EARN YOUR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION DEGREE AT SC!
Total Credit Hours: 124
Transfer Credits: Up to 94
If you want a degree in the healthcare profession with versatility, check out the online bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration at SC! Your degree will open doors to careers including hospital CEO or CFO, insurance contract negotiator, hospital marketing, and more! Courses are taught completely online every six-weeks, making it possible for you to complete your education while you continue to work and raise your family. Plus, you’ll learn from experienced healthcare administration professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge to the online classroom setting!
- Experience applied learning through a variety of actual healthcare scenario and case study assessments
- Graduate prepared to lead in the dynamic healthcare industry
- Discover more reasons to choose SC!
Recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report for its online bachelor’s degree programs, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Projected Job Growth (BLS): 32%
Average Salary (PayScale): $64k
Graduates of the online healthcare administration program at Southwestern College will be prepared for a variety of healthcare environments, including:- Hospital marketing
- Human relations personnel
- Government policy maker
- Hospital CFO (chief financial officer)
- Hospital CEO (chief executive officer)
- Insurance contract negotiator
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES
““The thing I enjoyed most about online classes with Southwestern was the flexibility of being able to do my schoolwork at my convenience. Yes, we had due dates, but I had the convenience of doing classes at midnight if I wanted to.”
Tamara, Healthcare Administration Graduate
FACULTY
Visit our faculty page to view current healthcare administration instructors.
View Courses & Program Details
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Students enrolled in the online healthcare administration program at Southwestern College can expect to:- Explain contemporary leadership and management theories, concepts, and practices and their respective applications to healthcare organizations within the context of organizational mission and patient care needs.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of management and administrative methods and practices for routine administrative operations and functions, and for addressing change and other challenges presented in healthcare organizations.
- Collaborate effectively with individuals, teams, organizational partners, communities, and other stakeholders in diverse, multicultural, and multidisciplinary environments.
- Analyze market, economic, financial, organizational, and other related circumstances using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Apply best practices for knowledge-based strategic, operational, and functional decision making.
- Use appropriate technologies to support functional and administrative processes.
- Employ sustainable, patient-centric, ethical, legal, and socially responsible business practices.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of healthcare organizational, professional, and stakeholder contexts.
RESOURCES
Article: 5 Reasons to Earn Your Degree in Healthcare Administration
Webinar: Corporate Practice of Medicine
RELATED PROGRAMS
Organizational Communication Certificate
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM DETAILS
Success in healthcare administration and management is leveraged not only by mastery of healthcare business disciplines, but also by demonstration of leadership in a complex healthcare environment. The focus of this major is on gaining knowledge and developing skills in healthcare leadership; administrative, human resource, and financial management; healthcare economics; and healthcare policy, law, and regulations. The healthcare administration curriculum will provide students with practical, marketable healthcare administration, management, and leadership skills grounded in industry accepted theories and practices to help them enter and/or progress in a competitive job market, while building a solid theoretical foundation for potential graduate studies.
Admission Requirements
- Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have completed a GED®
- Minimum GPA of 2.0
Prerequisites
MASC110: Statistics & Probability
MASC115: College Algebra
Core Major Requirements
HCA280: The Healthcare Industry
Knowledge of the healthcare industry’s complex environment equips those in healthcare administration roles for current and emerging roles and responsibilities. Learners study the U.S. healthcare industry from a historical perspective to the present. Learners examine the organization, management, resources, delivery, and financing of health services in the United States. Learners assess the political, cultural, social, behavioral, demographic, economic, and historical factors that shape the U.S. healthcare industry and their potential impact on the future of healthcare delivery in the U.S.
HCA306: Accounting in Healthcare
Accounting for healthcare organizations must address several requirements that are either unique to healthcare or to human services in general. Knowledge of these and other basic accounting practices is essential to effectively use financial analysis tools and reports. Learners explore for-profit, not-for-profit, and fund accounting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), as well as legal, regulatory, and financial reporting requirements for healthcare organizations. Learners analyze financial statements and the general ledger and explore how the data is used in the preparation of externally required and internally desired financial reports for healthcare organizations.
Prerequisite: MASC115 – College Algebra. This course may be substituted for ACCT285 – Financial Accounting.
