Health Care Administration Leadership
Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration
Develop the foundational knowledge and skills to grow into a confident and impactful leader in healthcare. Capella’s Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration Leadership can help prepare you for high-performance teamwork in this dynamic field. You’ll gain a strong understanding of managing people and teams as well as healthcare operations. The competency-based program also examines healthcare finances, strategic planning and marketing. Through collaborative projects, you’ll sharpen the critical communication, problem solving and decision-making skills needed to help lead positive change in the healthcare industry.
At a glance
- Online
- FlexPath available
- 8–14 General education courses
- 9 Core courses
- 6 Specialization courses
- 9–17 Elective courses
- 1 Capstone
- 180 Total quarter credits
- 135 Maximum transfer credits
FlexPath lets you finish the degree you started, with a bachelor’s in health care administration in 16 months and under $16,000.
Based on fastest 25% of students. Your program length and cost will vary by transfer credits, the per-session cost and how quickly you complete courses. Books, supplies and other fees apply.
Explore health care administration leadership courses
- This degree requires a total of 90 program points in FlexPath or 180 program credits in GuidedPath
- You’ll need to complete 8–14 general education courses, nine core courses, six specialization courses, 9–17 elective courses, and one capstone
Try FlexPath for yourself
In our nongraded, noncredit-bearing FlexPath Trial Course, you’ll explore online self-paced learning, experience the courseroom and view a sample assessment.
What you’ll learn
This specialization helps you establish foundational skills for change management and team leadership in complex healthcare environments. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based best practices that build a continuous learning system for sustainable healthcare delivery – including change leadership, planning and marketing, patient safety, quality improvement, healthcare economics, wellness promotion, team collaboration and professional development. Graduates of this program are prepared to pursue their career goals in a wide range of professional healthcare settings. Students who pursue this specialization through the FlexPath learning format earn a BS in Health Care Administration through self-paced demonstration of competencies.
On successful completion of this program, you should be able to:
- Influence organizational policy, improve patient care outcomes and effect positive change
- Apply health information technology to maximize the efficiency and quality of departmental workflow
- Apply administrative, behavioral and managerial theories and practices as they pertain to planning, innovation, leadership and problem-solving across the healthcare continuum
- Demonstrate leadership qualities that facilitate high-performance teams through effective teamwork, coaching, cross-functionality and collaboration
Faculty spotlight
Dr. Ben Spedding, DHA
Program Director, Health Care Administration
How much does the BS in Health Care Admin cost?
The total cost of your degree will depend on your learning format, academic performance and other factors. See FlexPath and GuidedPath cost information below.
A self-paced learning format that helps put you in control. Take courses at your own speed and move on to the next course whenever you’re ready.
- Enroll in one or two core courses at a time and complete as many as you can in 12 weeks
- 2 Capella quarter credits = 1 program point
- Set your own deadlines, no courseroom discussions
- Pay a flat tuition fee per 12-week billing session
- $2,575 per 12-week billing session
- $125 resource kit
- 90 total program points
- 67 max transfer points
*This is only an estimate, effective July 7, 2025, and is subject to change.
Capella is committed to transparency in tuition and pricing. You will be responsible for costs in addition to tuition, which may include your resource kit, travel expenses and practicum costs.
Your tuition amount will vary depending on your unique circumstances such as your program specialization, transfer credits, any applicable tuition discounts and how quickly you complete courses. Books, course materials, supplies, equipment and other expenses are not included. Tuition estimates shown for the FlexPath learning format assume average number of credits and are based on:
- "Accelerated pace” (speed of fastest 25% of FlexPath students)
- “Typical pace” (median speed of FlexPath students)
- “Slower pace” (speed of fastest 75% of FlexPath students)
New or recently revised program estimates are based on comparable programs. Military Tuition Assistance is not available for the FlexPath learning format. Review program-specific fee amounts in our University Catalog.
Get the details
Find out more about financing and payment options to help you complete your program. Federal aid also is available to help manage the costs of higher education.
Connect with an enrollment specialist to further discuss the cost of the program and explore your eligibility for scholarships and discounts.
A structured learning format with an active peer community and faculty guidance. We’ll set the schedule, you meet the deadlines.
- Based on the quarter system; 1–3 courses per 10-week quarter
- 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits
- Weekly assignments and courseroom discussions
- Pay for what you take, price varies by courseload or quarter
- $375 per 1000-2000 level credit $400 per 3000-4000 level credit
- $125 resource kit
- 180 total quarter credits
- 135 max transfer credits
*This is only an estimate, effective July 7, 2025, and is subject to change.
