronously.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Critical Issues
Ethics in Health Administration
Finance and Budgeting in Healthcare
Health Informatics
Health Services Research
Introduction to Environmental Health
Managerial Epidemiology
Population Health
Public Health Science
The U.S. Health Delivery System
Prospective students entering the field for the first time must complete 12 credits of prerequisite courses before applying for admission. Out-of-state students pay slightly more tuition than in-state students. Students applying for the program choose between the degree completion and full degree versions.
A private university based in metropolitan Philadelphia, Drexel prides itself on its innovation and offers several programs online, including the university’s bachelor’s in healthcare administration. Online students enrolled in the program can earn their degrees without ever setting foot on campus; however, students in the program can also choose to complete some coursework in person.
The program offers four start dates throughout the year and delivers coursework asynchronously, allowing for increased flexibility. Drexel runs on the quarter system, and students in the healthcare administration program must complete between 180 and 184 quarter credits to graduate. The program’s curriculum covers key topics such as healthcare policy, healthcare law, and management of health services. All students earning the healthcare administration degree online must complete business courses in statistics, accounting, and organizational behavior. The curriculum does not include a capstone or a thesis.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Financial Management in Health Care
Health–Care Ethics
Health–Care Human Resources
Health–Care Law
Health–Care Marketing
Health–Care Policy
Introduction to Health–Systems Administration
Leadership in Health Services Administration
Management of Health Services
Non–Profits and Health Care
Transfer applicants may bring up to 135 quarter credits — the equivalent of 90 semester credits — with them. Transfer students need at least 24 college credits with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Freshman applicants must have already spent at least two years out of high school. As such, the program caters to transfer students and working professionals.
Champlain College is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE).
About this school
Champlain is a small, private college located in Burlington, Vermont. Originally a business school, Champlain now offers programs across a variety of disciplines, both on campus and online. The online bachelor’s in healthcare administration is a completion program, and therefore requires prospective students to already hold an associate degree or 60 transferable credits in order to apply. Students may transfer in up to 90 approved credits. Applicants also need a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 during all prior college coursework.
The required associate degree or 60 credits can come from any field; however, many of the program’s students already work in the healthcare profession. This commonality creates an online environment within which students frequently share knowledge. The program delivers coursework asynchronously and never requires students to visit campus. Additionally, the program offers six start dates throughout the school year. Program completion times vary, as each student may transfer in a different amount of credits and test out of different courses.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Clinical Systems Management
Financial Systems for Management
Health Finance and Economics
Healthcare Communication
Information Systems in Healthcare Organizations
Managing Behavior in Organizations
Managing Talent
Navigating the U.S. Healthcare System
Organization Development
Project Management
Each student earning the healthcare administration degree online must also complete an integrative capstone that includes a professional research project. Each online course lasts seven weeks, and most students take courses during the spring, summer, and fall terms.
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences focuses on providing hands-on learning and expert faculty mentorship across the health sciences to small groups of students. The school’s online healthcare administration degree allows students with an interest in business or management to benefit from PA College’s faculty. Students may complete the healthcare administration degree online without ever visiting campus in Lancaster, although they may choose to take certain courses face-to-face.
Most of the program’s courses include a heavy focus on projects. Students complete healthcare-related studies in finance, planning and policy, quality assurance, human resources, and law. Students also take courses in foundational areas such as medical terminology, leadership, teaching and learning, and organizational behavior. Students must complete a capstone research project and an internship before they can graduate.
The online health administration degree program requires 120 credits and includes the following online college courses:
Data Analysis
Health Care Finance
Health Care Marketing
Health Care Planning and Policy
Health Care Quality
Health Information Management
Human Resources in Health Care
Leading Change in Health Care
Legal Issues in Health Care
Principles of Health Care Administration
PA College prefers applicants with a high school GPA of at least 3.0, an SAT score of at least 1000, and an ACT score of at least 21. The admissions committee also considers class rank, community service, health care experience, and performance in math and science courses. PA College’s program differs from other online programs in that most of its students are freshman applicants, not working professionals. The school makes no distinction for tuition between in-state and out-of-state students.
