Info
Apply
Visit

Health Care Administration

Requirements & Courses

  • Major Requirements

    Fifty-six credits which must include:

    1. Core Courses (40 credits): HCA-131 (may take BUS-121) BUS-221, 222; HCA-319, 328, 329, 385, 441; IPH-430, PHL-229.
    2. Required Electives (16 credits) select from the following): ANT-217; HCA-280, 334, 344, 380, 405, 433, 450, 499, 500; IPH-210, 331, 340; PSY-260; SOC-234,336; COM-243.
    3. Required Prerequisites (16 credits): BIO-121; ECN-111 and 112; and one course from: MTH- 116, MTH-118, MTH-121, or PSY-220. Note: prerequisite courses required for the HCA major may not be taken Pass/Fail.
    4. Program Considerations: A minimum grade of CD or above must be earned in HCA-319, 328, 329, and 441 prior to enrolling in the HCA Practicum (HCA-385).

    Note: Student’s majoring in HCA are encouraged to review the HCA program handbook for full listing of requirements and considerations for the program. HCA falls under the Business Department at Alma College. 

Courses

  • HCA
    131
    .
    Intro to Health Service Management
    4 credits
    This course is geared toward first and second year students who desire a fundamental understanding of health service management. It will explore a variety of health care settings including hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. Case studies will augment student learning in leadership, motivation, organizational behavior, management thinking, performance and quality improvement, information technology, ethics and cultural competency. This is a required course for the Healthcare Administration major.
  • HCA
    319
    .
    Healthcare Finance
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BUS-121 or HCA-131; BUS-221; four credits from BUS-222 or BUS-224(A-D); or permission
    Implements financial management, managerial management, and economic principles to analyze real-world health care issues. Emphasizes and encourages problem-solving and creative thinking through the use of texts, cases, and models of health care industry. Provides a comprehensive overview of financial structure, market forces, controls and techniques used in health care financial management and the perspectives of the various interest groups involved (providers, insurers, policy makers, patients, and the general public). Provides students with an overview of the principal financial mechanisms in place across the U.S. health care industry and specific insights into critical issues the industry currently faces.
  • HCA
    328
    .
    Health Law
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: ECN-111 and 112, MTH-116 or BTC-280 or PSY-220, and four credits from BUS-222 or BUS-224(A-D);or Permission
    This course provides a legal framework for students interested in healthcare administration and managing the legal issues they will face in a healthcare organization. Students will learn the basic legal principles including: contract law, tort liability and malpractice, employment law, fraud and abuse, health planning and advocacy, HIPAA/Privacy, public health laws, and other related topics.
  • HCA
    329
    .
    Health Administration
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BUS-121 or HCA-131; BUS-221; four credits from BUS-222 or BUS-224(A-D); or permission
    Explore relevant findings from the behavioral sciences and other disciplines to help students apply appropriate management skills in their organization. Study the basics of leadership, communication, motivation, change theories, organizational culture, problem solving, conflict and negotiations, decision-making, productivity measurement, the TQM process, resources allocation, and mission and values development.
  • HCA
    334
    .
    Healthcare Marketing
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: four credits from BUS-222 or BUS-224(A-D); ECN-111 and 112; MTH-116 or BTC-280 or PSY-220; or Permission
    This general survey class will acquaint students to the marketing discipline from the perspective of Healthcare Administration. Topics include target markets, marketing segmentation, marketing research and the marketing mix. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for both BUS-333 and 334.
  • HCA
    344
    .
    Healthcare Human Resource Management
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: HCA-329 or Permission
    Explore human resources management in healthcare organizations including: recruitment and selection of employees, benefits and compensation management, privileging and credentialing of health professions, performance evaluation, staffing plans, labor relations and labor laws relevant to healthcare organizations. Discussion of other topics such as appraisal, discipline, safety, benefits and collective bargaining as related to healthcare human resources.
  • HCA
    385
    .
    Healthcare Administration Practicum
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BUS-121 or HCA-131; BUS-221; four credits from BUS-222 or BUS-224(A-D); HCA319, 329, 441, IPH-430 and PHL-229
    Only four credits will count in the major. Requires permission. Student must also successfully complete the appropriate internship workshops that are sponsored by the Center for Student Opportunity (CSO) and the HCA department. Internships are typically completed in the summer. Also, students must successfully pass a background check to enroll in HCA 385. A minimum grade of CD is required for HCA 319, 328, 329, and 441 prior to enrolling in this course. Pass/Fail only.
  • HCA
    405
    .
    Healthcare Informatics
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: HCA-329 or Permission
    The course will give students a broad exposure to the field of Health Informatics. Topics include, but are not limited to, networking, information systems, information technology, coding, data bases, HL7, security and HIPAA.
  • HCA
    433
    .
    Exploring Health Disparities
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BUS-121 or HCA-131 and Permission
    Introduction to global health care systems and models and their influences on health disparities and delivery of healthcare. Students will think critically about and discuss health and healthcare within a global environment. Examine vulnerable populations and how social determinants influence the health outcomes of various nations.
  • HCA
    441
    .
    Strategic Planning in Healthcare
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: HCA-319 and 329
    Introduces students to strategic planning as it applies to health care organizations. Students will develop practical skills in strategic management, such as internal and external environmental assessment, competitor analysis, and methods for evaluating strategic alternatives that can be used in different types of health care settings. Explores the leadership roles of governing boards, health care managers, and clinicians.
  • HCA
    450
    .
    Long-Term Care Management
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: HCA-329 or Permission
    Basic overview of long-term care management in the United States. Covers the state of the field, those it serves, and the various organizations who serve them. Examines issues affecting all long-term care providers, individually or collectively (e.g., financing, regulations, integration, ethical issues). Discusses how various segments of long-term care fit together to form an overall system while looking at trends that are likely to shape the field in the future.
  • HCA
    499
    .
    HCA Independent Study
    1 credit
    Requires instructor permission.
  • HCA
    500
    .
    HCA Senior Thesis
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: Senior Standing and Permission
    Student must have a GPA of 3.5 or better calculated on all BUS courses taken.

