Online Healthcare Administration Programs
Those who graduate with a degree or certificate in healthcare administration may seek employment at hospitals, residential care or nursing facilities, outpatient care centers, medical laboratories, or physicians’ offices. These programs may provide individuals with the skills and experience needed for a career as a hospital office administrator, hospital communications manager, healthcare human resource manager, healthcare chief executive officer, or medical and health services manager.
Available Degree Levels
- Certificate: One to two years to complete
- Associate Degree: Two years to complete
- Bachelor’s Degree: Four years to complete
- Master’s Degree: One to two years to complete
- Doctoral Degree: Three to five years to complete
Individuals interested in online healthcare administration graduate certificate programs may study health policy, economics of health, and legal and ethical issues in health administration. Oftentimes students can transfer credits into master’s-level programs. Courses may include healthcare management, financial management and accounting, ethics, managing community health services, and healthcare systems.
Online associate-level programs in healthcare administration teach students about the essential business functions within a health services or medical office organization. Graduates of these programs may obtain entry-level employment or pursue additional education through a bachelor’s degree program. Typical courses offered may include healthcare management, anatomy and physiology, healthcare finance, human resources management, and medical law and ethics.
Students enrolled in online baccalaureate programs in healthcare administration become versed on the latest trends in the industry and learn how to efficiently manage others. The key areas of focus within the program may include human resources, marketing, finance, and electronic charting. In addition to general education requirements, students may complete coursework in health and disease, healthcare risk management, leadership principles, communication strategies, and human resources development.
An online master’s degree program in healthcare administration may provide students with the skills and credentials needed to evaluate and improve health policies. Courses may cover healthcare economics, organizational behavior, marketing and planning, quantitative methods, and healthcare systems. Some programs require students to complete a thesis prior to graduation.
Doctoral programs in healthcare administration arm students with the leadership skills needed to enhance healthcare organizations’ overall communications. They learn how to evaluate, implement, and respond to specific policies and practices that affect health systems. These programs are research-heavy and may feature courses in leadership theories and practices, administration of complex healthcare systems, and risk management. Students may be required to publish a dissertation prior to graduation.
Career Options
Online healthcare administration programs may provide students the necessary skills to work in various settings within the healthcare industry, such as hospitals, physicians’ offices, nursing and residential care facilities, outpatient care centers, or medical laboratories. Those who have a healthcare administration degree may know how to manage the facilities, organize the hospital’s records, and keep up-to-date on new laws and regulations.
Possible career fields include:
- Medical and Health Services Manager
- Hospital Officer Administrator
- Healthcare Chief Executive Officer
- Healthcare Human Resource Manager
- Hospital Communications Manager