Many of Liberty University’s 110,000 plus students — a number that includes 30,000 military students — take classes online. Liberty’s online bachelor’s in healthcare administration serves as one of the university’s stronger distance learning offerings.
Requiring a total of 120 credits, the online health administration degree program’s curriculum blends healthcare and business, offering courses such as legal and ethical issues in healthcare, public and community health for business, and management of human resources and health professionals. Each course lasts for eight weeks. The school recommends that each student completing the healthcare administration degree online should pursue an internship in the field.
The program champions flexibility above all, delivering coursework asynchronously and offering eight different start dates. The program allows students to transfer in up to 90 credits, awards credit for prior military experience, and offers tuition discounts for military members, their families, and emergency responders. Liberty charges all other students the same per-credit rate.
CityU operates programs in North America, Europe, Asia, and online, and the university’s student body includes plenty of working professionals. Some 66% of the school’s students take courses part time. Moreover, 32% of CityU’s students take courses strictly online and another 16% opt for hybrid coursework.
CityU’s online healthcare administration degree delivers coursework asynchronously and never requires students to visit any of the school’s campuses. The program’s bachelor’s-level curriculum consists of 180 credits in total, and the university runs on a quarter-credit system. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Foundations of Healthcare Leadership
Health Informatics
Healthcare Administration Budgeting and Finance
Healthcare Administration Human Resources Management
Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare Administration
Under faculty supervision, all students complete a practicum/capstone experience related to management, policy, quality assurance, planning, budgeting, or other core competencies. Most students complete the healthcare administration degree online within four years. Job titles for program graduates include nursing home administrator, health information manager, and medical office manager.
As a private institution, the school does not differentiate between online out-of-state and in-state tuition pricing. The healthcare administration program does not list any admissions requirements beyond proof of a high school diploma.
A Roman Catholic and Jesuit-affiliated school based in Denver, Colorado, Regis University serves students by offering programs across the liberal arts, business, information science, and health disciplines. The school offers an online bachelor’s in healthcare administration. The program’s curriculum requires students to complete 120 credits, and most students earn their healthcare administration degree in 24–30 months. Most students completing the healthcare administration degree online also already possess at least some professional experience in business or healthcare.
The online health administration degree program’s curriculum includes studies in healthcare policy, finance, healthcare information systems, and project management. All students must complete a capstone project and an internship in the field. The program delivers coursework asynchronously, and Regis never requires students to visit campus in Denver — although the school does encourage online students to graduate in person.
The program offers three start dates throughout the academic year — January, May, and August — and each course lasts eight weeks. Job titles for graduates include clinical manager, hospital administrator, and healthcare administrator. All program applicants need a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in high school. Regis does not differentiate between Colorado residents and out-of-state students when assessing tuition, and all students pay the same per-credit rate.
Based in Bowling Green, WKU offers several of its programs online, including the university’s online healthcare administration degree. Running on a cohort model in which students completing the healthcare administration degree online engage with the same sequence of coursework with the same peer group, the program never requires students to visit campus in Bowling Green for any reason.
The program’s major curriculum consists of 62 credits, with each cohort progressing through all the coursework in seven terms, or around two years. The entire curriculum focuses on coursework with practical applications, and all students must complete an internship in their final term. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Health Care Finance
Health Economics
Health Systems Management
Healthcare Biostatistics Lab
International Comparisons of Health Care Systems
Legal Aspects of Healthcare
Long Term Care Administration
Nursing Facility Administration
Principles and Methodology in Health Planning
Quality and Patient Safety in Long–Term Care
Job titles for program graduates include compliance specialist, accountant, and accounts receivable supervisor. The program does not list any specific admissions requirements; however, limited space makes program entrance competitive.
CSP is a Lutheran-affiliated liberal arts school based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. CSP maintains an extensive online and distance learning presence, including its online bachelor’s in healthcare administration. The program caters to working professionals, allowing students to choose between an online delivery method or an on-campus delivery method.
