Inside Accelerated Online BHA Degree Programs
Want to earn your bachelor’s in healthcare administration ASAP? If so, an accelerated online healthcare administration program might be right for you. The accelerated pace reduces time to graduation, while the online learning format makes the program more convenient, flexible, and potentially more affordable. Learn about online accelerated healthcare administration programs and take your next step today.
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NursingHealthcare AdminIs an Accelerated BHA Right for Me?
Enrolling in an accelerated online degree program is a huge commitment. In addition to the academic challenge, you have financial hurdles and the need to balance school, work, and family obligations. Before you dive into a fast-track online BHA program, ask yourself a few questions to make sure you’re ready for the rigor.
Am I comfortable with an accelerated pace of study?
Completing a BHA program quickly is a good idea in theory, but if you’re not prepared, you may feel like you’re drinking out of a firehose. The fastest programs can take 12-15 months to complete if you’re studying full-time and have prior credits. However, most accelerated campus and online BHA programs run between 18 and 24 months and 5-8 weeks per class.
If 1-2 years feels to fast for you, look into part-time or self-paced programs.
Am I comfortable with technology and online learning?
Since online BHA programs are, by definition, online, you’ll be spending quite a bit of quality time with your keyboard. While you don’t need to be an expert hacker to excel at online learning, you should be familiar — or at least willing to become familiar — with the basics of internet browsing, video conferencing, online learning platforms, and the other technology that makes remote learning possible. Before you enroll in an online program, spend some time really considering whether an online program vs. a hybrid or in-person program is right for you.
Can I learn independently?
Many online degree programs are asynchronous. This means that while you’ll often have due dates to keep you on track, you are responsible for making time to complete your work each week. Without the structure of a traditional classroom, some students struggle to motivate themselves and end up falling behind.
If self-starting isn’t your strong point, you still have options. Try looking into synchronous programs that require you to show up to a virtual classroom for real-time classes each week.
Do I have an interest in healthcare and administration?
For a career to be fulfilling long term, you need a significant interest in or passion for the work. So ask yourself what appeals to you about pursuing an accelerated healthcare administration degree online. Maybe you have a background in healthcare and see a management role as a great way to make a real difference in people’s lives. Or perhaps you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes way to improve patient care. These are great reasons to pursue this degree.
Do I have prior commitments that might interfere with my study schedule?
Ideally, the stars will align, and the perfect opportunity to return to school will present itself. More likely, you’ll need to massage your schedule to make room for studies. So think about your day-to-day obligations and see if and where you can find space. Can you sacrifice trivia night to learn new facts about healthcare leadership? Can you commute on public transportation so you can study en route? Ask yourself these questions and more before you enroll.
Expert Insight
I would recommend treating your education like a job. Carve out a schedule to stay on track with all your course work.
Exploring 3 Accelerated Online BHA Programs
As you explore accelerated online BHA degrees, you’ll likely notice the variety of programs available. Online learning can take the form of synchronous, asynchronous, or self-paced classes—or even a combination of all three. Plus, some online accelerated programs include clinical and fieldwork learning that require travel. What’s more, the pace of accelerated degree programs vary, and some are even customizable to your personal preferences.
Expert Insight
If you like live discussions and real-time feedback, synchronous classes will feel more natural. Asynchronous formats are often the best fit if your schedule doesn’t follow a steady routine.
There’s a lot to consider as you choose between these options. So to help you understand the programs and which one might be right for you, EduMed has profiled three high-quality online accelerated healthcare administration programs. You’ll also discover answers to some of the most common questions students typically have at this stage in their research.
Purdue Global
Purdue University Global offers an accelerated online Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration through its Exceltrack program. Its online format means that you can take as many courses as you like at a flat rate of tuition per semester.
Although Purdue is a state school, this program is charged at a single rate regardless of your residency status. The program is both accelerated and self-paced, meaning that you can build your schedule and choose courses in a way that works best for you — allowing you to control your own pace of completion.
