Online PhD In Healthcare Administration

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An evolving healthcare environment requires responsive leaders who can ensure the highest level of patient care. A healthcare administration Ph.D. develops teachers, writers, and researchers. They use their original research to address challenges in key areas such as healthcare operations, delivery, and management. Those who pursue a doctor of health administration (DHA) apply their knowledge and research to optimize healthcare processes and products.

Earning a Ph.D. requires a significant amount of time and money. The healthcare field offers commensurate return on this investment. With just a bachelor's degree and less than five years of experience, medical and health services managers can earn median annual salaries of $104,280, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

This guide provides more information about coursework, career options, and scholarship opportunities for students in doctoral healthcare administration programs.

Ph.D. Graduate Students Frequently Asked Questions

Why Get a Degree in Healthcare Administration?

Those who pursue a doctoral degree in healthcare administration include healthcare providers and administrators with significant work experience. The degree facilitates career advancement and the opportunity to specialize in an area including healthcare finance, law and policy, or hospital management.

Some degree-seekers pursue a healthcare administration Ph.D. explicitly to assume roles in academia. The degree provides learners on both the administrative and academic tracks with the research skills, scholarship, and hands-on experience expected of top experts.

An online degree allows working professionals to pursue advanced education without sacrificing their careers. However, Ph.D. students can expect to devote much of their time to research initiatives and dissertation development. The hours required often equal that of a full-time job.

How Much Does a Healthcare Administration Degree Cost?

Many factors determine the cost of a healthcare administration Ph.D. Those in an on-campus program pay tuition and residential costs, including accommodation, childcare, and transportation. A fully online or hybrid doctorate provides greater learning flexibility and cost savings.

Students can expect to pay $598-$1,363 per credit, or $59,800-$94,043 total for a healthcare administration Ph.D. Degree-seekers avoid paying exorbitant out-of-state tuition rates by pursuing programs at institutions that charge flat online tuition rates, regardless of residency.

Many schools, including the nation's best institutions, self-fund their Ph.D. programs. They award high-achieving students a fellowship that includes tuition and a living stipend. In exchange, students engage in a research assistantship with faculty or perform teaching duties. Students will need to spend a significant amount of time on campus, making this a residential or hybrid option.

How Much Do Healthcare Administration Majors Make?

Career options vary for holders of an advanced degree in healthcare administration. Many assume C-suite administrator roles, including chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or chief information officer. The BLS notes that governmental agencies and hospitals pay medical and health services managers median salaries of $116,380 and $112,870, respectively.

Medical and health services managers with the highest education and experience earn more than $195,630. The private sector typically offers very lucrative job prospects. Overall, healthcare administrators may enjoy a BLS-projected 32% job growth in 2019-2029, eight times the 4% average for all occupations.

Those who pursue careers as academic researchers and scholars also receive pay well above the average. April 2021 PayScale data show the average professor makes $88,190 per year. Pay and benefits vary for administrators, scholars, and researchers based on location and other factors.

Courses in Healthcare Administration

A changing healthcare landscape requires experts who can cultivate knowledge and apply it to optimize the industry's performance. Students complete 60-90 credits exploring topics including healthcare policy, healthcare finance, administrative theory, and accounting for management.

Some programs let students choose a minor such as business administration or healthcare informatics. The healthcare administration Ph.D. requires extensive research to advance the healthcare field. Programs generally culminate in a dissertation that students must defend before a committee. Below, find three other courses students may complete in healthcare administration programs, representative of a sample curriculum.

• Healthcare Strategic Management

  The course develops leaders well-versed in strategic planning and management for their organizations. Participants learn how to conduct an assessment of the organization, competitors, and the healthcare environment. Learners explore the roles of healthcare managers, clinicians, and governing boards in the organization's long-term strategic management.

• Financial Management

  The class develops astute financial managers who can assume leadership roles within nonprofit and governmental organizations. Enrollees build competencies such as budgeting, accounting, business planning, and resource management. Students develop a business plan that includes strategic imperatives and long-term financial projections.

• Dissertation Research Methods

  Ph.D. students complete a series of courses building their research proficiency. Enrollees explore qualitative methods and research design in healthcare research. Degree-seekers complete a seminar on dissertation development and the research process, including research questions, research design methods, and data collection and analysis.

Certifications and Licensure for Healthcare Administration

Certifications verify workers' professional competencies. Various organizations offer healthcare administration certifications demonstrate proficiencies in areas including management, finance, and informatics. The following lists three coveted healthcare administration certifications.

Scholarships for Healthcare Administration

Scholarships help students afford their healthcare administration Ph.D. The funding organizations establish eligibility criteria that often include financial need and academic performance. See two such scholarships listed below.

Online Ph.D. in Healthcare Administration Programs