The program’s 40-credit major runs on a cohort model, with students completing a prescribed sequence of courses with the same group of peers. The curriculum covers key topics such as healthcare finance, healthcare information systems, and the legal environment for healthcare managers. The program does not include a capstone, internship, or thesis requirement. Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also complete 80 credits of general education courses and distribution requirements outside of healthcare administration. Each online course lasts for seven weeks, and CSP delivers all program coursework asynchronously.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Compliance and Regulatory Systems
Epistemological Foundation
Ethics and Decision Making in Health Care Environments
Health Care Economics
Health Care Finance
Health Care Information Systems
Healthcare Diversity and Global Issues
Leadership Communication
Legal Issues for Healthcare Managers
Strategic Leadership of Resources, People and Teams
CSP’s healthcare administration program prides itself on its 95% employment record. CSP graduates also earn a 44% higher mean annual salary than the national average. The program primarily accepts transfer applicants, all whom need a minimum GPA of 2.0 at their previous accredited institution.
St. Joseph’s College of Maine is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE).
About this school
A Catholic-affiliated liberal arts school based in the city of Standish in suburban Portland, SJCME is currently the only Christian college in Maine that offers online programs, including the online healthcare administration degree. Students complete the healthcare administration degree online asynchronously, without any on-campus residencies.
The program’s curriculum consists of 128 credits, including studies in American healthcare systems, quality in healthcare administration, and ethics in health administration. Students can also choose electives in health informatics and emergency preparedness. The program does not include any capstone, thesis, or internship requirements. Students interested in further study may enroll in a fast track option toward the master’s in healthcare administration at SJCME.
The online health administration degree program requires the following online college courses:
American Healthcare Systems
Ethics in Health Administration
Healthcare Administration: Management Foundations
Healthcare Financial Management
Human Resource Management
Legal Aspects of Healthcare Administration
Quality in Health Administration
All freshman applicants to the program must present proof of a high school diploma or GED with a minimum 2.0 GPA. The school evaluates transfer credit on a case-by-case basis, allowing students to bring up to 95 approved credits with them. Students can also earn credit from military training and by submitting a portfolio demonstrating experiential learning.
TUW is the online and distance learning branch of the Touro College and University system. Originally founded to serve the Jewish population in the five boroughs, the school has steadily expanded since the 1970s. The school now includes 17 campuses across the globe, including centers in Berlin, Israel, Moscow, and Los Angeles.
TUW’s online bachelor’s in healthcare administration requires students to complete 120 credits. The online health administration degree curriculum consists of 51 credits focused on the theory of healthcare management and administration. Each online course lasts for eight weeks, and TUW delivers all program coursework asynchronously. Full-time students completing the healthcare administration degree online can graduate in three and a half years. To foster close interaction between professors and students, TUW aims for small class sizes in its online programs.
TUW allows transfer students to bring up to 90 credits with them. Bachelor’s students must complete at least 30 credits through TUW coursework. The school does not list any requirements for freshman admission beyond proof of a high school diploma or a GED. The school charges the same tuition rate for in-state and out-of-state students.
Roberts Wesleyan College offers a Free Methodist-affiliated, Christ-centered liberal arts education. Based in the city of Rochester, New York, Roberts reaches students nationwide through its distance learning programs. One such program — the college’s online healthcare administration degree — serves as a degree completion program that caters to students already in possession of several transfer credits.
All program applicants need at least 60 transferable college credits with a minimum GPA of 2.0. All prospective students also need two years of relevant work experience. Once they earn admission to the program, distance learners complete their degrees within 15 months. As a private university, Roberts charges all admitted students the same base tuition.
Students completing the healthcare administration degree online engage with all coursework asynchronously, with a few face-to-face online meetings. The program runs on a cohort model, providing its online students with structure and accountability. Students may enroll in the college’s advanced standing option to earn credits toward a master’s in healthcare administration while taking courses in the bachelor’s program.