Capella is committed to transparency in tuition and pricing. You will be responsible for costs in addition to tuition, which may include your resource kit, travel expenses and practicum costs.
Your tuition amount will vary depending on your unique circumstances such as your program specialization, transfer credits and any applicable tuition discounts. Books, course materials, supplies, equipment and other expenses are not included. Tuition estimates shown for the GuidedPath learning format depend on the number of credits accepted for transfer.
New or recently revised program estimates are based on comparable programs. Review program-specific fee amounts in our University Catalog.
Get the details
Find out more about financing and payment options to help you complete your program. Federal aid also is available to help manage the costs of higher education.
Connect with an enrollment specialist to further discuss the cost of the program and explore your eligibility for scholarships and discounts.
“Earning my degree really helped me to be a better leader in my new role. I was able to relate to the assignments in very real and practical ways, and I was able to immediately implement much of what I was learning.”
Diana Morris* – BS in Health Care Administration, FlexPath graduate
*Actual Capella graduate who agreed to appear in promotional materials.
Are there scholarships available for bachelor’s degrees?
Your education is an investment in your future. There are more ways to save than you might think.
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BS in Health Care Admin admission requirements
Applicants to the BS in Health Care Administration Leadership program must provide the following information for admission:
- Admission application – no application fee required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- A transcript of any reported GED
- 4.5 credits eligible for transfer. See Sophia Admissions Pathways as an option to obtain credits.
- Applicants under age 24, as well as those over age 24 who have no transfer credits, may be required to submit a high school transcript verifying graduation
- A valid, government-issued form of photo identification
SAT and ACT are not required for admission.
Accelerated Master’s Pathway (AMP) admission requirements
- To qualify for an AMP option, you must submit transcripts from all previous higher education institutions, have received a minimum 2.8 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all previous college coursework and have no fewer than 24 total eligible transfer credits.
- Once enrolled in a GuidedPath AMP option, you must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.8 and receive no more than one grade of C in any master’s-level course to remain enrolled in the AMP option.
- Once enrolled in a FlexPath AMP option, you must earn a minimum Proficient evaluation on all competencies in your program to remain enrolled in the AMP option. If you fall below this threshold you’ll be automatically changed into the associated non-AMP undergraduate offering.
- When you have successfully completed the requirements for your bachelor’s degree program and your degree has been awarded, you may apply to the master’s degree program that corresponds with your chosen AMP option. You’re not guaranteed admission into a corresponding master’s degree program and you must complete a separate application for admission to the program.
FlexPath admission requirements
Applicants for our FlexPath self-paced learning option must also meet the following criteria:
- High school diploma or equivalent and 45 transferable college credits
- The recommended minimum GPA is 2.8 OR at least 100 applied transfer college credits. Those with a lower GPA and less than 100 applied transfer college credits may have the option to satisfy GPA and/or transfer credit requirements through successful completion of gen-ed courses through our affiliate Sophia prior to starting a Capella degree program.
Transition to FlexPath: Applicants whose GPA is below the FlexPath admission threshold may be considered once they successfully complete at least two GuidedPath courses (or eight credits, whichever is greater). Those learners will also need to meet the requirement of 45 transfer credits to be approved for the transition into FlexPath.
International student requirements
If you live outside the U.S. or aren’t a U.S. citizen, you may be considered an international student.
To meet the requirements for Capella admission, you must:
- Earn the minimum score on an acceptable test for proof of English proficiency
- Attend an internationally recognized institution
- Provide transcripts for evaluation
Learn more about international student admissions.
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What can you do with a BS in Health Care Admin degree?
Your education can help you reach your professional and personal goals. While Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific career outcome, such as a job title, promotion or salary increase, we encourage you to explore potential jobs and employment settings. Here are some ideas and examples for a graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration, Health Care Administration Leadership.
Job titles to explore*
- Clinic manager
- Compliance manager
- Compliance officer
- Healthcare manager
- Program coordinator
- Program manager
- Program specialist
Employment settings to explore*
- Assisted living facilities for the elderly
- General medical and surgical hospitals
- Home health care services
- Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
- Offices of physicians (except mental health specialists)
- Outpatient care centers
*These are examples intended to serve as a general guide. Some positions may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications and/or other designations along with a degree. Because many factors determine what position an individual may attain, Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title, a promotion, salary increase or other career outcome. We encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.