Adult female standing in hospital hallway smiling

Healthcare Administration Online Bachelor’s Degree Program

can be completed in as little as

12 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 7 weeks

Tuition

$335/credit

$1,005 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

Application Deadline

Spring A: Jan. 3

Upcoming Start Dates

Spring A: Jan. 13

Explore Healthcare Administration

Anchored in the real world of health services and led by expert-practitioner instructors, Champlain's online bachlor's degree in healthcare administration challenges you to think about the healthcare industry differently. You'll emerge from this healthcare administration degree online program with a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field, the strategic vision to enact change in the workplace, and the ability to create innovative solutions to address complex problems.

 

Build Your Career Future

In the fast-growing healthcare administration field, bachelor's degree in healthcare administration is increasingly in demand and a great way to advance your career whether in community health, public health, insurance companies, or other health services organizations. You'll have a competitive edge with a strong foundation of industry-focused technical, legal, and strategic skills, as well as the key professional skills (such as communication and leadership) required to be an effective healthcare management professional. You'll also have the opportunity to build your credentials as you go and showcase your expertise by earning a  certificate, meaning you can begin to apply your learnings to your workplace well before you complete the healthcare administration degree online.

Take the next step

Academic Excellence and Recognition

Intelligent.com ranks Champlain College Online among best in MS healthcare administration

Designated among Best Online BS and MS in Healthcare Administration by Intelligent.com

Ranked amount the most affordable online healthcare administration bachelor's degree

Ranked among the Most Affordable Bachelor's Degrees in Healthcare Administration

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Consistently ranked among the Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs by US News & World Report

New England Commission of Higher Education Logo

Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education

What Can You Do With A BS In Healthcare Administration?

Graduates of Champlain's healthcare administration degree online program will be prepared to plan, direct, or coordinate health and medical services in a variety of different settings, including hospitals, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, insurance companies, public health facilities, and more.

Healthcare administration occupations are expected to grow 32% between 2019 and 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, due to an increased demand for healthcare services as the population ages. The median annual salary for these roles is $104,280 per year.*

*Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020; job titles: Monster.com, 2020

Top Jobs for Bachelor's in Health Care Administration Graduates

  • Administrative Medical Assistant
  • Business Development Associate
  • Financial Manager
  • Healthcare Financial Consultant
  • Hospital Administrator
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Information Technology Specialist
  • Office Manager
  • Program Reimbursement Specialist
Healthcare bachelor's online degree graduate collaborating with colleagues in a meeting

Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online healthcare administration bachelor's degree, designed for working professionals.

Champlain's online healthcare administration courses encompass the top skills needed by today's healthcare professionals. Graduates of the program are required to complete the following courses.

Professional Courses (51 credits)

General Education Courses (42 credits)

General Electives (27 credits)

Professional Courses

Understanding financial statements and how to interpret them is important to all those working in businesses. In this course students learn the relationship among financial statements; study how to interpret this information and to apply this understanding in real-world contexts; and learn how to use financial information to help make sound management decisions.

Human Resource professionals have to be keenly aware of the employee lifecycle (ELC) - a method used to visualize how an employee engages with a company. The first stage of the ELC is attraction. Regardless of how strong your company is, without attracting great talent, your company will fail.?The second stage, recruitment, is the period where you seek out and recruit the best talent to join your organization.

The perspectives, beliefs, and preferences of employees in today's workplace are more diverse than perhaps ever before. Today's high-performing managers are those who foster inclusive, positive, and responsive organizational cultures for their people. But with such varied perspectives, what cultural considerations make the most sense for an organization? Management in the 21st Century will teach students how to foster a workplace environment where people can flourish and are motivated to meet objectives and ambitions for the organization.

Students will learn about the application of positive individual and group strengths and capacities that can be recognized, evaluated, and expanded to advance organizational well-being. This course encourages students to apply positive organizational behavior processes to everyday challenges organizations face to drive positive workplace behaviors and outcomes. This course also helps students to practice and gain skills, knowledge, and competencies to become positive and impactful leaders and change-makers from whatever position they hold.

MGMT 240 is a finance course for managers. It explores financial measurements, the artful application of numbers to solve problems, building financial analysis skills, and the big-picture context needed to understand why finance matters in business management and decision-making. A subset of topics covered in the course include the time value of money, financial statement analysis, ratio analysis, investments, and capital management.

