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Health Care Administration Leadership
Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration
Ready to grow as a leader in health care? The BS in Health Care Administration Leadership can help prepare you for high-performance teamwork in this dynamic field. You’ll develop skills to help solve today’s complex health care challenges and gain the expertise required to make a real impact on patient and organizational outcomes. Advance your understanding in key areas of health care operations, including patient care delivery, health care economics and research, planning and marketing, population health and wellness promotion. Leverage your passion for leadership, support your career pursuits in health care and help drive positive change.
Classes start May 6
Use the code WINTER to waive the $50 application fee.
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 15 months for $15,000.*
*Based on fastest 25 percent 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
| BHA4003 |
Present and Future State Developments within the United States Health Care System
In this course, learners review developments in health policy and management to better understand the present and future state of the U.S. health care system. Learners also analyze trends and effects on health care services to determine their impact on the health care industry and to predict potential future reforms. Learners also gain knowledge of health policy; health reform; access, cost, and regulatory issues; and stakeholder influence. |
3 quarter credits |
|---|---|---|
| BHA4102 |
Leadership and Communication in Health Care Organizations
Learners in this course gain awareness of their personal leadership style and develop communication approaches appropriate for a diverse set of stakeholders. Learners also build their knowledge and skills in cultural competence, effective teamwork, coaching, cross-functionality, and collaboration through the use of authentic, real-world scenarios. |
6 quarter credits |
| BHA4104 |
Strategic Leadership and Workforce Planning in Health Care
In this course, learners develop innovative solutions to strategic, tactical, and operational issues in managing health care systems through the combined use of information technology, organizational knowledge, talent management, and critical thinking. Learners enhance leadership qualities that facilitate diverse high-performance teams and create comprehensive and useable data-driven action plans. Learners also gain an understanding of organizational development, productivity management, and health care planning and marketing. |
6 quarter credits |
| BHA4108 |
Managing Population Health
In this course, learners investigate epidemiology and its patterns, causes, and effects relative to health and disease conditions across identified populations. Learners identify evidence-based approaches to promote wellness, disease management, and evolving financial reimbursement strategies. In addition, learners gain an understanding of critical factors associated with accountable care organizations and formulate applied research strategies focused on patient engagement. |
6 quarter credits |
| BHA4110 |
Health Care Systems and Operations
In this course, learners analyze managerial concepts and their application to the support infrastructure of health care organizations. Learners also investigate issues, trends, and best practices in supply chain management; process improvement; facility layout; quality improvement; resource planning; and facilities management. |
6 quarter credits |
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 health care environments. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based best practices that build a continuous learning system for sustainable health care delivery – including change leadership, planning and marketing, patient safety, quality improvement, health care 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 health care 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 health care continuum
- Demonstrate leadership qualities that facilitate diverse high-performance teams through effective teamwork, coaching, cross-functionality and collaboration
Review the Capella career exploration guide to learn more about this program and career paths to explore.
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*
$15,000
ACCELERATED PACE
$22,500
TYPICAL PACE
$35,000
SLOWER PACE
$2,500 per 12-week billing session, $125 resource kit fee, 90 total program points, 67 max transfer points
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
$17,460
MAX TRANSFER CREDITS
$35,739
AVERAGE TRANSFER CREDITS
$365 per 1000-2000 level credit $388 per 3000-4000 level credit, $125 resource kit fee, 180 total quarter credits, 135 max transfer credits
*This is only an estimate, effective July 10, 2023, and is subject to change. Your price will vary depending on your specialization, transfer credits, tuition discounts, and (in FlexPath) how quickly you complete courses. Books, supplies, and other fees are not included in this estimate. GuidedPath prices show the tuition you would pay if you brought in an average number of transfer credits or the maximum allowed transfer credits. FlexPath prices show the tuition you would pay if you brought in an average number of transfer credits and completed courses at the speed of a median FlexPath student, as quickly as the fastest 25% of FlexPath students, or as quickly as the fastest 75% of students. New or recently revised program estimates are based on comparable programs. Military Tuition Assistance is not available for FlexPath.
Capella is committed to transparency in its tuition and pricing. In addition to tuition, you will be responsible for additional costs, which may include an application fee, travel expenses, and practicum costs. A resource kit fee of $50-$200, charged quarterly or per billing session, covers the cost of required books, software, and other course materials. Click here to review program-specific fee amounts in our University Catalog.
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. Learn more about financing your education.
Get the details
Connect with an enrollment counselor to further discuss the cost of the program and explore your eligibility for scholarships and discounts.
87% of bachelor’s and master’s health care administration alumni are satisfied with their Capella education.
Alumni Outcomes Survey, 2022–2023
“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.
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
Accreditation and recognitions provide evidence that we meet standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services, and fiscal stability.
See all our accreditations and recognitions.
BS in Health Care Admin admission requirements
Applicants to the BS in Health Care Administration Leadership program must provide the following information for admission:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Transcript of any reported GED
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee, required at the time of application, to cover transcript requests, transcript evaluation, and other administrative costs
- You must be at least 24 years old. This requirement may be waived for:
- Military applicants and veterans
- Applicants with 24 or more quarter credits of prior college or university coursework (transferable college coursework and/or credentials that map to preapproved Credit for Prior Learning opportunities may be considered toward the 24-credit minimum equivalency total)
- Applicants who do not have any credits eligible for transfer must successfully complete a university-approved reading and writing assessment; by evaluating your skills prior to your first course, Capella can more effectively provide resources to prepare you for a successful learning experience
- 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 3.0 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 3.0 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 be considered by providing additional documentation for review.
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 8 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.
What support does Capella offer online students?
Our programs are designed to meet the unique needs of a bachelor’s student. We’ve structured the experience in manageable pieces to help you earn your degree with support from faculty, staff and online resources.
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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
- Practice manager
- Clinical manager
- Nursing home administrator
- Program director
- Health director
- Business analyst
- Health administrator
Employment settings to explore
- Hospital
- Nursing care facility
- Ambulatory care service
- Health insurance company