The online health administration degree program requires 37 credits for the major (124 total) and includes the following online college courses:
A Methodist-affiliated school based in Winfield, Kansas, Southwestern College has served the southern Kansas region since the turn of the 20th century. Since then, the college has focused on evolving with the times. The school maintains an extensive distance learning presence, which includes an online healthcare administration degree. Southwestern also provides laptops to all new on-campus students as part of tuition.
The program caters to working professionals and students already in possession of at least six college credits with a GPA of at least 2.0. Prospective students also need prerequisite courses in algebra and statistics. The online health administration degree program requires 124 credits, and includes the following online college courses:
Accounting in Healthcare
Economics of Healthcare
Financial Management in Healthcare Services
Healthcare Information Systems
Healthcare Marketing and Development
Managing Healthcare Human Resources
Healthcare Policy, Law, Regulation, and Accreditation
Quality Management of Healthcare Services
Strategic Management of Healthcare Services
The Healthcare Industry
Transfer students may bring up to 94 credits with them, as the school only requires that students complete 30 credits through Southwestern courses. Students must complete at least 60 of those 124 hours at a bachelor’s-level institution.
During their final semester, students earning the healthcare administration degree online must complete a capstone course. Instructors deliver coursework asynchronously and the school provides significant military discounts. Additionally, all online courses last six weeks each.
Based in Bristol, Tennessee, King University was founded in the 19th century by a church and a reverend. Originally known as King College, the school re-branded as King University in 2013. The school now offers an online bachelor’s in healthcare administration to students across the nation.
The online health administration program’s curriculum consists of 124 credits in total; however, students already in possession of general education coursework can finish the major portion of the program in 16 months. Students need at least 45 previous college credits to earn admission.
The program prepares graduates to lead through the application of its servant leadership model, which pervades all the program’s coursework. Program coursework includes studies in human resources, management, healthcare sustainability, ethics, and healthcare policy. Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also pass a comprehensive examination as a capstone during their final semester to graduate. King delivers all program coursework asynchronously, catering to professionals who need flexibility. In-state and out-of-state students pay the same tuition.
UWF’s central campus sits on a nature preserve on the Florida Panhandle in Pensacola. Distance learners, however, can earn their online health administration degree without ever setting foot on campus.
The online health administration degree program requires 120 credits (48 in the major) and includes the following online college courses:
Current Issues in Health Sciences
Health Economics
Healthcare Administration
Legal Fundamentals of Healthcare and Public Health
Marketing Fundamentals
Medical Terminology
Principles of Healthcare Finance
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Understanding U.S. Health Care
Students must complete an internship in the healthcare administration field and a research seminar to graduate. The program’s core competencies include communication, critical thinking, integrity, and project management. The program delivers all coursework asynchronously and offers several start dates throughout the year.
Most students completing the healthcare administration degree online enter as transfer students who already possess some college credit. As such, UWF mandates that all applicants need a GPA of at least 2.5 in all previous college coursework. Prospective students also need prerequisite courses in algebra, statistics, psychology, and biology (with a lab). Job titles for past program graduates include assisted living facility administrator, hospice director, and hospital administrator. Online and on-campus students pay the same tuition rate; however, out-of-state students may not pay in-state tuition rates.
Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, a teacher from New York who eventually became the governor of Michigan, founded the Big Rapids Industrial School in the late 19th century. The school, now called Ferris State, offers a low student-to-faculty ratio, a high percentage of courses taught by professors instead of graduate assistants, and an online department.
The online department administers a bachelor’s in healthcare administration that offers both generalist and long-term care concentrations. The long-term care concentration prepares graduates to work in long-term care facilities. The generalist concentration, however, prepares graduates to work in all other healthcare administration settings. Each concentration requires students to complete between 127 and 129 credits. Students may earn the healthcare administration degree online in four years by taking courses in the spring, summer, and fall.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Health Care Administration
Health Care Finance II
Health Care Finance III
Health Care Law I
Health Care Strategic Application
Health Care Supervisory Practices
Survey of Long Term Care
The program’s two internships — a six-week experience in a hospital and a ten-week experience at a location of each student’s choosing — mark the highlights of the curriculum. To earn admission, students need a high school diploma or previous college coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Proud of its service to Michigan, Ferris State does not permit out-of-state online students to pay in-state tuition.
