Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care Administration
Prepare To Lead in Healthcare with a BS in Health Care Administration Degree
A Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration (BSHA) from Grand Canyon University (GCU) prepares you to manage health-related organizations. This means that you learn how to work strategically within contemporary healthcare organizations.
As a healthcare administration graduate, GCU will teach you how to lead healthcare teams. The skills developed in the bachelor’s in healthcare administration degree include the ability to:
- Manage projects
- Work with teams of employees across the organization
- Understand the inner workings of healthcare organizations
- Make decisions related to running healthcare organizations
As a bachelor’s in healthcare administration major, you will focus on five main domains during your course of study.
You will learn to effectively communicate as a leader and build relationships among the workforce. Crisis management, information communication and dispute resolution skills are also highlighted.
You will learn to lead based on organizational dynamics and with the goal of instituting positive change. Ethical challenges, including those related to societal, multicultural and legal issues are highlighted.
Business practices and global healthcare trends are a focus so you understand how health-related services are provided.
You will be trained to understand accounting and budgeting principles, as well as those that govern confidentiality and file management within the healthcare realm.
You will learn about human resources concepts and employee organizational behavior to effectively manage a healthcare workplace.
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Course Topics in GCU’s Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration
The BSHA program includes learning the ins and outs of modern-day healthcare organizations. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare, and this degree program ensures that you understand how to customize your approach based on a particular organization's needs.
As a student in the BS in Health Care Administration program, you will get a chance to focus on high-level theoretical concepts that impact all healthcare workplaces. This degree program teaches specific job skills needed to effectively run a healthcare organization.
While earning your bachelor’s in healthcare administration degree at GCU, you will study:
- The structures of various healthcare organizations in order to understand organizational dynamics and strategies
- The forces that shape healthcare systems, including public, private and social influences
- How financial issues play a role in healthcare administration, including how third-party payers factor into the system
- Ways to navigate working within and between many healthcare sectors so patients and employees are still the priority
Career Opportunities for Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration Graduates
Healthcare administration jobs are as varied as the people who work in them. Earning your BSHA degree will give you the knowledge and skills required to fill a wide range of professional and supervisory roles, including:
- Medical and health services manager
- Facilities manager
BS in Health Care Administration FAQs
Read through our frequently asked questions to learn more about pursuing a career in health care administration. Learn about job opportunities, salary expectations and earning your healthcare administration bachelor’s degree online or on campus at GCU.
Graduates from the bachelor’s in healthcare administration degree programs are ready to step into the healthcare workplace.
They may find work in a variety of locations, including:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Long-term care facilities
- Outpatient facilities
- Doctors’ offices
- Mental health organizations
- Insurance companies
- Government agencies
A bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration is a great way to prepare yourself for a career in the healthcare administration field. In this bachelor’s degree program, you will have the opportunity to master necessary healthcare administrative topics, gain competence in crucial areas and learn how to effectively work across a healthcare organization.
Several job opportunities you may explore upon graduation expect promising job growth as well, one being medical and health services managers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates job growth for medical and health services managers to increase by about 28% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average, accounting for an estimated increase of 136,200 jobs in the field.1
A bachelor's in healthcare administration degree is designed to prepare you for this field by:
- Teaching you about care delivery systems and the day-to-day operations of various healthcare settings
- Focusing on technical skills, such as IT and medical records
- Developing your managerial and leadership skills
- Helping you gain valuable skills in critical thinking, communication, finance, human resources and operations
How long it takes to earn your bachelor's in health administration depends on several factors, such as your previous educational background. Our university admissions team will provide you with a complimentary transfer credit evaluation, so you can see if you have previous credits that will transfer over. This will help determine how many credits you'll need to finish your BS in Health Care Administration program.
You'll also need to think about whether you want to enroll in your program full or part time, and online or on campus. Online courses are typically eight weeks in length, while on campus courses are typically 15 weeks each. This degree program requires 120 total credits for completion.
A Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration can open the door to a rewarding career in the field. This degree provides you with the tools you need to be a successful healthcare administration professional. It can be a financially rewarding pathway as well. In May 2021, medical and health services managers had a median annual wage of $101,340, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.2
If you are interested in learning how to lead in healthcare-related workplaces, a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration may be the right path for you. Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration degree at GCU by filling out the form on this page.
1 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as well. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2022, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers, retrieved on March 20, 2023.
2 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Medical and Health Services Managers, as of May 2021, retrieved on March 20, 2023. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2021 may be atypical compared to prior years. The pandemic may also impact the predicted future workforce outcomes indicated by the BLS. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers from across the country with varying levels of education and experience and does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as medical and health services managers. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country. It also does not reflect a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. You may also wish to compare median salaries if you are considering more than one career path. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, and accept employment from, determines salary not only based on education, but also individual characteristics and skills and fit to that organization (among other categories) against a pool of candidates.
General Education Requirements
General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University's General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.
Requirements
Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community.