Prerequisites

ACCT-120, ACCT-130, ACCT-140, or equivalent introductory accounting course

Project Management is the formal application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project-based activities to meet organizational requirements. Project management is accomplished through the use of processes such as Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Project managers can divide projects into these phases to provide better management control with appropriate links to the ongoing operations of the organization. Collectively, these phases, known as the project life cycle, form the foundation for the practice of project management and are guided by the Body of Knowledge from the Project Management Institute (PMI).

The American Marketing Association defines Marketing as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. In this course, students will learn marketing terminology and principles including the marketing mix, marketing segmentation and how external forces impact marketing strategy as well as how marketing fits into the organization.The impact of ethical issues, diversity, globalization and social responsibility on marketing decisions will also be examined.

Compensation and Benefits will provide students a detailed understanding of how to develop a Total Rewards Program (TRP), and the strategic choices employers make when selecting TRP financial terms. The course covers the implementation of compensation strategies, benefits packages, work-life balance programs, performance and service recognition strategies, and career development strategies.

New product or service development is a creative process. When done well, it creates a culture of innovation identified by interaction among multiple organizational functions. Students are introduced to the complexity of the process and to the systems needed to manage it. They will explore steps in the process including generating ideas, developing the concept as well as analyzing and evaluating it. Students will also consider the increasing pressure to adapt products/services to foreign markets.

Prerequisites

MKTG-200

Students gain a systematic overview of the U.S. health care system, including the role of the public and private sectors. Federal and state health policy and legislation are examined in depth. Students develop an understanding of the complex social and environmental issues that are driving the need for quality improvement, performance measurement and the use of information systems. They become familiar with the various mechanisms through which health services are delivered and also compare the U.S. health care system to other systems outside the U.S.

Students examine the role of information systems in achieving performance improvement in health care delivery, and develop the skills necessary to manage information systems. Students learn to manage health information technology to improve patient care, comply with federal and state regulations, and increase clinical and operational efficiencies.

Prerequisites

HCMT-210

Students gain a systematic overview of the financial operations of common health care organizations, both public and private. They gain knowledge about various financial techniques and tools applied to health care settings including revenue stream management, budgeting and resource management allocation, and third party payer management. Students identify and analyze key issues confronting the financial management of health care systems and provide strategies for effective management of these financial challenges. This course will emphasize the intersection and integration of health resources management, both clinical and financial, in quality improvement efforts.

Prerequisites

Take HCMT-210

Students learn about the laws, government policies and guidelines, and ethical considerations related to the operation of health care systems. Within this context, students explore HIPAA, informed consent, health IT compliance, anti-trust issues and organizational structures in health care. Students focus on the implications of laws and regulations on the management of health care services, particularly with respect to information systems, costs and, day-to-day operations.

Prerequisites

HCMT-210

Explores health communication as an emerging specialty in the health care field. We foster a broad-based conceptual understanding of health communication and its role in the contemporary U.S. health care system. Students consider the intersection of health and communication, emphasizing evidence-based approaches and ethical frameworks for research and practice. Areas of research include: provider-patient interaction, social support networks, health information and technology systems, medical ethics, health policy, and health promotion.

Prerequisites

TAKE HCMT-210

Students learn about computerized clinical information systems and computer-based patient information management. They explore health information systems within the context of the work environment, and associated business processes, with emphasis on clinical data and emerging clinical technologies. Students gain skills in managing change in clinical systems to build buy-in, engage individuals and ultimately change workflow. Students learn how cost-benefit analysis, return on investment, requests for proposals, and depreciation affect decision-making.

Prerequisites

HCMT-210

Students gain an understanding of the health care industry's organizational performance measures and assessments related to the improvement of healthcare service quality. Topics explored include traditional quality, structure and process assessments including risk management, credentialing and the role of oversight agencies; outcomes-based process improvement methods focusing on rapid-cycle tools, such as PDSA, and using small tests of change. Students apply measures and assessments directly to the complex issues and concerns of health care administration.

Prerequisites

HCMT-210

With the assistance of faculty, students develop and complete an exploratory project in health care administration, giving them the opportunity to independently integrate and apply professional and research content in a healthcare setting of their choice.

