Online Health Systems Administration Degree :: Accredited Universities

Enhance your Leadership Capacity; Make a Difference in the Lives of Others

The health care system of the future must focus on greater efficiency and quality through improved technology, organization, and management. There is growing demand for new leaders who can find solutions to the problems we face, both now and in the future.

A Master of Health Administration in Health Policy and Administration (MHA) can help you combine your health-related work experience with a strong business management education, expanding your qualifications for challenging leadership positions in health care and giving you the tools to lead change in a dynamic environment.

Why Penn State World Campus?

An online MHA from Penn State can provide opportunities for advancement in your career as a health care professional. The degree program is a collaboration between Penn State World Campus and the Penn State Department of Health Policy and Administration and the School of Public Affairs. This partnership connects you with faculty from a highly ranked program, with 25 years of experience guiding student learning. Experienced faculty, the residential MHA program's 4,000+ alumni, and professional contacts help maintain the focus on emerging and complex health care leadership challenges.

Our online program is built on the experience and excellence of our nationally ranked residential MHA program, established more than twenty-five years ago and recently awarded a seven year re-accreditation (the highest achievable) by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

The online learning format offered by Penn State World Campus makes it possible for you to fit a degree program into your life. The flexibility of studying when and where you want can give you the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge you need to make critical decisions that can affect the lives of patients and employees while maintaining your current role.

Who Should Apply?

The rapid evolution of the health care environment through changes in population demographics, legislation, regulation, policy, and technology means that updating your education is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. If you have work experience in health care and want to enhance your applied business management skills, Penn State's online MHA program was designed for you. As an applicant to the program, you should have strong academic preparation, reference letters addressing your commitment to the profession, and GRE/GMAT scores (waived for applicants with five or more years of experience).

Career Opportunities for Graduates

Steady job growth in health care is projected for the next several years. As a graduate of the program, you could obtain an administrative, management, or executive position in one of several health care-related organizations, including:

hospitals and health systems
medical group practices
clinics and outpatient care centers
home health care agencies
skilled nursing facilities
insurance companies
consulting firms
federal regulatory and public health agencies

Entry Requirements

For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.

Penn State's online MHA program is designed for mid-level career professionals seeking to change positions in the health care industry or advance within their own organizations. Our cohorts are composed of individuals who typically have 8–10 years of professional work experience, and a vast majority of our students have some background in health care. It is expected that you have at least five years of professional work experience before applying to the program.

International applicants
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All international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, which requires completion of specified remedial English courses ESL 114G (American Oral English for Academic Purposes) and/or ESL 116G (ESL/Composition for Academic Disciplines) and attainment of a grade of B or higher. The minimum acceptable composite score for the IELTS is 6.5. Graduate programs may have more stringent requirements.

Other Fees

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The Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) program provides a firm foundation in the health sciences to prepare graduates for entry and mid-level positions in public health and health care management, or to pursue graduate education in a health-related field. Our mission is to produce highly competent, ethical, caring health professionals who can effect change for the better in communities, populations, organizations, and systems. We do this with an evidence-based, online teaching model and a student‐centered learning environment in which undergraduates can expand their knowledge and skills.

Students will learn basic research skills to use and evaluate data upon which health care managers, educators, administrators, and public health specialists base decisions. Students will develop analytical and problem-solving skills required of such professionals. They will expand awareness of legal and ethical issues in the health field and will learn to recognize and appreciate the economic, political, and social environment in which health care functions. The courses in this program prepare graduates to work in a variety of settings such as health departments, government, for-profit and non-profit health agencies, clinics, hospitals, businesses, and other health-related industries.

In addition to the general BSHS degree, the program offers concentrations in Health Care Management and Public Health. The concentration in Health Care Management provides health care professionals an opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills in the principal functions of management within a health care setting. The concentration in Public Health prepares students for general public health careers with options to focus on Emergency and Disaster Management; Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety; Health Care Management; or Health Education.

Concentrations
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Health Care Management
Public Health
Public Health - Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management
Public Health - Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety
Public Health - Health Care Administration
Public Health - Health Education
No Concentration

Entry Requirements

- High school diploma or its equivalent;

- A minimum GPA of 2.0 in High School;

- High school transcript is required if a student has fewer than 24 credits of post secondary education;

- A minimum GPA of 2.0 from prior post secondary education;

- International students must provide proof of English proficiency with one of the following test results:

TOEFL IBT - 61
TOEFL CBT - 173
TOEFL PBT - 500 & TWE 4
IELTS - 6
EIKEN - Grade 2A

- Students enrolling in an undergraduate program without an Associate’s degree or 60 earned college level credits from a regionally or nationally accredited institution will be required to enroll in TUI’s TUX 101 (Trident University Experience course) in their first session.

- Students who have previous education such as an associate degree, and/or military IDC or PMT training, and/or hold a license/certificate in a health-related field of practice may be eligible to use up to 28 credits of health-related coursework toward the degree after review and approval by the College.

