Healthcare Management Degree | Online & On-Campus

Program Overview

Our Healthcare Administration degree program puts you on the fast-track to healthcare administration by equipping you to take on management roles in a variety of healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, physician practices, ambulatory centers, insurance, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms.

Throughout your healthcare administration degree program courses, you’ll acquire up-to-date knowledge that’s applicable now (and later) to an evolving industry. Our curriculum incorporates a thorough understanding of healthcare reform initiatives, including changes in healthcare delivery systems, future of healthcare financing, and legislative healthcare policy proposals.

To further prepare you to put your skills immediately into practice and make yourself more marketable to employers, Franklin’s Healthcare Administration degree program also features a practical curriculum with hands-on assignments that include case studies, simulations, and application of quality and performance measurement tools.

Program Outcomes

Knowledge: Demonstrate the ability to recognize and articulate facts, concepts, and procedures related to healthcare management theories and practices
Comprehension and Synthesis: Be able to integrate the healthcare management theories, principles, and practices for future application
Application: Demonstrate the ability to systematically apply communication, technical, and analytical knowledge and skills to administrative and clinical healthcare management problem solving
Analysis/Evaluation: Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the plans, development, and implementation of healthcare management solutions
Creation: Be able to plan, design, and create solutions to address and solve societal, cultural, and environmental healthcare issues

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

Fundamental General Education

English Composition

ENG 120 - College Writing (4)

In this course, students acquire the writing competencies necessary for completing analytical and argumentative papers supported by secondary research. A variety of assignments, beginning with personal reflections, build upon one another, as students develop ideas that respond to, critique, and synthesize the positions of others. Students systematize and organize knowledge in ways that will help them in all their courses. The course also emphasizes the elements of critical reading, effective writing style, appropriate grammar and mechanics, clarity of language, and logical and cohesive development. It culminates in submission of an extended, documented research paper.

Mathematics

MATH 215 - Statistical Concepts (4)

This course introduces you to statistics with applications to various areas. The course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics included are: sampling techniques, data types, experiments; measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, graphical displays of data, basic probability concepts, binomial and normal probability distributions, sampling distributions and Central Limit Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis tests of a mean, or a proportion for one or two populations, and linear regression.

AND

Choose either MATH 140 Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 150 Fundamental Algebra as the prerequisite. Both can count as a University Elective.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

PSYC 110 - General Psychology (4)

This course is a survey of the various fields of study comprising modern scientific psychology. We will examine the theories, research findings, and applications in each of the major areas of psychology, with the goal of providing students with practical information they can apply to their personal and professional lives. The topic areas covered in the course include learning and memory, motivation and emotion, human development, theories of personality, psychopathology, and social behavior.

SOCL 110 - Introduction to Sociology (4)

Sociology is the scientific study of group behavior - whether the groups are dyads, small groups, associations, bureaucracies, societies, publics, aggregates, social movements, or mobs, etc. This introductory course introduces the student to sociological principles and theoretical perspectives that facilitate understanding the norms, values, structure, and process of the various types of groups into which people organize. The course focuses on applying the scientific method to studying social problems (e.g. poverty, crime, sexism, and racism) and basic institutions (i.e. family, government, economy, religion, education). Students will develop their "sociological imagination" as a way of understanding what their lives are and can be in relation to the larger social forces at work in local, national, and international environments.

Science

SCIE 244 - Foundations of Anatomy & Physiology (4)

This course is designed for students interested in the allied healthcare professions. The course focuses on the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology that are necessary to be successful in any allied healthcare program. This course can be used to fulfill the general education science with a lab requirement, however, it is not recommended for students outside the allied health professions.

SCIE 254 - Health & Human Disease (4)

This course is designed for students pursuing allied health professions and provides an overview of human health and disease processes. Students will learn about common diseases and how they affect human health at cellular, organ, and systemic levels. Emphasis will be placed on the body as a system and how disease impacts the human body as a whole. The course focuses on the fundamental concepts of health and human disease that are necessary to be successful in any allied healthcare program. The pre-requisite for SCIE 254 is successful completion (a C or better) in SCIE 244.

Arts & Humanities

6 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Art, English Literature, Fine Arts, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion or Theater disciplines.

Additional General Education

PF 121 - Basic Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferrable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for time management, goal setting, reading comprehension, and advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments.