Prerequisites

Complete 108 credits

Complete the following two courses:

This course introduces students to the foundational concepts needed to communicate effectively in writing for academic study and professional development. Students will also learn to read critically to evaluate an author's message. Students will be introduced to rhetorical modes and their role in the development of written communication. Students will also learn how to use revision strategies to create written communication that meets its intended purpose for its intended audience

This course builds on students' proficiency in the writing process and rhetorical modes to introduce the use of sources in written communication. Students will practice information literacy as they learn to determine information needs from sources, develop effective search strategies, and incorporate sources in written communication, legally and ethically.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-100

Complete the following course:

Starting with a frame of human communication as a dynamic system of interactions in which people make choices that impact their relationships, other people, and themselves, students will define theory-informed communication concepts and processes, and critically examine how they apply to everyday life across a variety of contexts. Students will reflect on how the theory, concepts and processes apply to their own lives in becoming competent communicators who are knowledgeable, skilled, and versatile.

Complete the following course:

This course draws on fundamental concepts of contemporary group communication research to help students identify and develop strategies to communicate effectively in small groups and teams for the cooperative purpose of advancing common goals. Students will draw on listening and responding strategies learned in COMM-130 Interpersonal Communication and apply them to communicating as a leader or member of a small group. They will also learn how to recognize and manage the types of conflicts that can arise in small groups. Prerequisite: COMM-130 Interpersonal Communication

Prerequisites

Complete COMM-130

Complete the following course:

Students will learn and apply critical inquiry skills to analyze persuasive communication created by others and to develop persuasive communication/arguments of their own to solve problems in professional, civic, social, and personal contexts. Specifically, students will learn to recognize fallacies in logic; apply inductive and deductive reasoning strategies to the interpretation and development of persuasive communication; evaluate the validity of sources; and develop logically sound persuasive communication. Students will explore the roles of self-awareness, empathy, and ethics in the context of critical inquiry and the development of arguments.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-110.

Complete one of the following, unless your program requires a specific course:

This course is an historical overview, and examination of the evolution of digital, film, and print media, and their functions. Students will identify and analyze contemporary problems of the media such as the legal, social, economic and psychological implications of their relationships with society. They also will examine the ways in which marketing and PR professionals utilize the mass media channels to reach their intended target audiences.

This course explores the complex and evolving relationship between human beings and technology. Through a multi-disciplinary approach that draws on fields such as sociology, psychology, philosophy, and history, students will examine the ways in which technology has shaped human culture, identity, and values, as well as how humans have influenced and continue to influence the development, adoption and use of technology.

Complete the two following courses:

Mathematical reasoning, when applied to everyday and professional lives, has two dimensions: logic for deterministic situations and probabilities for non-deterministic situations. This course aims to help students develop these mathematical reasoning skills.

This course introduces students to basic statistics for data literacy. With a focus on exploring real-world data, students will interpret numerical information and utilize the tools necessary to complete the entire statistical process: designing a study; gathering, organizing, and analyzing sample data; and making inferences about a population. Students will demonstrate data-driven decision-making and effective communication of numerical data.

Complete one of the following, unless your program requires a specific course:

Introduces students to the biochemistry and physiology of nutrition and exercise. Emphasis will be placed on human body systems such as musculoskeletal, digestive, respiratory and circulatory, and their relationship to nutrition and fitness. Students will also study the biochemistry of energy conversion as it relates to exercise physiology. Laboratory sessions are designed to reinforce, by a hands-on approach, the principles discussed in lecture. Course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students learn the biology, genetics, chemistry, and physics involved in the forensic investigation of crimes. A wide range of topics are studied including DNA, entomology, fingerprinting, trace evidence, serology (blood, saliva, and semen), blood spatter, and chemical analysis of drugs, alcohol, and other compounds. Students apply their new knowledge of forensic science through the use of case studies and laboratories. This course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students will develop the ability to apply scientific methods to understand the natural world, to identify scientific aspects of daily life, and to evaluate the quality of scientific information based on its source and the methods used for its generation.

Complete the following course:

This course will introduce students to major streams of social justice thought, including historical social justice movements, theoretical problems having to do with social equality, personal freedom, marginalization, and stigmatization, and the ways in which civic and professional communities respond to these issues.

Complete any of the two following, unless your program requires a specific course(s):

With pressure and release, a window opens and closes, recording light on a sensor. The simple action captures the instinct, judgement, and skill of the person behind the lens. This class will begin a study of the art and craft of photography. Students will develop their vision and their understanding of how to achieve it. Solid skills will be learned and many doors will be opened.