Other Fees

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A career as a health services administrator requires intrapersonal skills, knowledge of management and operations and the ability to juggle many tasks simultaneously. A Bachelor’s degree in Health Service Administration will prepare students for the demanding role by focusing on practical information about the management of health services and facilities, finance and legal issues in a healthcare setting, disaster planning and management and information systems.

Students will learn how to handle job responsibilities including creating and implementing policy and procedures, hiring and supervising staff, controlling finances, ordering supplies, and coordinating plans and activities with those of other health care managers. Graduates of this degree program will be prepared for entry-level and assistant management positions in a variety of medical facilities. Clinical sites and healthcare facilities require background checks and drug testing.

Entry Requirements

Students may be conditionally accepted to the college if all admissions requirements have been received except for the official transcripts as long as a College official has been able to verbally verify the graduation status or receipt of the GED from the granting institution.

Once official transcripts are received, showing the minimum has been met, full acceptance into the college will be offered.

After acceptance into Bryant & Stratton College Online, students will have the opportunity to take English and Math placement assessments in order to test out of required pre-college courses.

Other Fees

Books and supplies : $6,400

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At Regis University we know that Health Services Administration roles offer opportunities as diverse as you are! According to the 2012 edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of medical and health service managers is expected to grow 23 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. A master's degree is the standard credential and can enhance and expedite your career expectations. Our online format allows students to maintain full-time employment while pursing this degree.

Regis University's Master of Science in Health Services Administration (H.S.A.) is designed for working professionals, preferably with a bachelors degree in a health related field, as well as experience in healthcare and management.

For those with little to no experience in health care we offer a bridge course, H.S.A. 610 Health Care Delivery Systems, to get you up to speed on the history, policy, and current contemporary issues in health services in the United States. This course is required for those without healthcare experience, and fulfills one of two elective requirements in the program.

With a master’s degree in health services administration, you'll be prepared for opportunities in hospitals, state and federal health care agencies, insurance and managed care companies, long term care facilities, quality management initiatives, medical practices, technology firms, consulting opportunities, educational institutions, and multiple departments in acute care and community based settings.

Why not speed up your professional evolution as a health care leader? Courses in finance, operations, quality, research, and technology management will complement your existing experience, making you one of the country’s most in-demand health care professionals.

Special topic courses allow individual students to custom design learning experiences in specific areas of interest and expertise. With prior approval, courses may also be taken from other graduate programs at Regis University such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA). In addition to advanced practice content, the curriculum promotes the further development of leadership abilities along with a deeper appreciation of the social and ethical obligations and conflicts inherent within the industry.

Entry Requirements

Applicants seeking a master's degree must possess a baccalaureate degree in any field of study from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university.

Requires two years of significant full-time work-experience.

International applicants
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If you are a non-native English speaker, it is necessary to meet the English language requirements set forth by Regis University, as we do not have English as a Second Language (ESL) programs available. The minimum accepted TOEFL scores are:

TOEFL COMPUTER total score of 213 and Essay (TWE) score of 5.0

TOEFL INTERNET total score of 82 with minimum scores of: 24 Writing, 20 Speaking, 22 Reading, 16 Listening

Other Fees

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The insurance and health care delivery system reforms passed as part of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 have added to an already high demand for skilled managers in acute care hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, long-term care organizations, community-based service providers and other ancillary enterprises. Today’s professionals must be prepared to direct person-centered integrated care delivery systems, navigate increasingly complex private and public regulatory environments, manage creative workplace environments and foster the efficient and effective adoption of new technologies by health care practitioners.

RMU's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Services Administration program (online only) is designed to prepare individuals to gain entry and advance as leaders in a wide variety of health care organizations. The B.S. in Health Services Administration equips individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead organizations in providing better health care for individuals, fostering better health for the population and lowering per-capita costs through improvement. The program integrates theory with timely and relevant case study examples to support individuals in developing a comprehensive and practical understanding of the health care industry.

Program objectives:
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Prepare graduates who will provide leadership in health care organizations in the 21st century.

Develop skills that enhance graduates’ ability to succeed.

Produce graduates who are valued by employers for their ability to deal with politics, nuances and complexities of the health care system.

Turn out graduates who understand health care finance and efficient use of resources.

Help graduates develop their ability to motivate and lead highly trained technical people who provide patient care.

Give graduates a knowledge base that allows them a broader choice of career options in health care administration.

Provide students with an experience that encourages them to integrate theory with their practical experience.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must submit

1. Official high school transcripts or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) indicating successful completion of the program. Preference is given to students with a minimum 3.0 high school GPA.

2. Official report of combined SAT or ACT scores. Preference is given to students who score a minimum combined SAT of 1000 (critical reading + math) or a composite ACT score of 22.

International applicants
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Requires IELTS score of 5.0 or a comparable TOEFL score.

Other Fees

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