A liberal arts university affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church, FPU began awarding bachelor’s degrees in 1965. FPU now offers several of its programs online, including an online healthcare administration degree.
The curriculum consists of 120 credits, including 41 major credits. The online healthcare administration program is a completion degree. Therefore, all applicants need at least two years of post-secondary academic experience and at least 60 transferable credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.4 prior to entrance. Students who fail to meet the GPA threshold may submit a petition — including a resume, a letter of recommendation, and an explanatory letter — to be considered for admission. Once students earn admission to FPU, they can complete the program within 18 months.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Conflict Resolution in Health Care
Emerging Leadership in Healthcare
Health Care in the United States
Health Care Law, Regulations, and Ethics
Health Care Leadership
Health Care Systems Administration and Information Technology
Human Resources and Organizational Behavior
Introduction to Financial Management in Healthcare
Population Health and Cultural Intelligence
Strategic Management in Healthcare
FPU requires all students to complete a course in Jesus and the Christian community. All students earning the healthcare administration degree online must complete a project in which they design and perform original research as a capstone. FPU delivers all program coursework asynchronously and never requires online students to visit campus in Fresno, California.
A small, professionally oriented liberal arts university affiliated with the Disciples of Christ, Midway University began as the Kentucky Female Orphan School in 1849. The Kentucky-based school continued as a women’s university until 2016, when it began accepting male students. The school offers a bachelor’s in healthcare administration to all its students.
Distance learners complete the 120-credit healthcare administration degree online curriculum without ever setting foot on campus. Midway delivers all program coursework asynchronously, catering to the busy schedule of working professionals. The program’s curriculum blends healthcare-specific coursework with foundational business studies in areas such as accounting, marketing, economics, and quantitative analysis. Students must complete a healthcare administration capstone course and a careers course. Careers for past program graduates include public health statistician, hospital administrator, and insurance specialist.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Ethics in Health Care
Health Care Economics
Health Care Policy
Health Careers
Health Insurance Claims Management
Legal Issues in Health Care
Management & Planning in Health Care
Management Information Systems
Medical Staff Organization
All online students pay the same base tuition. For freshman applicants, Midway prefers students who placed in the top 50% of their high school class, earned a GPA of at least 2.5, and scored at least an 18 on the ACT or an 860 on the SAT. Midway requires transfer applicants to possess a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Conrad Swensburg, a veteran of the Union Army, founded Davenport University in downtown Grand Rapids after returning home to Michigan from the Civil War. The university currently operates campuses across the Great Lake State and offers several distance learning options, including an online healthcare administration degree.
The healthcare administration program’s curriculum requires students to complete 120 credits. Students choose between concentrations in information technology, risk management, human resources management, and leadership and sustainability. The core curriculum focuses on broad, central topics in healthcare and business, including studies in organizational behavior, healthcare law and ethics, and healthcare finance. Graduates assume entry-level management posts throughout the healthcare industry. Davenport delivers coursework asynchronously, and students never need to visit any of the university’s campuses. Most students complete the healthcare administration degree online within four years.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Cultural Issues in Health Care
Health Care Economics
Health Care Finance
Health Care Research
Health Care Risk Management
Health Promotion and Education
Human Resource Management
Public Health Perspectives
Quality and Performance Improvement in Health Care
Regulatory Health Care
Davenport allows transfer students to bring up to 90 approved credits with them. Students with an Allied Health credential (such as an RN) can earn credit in the healthcare administration program for previous experience. Davenport does not list any freshman admissions requirements aside from a high school diploma or GED. Davenport charges out-of-state online students a cheaper per-credit tuition rate than Michigan residents, incentivizing in-state students to enroll in on-campus programs.
Founded at the turn of the 18th century, the U of L was the first public university in the United States owned by a city. The university shares a particularly close relationship with the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Nevertheless, students beyond the city limits can now benefit from Louisville’s distance learning programs, including their online health administration degree.
