Master’s in Health Administration Degrees in Alaska

This list of Accredited Healthcare Administration Degrees in Alaska is a starting point for students who want to pursue a career in the healthcare administration field through a degree from an Alaskan university. The programs noted here run the gamut from information management to direct service delivery. There is an emphasis, in some of the programs, on service to Native Americans. The school websites stress the unique nature of Alaskan education owing to the terrain and personality of the state. Both of the schools highlighted are small, which would translate to small classes and more interaction with instructors.

Alaska Pacific University

Business Administration and Management Department

This university is a four-year liberal arts college that, until 1978, was the Alaska Methodist University. The school has 732 students and is rated by US News and World Report as #80 of regional universities. The business department boasts small classes and flexible schedules to appeal to those who have just earned their undergraduate degrees as well as working professionals. The online program includes regular traditional class meetings with the professor. Tuition for the school is $29,700 in state.

Associate of Arts in Business Administration

This business associate degree is offered entirely online. The classes meet in real time, however, so that students are certain not to miss any of the lectures. Courses integrate real-life situations and theoretical knowledge, and students are encouraged to apply their knowledge to real-life situations, assured that the experience will be honored in the class arena. The program is aimed at those seeking entry-level positions as well as those wanting career advancement. There are evening classes for working professionals. Courses offered in the program are: Financial Accounting I, Foundations of Business, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Macroeconomics, Statistical Foundations, organizational behavior and Electives to equal 32 to 36 credits, plus the concentration courses. A minimum of 44 credit hours is required for graduation, but that amount may be higher with the concentration credits.

BBA in Health Services Administration

This degree is directed at students who have experience in the health industry through direct or support services. It provides an overview of health service systems, builds skills and imparts an understanding of the business functions of the healthcare system. The program includes 24 to 26 credit-hours in core university requirements that include communications skills and liberal arts classes. Then, in addition to the core business administration courses, there are 52 credits in the major, 23 in the concentration, viewing the business education through the lens of healthcare, plus electives. In total, this is a 128 credit-hour degree path. The annual tuition for the degree is $19,500 for 12 to 18 credits per semester.

MBA Health Services Administration

Healthcare Services is a concentration inside the Master of Business Administration Program. It is aimed at current and future managers of healthcare systems as well as administrators in health service organizations. The program is applicable to private-sector employment as well as public, and in native health-providing organizations. One of the objectives of the program, in spite of the emphasis on global business economies, is for students to use the knowledge gained to benefit Alaska. There are 36 credit hours in the program, including foundational business courses such as marketing and social media, statistics and financial statement analysis. Among the HAS emphasis classes are: Health Service Finance, Ethics and Outcome. The program is intended to be completed in two years at the rate of a consistent two courses per semester, including summer sessions and courses that are delivered in shorter block formats.

Accreditation
Northwest Commission on Schools and Colleges

Contact
Alaska Pacific University
4101 University Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
907-564-8248
admissions@alaskapacific.edu
http://www.alaskapacific.edu/academics/business/

University of Alaska Southeast

Undergraduate Program Department

This small public four-year school has a student body of less than 4,000, and is ranked in the second tier of regional universities. It offers 60 majors through three campuses: the main campus is in Juneau; however there are adjunct campuses in Sitka and Ketchikan. There are four schools in the university: The School of Arts and Sciences, The School of Management, The School of Career Education and The School of Education. In-state tuition is $5740 and non-resident tuition is $18,190. The school’s graduation rate is 26 percent and 15 percent transfer to other schools.

Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Management

The Associate of Applied Science is a two-year degree program intended for students who want a specific career or occupation. This program has a residency requirement of 15 UAS credits. It prepares students to enter direct service careers or to transfer to nursing or other allied healthcare programs. The goal of the degree is to give students a foundational base of knowledge and skills along with a science core to equip them for entry-level positions as health information professionals. It is delivered primarily as distance learning although, as previously noted, there is a residency requirement which means that some of the courses must be taken on campus. Graduates of the degree are eligible to sit for national exams that lead to credentials as Registered Healthcare Information Technicians. This degree is offered at the Sitka Campus only.
Accreditation
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information management Education
Contact
University of Alaska Southeast
Sitka Campus
1332 Seward Avenue
Sitka, AK 99835
907-747-7717
sitka.ssc@uas,alaska.edu
http://www.uas.alaska.edu/academics/undergrad/assoc/aas/healthinfo_mangt.html

This list is not meant to be a final source of information but a tool to use when deciding on which programs to investigate more thoroughly. After studying this list of Accredited Healthcare Administration Degrees in Alaska, students can gain more detailed data through the individual school websites.

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