Business people standing at conference table.

B.S. in Healthcare Administration Overview

 

Healthcare is big business in America and has become increasingly complex. As we grapple with issues such as an aging population, how to make care accessible and affordable and how to manage ever-changing regulations affecting healthcare, the need for highly educated and skilled professionals is growing.

 

Alvernia University is widely recognized for its healthcare degrees, and is at the forefront of addressing the rapidly growing need for specialized, professional employees within the field of healthcare.

 

The University’s new Healthcare Administration degree, first offered in Fall 2015, will enable you to prepare for exciting and challenging careers, while providing skilled and capable employees for institutions within local, regional and national healthcare settings.

 

As a graduate of Alvernia’s Healthcare Administration program, you might work in a healthcare agency, business or medical care setting, or serve the community as a health educator, health advocate or health manager.

 

Faculty members at Alvernia teach about business and healthcare from both practical and ethical standpoints. This gives you the knowledge you’ll need to succeed professionally, because it develops supervisory and managerial skills that are necessary to advance in your career.

 

Careers in Healthcare Administration

Healthcare Administration is the field relating to leadership, management and administration of hospitals, health care systems, hospital networks and public health systems. It is an exciting, growing field that offers many possibilities for challenging and rewarding careers.

 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of healthcare managers is projected to grow 23 percent between 2012 and 2022, a rate much faster than average for all occupations.

 

As a healthcare administrator, you might manage, direct or coordinate medical services in a hospital, nursing care facility, physician-operated medical group or public clinic. Perhaps you’ll work in a position within the health insurance industry, such as that of a health insurance claims manager.

 

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.

 

Healthcare administrators work to minimize costs and maximize efficiencies, while providing the best possible services. You’ll need to stay ahead of changing federal and state laws that govern healthcare, and may oversee functions related to medical records and billing, create work schedules and supervise other areas of business.

 

While healthcare administration is a challenging career arena, it holds many opportunities. As a graduate of Alvernia University’s Healthcare Administration program, you will be well qualified to begin your career.

 

A sampling of employers of Alvernia healthcare administration degree graduates:

  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Reading Health System
  • Reading Health Dispensary
  • Temple University Hospital
  • St. Joseph Medical Center
  • Prudential
  • First Union

 


 

Curriculum

All Alvernia students must successfully complete a minimum of 123 semester credits to receive a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.  You’ll need to complete 54-55 liberal arts core credits and complete community service hours.

In addition, Healthcare Administration majors must complete 61 credits in the major.  View all business course descriptions here.

Required Courses for Healthcare Administration Degree

Business Core (33 credits)

  • BUS 101 Financial Accounting*
  • BUS 200 Managerial Accounting or BUS 250 Accounting Principles
  • BUS 206 Management Principles*
  • BUS 207 Marketing Principles*
  • BUS 315 Data Analytics & Information Systems
  • BUS 342 Business Law
  • BUS 410 Financial Markets
  • BUS 411 Financial Decision Making
  • BUS 426 Strategic Management
  • BUS 441 Cooperative Education in Business I (enrolled for at least 3 credits)
  • MAT 208 Introductory Statistics or MAT 209 Probability and Statistics

* must earn a grade of "C" or better

Related Area (6 credits)

  • ECON 248 Macroeconomics
  • ECON 249 Microeconomics

High Performer Development Series (3 credits)

  • BUS 251 High Performer Development Series I
  • BUS 351 High Performer Development Series II
  • BUS 451 High Performer Development Series III

Professional Readiness (1 credit)

  • UNIV 200 Career & Internship Preparation

Healthcare Administration Courses (18 credits)

  • HCS 310 Health & Wellness over the Life Span or HCS 320 Healthcare Science and Cultural Competency
  • HCS 330 Healthcare Literacy and Advocacy
  • 340 Healthcare Science Management or BUS 280 Human Resource Management
  • HCS 400 Healthcare Systems and Policy
  • HCS 410 Community Health Organization and Administration
  • HCS 430 Healthcare Science Capstone

Recommended Courses (Optional)