Course Options
- UNV-112, Success in Science, Engineering and Technology & Lab: 4
- UNV-103, University Success: 4
- UNV-303, University Success: 4
- UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition.
Course Options
- UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4
- ENG-105, English Composition I: 4
- ENG-106, English Composition II: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV-101/CWV-301.
Course Options
- CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4
- CWV-301, Christian Worldview: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, physical geography, ecology, economics, theology, logic, philosophy, technology, statistics, accounting, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of intermediate algebra or higher.
Course Options
- MAT-154, Applications of College Algebra: 4
- MAT-144, College Mathematics: 4
- PHI-105, 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: 4
- BIO-220, Environmental Science: 4
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, cross-cultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course.
Course Options
- HIS-144, U.S. History Themes: 4
- PSY-102, General Psychology: 4
- SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4
Core Courses
Course Description
This course introduces the student to organizational dynamics and the complex structures of the U.S. health care system. Students consider social, historical, and political influences that have shaped the modern health system and examine the mechanisms that enable access, delivery, and financing of health services. This course also considers the ever-growing global perspective of health care as students explore the health perspectives of varied racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic groups.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course explores the concepts of health, wellness, and spirituality from the Christian perspective and as they relate to the holistic needs of patients, providers, and health care communities. Students reflect upon the concepts of healing and the caregiver's role in meeting the spiritual needs of diverse populations while seeking to advance health and wellness within the context of a healing paradigm.
Course Description
This course offers a broad overview of health care policy and the impact of government legislation on health care delivery. Students explore ways that economic forces, political trends, and changing social priorities influence policy development that directly impacts health care access, cost, and quality.
Course Description
This course introduces students to major ethical theories, principles, and decision-making models that form the basis for resolution of ethical dilemmas in the health care field. Guidelines for legal and ethical practice are also examined from the context of regulatory requirements established by accrediting and certifying agencies.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of finance, accounting, and budgeting within the context of the health care industry. Students examine the various business units, roles, and structures involved in health care planning, budgeting, and accounting. Financial measurements and data analytics for managing costs and productivity are also explored.
Course Description
This course provides information and skills the health care administrator will require to integrate information technology and systems within the health care environment. Students examine basic components and functions of health care management information systems (HMIS) that work to manage data and resources which influence point-of-care decision-making by providers. Issues surrounding privacy, security, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care operations are also explored.
Course Description
This course focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve quality outcomes in patient care. Through analysis and interpretation of quality and performance data, students develop strategies for quality improvement. Emphasis is placed on performance management tools, patient safety protocols, and process controls to ensure both quality and efficiency.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the study of basic probability, descriptive and inferential statistics, and decision making. Emphasis is placed on measures of central tendency and dispersion, correlation, regression, discrete and continuous probability distributions, quality control population parameter estimation, and hypothesis testing. Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in MAT-134, MAT-144 or MAT-154.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the roles of local, state, and federal regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies; the enforcement of federal guidelines, standards, and regulations; and the issues and demands of the regulatory environment that affect health care in the United States. Students explore the legal responsibility of providers and agencies to provide a safe environment while delivering health care services.
Course Description
This writing intensive course discusses the principles and processes of research and common communication techniques utilized in health care and science. This course allows students to begin the research and preliminary background process necessary to complete a research-based capstone project. Students conduct a literature review, investigate appropriate research design, explore data collection techniques, apply statistical analysis, and practice professional writing skills. Prerequisite: BIO-365 or MAT-274.
Course Description
This course introduces students to behavioral science concepts, as they apply to organizational structure, process, and function. Students explore the manager's role in relation to motivating teams and developing strategies for improving operational workflow and efficiencies. Effective communication, collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution, and decision-making are emphasized.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the management of human resources, with particular focus on resource decision making in health care environments. Students explore job market analysis, talent recruitment, training and development, revenue recovery efforts through retention initiatives, diversity training, and technology readiness. Students demonstrate health care management skills by utilizing tools used to manage staffing and work productivity.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course introduces students to key business functions that drive strategic planning. Models for developing, implementing, and evaluating effective programs across varied health care settings are explored along with the principles of merger, acquisition, reorganization, and joint venture. Students apply tools utilized in strategic management of health care programs such as balanced score cards, LEAN, and Six Sigma.
Course Description
This writing-intensive course facilitates a professional capstone project that is the culmination of the learning experiences of students in the health care administration program. In this course, students design a professional digital portfolio that documents career readiness through the integration of knowledge, skills, experience, and creative pursuits that prepare students for work in in health care. In addition, students prepare a written proposal for their evidence-based capstone project focusing on the resolution of issues or problems significant to health care administration. Upon completion, students present capstone projects to a professional at a health care organization. Prerequisite: HCA-470.
Join Grand Canyon University’s vibrant and growing campus community, with daytime classes designed for traditional students. Immerse yourself in a full undergraduate experience, complete with curriculum designed within the context of our Christian worldview.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.