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Portrait of Healthcare Administration student Pushkar Bhatia '24

Healthcare Administration
BS

‌The bachelor's degree in healthcare administration prepares students for careers in planning, directing, and coordinating medical and wellness services. This degree is a great option for healthcare professionals with an associate's degree who want to advance their careers as managers or supervisors. The program is also well-suited to students who are looking to work in the healthcare industry with a focus on operations, administration, and management rather than the science-focused aspects of this profession.

Healthcare administration professionals make decisions every day that help improve the lives of their patients. They are often responsible for managing health records, communicating new policies, coordinating with doctors and nurses, and ensuring compliance with healthcare laws and regulations. They work closely with medical staff to positively impact patient care.

The business of healthcare

The field of healthcare administration is growing fast, and so is the demand for qualified candidates to fill the growing number of jobs. Employers seek candidates with very specific credentials in the field.

We'll help you gain the practical skills necessary for intelligent decision-making and administration in healthcare. You will learn to:

  • create evaluative techniques
  • design and implement budgets
  • effectively deploy quantitative skills
  • evaluate management goals
  • use theoretical concepts of social dynamics
  • research healthcare and economic issues
  • manage healthcare staff 

Student success

Student spotlight

Pushkar Bhatia '24: A global citizen

Healthcare administration student's takeaways from studying abroad in Germany.

Career opportunities

You will be prepared to pursue a wide array of employment options as a:

  • practice manager
  • community clinic medical director
  • hospital director/administrator
  • nursing home administrator
  • insurance analyst
  • insurance underwriter
  • regulatory agency analyst
  • lobbyist

Our curriculum provides a sound foundation in the leadership, financial, and analytical skills necessary for intelligent decision-making and management in healthcare organizations.

You'll gain the practical skills necessary to manage staff, oversee budgets, and prioritize in the context of the healthcare industry.

To earn your degree, you will complete 39 credits in courses related to your major including health economics, human resource management, and a capstone in healthcare services administration. Complementary requirements across humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and free electives or a second major or minor comprise the remainder of your 120 credits.

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

Accelerate your graduate degree by enrolling in the 4+1 joint degree program with the Charlton College of Business's Master of Science in Healthcare Management (MSHM). The MSHM program will provide the knowledge and tools to help improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery and become an agent for positive change. With "double-count" classes that count towards the completion of your undergraduate and graduate degree, you can earn a graduate degree in just five years.

4+1 Accelerated bachelor’s to master’s option

Qualified students in this program may be eligible to pursue an accelerated bachelor’s-to-master’s pathway at UMass Dartmouth. This option allows you to begin graduate coursework while completing your undergraduate degree and transition directly into a master's program. Learn how the accelerated program works.

Study online

We offer an online degree completion option for adult learners with some college credits. Learn more about our degree completion program

Frequently asked questions

Have questions about the Healthcare Administration BS program? Below are answers to common questions about admissions, curriculum, career outcomes, and student experience.

No. Healthcare administration focuses on the business, management, and operational side of healthcare rather than clinical care. The program can be a strong fit for students who want to work in healthcare but are more interested in leadership, administration, policy, finance, or operations than providing direct patient care.

This program is well-suited for students who are looking to work in the healthcare industry, but do not want to provide direct patient care. Healthcare administration students learn about the managerial side of medical care and can assist in patient wellbeing without being at the bedside through managing care at a larger scale. If you are interested in how hospitals and medical facilities operate, this program is a good fit.

Professionals in this field budget, schedule, and oversee the daily operations of healthcare facilities and their employees. You will spend time planning and organizing the best strategies for effective healthcare on a system-wide scale.