  • BUS 442 Cooperative Education in Business II

 

Business Minor

Students who major in another area can minor in business by earning 21 credits. Required courses for a business minor are:

  • BUS 101 Financial Accounting
  • BUS 200 Managerial Accounting
  • BUS 206 Management Principles
  • BUS 207 Marketing Principles
  • BUS 342 Business Law
  • BUS 410 Financial Markets
  • ECON 248 Macroeconomics OR ECON 249 Microeconomics
Experiential Learning 

Through internships, students have opportunities to apply theories and knowledge learned in the classroom in a variety of professional settings. In addition to providing exposure to the activities and expectations of a real-world workplace, internship experiences help students develop their network of professional contacts.

Alvernia believes that real-world experience is extremely important, as it can improve your confidence and introduce you to professionals in your intended field of employment.

You will not only benefit from experienced faculty members who have extensive experience in the business world, you’ll also get the opportunity to participate in learning opportunities in real business settings through internships and cooperative experiences.

Some of the organizations with which Alvernia business majors have had internships include:

  • The Camden Riversharks
  • Citizens Bank
  • Cott Beverage
  • Ernst & Young
  • Four Seasons Produce
  • Haines & Kibblehouse
  • InRoads
  • Morgan Stanley
  • The Philadelphia Eagles
  • The Reading Royals
  • Service And Access Management (SAM)
  • Superior Oxygen
  • U.S. Department of Finance
  • U.S. Department of Treasury
  • Walt Disney World
  • Webb Insurance

 

Research Opportunities

Research is a valuable aspect of any education. 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.

Tuition

To determine the cost of this program, please visit our Tuition page.  For a personalized estimate, please contact an admissions counselor at 610-790-8269 or at admissions@alvernia.edu.

Financial Aid

Alvernia offers loan, grants, scholarships, and payment plans. Our admissions counselors can help you identify the aid that is available to you and for your program. For more information, visit our Financial Aid page.

Accreditation

All programs offered by Alvernia University are approved by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

 

 


Reading CollegeTowne featuring Enhanced Business Programs

Rendering of Alvernia University's downtown Reading location

 

With the launching of Alvernia’s CollegeTowne initiative and new state-of-the-art metropolitan complex at 401 Penn Street in downtown Reading, the university’s business programs take experiential learning to new heights. With world-class facilities and increased community engagement, our real-world learning opportunities will be further expanded to fully prepare students for success upon graduation.

 

A new trading floor/business lab will be used for a variety of learning experiences over a wide range of classrooms. It will be incorporated into upper level seminar classes such as Marketing Research Seminar, Marketing Management, Investment Fund Management, Accounting Information Systems, Financial Analysis and Corporate Finance. The lab will support simulations, research and a wide-variety of other business applications. It will also support the granting of Microsoft Certification for Excel.

 

The expanded curriculum will fully utilize the new facilities as well as enhanced engagement via the O’Pake Center’s business incubator. The student-run incubator provides hands-on learning for students of all disciplines, allowing students to create, collaborate and lead while they provide support to new ventures and entrepreneurs in the community. In addition, industry and community partners provide resources, internships and professional mentoring to students. It’s a win-win for both students and businesses in the region.

 


Learn More

For more information about Alvernia’s Healthcare Administration program, contact the Admissions Office at 1-888-ALVERNIA or 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu, or reach out directly to:

Dr. Tufan Tiglioglu
Chair of Business Department
tufan.tiglioglu@alvernia.edu
610-796-8278

Majors

Timothy Bailey | Business | MBA | Rodney Ridley | Student | O'Pake | 2020
Master of Business Administration
Some Alvernia business students pursue graduate degrees after graduation, either at Alvernia or other colleges and universities.

Alvernia offers a special program for motivated students — a MBA + 1 option. By declaring interest in your junior year, you could be eligible to enroll in a 30-credit Master of Business Administration degree program that you complete in just one year. You would extend your stay at Alvernia for an extra year, finishing after five years with both an undergraduate and graduate degree.
clock at sunset
Request Info
Rendering of Alvernia University's downtown Reading location
Visit Us