Healthcare Management, BS

Program Description

The Healthcare Management program is designed to produce graduates who are prepared to serve in a range of existing and emerging entry-level support, ancillary, and entry-level administrative positions across multiple health care settings. The mission of the Healthcare Management program is to prepare highly qualified and culturally competent graduates for professional positions in healthcare and health-related careers. Guided by the standards of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), the program prepares students in skills and knowledge in five key domains: (1) the healthcare environment; (2) ethical and legal leadership, (3) communication and relationships management, (4) professionalism, and (5) business skills.

Healthcare management is a growing, diverse field of study that offers flexibility, potential for advancement with additional experience and further education, and offers the chance for graduates to have a positive influence on the healthcare of individuals and communities. Graduates have opportunities to work at entry-level positions in these types of settings: assisted-living facilities, community and government agencies, health insurance companies, hospital departments, and long term care facilities.

The program emphasizes the development of effective communication through writing across the curriculum, presentation platforms, ethical behavior, and interpersonal skills generally expected in healthcare organizations. A strong health sciences core will familiarize students with the health care delivery system; major disease processes, including epidemiological methods; medical terminology; the causes and effects of disparities; community and rural health services, chronic and long-term illnesses, and global issues. The healthcare management core will provide students with applied leadership, and critical thinking skills required in today’s healthcare organizations. A solid health business core will inform students about healthcare economics, organizational behavior, finance and policy, and human resources.

Student Learning Outcomes

The graduates of this program should be prepared to

communicate effectively in oral and written formats
demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors
demonstrate sensitivity to disparities, cultural and individual differences
demonstrate effective critical thinking skills, including analytical reasoning and problem-solving abilities
determine organizational, team, and leadership requirements for effective people and client management
assess own strengths and areas needed to improve
demonstrate knowledge in courses related to health sciences, healthcare and business management
perform at entry-level in healthcare related activities bound by undergraduate courses in liberal arts, health sciences, healthcare and business management

Major Requirements

Majors must complete 52 semester hours of courses beyond general education drawn from business, clinical laboratory science, accounting, economics and healthcare management. A minimum grade of a “C” must be earned in the pre-requisites, electives and major courses.

Pre-requisite Courses

Any statistics course Example: MAT 2326 - Elementary Statistics

Total Credit Hours: 3

Major Courses

(49 semester hours)

Foundation Courses

CLS 2102 - Medical Terminology Credits: 1 hr
HCM 2301 - Health Law and Ethics Credits: 3 hr
HCM 2305 - Introduction to Healthcare Management Credits: 3 SH
HCM 2306 - Professional Growth & Leadership in the HC Environment Credits: 3 hrs
HCM 3301 - Health Care Delivery Systems Credits: 3 SH

Total Credit Hours: 13

Breadth Courses

MKT 2331 - Principles of Marketing Credits: 3 hrs
HCM 3304 - Health Information Management Credits: 3 SH
HCM 3306 - Population Health Credits: 3 SH
HCM 3307 - Global Understanding Credits: 3 SH
HCM 3325 - Introduction to Health Economics and Financial Management Credits: 3 hrs or
ECO 3317 - Health Care Economics Credits: 3 hrs
MGT 3322 - Organizational Behavior Credits: 3 hrs
HCM 4302 - Health Care Policy, Organization, and Finance Credits: 3 SH
MGT 4348 - Human Resource Management and Employment Law Credits: 3 hrs

Total Credit Hours: 24

Depth Courses

HCM 4600 - Health Care Management Internship * (6 semester hours)- required of all students

Students have a choice of taking two courses (6 credit hours) of the following courses listed from the depth area.

ACC 2316 - Principles of Financial Accounting Credits: 3 hrs
ACC 2317 - Principles of Managerial Accounting Credits: 3 hrs or
FIN 3351 - Principles of Financial Management Credits: 3 hrs
HCM 3303 - Proposal Writing Credits: 3 SH
HCM 4301 - Chronic Illness/Long Term Care Management Credits: 3 SH
HCM 4305 - Spanish in the Health Care Environment Credits: 3 hrs

Note:

Note: All internships and some experiential activities require background checks, health and immunizations records, and initial and random drug testing. Some facilities may require a credit check. Background check may be required by affiliating agencies.