The healthcare administration curriculum requires students to earn 120 credits. Students choose between a “flex pace” — in which they take 32 months to complete all the healthcare administration degree online coursework whenever they like — or a “set pace,” which places students in eight-week courses and provides the structure of a more traditional on-campus program. The set pace option mimics an accelerated online program.
Students can accelerate progress toward their degree by transferring up to 36 previously earned general education credits. The program prefers applicants already in possession of 24 college credits with a minimum GPA of 2.7. Students can earn up to 48 credits for previous professional healthcare experience. All applicants need at least 2,000 hours of work experience over the past five years. The 36-credit healthcare administration core runs on a “competency-based education” format. The school determines these competencies from employer feedback and industry needs.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Fundamentals of Healthcare Human Resource Management
Healthcare Finance and Accounting
Healthcare Information Management
Healthcare Law and Ethics
Healthcare Quality Evaluation
Management of Diversity in Healthcare Organizations
Managing Projects in Healthcare Organizations
Needs Assessment in Healthcare Organizations
Organizational Change in Healthcare
Principles of Healthcare Leadership and Management
CCU provides the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metropolitan area with an interdenominational, Christian-affiliated education. The school recently added liberal arts programs, theological branches, and a distance education department. The school’s online department offers an online bachelor’s in healthcare administration.
The program requires students to earn 120 credits, including 36 major credits, 42 general education credits, and 42 elective credits. The program offers an accelerated option, delivering courses in five-week segments that allow students to progress quickly. Students complete the major coursework portion of the program in four semesters. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Fiscal Management in Healthcare
Healthcare Administration and Management
Healthcare Delivery Systems
Healthcare Law, Policy, and Regulations
Healthcare Quality Management and Assessment
Healthcare Terminology
Introduction to Healthcare Informatics
Managing Healthcare Human Resources
Statistics and Research in Healthcare
Systems in Long–Term Care
Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also complete a healthcare administration capstone, which includes a practical application of everything students have learned and two biblical studies courses.
Transfer applicants may bring up to 90 credits with them, and many students choose to complete only the major coursework portion at CCU. Students can also earn up to 75 credits through prior learning credit. The program delivers coursework synchronously, with students meeting online once a week for courses. Part-time students pay a higher per-credit fee than full-time students.
Trevecca Nazarene University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The healthcare administration’s program meets standards laid out by the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration (AUPHA) and the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
About this school
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Trevecca is a Nazarene-affiliated liberal arts college that began at the start of the 20th century. The Church of the Nazarene boasts eight liberal arts affiliates, with Trevecca representing the southeastern portion of the U.S. The school offers a healthcare administration degree online. Given that healthcare serves as the largest industry in Nashville — with the city currently counting 250,000 employees — students in the program often enjoy a host of professional opportunities once they graduate.
Trevecca’s program caters to working professionals by delivering coursework asynchronously and allowing students to complete the healthcare administration degree online, without ever visiting campus. The university also awards college credits for professional experience, certifications, and the Prior Learning Assessment. Students can complete general education coursework in areas such as Christian ministry, psychology, and management.
The online health administration degree program core consists of the following online college courses:
Biblical Perspectives and the Christian Worldview
Electronic Health Records
Financial Management in Health Care
Health Regulations and Policy
Introduction to Health Management Information Systems and Informatics
Introduction to Long Term Care Management
Introduction to the Healthcare Industry
Legal Aspects of Health Care
Palliative Care and Hospice Care
Quality Initiatives and Health Administration
Strategic Management in Health Care
The Culture and Ethics of Health Care
The program does not include a capstone or a thesis, and students already in possession of general education credits can earn their degrees in 18 months.
Southern New Hampshire University is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE).
About this school
Based in Manchester, SNHU enrolls about 3,000 students on campus. However, thanks to distance education, SNHU is one of the fastest-growing universities in the nation, enrolling over 80,000 students online. The university’s online department includes an online bachelor’s in healthcare administration.
