Why online health admin degrees are easier

The Ins and Outs of Getting an Online Degree

It’s no secret that many students choose an online path for their education. Generally, online classes can be a more flexible option than campus learning, in many ways. Plus, now that most colleges understand that online learning can be effective, there are many online programs in healthcare administration for students. Whether you are seeking undergraduate or graduate options, you can likely get your degree online.

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Benefits of Online Degrees in Healthcare Administration

The benefits of online learning apply to those who earn their undergraduate or graduate level education in healthcare administration. These programs are most commonly designed by former practitioners who already have experience in the field. They understand what you need to learn and how busy you are. That understanding for your position typically means that online programs can be completed by busy professionals who may also have family responsibilities.

When you earn your associate’s or bachelors in healthcare administration degree online, keep in mind you may have on-campus or residency requirements as well. That’s a good thing, because sometimes you need to connect with real world experience to succeed. You may also need to meet with professors, show up for exams, or get hands-on experience to fully understand what you can expect in a professional setting. This is definitely one of the most important topics you can discuss with your college advisor when you’re looking into distance learning programs in healthcare administration.

Online courses for degrees in the healthcare field give you the flexibility to learn on your own schedule, participate in class discussions from home or a coffee shop, and communicate with your professors more efficiently when you have questions about an assignment.

They flexibility alone is seen as a significant benefit for those that might live in rural areas, who are far from campus or who work during the day!

What Do Online Healthcare Administration Programs Consist Of?

The nice thing about many online healthcare administration degree programs is how seamlessly the curriculum translates into a distance learning experience. That’s why there are many types of healthcare degrees that include the same classes you would receive from a campus experience.

In the following sections, we will look at the online courses you may take in associates, bachelor’s, and masters degree programs. You’ll see why online healthcare degrees are in demand for students who want to reach the next level, without slowing down the rest of their lives.

Associates in Healthcare Administration Courses

If you know from the get-go that you want to pursue a career in healthcare management, then beginning with your associates degree in the healthcare field is a step in the right direction. Your best bet is choosing a school that offers a bachelor’s program, too. That way, you can design your associate’s courses to fit that long-term goal.

Schools that offer associates in healthcare administration typically offer courses in such topics as:

Human and health services
Office technology
Computing skills
Medical terminology
Funding healthcare
Policy and ethics
Macroeconomics

Many of these online healthcare administration degree programs are called Health and Human Services instead of healthcare administration, but can lead to the same outcomes and line you up for healthcare management bachelors programs.

These healthcare degree programs typically include around 60-credit hours worth of classes that you can complete in about two years. Even though you will be receiving your associates degree, you can still qualify for positions and healthcare administration salaries that reach a little above the entry-level, depending on where you work.

Since the curriculum is more focused on administrative skills than most associates programs, you will give yourself an early jump in the right direction for long-term success.

When you earn your degree online from a school that also has a campus experience, make sure you take advantage of access to their career services and advisors during your education. This should also be a service you look for in an online school as well. You’ll want your school to help you successfully pursue entry level health care administration jobs the moment you complete your degree.

Online Bachelors in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

When you complete your bachelors level education, you can qualify for jobs managing others and leading initiatives that have a larger impact in healthcare. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that you often just need your bachelor’s degree to earn the average salary for these professions, according to BLS data (2017). Health services managers with their bachelor’s can earn an average wage of $94,500. Of course, your salary will depend on the job market in your area; and should obviously be a top priority when you speak with all your school options.

During your bachelors in healthcare administration program, you will likely take courses that cover administrative topics more in-depth. This is when you will start to discover where your path in this field may lead. You may have an idea already, but you might take that one class, have that one professor, or take that unexpected residency that changes the trajectory of your career. This is also when you can set yourself up for a graduate level healthcare degree after completion, or on down the road.

Your bachelor’s courses will typically include these subjects: managed care, economics, statistics, marketing, research and evaluation methodologies, human resources, management strategies, delivery systems, and others, depending on your school’s exact curriculum.

That’s why it’s important to take a few extra minutes to review all your online healthcare administration degree options, so you don’t miss out on the right program offering. There are many healthcare degrees in demand, which means there are more options for concentrations and training opportunities that ever.

Masters in Healthcare Administration Degree Programs

A master’s program in healthcare administration is meant to push you higher in your career, into executive and top leadership positions. The nice thing about online masters degrees in the healthcare field is that they offer distinct specializations. At this level of healthcare management, focus areas such as policy and systems, leadership and organizational development, information technology and others can help you refine in-demand skills as the field of healthcare grows.

Masters level courses in health management can include such topics as principles in population health, healthcare informatics, quality management, strategic planning, and other high-level topics.

The number of hours required for completion of this kind of healthcare degree can vary. For instance, one program could take 36-credit hours to complete while another could require 53-credit hours to finish. This may factor into your decision; but how quickly you can finish a program shouldn’t be your only determining factor. As much as you just want to get it done quickly, you need to be sure you are confident in the curriculum, career advisors, and reputation of any school before you enroll.

There are many online options for master’s level health administrators who want the same quality of education that a campus experience can provide. As you will see, there are many colleges and universities who offer graduate level types of healthcare degree programs in healthcare admin, all over the United States. That’s why accreditation is the most important factor in determining the credibility of a school. The best school for you will need to deliver the education and career outcomes you expect when you enroll.

Additional Online Healthcare Degrees You Can Consider

Even if you do not have plans to enter a degree program specifically in the field of healthcare administration, but still want to expand your education, there are other degrees to consider. Many fall within the same professional category and can lead to expanded health industry career outcomes.

If you are interested in programs like the ones below, you should request information to see if these schools can help you meet your career and education goals.

Master of Public Health

Healthcare administrators who want to help populations prepare for and prevent the spread of outbreak or disease among populations, or who want to assess risk factors in communities should look into this type of program. The epidemiology curriculum will likely include leadership skills, and learning outcomes that help you understand how to organize and execute a plan of action in the event of the unexpected.

These high level skills, and the positions that need them, are a big reason why there are healthcare degrees in demand for students who love the health sciences, business, and goal-oriented professional dynamics.

MBA in Hospital Management

This may also be called an MBA in Healthcare Management. The bottom line is that you can graduate with the skills needed to be a leader in a hospital or healthcare organization. This online healthcare degree is very closely aligned with a master’s in healthcare administration degree. If you also want to earn your MBA to polish your core business skills, this degree path can be a double asset to your career potential.

Master of Health Services Administration

This type of degree in the healthcare field will help you understand and evaluate the healthcare system as a whole, including how we deliver services and how we can improve access. When you complete your Master of Health Services, you can apply for leadership positions in several types of work environments. Like many health administrator degrees, this could lead to a salary that falls on the higher end of the average, while giving you the opportunity to improve the health of your community.

Do you want to know more about online healthcare administration degrees?

The best way to know which type of health management degree will work best with your lifestyle, level of self-discipline and learning style, is to contact the schools that serve students in your area.

There may be online and campus options to compare. Online degree options may even have an internship component that can connect you with employers in your area.

When you speak with schools about online healthcare degrees, remember to have a checklist of questions you want to ask about the online learning experience. You should ask what tools, computer requirements, and other essentials you need to have before you spend money on tuition, or make any commitments. These questions are easy to overlook when you are focused mostly on curriculum and career outcomes while comparing types of healthcare degrees.

Be sure to connect with us on social media too to learn more about healthcare degrees in demand! We love talking with students, since it helps us keep up with what’s going on in the world of healthcare and how it applies to these types of programs and entry level health care administration jobs. Good luck!

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