HCA305: Healthcare Policy, Law, Regulation & Accreditation
Healthcare policies, laws, regulations, and accreditation in the U.S. heavily influence a healthcare organization’s market and organizational environment. Knowledge of these factors is essential for effective strategic and operational management of healthcare organizations. Learners explore the requirements and management challenges of healthcare policies, laws and regulations, and accreditation. Learners examine the ethical, legal, and regulatory compliance requirements and practices for healthcare funders and payers, provider networks and organizations, individual practitioners, and consumers.
Prerequisites: HCA 280 – The Healthcare Industry and HUM 201 – Ethics. Prior study of professional communication is recommended.
HCA315: Economics of Healthcare
Diverse factors, such as legal, regulatory, contractual, and reimbursement models and methods, contribute toward a complex economic environment for healthcare organizations in the U.S. Learners explore the economic characteristics of the healthcare industry in the United States. The impact of public policy, laws, regulations, and private sector behavior on healthcare delivery and payment systems is explored. The interplay of economics, healthcare payer, provider, consumer, healthcare utilization, and behavior is analyzed and assessed. Learners compare the economic characteristics of the U. S. healthcare industry to those of other countries.
Prerequisites: HCA 305 Healthcare Policy, Law, Regulation, and Accreditation
HCA340: Managing Healthcare Human Resources
A key factor of success for an organization is how well its employees are engaged in its initiatives and routine operations while maintaining human resource legal and regulatory requirements and generally accepted practice. Specific considerations for healthcare organizations include clinical governance, credentialing, and licensure. Learners examine the interrelationships of human resource, clinical governance, and the delivery of patient-centric care and services. In addition, they explore staffing and employment functions; training and development; compensation and benefits; labor relations; credentialing and licensure; and legal and regulatory requirements. Management considerations within a multicultural environment are also addressed.
Prior study of healthcare legal, regulatory, and accreditation requirements is highly recommended.
HCA405: Healthcare Marketing & Development
Information systems contribute to the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of healthcare service delivery, management, and administration. The requirements of information systems continue to evolve with integration with health information exchanges, telemedicine and its disciplinary counterparts, and other emerging technologies. Learners examine the ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements for information systems and their integration with strategic, clinical, and operational decision making, as well as routine organizational processes. The methods for assessing feasibility, selecting, implementing, evaluating, and securing the use of information systems and technology to support current and emerging healthcare trends and applications are also explored.
Prerequisites: HCA 280 – The Healthcare Industry and HUM 201 – Ethics. Prior study of study of healthcare communication recommended.
HCA410: Healthcare Information Systems
Information systems contribute to the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of healthcare service delivery, management, and administration. The requirements of information systems continue to evolve with integration with health information exchanges, telemedicine and its disciplinary counterparts, and other emerging technologies. Learners examine the ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements for information systems and their integration with strategic, clinical, and operational decision making, as well as routine organizational processes. The methods for assessing feasibility, selecting, implementing, evaluating, and securing the use of information systems and technology to support current and emerging healthcare trends and applications are also explored.
Prerequisites: HCA 280 and HUM 201. Prior study of healthcare legal and regulatory requirements regarding information systems, security, and patient privacy is highly recommended.
HCA430: Financial Management in Healthcare Services
Managing financial resources effectively in a complex and disruptive economic environment presents significant challenges for healthcare managers. Learners study the financial management of healthcare payer, network, and provider organizations in the U.S. Reimbursement mechanisms, funding indigent care, industry costs and competition, and other ethical, legal, regulatory, and financial management challenges are critically assessed. Learners engage in preparing and managing budgets, using financial tools, and applying financial management best practices. The collaborative role of fiscal management in the delivery of patient-centric care and services is also explored.
Prerequisites: HCA 306 – Accounting in Healthcare and HCA 315 – Economics of Healthcare. Prior study of professional communication recommended.
HCA438: Quality Management of Healthcare Services
Quality and performance improvement are critical elements to the success of a healthcare organization in the delivery of patient care and services. Healthcare organizations are held accountable for ensuring that the quality of care and services meets the expectations of patients, healthcare professionals, the general public, regulatory, and accrediting bodies, payers, and other stakeholders. Learners explore the role of leadership in the success of quality and performance improvement initiatives. Quality management (including patient safety, risk assessment and prevention, peer review, and patient experience and satisfaction) and performance improvement and management concepts, systems, practices, and technologies are examined.
Prerequisites: HCA 280 – The Healthcare Industry. Prior study of professional communication recommended.
