Which Kentucky Universities Offer Healthcare Administration Degrees?

The field of healthcare is constantly changing. Through patient care and reform efforts along with the constant addition of new technology practices, a healthcare administrator is needed to manage and implement organizational change. Studies in healthcare administration in Kentucky can include areas such as health services management, communication and interpersonal skills, systems thinking, public policy and ongoing improvement efforts.

What You Need to Know

In Kentucky, you can earn a bachelor's or master's degree in the health administration field. Many of these programs require internships in addition to coursework. Some programs are largely available online. Healthcare administration concentrations might also be available as part of business administration degree programs. Read on to explore some 4-year universities, both public and private, that offer healthcare administration programs in Kentucky.

Bachelor's Degree Programs for Healthcare Administrators in Kentucky

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville University offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) through the Porter and Bouvette School of Business and Economics. Healthcare administration is one of eight areas of emphasis offered in the program. In addition to general education courses, business core courses include accounting, business law, management, finance, and social statistics. Healthcare emphasis courses include healthcare policy and politics, strategic healthcare management, health economics, ethics, and information management. During your junior or senior year, you'll be required to serve a three to six credit internship in healthcare management at a cooperating facility.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in healthcare management
• Program Length: 128 semester hours
• Tuition and Fees: $25,400 per year (costs for 2018-2019)
• School Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit; about 4,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students

Midway College

Affiliated with the Disciples of Christ church, Midway College is a female-oriented institution that offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Administration through its Business Division. Consisting of 128 semester hours, the program is available by way of traditional day classes, an accelerated evening and weekend format or online delivery. In addition to general education and elective courses, the program consists of courses in program and policy implementation, healthcare economics, insurance claims management, human resources management, ethics, and finance. You're also required to participate in three seminars on healthcare issues.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Administration
• Program Length: 128 semester hours
• Tuition and Fees: $24,750 per year for (costs for 2018-2019)
• School Type: 4-year, private not-for-profit; about 1,456 undergraduate and about 212 graduate students

University of Kentucky

Through its College of Health Sciences, the University of Kentucky offers a program that helps current healthcare professionals with an associate's degree earn a bachelor's degree. You must complete 120 credits to earn this degree; however, credits from your associate's degree program may account for some of these. Core course topics include healthcare policy and politics, aging and the environment, health services administration, productivity improvement, human resources management, finance, and psychology.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Science in Clinical Leadership and Management
• Program Length: 120 credit hours
• Tuition and Fees: $12,245 per year for residents; $29,099 per year for non-residents (costs for 2018-2019)
• Admission Requirements: Must be a healthcare professional with an associate's degree
• School Type: 4-year, public; about 22,200 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students

Western Kentucky University

Through the Department of Public Health at its College of Health and Human Services, Western Kentucky University offers a 122-semester hour program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration. Major courses include healthcare informatics and methodology, human resources management, health systems management, biostatistics, long-term care administration, economics, and legal aspects of healthcare. In the summer following your senior year, and after all course requirements have been met, you must serve a pass/fail internship at a school-approved facility. Once you earn your degree, you may have the opportunity to complete a 15-credit program leading to a Certificate in Long-Term Care Administration, which can further prepare you and enhance your prospects for a career in healthcare administration.

• Program Name: Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
• Program Length: 122 semester hours
• Tuition and Fees: $10,512 per year for residents; $26,280 per year for non-residents (costs for 2018-2019)
• School Type: 4-year, public; about 17,000 undergraduate and more than 2,700 graduate students

Master's Degree Programs for Healthcare Administrators in Kentucky

University of Kentucky

This Master of Health Administration program only admits about 25 students each year and can be completed in two years. In your first year, you're required to complete prerequisite courses in accounting and microeconomics. Over the duration of the program, your instruction is geared to give you a foundation in six competency areas of health administration: health services and status; management, governance and leadership; communication and interpersonal skills; system thinking and creative analysis; organizational and public policy; and continuous evaluation and improvement.

Unless you have considerable, approved administrative experience, you're required to complete a 400-hour administrative internship. This can be completed at your place of employment, but part of the internship program is your participation in monthly seminars.

• Program Name: Master of Health Administration
• Program Length: 54 credit hours
• Tuition: $13,052 per year for residents; $31,364 per year for non-residents (costs for 2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree
• Admission Requirements: Must apply through Centralized Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS); GRE or GMAT scores
• School Type: 4-year, public; about 22,100 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students

Western Kentucky University

The Master of Health Administration program at this Kentucky school can be completed in about two years. Courses in the program include healthcare quality and accountability, economics and policy, management and marketing, epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior, and finance. You have the option of completing an internship, a thesis, or an additional two courses in a concentration area. Western Kentucky also offers an Executive Master of Health Care Administration Program. Designed for the working professional with at least five years of experience in the field, the program is delivered largely online. You're only required to visit the campus three times each semester.

• Program Name: Master of Health Administration
• Program Length: 42 credit hours
• Tuition: $12,140 per year for residents; $17,980 per year for non-residents (costs for 2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree
• Admission Requirements: GRE scores; GAP (product of undergraduate GPA and GRE); personal statement letter; r?um? two letters of recommendation
• School Type: 4-year, public; about 17,000 undergraduate and more than 2,400 graduate students

The University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University offer master's programs in health administration and well as bachelor's programs. Other schools offering health administration bachelor's programs in Kentucky include Midway College and Campbellsville University.