OR PF 321 - Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments. The assignments and activities in the course are created to closely simulate teamwork found in the workplace.

AND

COMM 150 - Interpersonal Communication (4)

By using applied critical and creative thinking, students in this course will develop a set of communication skills that will enhance their personal and professional relationships and endeavors. This course will focus on skill development in key areas such as self, perception, listening, verbal messages, conversations, relationships, conflict management, persuasion, and presentation skills.

OR SPCH 100 - Speech Communication (4)

This basic public-speaking course intends to improve the student's ability to think critically and to communicate orally. Theory and practice are provided in various speaking situations. Each student is required to speak before an audience, but class work also involves reading, gathering and organizing information, writing, and listening.

AND

ENG 220 - Research Writing: Exploring Professional Identities (4)

This is an intermediate course focusing on the composition of research papers. Students in this course prepare to be active participants in professional discourse communities by examining and practicing the writing conventions associated with their own fields of study and work. By calling attention to the conventions of disciplinary writing, the course also prepares students for upper-division college writing and the special conventions of advanced academic discourse. Course activities include three extended research papers, semi-formal writing addressing interdisciplinary communication, and readings fostering critical engagement with disciplinary conversations.

BUSA 200 - Database Fundamentals (2)

This introductory course focuses on applying information technology to business strategies using databases. The student will gain a working knowledge of current database technology, including relational database concepts, database design, data extraction, and data warehousing while working with database applications.

Professional Core

HIM 150 - Medical Terminology (2)

This course will introduce the foundations of medical terminology nomenclature and use. Emphasis will be on the fundamentals of prefix, word root, and suffix linkages to build a broad medical vocabulary.

SOCL 335 - Applied Research Methods (4)

Applied Research Methods introduces students to the basic research designs and data collection techniques involved in human subjects? research common to social research environments. After completion of this course, the student should know the basics of social research ethics, the steps of the research process, the strengths and weaknesses of selected types of qualitative and quantitative research strategies, issues of selecting or creating and refining instruments of measurement, how to properly select an appropriate sample of subjects, and how to interpret selected statistical measures utilized in hypothesis testing.

PUBH 201 - Introduction to Public Health (4)

This course provides a basic introduction to public health concepts and practice by examining the philosophy, purpose, history, organization, functions, tools, activities and results of public health practice at the national, state, and community levels. The course also examines public health occupations and careers. Case studies and a variety of practice-related exercises serve as a basis for learner participation in practical public health problem-solving simulations.

AND

ACCT 202 - Financial/Managerial Acct for Non-Majors (4)

This course is an introduction to financial and managerial accounting. It is designed for non-accounting majors. Financial accounting emphasizes how general purpose financial statements communicate information about the business's performance and position for users external to management. It emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information. The course also examines the major elements of the financial statements. The managerial accounting portion of the course studies internal reporting and decision-making. The course assists those who wish to learn "what the numbers mean" in a clear, concise and conceptual manner without focusing on the mechanical aspects of the accounting process.

OR ACCT 215 - Financial Accounting (4)

This course is an introduction to accounting, emphasizing how general-purpose financial statements communicate information about the business corporation's performance and position for users external to management. Approximately one third of the course emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information and includes exposure to recording transactions, adjusting balances and preparing financial statements for service and merchandise firms according to established rules and procedures. The balance of the course examines major elements of the statements such as cash, receivables, inventory, long-lived assets, depreciation, time value of money, payroll, bonds, and other liabilities and stocks. Concepts of this course are applied to ACCT 225 (Managerial Accounting). Students are advised to avoid any time lapse between these two courses.

AND

HCM 442 - Legal Aspects of Healthcare Management (4)

Understanding cultural competency, ethics, policy, and law is necessary for healthcare professionals in a continuously evolving healthcare system. This course will provide students with practical knowledge and methods for applying ethical, legal, and cultural decision-making frameworks to mitigate risks. Topics will include regulatory compliance, patient consent, privacy and confidentiality, and cultural competence.

OR HCM 742 - Healthcare Laws and Ethics (4)

In this course students will develop a strong foundation in health law, enabling them to deal with the common legal, practical, moral, and ethical issues that healthcare organizations face on a daily basis. Topics will include statutory law, rules and regulations, tort law, criminal law, contract law, civil procedures, and trial procedure.

