Description
The BS in Healthcare Administration program prepares students to enter the healthcare field as entry-level healthcare managers. Upon completion, students are prepared to seek employment in the healthcare field in a variety of practice settings including, but not limited to, hospitals, outpatient practices (i.e. physician offices), nursing homes, public health institutions, health insurance companies, and consulting firms. Students pursue study in a series of well rounded, yet focused healthcare administration courses that include key aspects of business, systems, research, leadership, and relationships with colleagues and consumers across the healthcare continuum. A management internship is also required which provides students an opportunity to implement their skills in a real-world context. The healthcare administration faculty create educational experiences that bring students the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to prepare them for employment in the multi-faceted healthcare field.
Admission to the Major
Any undergraduate student can declare the healthcare administration major, provided the student has an overall GPA of 2.5.
The Healthcare Studies faculty has a professional responsibility to deny admission or continuation in any of its undergraduate or graduate programs to any student whose level of performance and/or personal characteristics or dispositions do not adequately meet academic, professional, or ethical standards.
Program Requirements
Undergraduate students in the Healthcare Administration program pursue a Bachelor of Science degree and must complete its requirements.
Students must complete two pre-requisite courses and must achieve a grade of "C" or higher in each required healthcare administration (HCA/HCS) core course (A grade of "C-" does not meet this requirement.).
General Education Requirements (44 credits)
Healthcare Administration Pre-Requisite Courses (6 credits)
- Elementary Statistics (MTH 243 or equivalent)* with a passing grade
- Intro to Financial Accounting (ACC 281 or equivalent) with a passing grade
*denotes courses that meet both major and general education requirements
Major Departmental Requirements (58 credits)
Required Healthcare Administration Core
- HCS 211 Professionalism for Healthcare
- HCS 302 Survey Clinical & Administrative Information Systems
- HCS 310 Healthcare Systems
- HCS 311 Technical Skills for Health Professionals
- HCS 312 Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
- HCS 313 Quality Management in Healthcare
- HCS 317 Healthcare Ethics
- HCS 335 Healthcare Marketing
- HCS 415 Financial Management in Healthcare
- HCS 416 Insurance and Managed Care
- HCS 417 Law in Healthcare Practice
- HCS 418 Statistics for Healthcare Professions
- HCS 419 Managerial Epidemiology
- HCS 420 Research Methods in Healthcare
- HCS 464 Operations Management in Healthcare
- HCS 465 Human Resource Management for Healthcare
- HCS 496 Management Internship
*Internship Pre-Requisites: All pre-requisite courses completed, all required HCS course work with a grade of "C" or higher must be completed, and an overall GPA of 2.5.
Healthcare Electives
*Choose two from the list below
- HCS 230 Medical Terminology for Health Professionals
- HCS 337 Healthcare Policy
- HCS 338 Group Practice Management
- HCS 340 Healthcare Leadership
- HCS 425 Long Term Care/Nursing Home Management
- HCS 426 Legal & Regulatory Issues for Long Term Care
- HCS 430 Gerontology and Health Issues for Aging Populations
- HCS 436 Economics for Healthcare Managers
Electives (6 credits)
Total Credits (120 credits)
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Healthcare Administration major, students will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of the healthcare system.
- Communicate clearly with individuals and groups.
- Apply critical thinking skills to deliver written and oral communication.
- Demonstrate accountability behaviors in the healthcare environment.
- Apply effective leadership and management skills.
- Apply financial skills to the creation of sustainable healthcare programming and service lines.
- Apply business principles, including systems thinking, to the healthcare environment.
- Demonstrate the use of information systems, particularly electronic health records.
- Behave in accordance with ethical and professional standards.