Related Courses

  • ANT
    217
    .
    Medical Anthropology
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: ANT-111 or Permission
    An examination of the interplay between culture and medicine in a global context. Cross-cultural notions of healing, illness and medicine will be explored. Ethnography of medical practices, health disparities and policy implications will be examined.
  • BIO
    121
    .
    Foundations of Biology
    4 credits
    Foundational concepts of biology are introduced through a combination of activities, case studies, presentations and discussions, and hands-on laboratory experiences. Students explore the essentials of metabolism, basic cell membrane and organelle structure and function, biosynthesis, DNA replication, cell division, reproduction, and Mendelian genetics within broader biological contexts such as human ecology and health, environmental issues, and evolution. The laboratory component provides students with practical experiences that develop laboratory skills and that employ the scientific method and basic data analyses. Laboratory. Course fee.
  • BTC
    280
    .
    Biostatistics
    4 credits
    Introduction to the analytical methods commonly used in biotechnology and biomedical sciences. Emphasis on the basic concepts of experimental design, quantitative analysis of data and hypothesis testing. Provides a foundation to evaluate information critically to support research objectives and a better understanding of statistical design of experimental trials for biological products/devices.
  • BUS
    121
    .
    Business Foundations
    4 credits
    General survey course that introduces the students to the various business disciplines. Students will briefly investigate the disciplines of accounting, finance, international business, law, management and marketing and how all of these disciplines are interrelated. The areas of business ethics and social responsibility will also be examined.
  • BUS
    221
    .
    Financial Accounting
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BUS-121 or HCA-131 (may be taken concurrently), sophomore standing, or permission
    General survey course that introduces the study and application of the basic concepts and methods used in developing and reporting financial information about an economic entity. Emphasis on developing the ability to interpret and apply accounting information to the decision-making process.
  • COM
    243
    .
    Health Communication
    4 credits
    Examines communication practices in health care relationships and organizations. Topics include effective provider-patient interaction, communication relationships in health organizations, rhetorical and media strategies for managing health issues, and the uses of new communication technologies to promote health and manage health information.
  • ECN
    111
    .
    Principles of Macroeconomics
    4 credits
    Introductory survey of macroeconomic theory and national policy. Supply and demand analysis and solutions to basic economic problem of scarcity in the American economy. Examines relationship between national income and its determinants with emphasis on role of fiscal and monetary policies in stabilizing national economic performance. (Formerly offered as ECN-201).
  • ECN
    112
    .
    Principles of Microeconomics
    4 credits
    Introductory survey of microeconomic theory. Principles of consumer demand; production, exchange and distribution in capitalist economies; labor and resource markets; international trade and exchange rate theory and policy.
  • IPH
    331
    .
    Health Promotion
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: Junior Standing
    Provides critical information for planning, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs in the workplace, schools, community or health care setting.
  • IPH
    340
    .
    Pharmacology
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: IPH-227 or BIO-207
    Overview of the major concepts of pharmaceutical sciences. Includes the study of basic pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles as related to the major classes of drugs used in the clinical setting today.
  • IPH
    430
    .
    Epidemiology
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: BIO-121 and Junior Standing, or Permission
    Presents concepts, principles and methods generally used in the surveillance and investigation of health-related events.
  • MTH
    116
    .
    Elementary Statistics
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: MTH-100 or Placement
    Introduction to modern elementary statistics and applications. Focuses on statistical reasoning and data analysis. Includes statistical design of experiments, estimation, hypothesis testing, regression, correlation and other selected topics.
  • PSY
    220
    .
    Statistics
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: PSY-120, 121 or Permission
    Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics, and factorial analysis of variance. Appropriate for both life and social sciences.
  • PSY
    260
    .
    Psychology of Aging
    2 credits
    Prerequisite: PSY-120 or 121
    Examination of current psychological theory and research concerning physical changes, cognition, personality and psychopathology in the later years of life. Service learning component included in course.
  • SOC
    234
    .
    Aging and Health Institutions
    4 credits
    Prerequisite: SOC-101
    Examines key concepts, main theories, and important substantive issues related to aging and health institutions from a sociological perspective. Among the central issues explored are gender and racial inequality in aging, as well as social institutions connected to aging and public policy.