An online masters health care administration and healthcare management program builds on your existing background in healthcare to help you transition into management and administrative roles. Most learners who pursue an online masters in health care administration already have a bachelors degree in healthcare and may already employed in the healthcare industry with a few years of experience in the field.
Program requirements for online masters health care administration degrees vary based on the online school you choose. Some programs require you to have a health care-related degree, while other programs accept students who have a liberal arts bachelors degree. Most masters in health care administration distance learning degree programs can be completed in two while working a full-time job. You may also be required to complete up to one year of supervised administrative experience.
Many of the programs take a generalist approach to health care administration education. However, some programs do offer a health care management MBA program tailored to a specific work environment desire, such as hospitals, nursing care facilities or medical groups. If you know the type of facility in which you'd prefer to work, a program specializing in that facility environment can give you a competitive edge when landing a health care management job.
University of Phoenix offers the following online masters health care administration and management degree programs:
Capella University - offers the following online masters health care administration and related health degree programs:
A. T. Still University - is a nationally accredited distance education school and offers the following online masters in health care administration degree program:
Walden University - their online masters health care administration degrees include:
University of Liverpool offers the following online masters health care administration degree:
Northcentral University Online offers the following accredited masters degree healthcare online program:
Strayer University Online offers the following health care adminstration masters online degree programs:
Argosy University Online offers the following online masters health care administration programs:
American InterContinental University offers the following MBA in health care management online programs:
The curriculum for an online masters in health care administration includes an education in managerial economics, legal responsibility and health care policy. Online graduate degree programs in healthcare management build on the day-to-day administration education acquired in a bachelor's in health care management program and incorporate the skills for long-term and managerial decision making. You'll also learn how to effectively manage a team of employees to meet your long-term goals.
The skills you'll learn in healthcare administration distance learning degree programs may include: how to apply modern theories of effective leadership and management, how to recognize opportunities for development of health care services, how to analyze financial data, how to mediate disputes and how to understand health care as an industry. You'll be prepared to determine the personnel and resource needs of a healthcare organization, and lead departments and personnel toward meeting the unified goals of a health care organization.
Every state has specific licensing requirements for nursing care facility administrators, which typically includes a minimum degree requirement, a licensing examination and a continuing education. Some states also have licensing requirements for administrators in assisted-living facilities. Other areas of medical and health services management don't typically require licensure.
A health care management MBA program prepares you for leadership and management roles within the healthcare industry. Graduates who earn an online masters in health care administration may go on to careers in supervising health care facilities, managing teams of healthcare staff within a facility or planning and directing healthcare operations. Job titles might include: health care administrator, director of healthcare marketing, hospital administrator, health analytics director or healthcare finance manager.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of 2008, health services managers and high-level administrators earned a median salary of $80,240. The highest-earning employees in the field earned more than $137,800. General medical and surgical hospitals are the highest-paying employers, although they may also be the most demanding and stressful work environments.
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