Duration: 180 credits; self-paced
Mode: Online
Cost: $2,500/term
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University of Michigan–Flint
UM-Flint offers an online Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management. This program, which is certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, is intended for students who have already taken some college-level coursework but have not completed a bachelor’s degree. The program includes online coursework and a final internship project coordinated in a location convenient to you. Start dates for the accelerated seven-week courses are available eight times per year for maximum convenience.
Expert Insight
If you already have college credits, this kind of program can save you a huge amount of time. You may be able to shave off at least a semester or two toward your degree by transferring in credits.
Duration: Varies (dependent on transfer credits)
Mode: Online
Cost: $583.75 to $594.25/credit (residency dependent)
Loyola University Chicago
The accelerated healthcare administration program at Loyola University Chicago is actually two degrees in one. If you are enrolled in their bachelor’s degree program in healthcare administration, you have the opportunity to enroll in their accelerated bachelor’s to MHA program, which allows you to combine bachelor’s and master’s courses to complete a BSHA and MHA together in only five years.
This is a competitive program, and you will need to apply to it separately from your bachelor’s studies. Further, students in this program are eligible for a 25% tuition discount through the Returning Ramblers scholarship program.
Duration: 5 Years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $54,530/year
Challenges & Solutions for Students in Accelerated BHA Programs
While an online accelerated bachelor’s in healthcare administration can be an exciting undertaking, it can also pose some unique challenges. To that end, we’ve identified some of the specific challenges both accelerated and online learning can pose, along with strategies for how to face them head on.
Challenge: Keeping Up With Your Study Schedule
Accelerated programs are fast paced, with lots of information to take in over a short time frame. It’s easy to get overwhelmed from the sheer quantity of coursework.
Solution: Understand and determine how to best leverage your learning style. Whether you learn best through visuals, audios, or something else, it’s important to understand and play for any unique hurdles in your path. Then, you can make a study plan before classes even start, which can help prevent you from getting overwhelmed by your coursework or failing to notice when you need extra prep for something.
Challenge: Fewer Chances to Connect and Network
Networking can be an important way to build your career, especially early on. Studying online, and with a quicker timeline, can make it challenging to connect with others.
Solution: Make a point to reach out to others. You may not have official networking opportunities provided by your program, but you can create them for yourself. If your professors offer office hours via video, take advantage of them and talk about your goals and struggles in the program. Also, leverage opportunities to network with your classmates through online study sessions and review groups.
Challenge: Less Time to Specialize
Accelerated online healthcare administration programs move quickly by design. This means you’ll have less time to work on a specialization within the field.
Solution: Be patient. It’s an odd thing to recommend for a student in an online accelerated healthcare administration program, but it’s critical when it comes to specializations. That is, you don’t need to have picked out a specialization within your field before you graduate. In fact, it can be more helpful to have worked in a healthcare setting for some time before specializing, so you’ll have a better idea of what’s a good fit for you personally and professionally.
Challenge: Technical Difficulties
Given the nature of online learning, technical issues can be a major problem. This is especially true when an internet or computer problem cuts you off from class entirely.
Solution: Technical issues are never fun, and some are unavoidable. But preparation can help make sure they don’t throw you completely off track. How can you stay prepared? Identify your plan Bs, such as local public libraries or other accessible spaces with reliable internet in case yours goes out. Also consider building an emergency fund for any last-minute computer breakdowns or tech issues. And, connect with your school to see what tech advice or assistance it provides.
Expert Insight
I’ve found that many instructors can be flexible on timelines in the event on technical issues, but communication is key. Make sure you understand their expectations up front, and try not to wait until last minute to submit assignments.
Top Accelerated Online BHA Degree Programs
Deciding which accelerated healthcare administration program is best for you is a personal decision. However, some objective factors are worth considering. That’s where rankings come in. The methodology tab explains in detail how the rankings are chosen, but they take into account a variety of factors, including accessibility of online learning, student services, financial aid opportunities, and more.