Students enrolled in the healthcare administration program at SNHU choose a concentration in either health information management or patient safety and quality. To finish the program, students must complete a total of 120 credits, which usually takes four years. The curriculum includes studies in healthcare quality management, human resource management, and organizational behavior. The program does not include a capstone, an internship, or a thesis requirement. Students also choose 21 credits of free elective courses, which they can complete in any department. SNHU delivers all program coursework asynchronously. All students earning the healthcare administration degree online at SNHU receive access to dedicated career and academic advising.
The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Ethical and Legal Consideration in Healthcare
Healthcare Delivery Systems
Healthcare Economics
Healthcare Finance
Healthcare Marketing
Healthcare Reimbursement
Healthcare Research and Evaluation Methodologies
Healthcare Strategic Management and Policy
Population Health and Cultural Competence
Principles of Epidemiology
SNHU charges all students the same per-credit tuition rate no matter where they live. Military students and their spouses receive a 30% tuition discount. Graduates of the program work for consulting firms, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare administration-related organizations.
A Catholic-affiliated, liberal arts school based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy was originally founded as a two-year women’s college. The college has evolved over the years, first awarding four-year degrees, then admitting men, and finally beginning to offer its programs online.
Mount Mercy’s online health administration degree caters to working professionals. The program delivers coursework asynchronously, offers nine different start dates throughout the year, and delivers classes in accelerated five- or ten-week formats. These features allow working professionals to progress through their coursework and finish their degrees quickly. The healthcare administration program’s curriculum consists of three cores in business, healthcare, and policy and psychology. Coursework includes studies in employment law, human resource management, macroeconomics, and public policy. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Employment Law and Labor Relations
Financial Issues in Health Care Organizations
Health Care Informatics
Health Care Law, Regulations, and Compliance
Human Resource Management
Organization of Health Care Services
Quality Patient/Resident Care
All students earning the healthcare administration degree online must also complete an internship with a healthcare administration organization. Students in the program may apply 12 of the credits they earn toward a graduate degree at Mount Mercy. Many students in the healthcare administration bachelor’s program enroll in a dual degree program that also includes an MBA. Many program graduates find work with Iowa organizations such as Mercy Iowa City, UnityPoint Health, and Physicians Clinic of Iowa. Online students pay a lower tuition rate than on-campus students.
Colorado State University Global Campus, the distance-education wing of Colorado State University, serves over 12,000 students entirely online through a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs. Among its offerings is an online bachelor of science in healthcare administration and management degree program that meets the needs of busy, non-traditional students seeking professional advancement.
The 120 credit bachelor’s in healthcare administration includes a fixed core curriculum of 15 three-credit courses. Students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a variety of healthcare administration careers, engaging with key aspects of the field, including risk management, human resources, ethics, healthcare law, population health, and quality assurance. The online health administration degree program includes the following online college courses:
Applying Leadership Principles
Health Law and Ethics
Healthcare Analysis and Policy Development
Healthcare Information Systems
Healthcare Operations Management
Healthcare Supervision
Managed Care and Health Insurance
Population Health Management
Quality and Risk Management in Healthcare
The Economics of Healthcare
Students earning the healthcare administration degree online must complete a capstone, and may choose to complete a practicum, gaining valuable real world experience. Courses are completed asynchronously and start on a monthly basis, allowing students to complete the courses at an accelerated pace on their own schedule. Well-qualified students who intend to continue with graduate studies may select the dual enrollment option, which allows for early admission into the master of healthcare administration and management program at CSU Global Campus.
Choosing an Online Healthcare Administration Program
An online healthcare administration degree typically consists of 120 credits and usually takes about four years to complete. Students earning a healthcare administration degree online acquire knowledge of business strategies specific to the healthcare industry. Major courses include topics in healthcare finance, software applications in healthcare, and project management. This comprehensive degree integrates business principles with healthcare policies, epidemiology studies, and an overview of population health. Students develop expertise in the areas of marketing and quality control and gain valuable interpersonal and leadership skills that prepare them for managerial roles in hospitals, public health agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
An online healthcare administration degree features the same coursework as a face-to-face program, and most distance-learning programs allow students to complete coursework on their schedule. Some curricula allow learners to complete consecutive courses that are eight weeks in length. Other online health administration degree programs may instead consist of traditional 15-week semesters, where students learn as part of a cohort. Many programs conclude with a capstone project that requires students to develop a research paper drawing upon theories and strategies discussed throughout the program.