HCA480: Strategic Management of Healthcare Services
Successful strategy development and execution are essential for an organization to continually meet patient care needs and to fulfill its mission. Learners study strategic management theories and principles and examine best practices for developing and executing successful strategy in a complex, ever-changing marketplace. Learners consider means for leading and motivating employees to effectively execute those strategies. Patient-centric care and services, quality management, collaboration, and partnering with stakeholders and other organizations are emphasized.
_Prerequisites: All major courses with the exception of the Capstone. Prior study of professional communication recommended.
CAPS495: Senior Capstone
Learners engage in two projects that assess their achievements and preparation for pursuit of professional aspirations in their major field. Through application and assessment, learners examine the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program, achievement of the program outcomes, and their preparation as followers and leaders in their chosen professional field.
Prerequisites: The capstone should take place within the last 9 hours of a learner’s program.
General Education Requirements*
Basic Skills
CORE110: Information Literacy
This course is designed to provide learners with the skills that are fundamental to becoming an information‐literate professional who can locate, evaluate, organize and communicate information. The abundance and rapid flow of data requires skill development in the understanding of information resources, accessing information sources, determining the credibility of Internet information, logically organizing sources and finally presenting the information professionally.
ENGL101: Composition 1
This course helps learners develop writing skills that are transferable to any academic or workplace writing task. The course guides learners through the process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading academic and workplace writing. Learners will develop skills necessary to craft coherent sentences and paragraphs, to edit editing their writing for proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. They will learn about narrative structure and techniques as well as the elements of successful argumentation and persuasive discourse. This course also guides learners through every stage of the research process. Learners will develop a research plan, conduct research, organize and draft a research paper, and then revise, edit, and proofread that research paper.
ENGL102: Composition 2
This course builds on the thinking and writing skills introduced in Composition 1. Learners will write critical, argumentative essays based on their interpretations of nonfictional texts, including literary, film, and cultural texts, and in doing so, will recognize the role of rhetoric in the writing situation as they craft persuasive discourse. In doing so, they will learn methods of questioning, analyzing, and evaluating their own beliefs as well as the perceptions and perspectives of others. These methods of critical thinking are intended to improve the quality and organization of learners’ writing for any purpose, including academic and workplace purposes. In addition to writing essays, learners will develop more advanced research strategies, as well greater proficiency in APA style.
Prerequisite: ENGL101
COM125: Speech
This course helps learners majoring in any discipline strengthen communication skills essential for success in academics and the workplace. Learners will focus on listening, evaluating, and delivering spoken discourse based on audience and purpose. Learners will evaluate why some people are more effective than others as public speakers, analyze speeches and audiences, study ethical considerations for speakers, research and organize findings on a topic, and present findings before an audience, and learn techniques for identifying and reducing speech anxiety.
MASC110 Statistics & Probability or MASC115 College Algebra
MASC110 Statistics & Probability, or MASC115 College Algebra, or more advanced college credit bearing mathematics course requiring college algebra or higher as a prerequisite.
Ethical Reasoning
HUM201: Ethics
Ethics introduces learners to moral philosophy, the branch of philosophy that questions what is good and bad. The course surveys a number of important ethical theories—ethical relativism, objectivism, egoism, altruism, utilitarianism, duty‐based moral theory, natural law, natural rights, and virtue ethics—as they examine reasons why certain actions are morally right or wrong. Learners will apply ethical theories in the evaluation and analysis of current controversial issues, question ethical matters from a variety of angles, and acquire new tools to assist them in making ethically sound, well‐informed decisions throughout their lives.
Disciplinary Perspectives
Natural Science (3 or more credit hours)
Social Science (3 or more credit hours)
Humanities (3 or more credit hours)
The Arts (3 or more credit hours)
Other Cultures (3 or more credit hours)
Capstone
CAPS495 Senior Capstone
Senior capstone or major capstone course.
*Most general education requirements are waived for students with an AA, AS, or AAS degree. Speak to your admissions counselor for details.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete all foundation and major courses with an overall GPA of 2.0
- Complete a minimum of 124 credit hours, with at least 60 hours at a bachelor’s degree-granting institution
- Complete at least 30 credit hours with a C average or above from Southwestern College
All degree requirements are subject to change. Please see Southwestern College Professional Studies Catalog for the most current degree requirements.