Health Administration
Health care administrators (a.k.a. health services managers or health care managers) direct the operation of hospitals and other health care organizations. They are not involved directly with patients, but rather are responsible for facilities, services, programs, staff, budgets, etc. They help to shape health care policy and lead health-related organizations in a way that serves individual patients by improving health care systems. Health care administrators typically earn a master's degree from an accredited program after completing a bachelor's degree in biology, health sciences, or other related fields.
The five most popular careers in health care administration are:
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Social & Community Support Manager - Work with companies and organizations to provide insight into health-oriented practices that help everyone to live healthier lives.
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Training & Development Manager - Work to train incoming professionals and implement continuing training and professional development activities.
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Health Insurance Specialist - Work with patients to ensure that medical procedures and office visits are reported accurately to insurance agencies.
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Human Resource Manager - Work in hospitals, clinics, and other facilities to help employees navigate benefits, pay, and training requirements.
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Hospital CEO - Work to manage all departments within a hospital.
Student Resources
Professional Associations and Accreditation
Entrance Exam
Many graduate programs in health administration require the GRE as an entrance exam. If interested in a specific program, inquire with that program about entrance exam requirements. Learn more about the GRE
here.
Selected Regional Programs
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A.T. Still University
Kirksville, MO
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Benedictine University
Lisle, IL
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Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
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Clarkson College
Omaha, NE
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Colorado State University
Greenwood Village, CO
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Des Moines University
Des Moines, IA
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Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
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Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO
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University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
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University of Denver
Denver, CO
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University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
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University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
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University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
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University of Saint Francis
Fort Wayne, IN
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Xavier University
Cincinnati, OH
Important Note: Consult the admissions/application web pages of the professional programs for information on required pre-requisite courses and admissions tests, application procedures, and application deadlines. Some professional/graduate programs will not accept AP or CLEP credits, online courses, or correspondence courses for the core science and math pre-requisite requirements. Many programs also require that all pre-requisite coursework be completed within a certain period of time, e.g., within 5 years prior to application. Policies vary by school and program. Be sure you know the requirements.