The field of healthcare administration offers one of the most impactful business and administration careers available today.
Tasked with organizing efforts towards affordable, compassionate and stellar care for diverse patients, it is crucial that healthcare administration professionals find and choose a healthcare administration degree program that is going to serve as a strategic launching pad for a lifelong, successful career.
Let’s examine some of the best qualities of healthcare administration degrees worth investing in.
What to Look for in a Healthcare Administration Degree
From flexible program completion options to an environment focused on ethics, here are just a few things to look for in a healthcare administration degree program.
1. Flexibility
One of the most important deciding factors in your consideration of a degree program is flexibility. Chances are, you’re a working professional who probably isn’t able to completely pause your career to pursue another degree. Luckily, plenty of programs provide asynchronous courses or weekend and evening classes, making it easier for working professionals to attend and obtain a graduate degree.
2. Up-to-date courses
Your time and money are both valuable resources. The last thing you want to spend them on is a curriculum that’s stuck in the past. When you’re researching programs, make sure they’re actively addressing current issues in the healthcare field and beyond so that you can be equipped to make tangible changes in the field post graduation.
3. Expert faculty
The professionals who teach your course materials are as important as what is taught in the courses. Seek out programs with experienced faculty who have fantastic credentials, a commitment to ethics and on-the-ground experience, and you will set yourself up for success.
4. Industry connections
Understanding the connections available to you upon graduation is a key piece of your success in any healthcare administration program. It can be helpful to find programs that specialize in serving the communities you are passionate about — especially if you are interested in helping underrepresented populations.
5. Alumni network
It’s important to look at where alumni from the programs you’re considering are today. Consider asking admissions counselors for data on their job placement rates, a list of the top companies that hire graduates from your program and about any alumni networks that exist. Even better, try to connect with an alum from the program before you make your final decision, so you can get an inside look at what to expect as a student.
6. Experiential learning opportunities
Look for programs that help you put what you are learning into practice sooner rather than later. This can come in the form of internships, or it might come from the practical experience involved in various hands-on coursework. Either way, choose a program that is focused on learning-by-doing, and you will graduate from the program well equipped to jump straight into a meaningful healthcare administration career.
7. A community focused on ethics
As a healthcare administrator, you will be tasked with improving the quality of healthcare for all, no matter one’s background. For this reason, it is crucial that you choose a healthcare administration degree program that is going to expose you to concepts related to healthcare ethics, social policy and awareness/education.
Discover the Transformative Healthcare Administration Degree Program at the Mount
At Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles, we offer a respected Master of Science in Healthcare Administration that is designed to educate influential leaders, managers and policymakers who are passionate about improving the healthcare field.
We pride our graduates on developing the skills to make careful and informed decisions about health services' structure, processes and outcomes. Our students prepare to grapple with the crucial issues of costs, financing, delivery and accessibility of care.
If you are ready to make the next move in your healthcare administration career, take this opportunity to connect with us! You can also start your online application today.
