Program Description
The healthcare field is incredibly diverse and complex, and at the center of the entire operation is health administrators. Tasked with seamlessly managing medical offices, practices, pharmacies, health insurance providers, and other medical establishments through daily necessities, growth, and change, health administrators are operational leaders who function as the backbone of health organizations.
If you have a passion for problem solving, a desire to serve your community through your career, and an eagerness to play a vital role in improving patient care, a career in health administration is for you.
Our health administration major for undergraduates takes a real-world approach and combines health sciences, accounting, and communication to prepare students for entry-level administrative positions in a variety of health care settings.
Points of Pride
- In 2012, Drew Weil, a 2013 alum, won third place in the highly competitive American College of Healthcare Administration Richard Stull Essay Competition.
- Doctor of Health Administration alumni Bryan Schneider, Mary Cooke and David Meckstroth were selected for a CMU College of Graduate Studies 2013 Outstanding Dissertation Award.
Put Your Degree to Work
Program Overview
The course listings below are a representation of what this academic program requires. For a full review of this program in detail please see our official online academic bulletin AND consult with an academic advisor. This listing does not include the General Education courses required for all majors and may not include some program specific information, such as admissions, retention, and termination standards.
(Click on the course name or number for a complete course description.)
Health Administration Major
This major prepares students for entry level administrative positions in a variety of health settings. It also prepares individuals who have preparation in an allied health field for middle management positions such as department head or supervisor.
Total: 54 semester hours
Required Courses
(45 hours)
HSC 203WI
Leadership for the Health Professions
3
Engages the student in exploring, understanding and applying leadership concepts, skills, and behaviors in personal and professional development for leading in the healthcare field. Writing Intensive.
HSC 317
Community Health
3
Introduction to public health, and services provided to citizens and educators by official and voluntary health agencies. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format.
HSC 333
Managing the Health of Populations
3
This course provides the foundation of managerial epidemiology within the context of population health management and sound healthcare delivery administration. Recommended: STA 282.
HSC 500
Health Informatics
3
Health Informatics field, its major applications and data analysis methods to improve quality, accessibility and cost of healthcare. Prerequisites: STA 282 or PSY 211 or graduate standing
HSC 507
Introduction to Health Service Organizations and Systems
3
Macro level study of healthcare systems including delivery, integration, reimbursement mechanisms, multi-organizational and inter-organizational arrangements, health policies, and future solutions. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format.
HSC 520
Health Services Administration
3
Analysis of organizational patterns, planning procedures, fiscal management, personnel management, and other administrative concerns. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format.
HSC 538WI
Development of Proposals and Reports in Health Administration
3
Emphasize format, content, and writing skills necessary for administration of health programs to prepare grant applications, proposals, reports, and written communications. Writing Intensive. Prerequisites: 56 credit hours completed or graduate standing. Recommended: Signed major in Health Administration or Public Health Education.
This class presents applied statistical concepts, principles and methods in the health services industry. Statistical procedures are applied to health, administrative, and medical data. Prerequisites: STA 282 or PSY 211 or graduate standing.
HSC 545
Health Planning
3
Capstone course that brings together major aspects of managing healthcare organizations and programs into the strategic planning process and methodologies. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format. Prerequisites: HSC 500, 507, 520, 544. Pre/Co-requisites: HSC 570. Recommended: MKT 300; HSC 333, 538.
HSC 570
Financial Aspects of Health Services Organizations
3
This course addresses the main issues surrounding financial administration of health services organizations, particularly hospitals. Prerequisite: ACC 201.
HSC 571
Legal Aspects of Health Services Organizations
3
The issues studied are hospital liability, informed consent, medical staff appointments, tort and health services, ethical issues related to health care.
HSC 572
Quality Improvement in Health Services
3
Basics, implementation and application of quality management and improvements specific to health care. Statistical principles and illustrative cases are presented. Recommended: HSC 520.