Major Area Required

HCM 300 - Healthcare Management (4)

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of healthcare management principles and theories. It is a generally required course for any subsequent healthcare management courses. Through the examination of key healthcare concepts, students will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become an effective healthcare leader in diverse healthcare environments. Topics include healthcare leadership, management, communication, planning and decision making.

HCM 320 - Financial Management I (4)

This course will provide students with a foundation in financial and managerial accounting. Students will explore concepts to enhance their financial knowledge, technical skills, and their ability to apply such skills in a working environment. Presented in this course are principles for making sound financial decisions and assessing healthcare organization's financial performance.

HCM 422 - Healthcare Outcomes & Quality Management (4)

This course will explore the essential principles and techniques of quality improvement applied to patient care and the management of services in healthcare organizations. The importance of quality management in leadership of organizations will be emphasized. Topics include fundamentals of quality management, system thinking and goal setting, improvement theories, data collection, statistical tools, medical errors and reporting, public perceptions and organizational accountability.

HCM 472 - Contemporary Issues in Healthcare Mgmt (4)

This course will examine contemporary managed care, human resource, and operational issues impacting healthcare organizations' ability to provide adequate health services. Included in this course are application-based learning activities designed to equip students with the necessary management skills and knowledge to complex matters within healthcare organizations.

BSAD 320 - Quant & Qual Methods for Decision Making (4)

This course focuses on the development of individual and team decision-making and problem solving skills. Real world domestic and global issues will be analyzed, diagnosed, and evaluated through the application of a variety of quantitative and qualitative tools and techniques used to arrive at effective decisions and solutions.

HCM 495 - Healthcare Management Capstone (4)

This course will provide students with a cumulative and integrated Healthcare Management program experience. The goal of this course is to ensure students can apply healthcare management principles in a variety of healthcare settings. Students can expect to participate in career specific activities designed to demonstrate their understanding and ability to apply healthcare management principles in real-life healthcare settings.

Technical Credit

10 credits from the following types of courses:
Students selecting the Technical Credit Track option must transfer in a minimum of 10 technical hours in a healthcare or approved related discipline. Students that transfer less than 10 technical credit hours in a healthcare or approved related discipline must select from the following courses to meet the 10 technical credit hour requirement. Students without technical credit must select option 2.

OR

HCM 340 - Community Health (4)

This course will provide a comprehensive community health foundation. Students will gain an appreciation for community health and the implications for at-risks populations. Course topics include community health practices and strategies, communicable and environmental disease prevention, and population and mental health.

HCM 210 - Healthcare Foundations (2)

This course will provide fundamental information regarding health, healthcare, and the healthcare delivery system. Students will become familiar with the various types of healthcare organizations, stakeholders, and healthcare issues in order to shape their understanding of the different components of the healthcare delivery system. Through the exploration of health information, students will discuss and analyze the role healthcare professions play within healthcare.

HIM 350 - Health Informatics (4)

This course will cover the history of health informatics, design and challenges of informatics infrastructure, and current issues. Topics will include HIPAA and other legislation, application of electronic health records, and other clinical and administrative applications of health information systems.

University Electives

26 credits from the following types of courses:
Any undergraduate courses offered by the University except developmental education courses.

AND

Students may take a graduate level course to fulfill requirements in an undergraduate program. Please review the academic policy and speak with your academic advisor for more details. Students should choose from the following graduate courses: HCM 733, HCM735, and HCM742.

Optional Focus Areas

The University Electives requirement allows students to select any undergraduate courses (except developmental general education courses) to meet the required degree hours. The Program Chair has provided the following suggested optional focus areas to help guide course selection for these degree hours. Please note these are not required courses and students are not limited to these courses. The recommended focus areas are intended to assist with long term professional goals and provide elective options that align with industry specific interests.

OR

HCM 410 - Healthcare Management Internship (1-4)

This course provides qualified students with an opportunity to receive academic credit for supervised professional training and experience in an actual work environment. This Internship is an ongoing seminar between the student, the faculty member and the employment supervisor. It involves an Internship Application and Learning Agreement, periodic meetings with the faculty representative, professional experience at a level equivalent to other senior-level courses and submission of material as established in the Internship Application and Learning Agreement. Participation cannot be guaranteed for all applicants.

