Healthcare Administration
Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration is a completion program designed to help those who have a background in the Allied Health field get ahead with a Bachelor of Science degree. The program is geared toward health care professionals seeking entry-level management roles in a variety of health care settings.

The problem for many is that most organizations now require a Bachelor’s degree for management personnel (which can take four years to complete). The good news is that Pacific College may accept up to 60 transfer credits from an accredited Allied Health training program. Take your existing credits and transfer them into the B.S. in Healthcare Administration program to complete the program in as little as 18 months (full-time).

Additionally, the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration program is offered 100% online and covers many aspects of the health care industry to provide you with the skills necessary to effectively manage in the rapidly changing environment of health care.

Program Description

The Pacific College Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Administration program provides knowledge of the healthcare system, use of technology, critical thinking skills and integration of business practices with health sciences. The program incorporates both theory and practical classes in all aspects of the healthcare industry to provide the student with the managerial skills for positions in a range of health care organizations. Students may transfer credits from prior post-secondary technical education to satisfy the lower-division technical and general education requirements. Students may receive up to 45-semester units of credit for previous college courses in a health care discipline.

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Identify the components of the healthcare system in the United States and the impact of social, cultural, political, economic and environmental factors on the organization.

2. Use technology to create, assess, analyze, and interpret healthcare data for effective decision-making.

3. Demonstrate critical thinking skills using principles of accounting, law, financial analysis, human resources, information technology, planning, and marketing to solve problems and increase performance in healthcare organizations.

4. Demonstrate the ability to integrate business practices and health sciences to make good ethical decisions, improve performance and become a respected member of the healthcare community.

Career OUTLOOK
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION (SOC CODE: 11-9111.01)

Healthcare Administrators can be found in hospitals, group physician practices, private primary care clinics, dental offices, optometrist’s offices, nursing homes, senior living centers, outpatient care centers/day surgery centers, mental health organizations, rehabilitation centers, and ambulance companies. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

Healthcare Administrators typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS DO?

Healthcare Administrators plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations. They may be specialists in charge of a specific clinical department or are generalists who manage an entire facility or system. They set and carry out policies, goals and procedures for their departments or facilities. Their duties include hiring, scheduling, evaluating staff, monitoring compliance with state and federal guidelines, and developing reports and budgets.

Healthcare Administrators work with physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, medical records specialists, and other healthcare personnel. They also may interact with patients or insurance agents.

CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS

California employment of Healthcare Administrators was 51,500 employees in 2020. The need is projected to grow 36 percent from 2020 to 2030. It’s projected there will be 6,430 openings each year from 2020 until 2030.

Source: O*NET California Employment Trends for Medical and Health Service Managers

MEDIAN PAY FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS

Source: O*NET Local Wages for Medical and Health Service Managers, 2022

Admission Requirements
healthcare administration

The admission requirements listed below have been established for students entering the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration Program at Pacific College:

1. All entering students must take mathematics and English assessment as part of the admissions process or meet equivalency.

2. An associate degree or equivalent post-secondary education in a health care field.

3. Applicants transferring from an accredited college or university are admitted as degree students if their cumulative grade point average from all schools is 2.0 (C) or better.

4. Applicants with a cumulative grade point average below 2.0 may be admitted on a probationary status if the College determines there is sufficient evidence of potential to complete college studies.

5. Students who have documents from a foreign country must request a foreign credential pre-evaluation to determine eligibility.

Program coursework
healthcare administration

HCA 300

Introduction to Health Policy

An overview of the U.S. health care system, its components, and the policy challenges created by its organization. The focus is on the major health policy institutions and important issues that cut across institutions, including private insurers and the federal/state financing programs (Medicare and Medicaid/SCHIP). Disparities in access to care, the role of pharmaceuticals in health care and the pricing and regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, the quality of care, the challenges of long-term care and the aging of the population, and the drivers of cost growth will be discussed.

4 Credits

HCA 301

Crisis Management/Regulatory Compliance

This course examines crisis management and methods of managing risk in healthcare organizations. The topics include comprehensive emergency management, public and private roles and partnerships for emergency and crisis management, the risk management process, strategic crisis management, contingency planning, training and exercises, emergency response, business continuity and recovery, the role of the crisis management team, and crisis communication.

3 Credits

HCA 302

Legal and Ethical Practice

Introduction to biomedical and healthcare ethics from an administrative perspective. Students learn to integrate ethical and legal aspects into administrative decision-making. Topics include a wide range of subjects to help students understand how healthcare professionals and consumers make difficult healthcare choices. The course will also focus on the regulatory and business issues essential to representing healthcare professionals and organizations including laws that specifically regulate the internal structure of healthcare organizations and the relationships between healthcare providers

3 Credits

COM 100

Human Communication

This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals and principles which underlie effective speech communication.  Practical experience, emphasizing content, organization and delivery, will be required in speaking situations, specifically including persuasive and informative speaking.

3 Credits

MATH 135

College Algebra

This course covers algebraic relationships, functions and graphs that build on basic, intermediate algebra, emphasizing solving for one or two unknown variables in complex equations, graphing single-variable polynomial functions, quadratic and rational inequalities, linear and quadratic variables, remainder and factor theorems and exponential and logarithmic functions.

3 Credits

PSY 101

General Psychology

This course is a scientific consideration of the psychological foundations of behavior.  It will investigate psychological development, motivation, sensation, perception, learning, thinking, language, psychological measurement, and principles of mental illness and mental health.

3 Credits

Upper Division General Education Classes

GE 300

Computer Information Systems

This course provides the essentials of computer software applications including e-mail, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and word processing software.  Students will also learn to use electronic library resources to perform research and format research papers.

3 Credits

GE 301

Technological Impact on Society

This course provides a framework for understanding the ways in which human societies transform themselves through technological innovation. Ethical questions concerning the social effects of technological change are presented and discussed.

3 Credits

GE 302

Working Around the World

This course is an examination of the effects that religion, language and culture, political structure, economics, and physical environment have on the development of the workplace and people’s perceptions of work, occupations, and working conditions.

3 Credits