HSC 595
Health Administration Internship
6
This course is the capstone professional experience conducted at a healthcare organization where the professional skills, knowledge and behaviors learned in the classroom are applied. CR/NC only. Prerequisites: HSC 507, 520, 545, 570, 571, and 572 and permission of internship coordinator; Recommended: HSC 333, 500, 538, 544; or Graduate Status and permission of internship coordinator.
MKT 300
Introduction to Marketing
3
A basic introduction to the marketing environment, the marketing mix, marketing management and the place of marketing in world society. Credit may not be earned in both MKT 304 and MKT 300; cannot be counted on any BSBA major including Marketing, Logistics Management, or Hospitality Services Administration. This course may be offered online. May be offered as Writing Intensive. Prerequisite: 56 semester hours completed.
Other Requirement
(3 hours)
Select one of the following:
ECO 201
Principles of Macroeconomics
3
Provides understanding of basic principles of economics, methods of National Income accounting, inflation, unemployment, role of government, money and banking, monetary policy, and international economics. Credit may not be earned in more than one of ECO 201 and 204. ECO 201 may not be applied toward the University Program requirements if a student is earning the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format. (University Program Group III-B: Studies in Social Structures)
ECO 202
Principles of Microeconomics
3
Introduction to scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost; supply and demand; welfare economics; household and firm behavior; competition and monopoly; resource markets. Credit may not be earned in more than one of ECO 202 and ECO 203. This course may be offered in an online format. (University Program Group III-B: Studies in Social Structures)
ECO 203
Microeconomic Principles for Business
3
Introduction to economic decision-making by consumers and managers within a market system. Topics include supply, demand, elasticity, production, costs, price, market structure, and resource markets. Credit may not be earned in more than one of ECO 203 and ECO 202. Prerequisites: BUS 100, admission to Professional Business Studies.
Electives
(6 hours)
Select from the following courses or other courses approved by the student's major advisor:
HDF 247
Introduction to Gerontology
3
An interdisciplinary approach to the study of aging with a focus on the normal changes that occur as one ages physically, mentally and socially. May be offered as writing intensive. This course may be offered in an online format. (University Program Group III-A: Behavioral Sciences)
HSC 201
Medical Terminology
3
A self-study module course for learning anatomical directions, planes, comprehensive clinical vocabulary, words made from word parts, and imaging terms used in health care. Recommended: Successful completion of at least two semesters of coursework at the college level.
HSC 454
International Health Systems, Organizations and Policy
3
Overview of health systems structure, service delivery, administrative processes and policy dimensions from an international perspective. This course may be offered in an online format. Prerequisite: HSC 333 and 48 credit hours completed.
HSC 516
Travel Course in Health Education
1-15
Topics scheduled to study health education, private and voluntary health care programs, museums, hospitals, health clinics, city and school health programs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
HSC 526
Behavioral Health
3
Concentrated study of mental health and illness as related to home, school, and community. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format.
HSC 581
Managed Care: Origins, Organizations, and Operations
3
Covers managed care programs, including Accountable Care Organizations, structures, and practice models, role of physicians and other clinicians, capitation and forms of reimbursement. This course may be offered in an online or hybrid format. Prerequisite: HSC 507. Recommended: HSC 520.
HSC 591
Legal & Regulatory Aspects of Long-Term Care
3
This course covers the legal and regulatory issues inherent to the long-term care industry in the United States. In addition, this course serves as preparation for individuals wishing to sit for the National Association of Board of Examiners Exam ("National Exam"). Prerequisites: undergraduate students must have completed 56 credit hours; HSC 571 recommended.
HSC 592
Administration Issues in Long-Term Care
3
This course covers the facility management issues of long-term care administration, including aspects of business, regulation and human resources. Prerequisites: undergraduate students must have completed 56 credit hours; HSC 570 recommended.
HSC 593
Resident Care Issues in Long-Term Care Administration
3
This course covers the residential and clinical aspects of long-term care administration. Prerequisites: undergraduate students must have completed 56 credit hours.
