2023 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Healthcare Management

Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) is a public institution offering an online Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Leadership for RNs seeking career advancement. This leadership track requires completing five overall core courses, seven core courses in the nursing leadership concentration, and one three-hour focused project. Full-time students may finish this 36-credit-hour program in 22 months or closer to three years for those with part-time attendance.

GSW delivers online program content and instruction via Brightspace, a popular learning management system (LMS). Graduate students in the online nursing leadership program enroll in courses such as Advanced Health Assessment, Information Technology in Health, and Management of Human Resources in Health Care. They must also complete a practicum. Graduates often pursue managerial roles in the field, such as clinical care coordinators, directors of clinical services, or ICU and medical/surgical services directors in various healthcare settings.

Wichita State University is a public institution offering an online Master of Business Administration - Health Care Administration, which builds on a general MBA curriculum, with an emphasis on healthcare management and the unique issues facing this dynamic industry. This online healthcare management graduate program generally may take full-time students as little as a year to complete if they transfer credits. However, students without an undergraduate degree in business may need to complete up to 51 credits.

Wichita State's distance learners access assignments and instruction via the Blackboard LMS. Courses within the healthcare administration curriculum include Health Care Policy and Administration, Management Information Systems, and Health Care Leadership and Operations Management. Graduating also requires completing Professional and Scholarly Integrity Training.

Athens State University is a public institution offering an online Master of Science in Strategic Healthcare Management and Administration for students pursuing senior healthcare management roles in a variety of settings. The program can help students develop a holistic perspective on the healthcare business. Graduation requires completing 30 credit hours of coursework, which may take two years for full-time students.

Athen State uses Blackboard to deliver its online coursework and instruction. Distance learners in the strategic healthcare management and administration program enroll in classes through this LMS, such as Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement, Influential Leadership, Health Information Systems and Analytics, and Human Capital Leadership. Once they graduate, students may pursue leadership roles within healthcare settings — such as insurance companies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health agencies, outpatient facilities, and doctors' offices.

California Coast University (CCU) is a private, for-profit institution offering an online Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management for students holding bachelor's degrees in majors such as Health Care Management, Health Care Administration, Business Administration, Leadership, Management, or Marketing. Full-time students may complete the required 39 credit hours in two years or less because courses are self-paced and can be completed back-to-back. This academic structure enables students to enroll at various times throughout the year.

Online students access CCU's proprietary student portal to view their schedules and course requirements and download course materials. Classes within the online healthcare management curriculum include Health Care in America, Ethical and Legal Issues for Health Care Professionals, Multicultural Health Care, and Organizational Behavior in Health Care. Distance learners also need to complete a final comprehensive exam before they can graduate.

Fitchburg State University is a public institution offering an online Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management that helps prepare students for leadership roles in the high-growth healthcare marketplace. Fitchburg State's online students can expect the same academic rigor and quality instruction provided to their on-campus peers. Students must complete 30 credit hours to graduate, which may only take a year for those attending full time.

Fitchburg State uses Blackboard so online students can participate in class and complete coursework, such as classes in the online healthcare management program: Healthcare Management, Financial Issues in Healthcare, and Organizational Behavior and Development. Alumni often pursue roles such as health information directors, regulatory affairs managers, quality assurance managers, and hospital administrators.