A survey of the continuing change experienced in art since the 15th century. Students will examine how an image is achieved as well as the significance of the subject represented. Individual inquiry concerning the nature of art is encouraged.

Students learn to appreciate films through the critical analysis of various elements of mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound. The course introduces the conventions of classical Hollywood cinema, considers the work of one major director (auteur), and surveys selected international and independent films. Students view and discuss films each week.

Students in the course will explore the cultural history of the music genre broadly referred to as rock. Students will explore the social, economic and political contexts that are influenced by and that influenced each style in the United States. By listening, watching, reflecting upon, discussing and writing, students will explore how music takes on meaning, personally, and culturally. Topics and themes include the relationships between and among gospel, country, funk, folk, disco, rap and hip hop; the role of business and technology in those relationships, and political or transgressive elements of rock music.

Students will apply communication theory and research to address the particular challenges to communicating effectively in organizations. Students will learn how to identify organizational communication problems, analyze those problems, and generate effective solutions. Students will examine the relationship between organizational structure and specific communicative practices, and how communication practices by organizational members establish, maintain, or change organizational culture. They will also learn how to anticipate communication deficiencies in organizations, and use communication as a means to facilitate organizational development and innovation.

Prerequisites

Complete COMM-130

Specific application of common tools for writing in the working world. Students will be instructed in rhetorical strategies of professional writing including style, report formats, editing, document design, and integration of visual aids. Students will complete a semester-long writing project; oral and written reports associated with the process of problem-solving within the project will be included.

Prerequisites

ENGL-112 or COR-125

Students will learn how to create conditions for successful conflict engagement, a necessary skill for any professional. The course focuses on the foundational capacities to remain calm and connected with oneself and others. In this state students can access helpful ideas and responses and be their best selves regardless of environment. Improving facility for conflict creates stronger relationships and reduces fear. By the end of the course, students will understand that disagreement and difference can become a source of personal and interpersonal growth.

Ethics refers to accepted standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do in various contexts, typically in relation to rights, obligations/duties, benefits to society, fairness, consequences, and virtues. In this course, students will explore both theoretical and practical dimensions of ethics in order to 1) define ethics and identify ethical positions and principles, 2) critically reflect on how ethics impacts individual and collective responsibility, decision-making, and action, and 3) apply ethics to the personal, civic, and professional contexts.

Prerequisites

ENGL-110

This course introduces students to the fundamental elements of technical writing (clear, concise, and targeted)that are common among seven forms of technical communication: email correspondence, editing,employment communication, proposals, long, formal reports,oral communication, and inventions. Through peer reviews and writing workshops, students develop the ability to write and edit text that precisely targets its audience. This course emphasizes deepening and broadening students' writing, speaking, and thinking abilities in a non-lecture-based, hands-on, discussion-centered classroom.

Prerequisites

ENGL-112 or COR-125

Complete any two of the following, unless your program requires a specific course(s):

Provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals of substantive criminal law. Students will learn the essential elements of crimes and the rationale underlying criminal law. The nature of jurisdiction, the criminal act, the criminal state of mind and matters affecting responsibility for criminal conduct are included.

This course focuses on the rules and procedures governing how the American criminal justice system must process individuals suspected, accused, and convicted of law violations.

This course provides students with a broad overview of the history, theory, and fundamentals of criminal investigation. Students are introduced to the basic responsibilities of investigators and protocols for report writing, evidence collection, and preparation of cases for trial. They also learn specific investigative techniques for different types of crimes, such as crimes involving violence and property, terrorism, and hate crimes, and, where appropriate, compare investigative protocols from other legal cultures.

Prerequisites

Take CRIM-120, CRIM-121.

Principles of Economics introduces the fundamental concepts of economics - the study of how people manage resources, and how they react to scarcity. This course focuses on both microeconomics (the behavior of consumers and companies) and macroeconomics (large-scale economic factors such as employment and interest rates), so that you'll gain a broad understanding of how a modern market economy functions, how decisions in business settings are informed by economics, and how economics applies to your everyday life.

Students will study important themes in the social history of the United States since the Civil War. This course allows students to expand their critical thinking skills through an examination of primary and secondary sources. Themes might include: the evolving status of women; the immigrant experience; the concept of the American dream; the paradox of freedom vs. slavery; the minority experience; the tensions between social classes. Students will be evaluated primarily on writing assignments.

