Undergraduate Major
Healthcare Administration
The need for professionals to manage growing and complex medical groups and related organizations has created a high demand for professionally trained healthcare administrators. Alvernia University’s Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Administration program prepares students to pursue job opportunities in a wide variety of career options in this growing and popular field. The duties of a healthcare administrator can be complex and varied, requiring a mix of business administration skills, knowledge of medical services and understanding of local, state and federal regulations that govern the healthcare industry and related insurance industry.
Topics Of Study
- Fundamentals of healthcare science, including medical ethics, legal obligations and the human body
- Critical thinking and writing for healthcare science
- The importance of health literacy and how to overcome its barriers
- Organizational principles and practices for managing health service organizations
- The strengths and challenges within the U.S. healthcare system
- Through a capstone course, you will research and develop a healthcare science project that aligns with your professional goals.
Fast-Growing Profession
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 29 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than average for all occupations. The median annual wage in 2024 was $117,960.
Varied Job Options
Graduates can pursue a variety of careers, including:
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Assisted living facilities
- Managed-care organizations
- Nursing homes
- Physician practices
- Public health centers
- Retirement centers
- Medical equipment companies
- Insurance companies
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Hospital and nursing home administrators
Program Overview
- Application Instructions
Through a rolling admission process, prospective undergraduate students — including first-year, transfer, and international students — may apply via the Alvernia web portal or The Common Application. To learn more about how to complete your application, please visit our application page.
- Financing Your Education
There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our Student Financial Services page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about tuition, the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Alvernia’s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.
- Experiential Learning Opportunities
- In the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, our business lab and Bloomberg Terminals provide financial real time, historical data, market moving news and analytics.
- The O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship provides a support system that can elevate aspiring and existing entrepreneurs as well as provide experiential learning opportunities for students, clients and mentors. Services
are delivered through an integrated network of partners, mentors, staff and student expertise. Fields include accounting, business development, communications, digital design, engineering and marketing. - The Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) is the largest business career and technical student organization in the
world. FBLA Collegiate is the collegiate division of FBLA and is dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of
leaders by preparing members for careers in business and business-related fields. - Business faculty at Alvernia conduct research in a variety of areas, including leadership, management, organizational development, strategy, market research, international marketing, time management, conflict resolution, international leadership and hiring of part-time employees. As a business major, there may be an opportunity for you to assist in faculty research, and to benefit from the knowledge gained through faculty research.
- Accreditation Statements
- Alvernia University's Healthcare Administration program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
- Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
- Opportunities for Majors
Phi Beta Lambda
Phi Beta Lambda provides opportunities students to develop vocational competencies for business and office occupations and business teacher education. The specific goals are to promote competent, aggressive business leadership, understand American business enterprise, establish career goals, encourage scholarship, promote sound financial management, and develop character and self-confidence and to facilitate transition from school to work. The Alvernia College PBL Chapter has won many awards on both state and national levels. In competitions, the Alvernia PBL Chapter regularly participates in state and national workshops and conferences, is active in campus projects and completes community service projects.
The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
IMA is the world's largest organization devoted to management accountants, financial management and information management professionals. IMA Student Chapters promote careers in those areas and helps to develop leadership skills.
Internship Opportunities
Internship placements for our students have included Citizen’s Bank, Walt Disney World, Rohm & Haas, Vanguard, GVA Smith Mack, Haines & Kibblehouse, US Department of Treasury, US Department of Finance, Stroehmann/Maier’s Bakery, Webb Insurance, InRoads, Reading Royals, Olsen/DeTurck, Philadelphia Eagles, Cott Beverage, Four Seasons Produce, Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young and the Camden Riversharks.
The Washington Center Experience
Alvernia students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester or summer in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a congressional office, government agency, major corporation, newspaper or news network, or agencies devoted to legal affairs, international relations, or business and economics. Participants are customarily juniors or seniors who have achieved grade point averages of 2.5 or better and who have the endorsement of the appropriate academic area. In addition to their internship, students select one seminar dealing with the arts and humanities, communication, public policy, the legal system, business, and government. Interested students should see their academic advisor.
Delta Mu Delta
Delta Mu Delta is a business honor society that recognizes and encourages academic excellence of students to create a community that fosters the well-being of its individual members and the business community through life-time membership.
Bloomberg Terminal
Alvernia University students have access to the Bloomberg Terminal, located in the CollegeTowne building. The Bloomberg Terminal provides real-time and historical data, market moving news, and analytics to help leading business and financial professionals worldwide make better informed investment decisions. The university’s subscription to the Bloomberg Terminal will enable students to become family with tools used in financial services while reinforcing classroom theory.
Get to Know Your Faculty
For more information about Alvernia’s Healthcare Administration program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Header School of Business Chair Tufan Tiglioglu at 610-796-8278 or tufan.tiglioglu@alvernia.edu. To see a list of lecturers in the College of Business, Communication, and Leadership, click here.