Read about the courses you could take in a bachelor's degree program in healthcare administration. Find out how these programs work, and review the entry-level management positions you could pursue with a healthcare administration bachelor's degree.
What Healthcare Administration Bachelor's Degree Programs Are There?
Throughout the country, you can find healthcare administration bachelor's degree programs designed for new college students and for returning students. Many healthcare administration bachelor's degree programs make it easy for you to earn your degree while working your current job. You can often take courses in the evening or online. Flexible scheduling options are more common in programs intended for students who have already earned an associate's degree and have some work experience.
Typically, you earn a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration. Some schools award a Bachelor of Healthcare Administration, though. If you have an associate's degree and attend school full-time, you can earn a healthcare administration bachelor's degree in about two years. If you're new to post-secondary education, you need about four years of full-time study to finish the program.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Program Length</b></td><td> About 4 years of full-time study</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> Courses may focus on healthcare finance, information systems, human resources and ethics & laws in healthcare</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (May 2020)</b></td><td> $104,280 (medical and health service managers)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 32% increase (for medical and health service managers)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3><p>Healthcare administration bachelor's degree program courses typically cover the business side of running a hospital, physician's office or other healthcare facility. You learn about healthcare finance and information systems and human resources. You also learn how to be a leader in a healthcare office and how to implement programs that train and educate your staff. Other courses focus on ethics and laws pertaining to the healthcare field, and you discuss emerging issues and problems in health systems. Some courses address decision making skills, giving you techniques and methods that help address problems in the workplace.
</p><p>Internships and similar real-world experiences are common components of a healthcare administration bachelor's degree program. You spend time observing and participating in daily healthcare administration offices. This gives you the opportunity to apply the knowledge you gained through your coursework. Some programs require students with little or no healthcare industry experience to participate in a residency that gives you an idea of the various departments and roles within a healthcare system.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatKindOfJobWillIGet">What Kind of Job Will I Get?</h3><p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports as of 2018 that a master's degree is typically required for department heads and supervisor in many healthcare administration offices. But you can get entry-level work with a bachelor's degree. Some smaller organizations hire applicants who have a bachelor's degree for leadership and administrative positions. Larger hospitals hire bachelor's degree-holders for administrative assistant and department assistant positions, the BLS affirms (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The 2020 median pay for medical and health services managers was $104,280 per year. Employment in this area is expected to grow by 32% over 2019-2029.</p>
