Online Healthcare Management Degrees: School Comparison

BS in Healthcare Management — Walden University

Walden University offers a 181-credit online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Healthcare Management focused on teaching students how to analyze healthcare delivery systems and identify their contributing factors, manage staff, track finances, apply leadership skills, and facilitate social change by evaluating diversity and inclusion.

Walden’s program is unique as it offers two learning modes — Course-based and Tempo® Learning. Course-based Learning follows a traditional school structure, with a pre-determined schedule, hard deadlines, and faculty guidance over a 40-month period. Meanwhile, Tempo Learning lets students learn at their own pace; they can submit assignments when they’re ready and get help from faculty as needed. Disciplined students who choose the Tempo learning path can graduate in half the time and pay a three-month, all-you-can-learn subscription on a rolling basis.

Another great feature of Walden’s program is its Accelerate into Master’s (AIM) option, which allows students to take graduate-level courses as an undergraduate. This path allows for 25 credit hours of master’s level credits to be completed by undergrad students, so they can save time and money earning their Master’s in Healthcare Management.

Duration: 20 months (Tempo) – 40 months (Course-based)

Mode: 100% online

Cost: $18,00 (Tempo) – $46,000 (Course-based)

Admissions Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent

Applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:

• 21 years of age or older;
• Younger than 21 with at least 12 quarter credits;
• An active military member or veteran with documentation of service.

Curriculum:

• General Education courses (46 credits)Walden’s general education courses cover communication, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. Throughout their general education, students learn to apply their learning using clear communication, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning.
• Core courses (85 credits)
  Walden’s core curriculum covers everything a healthcare manager would need to know to build a successful career. Topics covered include accounting, healthcare delivery, health informatics, law and ethics, insurance, reimbursement, quality and safety, strategic planning, economics, and more.
• Elective courses (45 credits)Students must select eight courses from general education, BS in Health Studies, or other Walden bachelor’s degree programs.
• Capstone course (5 credits)As the culmination of their bachelor’s program, students take a capstone course where they choose a topic related to their area of concentration or personal interest, then review related literature and present their arguments and findings. The capstone also includes résumé refinement and weekly discussions on networking.

Best For: Walden’s program is excellent for traditional students who want to take the Course-based approach, disciplined students who want to graduate more quickly with Tempo learning, and future graduate students who want to jumpstart their master’s degree while earning their bachelor’s.

BS in Healthcare Management — Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University’s Health Sciences Center boasts an online BS in Healthcare Management (BSHM) with a concentration in Healthcare Professional or Executive Management. While the credit hours vary between concentrations, students need 120 credit hours to graduate with their bachelor’s.

The Healthcare Professional Concentration is designed for students with an existing certification, license, or registration in a specific health science concentration (e.g., Certified Radiology Technologist or Licensed Vocational Nurse). This path is best for students who already work in their desired healthcare field and want to move into a senior management position. Meanwhile, the Executive Management Concentration is more general in scope and does not require any outside certification or credentials. This route is preferred by students who know they want to become healthcare leaders but are not set on a particular field.

Duration: Four years

Mode: 100% Online

Cost: $26,692 – $38,820 (TX Resident vs. Distance Learning Student)

Admissions Requirements:

• Complete an online application and pay the application fee
• Provide official transcripts
• Complete all of the 42 credit hours of the Texas Common Core requirements
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5

Core Curriculum:

Healthcare Professional Concentration

• BSHM Healthcare Professional Concentration Core Courses (27 hours)
• Clinical Discipline Specific Advanced Case Study (3 hours)
• Technical/Approved Health Professions Credits (48 hours)

Executive Management Concentration

• BSHM Healthcare Management Concentration Core Courses (34 hours)
• Healthcare Management Advanced Case Study (8 hours)
• Healthcare Management Electives (12 hours)
• Technical/Approved Credits (24 hours)

Best For: Students who want to earn a specialized BSHM or those who want to save money on a bachelor’s by completing their basic education at a community college with applicable transfer credits.

BS in Healthcare Administration and Management — CSU Global

Colorado State University (CSU) Global offers an online, accelerated Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration and Management for students looking to broaden their degree by including more administrative training. With a 91% success rate for alums working in their desired field, this is an excellent choice for students serious about starting their careers with comprehensive, well-rounded training.

During the program, students will learn a balance of technical and soft skills. The curriculum covers topics like finance, operations, information technology (IT), risk management, insurance, regulations, communication, patient care, and risk management. Students also have the option to specialize in related areas; the most popular specializations include organizational leadership, project management, human resources and organizational development, marketing, emergency management, and foundations of accounting.

Duration: 16 months

Mode: Asynchronous

Cost: $45,000

Admissions Requirements:*

• High school diploma or GED
• GPA of 2.80 or higher (HS diploma) or score of 660+ (GED)
• Minimum of two years of work experience
• Submit a 500-word statement of purpose
• Submit a professional resume
• Complete the SmarterMeasure Assessment
• Meeting the college credit hour requirements

*Students who do not meet these requirements may be eligible for provisional admission; see the school’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements page for full details.

Curriculum:

• General Education Courses (31 Credits)
  These courses are designed to develop and strengthen general workplace skills. Students can transfer up to 90 credits from other institutions, as well.
• Core Degree Courses (45 Credits)The core curriculum covers everything a Healthcare Administrator/Manager needs to know to be successful in the workplace: operations, human resources, law and ethics, policy, and more.
• Optional Degree Specialization Courses (15 Credits)Students may choose a specialization and take 15 credits related to that field.
• Elective Courses (Credits Vary)The number of elective courses will vary, but they are generally used to help students reach the 120-credit graduation requirement.

Best For: Students looking for a comprehensive program that covers administrative duties in more detail than a standard Healthcare Management bachelor’s.