Bachelor of Science Health Management

Mission:
The Health Management Program prepares students to be essential drivers in health administration, public health or aging-related careers. 

Vision:
To be the premier health management program educating the next generation of change agents.  

Values:
Leadership, Quality, Dedication, Equity, Collaboration, Service 

1. Communication: Communicate healthcare information, in oral and written forms using appropriate media tailored to specific audiences. 
2. Analytic Assessment: Use healthcare information for analysis and decision making.    
3. Healthcare Policy and Administration: Describe the evolution of the healthcare system and roles and issues across local, national, and global health systems.  
4. Evidence Based Practice and Quality Improvement: Demonstrate how to connect and use data to promote, protect and assure improved health outcomes and knowledge.  
5. Leadership and Management: Exhibit an understanding of healthcare leadership, management, and policy, using systems thinking.  
6. Health Equity and Justice: Describe social, behavioral, cultural, and environmental factors that impact health. 
7. Professionalism: Demonstrate a commitment to professionalism, ethics, stewardship and lifelong learning in healthcare.

Program Goal 1: Prepare students to be leaders in healthcare management

Program Goal 2: Foster a high-quality academic experience for BSHM Students.

Program Goal 3: Engage students in professional experiences.

• Acquire leadership skills. Build personal and professional leadership, analytic and administrative skills that allow you to serve in a leadership capacity necessary for entry-level managerial positions in the health care sector.
• Gain hands-on experience. Gain firsthand experience through local community initiatives while completing a practicum in a local healthcare organization.
• Establish a network in professional field.  Establish relationships within a spectrum of local health care services such as acute care medicine, public and community health, and long-term care.
• American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). The health management program is a member of the ACHE Higher Education Network.
• Dual/Accelerated Bachelor's to Masters options. Earn your master's degree in less time by taking advantage of a dual/accelerated bachelor's to master's degree in the areas of health administration or aging studies.
• Caring professors. Compassionate, experienced and student focused faculty. 
• Applied Learning Portfolio. Professional development activities are required to provide applied experiences beyond the classroom. Provides a structure to build experiential reflections and educational outcomes, both of which will provide you an edge as you prepare your resume. Evidence of completed activities along with written entry for each activity is required. 
• Departmental Honors. In-depth exploration of the research area of your choice, one-on-one faculty mentorship and collaboration in scholarly activities.
• HEALTH Student Association . Involvement with HEALTH provides the opportunity to make a difference in your community and provides leadership opportunities. 

Dual/accelerated bachelor's to master's programs are available in both health administration and aging studies. The dual/accelerated programs are designed to prepare you for graduate work at WSU while allowing you to earn dual credit towards your bachelor's degree. Once admitted to the accelerated program you are allowed to enroll in courses for graduate credit (up to 9 credit hours) while completing your undergraduate degree requirements.

• Dual/accelerated Bachelor of Science (BS) in health management to online Master of Health Administration (MHA). Allowed dual credit hours include PHS 621, PHS 622, and PHS 807. 
• Dual/accelerated bachelor's to online Master's in Aging Studies. Allowed dual credit hours include PHS 560, PHS 562, and PHS 626.

Students should apply to the accelerated bachelor's to master's program of their choice early in their junior year before taking any of the courses listed. 

Not ready to commit to a Bachelor's? Compliment your career and add industry knowledge through completion of a 12-credit hour undergraduate certificate. All certificate credits transfer to the BSHM program.

The healthcare industry offers diverse management roles in both healthcare delivery organizations and supporting entities. Entry-level positions include supervisors, section heads, department managers, or managing directors in larger and smaller organizations. For those aiming for executive leadership, the dual accelerated bachelor's-to-master's in health administration is an option. The field promises significant career growth (28%), with faster-than-average job growth expected from 2022 to 2032, as per the (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

• The median wage for all medical and health services managers in 2023 is $110,680 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $67,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $216,750.*  
• The median wage for all health education specialists and community health workers in 2023 is $62,860 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,630, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $107,920.*

Location and type of job will also play a key role in the amount you are able to earn upon graduation.

Our extensive network of alumni serve throughout Kansas and beyond in various health care sectors including, hospitals and health systems, medical practice management, long term care, insurance, electronic health records management and public service.

*Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

Visit the Health Management Alumni Directory to view what program alumni are doing with their degree. 

• Fall, spring entry.
• The BSHM program is currently offered as Hybrid with a combination of asynchronous online and hybrid courses. Hybrid courses combine in person sessions and asynchronous online content.
• Coming Soon! The BSHM has proposed an Online Only major option. We anticipate the major being available for formal registration in Spring 2025. 
• Can be completed in two (2) years.

• Accommodates flexible study plans including full-time, part-time, with a combination of hybrid courses offered during the day and asynchronous online  classes. The program can be completed fully online, with the offical major option expected in Spring 2025. 

• Minimum GPA for admission 2.00.

Students will choose one of the following concentrations for further study in the major. 

Aging Studies (choose one option)
The aging studies concentration has two options to prepare students for either a career in aging services or for management in senior living. Both options prepare students for graduate education in aging studies.

1. The general aging studies (AGEG)concentration is for students interested in entry-level roles in community services for older adults, such as senior centers and aging-focused nonprofits.
2. The senior living management concentration is available for bachelor's credit or as part of the Dual/Accelerated Bachelor's in health management to Master's in aging studies³ program. It prepares students for the PHS 660 Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Practicum or a Long-Term Care Operators License course post-BS in health management.

The current course rotation for the Bachelor of Science in Health Management allows students to develop their plan of study based on the course formats of their preference:

• HYB1 - Hybrid instruction combining various methods including in-person and online; more than 25% in-person instruction. 
• OLA - Online asynchronous instruction via internet only.
• OLS - Online synchronous instruction via internet at required days/times.
• TCI - 100% In-person instruction.

Students are required to complete a 160-hour practicum (PHS 495). The practicum typically takes place in the final semester of the health management program. Students should enroll in PHS 494 Health Management Practicum Preparation two (2) semesters prior to enrollment in PHS 495 Practicum. Learn more about the practicum requirement.

The cost of tuition varies depending on degree, credits, and courses, but total program cost including tuition/fees for the 60-credit hour Health Management Hybrid Major is approximately $25,000.

Coming Soon! Online Only major option. The cost of tuition varies depending on degree, credits, and courses, but total program cost including tuition/fees for the 60-credit hour Health Management Online Only Major is approximately $27,000.

Students are required to take a minimum of 60 credit hours of general education and open electives to reach the 120 credit hours needed for a Bachelor of Science degree. Costs for these credit hours may vary depending on the specific college the course is offered from, students should consult the WSU Comprehensive Fee Schedule to understand the full financial requirements for their general education and open elective credits.