Bachelor's Degree in Health Services Administration: Online Degree

In order to operate smoothly and successfully, a healthcare facility must be managed or administrated in an efficient manner. If you'd like to play a part in a profession based on altruism with a practical streak, you might consider pursuing a bachelor's degree in health services administration online. Read on for more information. Schools offering Health Care Administration degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

How Can I Earn an Online Bachelor's Degree in Health Services Administration?

You can find schools that offer a full online bachelor's degree program in health services administration. However, it's more common for a school to offer an online degree-completion program. Such programs consist entirely of upper-level courses. In order to qualify for a degree-completion program, a school may require you to already hold an associate's degree, though not necessarily in health services administration. Other schools may require you to be licensed or certified in an area related to health services administration.

Schools offering full online bachelor's degree programs often include externships or practicums in the curriculum. These are in-person requirements that cannot be completed online. You must complete them at a school-approved healthcare facility or your place of employment.

You can locate schools that offer bachelor's degree programs in health services administration through the National Center for Education Statistics (www.nces.ed.gov). You may have better luck and a wider selection going through the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (www.aupha.org). At its website, AUPHA maintains a list of member schools that offer AUPHA-certified and non-certified undergraduate programs in health services administration. If you contact the schools individually, you can determine if they offer programs in an online format.

What Are Some Program Details?

Because online programs are often designed specifically for working professionals, you may have the option of pursuing your degree on a part- or full-time basis. Therefore, the time required to complete a program can vary greatly. This can depend on school policy, how you decide to pursue the degree and whether you've chosen a full degree program or a degree-completion program.

By the time you've earned a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis on health services administration, you will have accumulated about 120 credit units. Some typical courses you might encounter include health administration law and ethics, healthcare economics, human resources management, financial management for healthcare, marketing, office operations, medical terminology, healthcare information systems and managed care.

Courses may be delivered by a combination of methods. Most commonly, courses are delivered independently, thus allowing you to access them at your convenience. However, some may be delivered at a particular, pre-set time, which demands your real-time participation. Communication is largely carried out by way of a course management system, such as Blackboard. Instructors may also use Internet-based learning systems such as streaming audio or video.

What Are Some Occupation Projections I Need to Know?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a master's degree in health care administration or a related field is the standard requirement to become a health services manager or administrator (www.bls.gov). However, the BLS also states that a bachelor's degree in health services administration can qualify you for an entry-level or mid-management position in the field. This is particularly true if you have applicable work experience.

To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:

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