OR

Emergency Management & Disaster Response:

SEMT 240 - Disaster Planning & Response (4)

In planning for catastrophic disasters using strategic protocols and tools are needed for incorporating environmental and social into efficient responses. The importance for understanding the history of previous catastrophic events, and learning from those responses. What worked well? What didn?t? Will better prepare us for the future challenges as they arise. Students will explore the nuances of planning for and respond to catastrophic disasters. The course will discuss domestic and international approaches to planning and responding to such disasters. The Emergency Manager will spend most of their time in the field planning for critical incidents and disasters and understanding the key components to a good plan that involves many agencies at all levels of government and at different stages of the event is essential. Students will delve into the logistics of mass care, mass evacuations, and critical infrastructure damage.

SEMT 335 - Introduction to Emergency Management & Homeland Security (4)

This course analyzes emergency management and homeland security from a historical perspective. Disaster planning, disaster management, and homeland security at the local, state, and federal levels in the post 9/11 era are analyzed as well. Additionally, selected Homeland Security Presidential Directives are analyzed; in addition to training in several Federal Emergency Management Agency courses leading to FEMA certification. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Response Framework (NRF) are examined with regard to their impact on local, state, and federal agencies. Finally, special challenges for emergency management and homeland security will be analyzed.

OR

Human Resources:

HRM 300 - Human Resources Management (4)

This course is an introduction to the human resources function and related elements and activities. The course outlines the roles and functions of members of the human resources department, as well as educating others outside human resources, in how their roles include human resources-related activities. The student will learn about the evolution in human resources management as we know it today. Emphasis is placed on the modern day importance of HRM and the new ?corporate view? of the function. Additionally, the student will be exposed to the view of HRM from the perception of both management and subordinate employees. The importance of maintaining fair and equitable compensation and benefit programs will be discussed. The student will be exposed to practical situations and problem solving regarding areas of employee counseling, discipline, and termination. Equal Employment Opportunity will be discussed in order for the student to understand its need, importance, and the legal issues surrounding it. Other critical areas of training and development, staffing, and strategy will also be explored.

HRM 301 - Staffing (4)

This course examines all aspects of getting employees into organizations. Recruitment and selection are the foci. This course covers scientific and legal issues from a managerial perspective and examines the usefulness of various methods used in job analysis, testing and measurement, and internal and external market analysis. Legislation regarding EEO and affirmative action programs are discussed.

HRM 302 - Training & Development (4)

This course covers the theories and techniques of training and development from strategic and operational perspectives. Emphasis is placed on employee needs assessment, program design, implementation and evaluation. Learning theories and long-term development for global competitiveness are discussed.

OR

Operations & Supply Chain Management:

OSCM 390 - Operations Management (4)

This course instructs students on how manufacturing and service operations contribute to organizational strategy. Concepts such as productivity, economies of scale, vertical and horizontal integration, and push vs. pull will be explained. Implications of applying "Green" policies to materials and processes will be explained.

OSCM 491 - Integrated Project Management (4)

This course will instruct the student to manage multiple organizations and projects. Concepts on how to deal with organizational obstacles, risk, and project development will be covered.

OR

Public Administration:

POSC 204 - American Government (3)

The course examines the complex political and legal environment of public administration. Students learn how politics, law, and the structure and principles of American government impact citizens, public policy, and the administration of public and nonprofit organizations. Students apply fundamental political theories and administrative law principles in administrative contexts. Students pursuing the Public Administration major should take this course prior to beginning their specialization course work.

PUAD 305 - Introduction to Public Administration (4)

Students are introduced to the field and profession of public administration. Students learn to think and act as ethical public administration professionals by developing a broad understanding of the political and organizational environment in which public administrators work and by applying fundamental analytical, decision- making, and communication skills. The professional knowledge and skills explored in the course provide a foundation for subsequent public administration courses.

Additional Requirements

All students are required to pass College Writing (ENG 120), and either Basic Learning Strategies (PF 121) or Learning Strategies (PF 321) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Students who enroll at Franklin with 30 or fewer hours of transfer credit are required to pass PF 121 Basic Learning Strategies in place of PF 321 Learning Strategies. Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) or Speech Communication (SPCH 100) must be taken prior to enrolling in any course at the 300 level or above. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.

Administer your career plan with a healthcare administration degree