In this course, students will explore broad, foundational knowledge in psychology, including its history, major theorists and a survey of psychology subfields such as developmental, cognitive and social psychology. Students will also describe and assess the role of ethics and social responsibility in the study and application of psychological theory and practices.

In this class, students will explore how social relationships, groups, societies and culture develop and change over time. From a sociological theory foundation and employing the sociological imagination, students will examine the impact of social structures, institutions, and systems on individual lives. Students will apply sociological research methods to investigate sociological phenomena in their own lives.

Graduates of the healthcare administration bachelor's online program will demonstrate the following industry-specific skills, knowledge, and competencies:

  • Healthcare Business Acumen: Investigate and apply core business, financial, and economic principles to healthcare settings, leveraging technology and data for decision-making.
  • Systems Awareness and Global Healthcare Perspective: Analyze, design, and innovate within both US and global healthcare systems, ensuring improvements in delivery and adaptability to change.
  • Ethical Leadership and Organizational Governance: Create policies and strategies rooted in ethics, law, and regulation, fostering a culture of continuous self-reflection and professional growth in healthcare settings.
  • Communication: Develop and deliver oral and written communications, tailored for diverse healthcare audiences.
  • Teamwork and Leadership in Diverse Environments: Exhibit advanced team, talent, and organizational management skills to lead across varied healthcare units, prioritizing collaboration and effective leadership techniques.

Earn a certificate  as you pursue your degree, so you can build credentials as you go. Speak to your academic advisor so they can help get you on the right pathway to reach your goal.

Healthcare Administration

Champlain College Online's healthcare faculty are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our healthcare administration curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s healthcare professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the field, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Alumni of the Champlain College Online bachelor's in healthcare administration program work in a variety of healthcare settings nationwide, including:

  • Burrell Behavioral Health
  • Champlain Valley Physician's Hospital
  • Cigna
  • Copley Hospital
  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Howard Center 
  • Methodist Health System 
  • New London Hospital 
  • Portsmouth Regional Hospital 
  • Primary Health Network
  • Rex Healthcare
  • Rutland Regional Medical Center
  • St. Mary's Medical Center 
  • University of Vermont Medical Center
  • U.S. Army
  • VA Medical Center 

Titles our alumni hold include:

  • Applications Coordinator
  • Business Manager
  • Director of Facility Operations 
  • Director of Health Services 
  • Director of Sales & Marketing 
  • Help Desk Technician
  • Pharmacy Business Manager 
  • Practice Support Specialist 
  • Purchasing Assistant 
  • Quality Generalist
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Senior Radiologist 
  • Staff Assistant 
  • Supervisor, Pre-Access & Collections

Many students come to us seeking ways to get noticed at their current employers or to get hired in a new field. Given that, we are hyper focused on increasing the career mobility of our students and that's why we developed the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle, a suite of career offerings designed to help our students get noticed, get hired and land jobs they'll love.

Valued at over $1,000, the career bundle is offered to Champlain College Online students and includes:

  • Fast Start Formula Course: The Fast Start Formula Course for getting noticed and getting hired is taught by Jen Morris, an executive career coach that we've developed a partnership with to support our students in their job search journeys. This course is online, self-paced and full of tips and tricks to land a job you'll love.
  • Live Webinars: Log-on to ask your specific job search questions, get live “hot seat” coaching and gain valuable insights from leading career coach, Jen Morris.
  • Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook: Download this ebook full of tips and tricks for standing out from the competition. From how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, to insider information on how recruiters work and bypassing the automated application websites, you’ll be sure to learn how to rise to the top.

Upon enrollment in a degree or certificate, your access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle will made available to you.

Tuition & Costs

Online Undergraduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '25

$335 per credit
$1,005* per course
$290** per credit for Champlain alumni or associate degree graduates from any college or university
$250 per credit for military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starts Summer 2024, not retroactive 

See the undergraduate cost of attendance and fees here

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

Why Champlain

Career Growth

"Champlain stood out from the beginning. I liked that it's a smaller college, and each course in my degree program seemed to be specifically created to help students truly learn concepts that will propel them forward in a healthcare career."

Billie Matthews Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration
Buyer, Supply Chain, Methodist Health System
Billie Matthews, Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration

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Get Your Healthcare Administration Guide

Learn what you can expect from our online bachelor's in healthcare administration program.

Sunset over Lake Champlain from Champlain College campus in Burlington, Vermont

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