What Will I Learn in an Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Program?
While curricula vary between schools, students often complete the following courses while earning their healthcare administration degree online. Although a bachelor’s in healthcare administration consists of interrelated topics, each course equips students with the skills needed for specific occupations.
Healthcare Economics
Through the examination of the healthcare economy, students acquire knowledge of policies and regulations governing the medical industry. Students enrolled in this course learn how to implement economic tools to increase profits and minimize financial risks. Familiarity with business principles prepares students for a career in medical office administration.
Healthcare Quality Improvement
In this course, students learn how to develop strategies to improve an organization’s healthcare delivery, organizational efficiency, and patient outcomes. Preparing students for careers in health services management, this course features topics in cost reductions, patient satisfaction, and measures for assessing the impact of improvement methods. Students examine the use of technology to improve healthcare delivery.
Human Resource Management
This course familiarizes students with key human resource topics and provides them with the skills needed to direct human resources departments in medical settings. Learners acquire an understanding of organizational culture, employee compensation, and occupational health and safety. Students also learn how to develop recruitment strategies and employee training programs.
Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Careers
Professionals who earn a healthcare administration degree online graduate with the expertise needed for healthcare jobs in areas such as healthcare facility management and hospital administration. These professionals often work 40 or more hours per week and depend on their leadership and interpersonal skills to promote a positive work environment.
Employed by hospitals, physicians’ offices, and residential care settings, these professionals may oversee an entire organization or specific department within a facility. Duties include enhancing the quality of healthcare services, creating budgets, and supervising staff. Earning an online health administration degree allows students to pursue managerial positions.
These professionals occupy supervisory roles in office settings. They tend to the various needs of an organization to ensure efficient operation. Responsibilities include setting goals and deadlines, implementing practices that comply with government regulations, and overseeing record keeping. Administrative services managers oversee maintenance and the ongoing availability of supplies.
Approximately 10% of human resource managers work in healthcare settings, where they develop employee benefit programs, work with employees and upper management to solve issues, and supervise hiring procedures. An online health administration degree supplies human resources managers with the skills needed to pursue a career in the healthcare industry.
Accreditation for Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Degrees
An online healthcare administration degree from an accredited college meets certain academic standards. There are two main types of accreditation: regional and national. Regional accreditation is considered more prestigious and is maintained by more than 75% of America’s colleges. Students earning an online health administration degree through a regionally accredited school will usually qualify for graduate school, or be eligible to transfer credits toward another school or degree. Schools with national accreditation typically offer trade degrees. Schools with regional accreditation may not accept credits earned from a nationally accredited institution.
Schools offering online programs may receive accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, an accrediting organization that promotes accountability and quality delivery of instructional materials in distance education environments. Healthcare administration online degree programs may also acquire accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. This programmatic accreditor implements quality control measures to ensure academic excellence among healthcare management programs.
Healthcare Administration Professional Organizations
Professional organizations offer scholarship opportunities, access to webinars, and more. They also strive to promote professional development experiences that are accessible, collaborative, and engaging. Students and recent graduates who join a professional organization have access to job forums, career resources, and events that provide networking opportunities. Not only do professional organizations promote professional cohesiveness, they continually advocate for quality healthcare.
AAHAM promotes professional development in areas such as reimbursement, patient relations, and record keeping. The organization’s members work in a variety of healthcare settings. AAHAM offers several certifications, including certified revenue cycle executive and certified compliance technician.
In addition to offering peer support and mentoring opportunities, MGMA provides healthcare professionals with access to a wealth of resources, including online training programs, articles that address contemporary issues in the field, and data calculation tools.
Founded in 1988 in response to a growing need for administrative professionals in small healthcare clinics, PAHCOM hosts educational programs and conferences that encourage the advancement of the medical management profession. The organization offers two certification options: certified medical manager and health information technology certified manager for physician practice.
