Lindenwood University Online MBA - Healthcare Administration

Lindenwood University offers an online master of business administration (MBA) with a specialization in healthcare administration that can be completed in 15 to 36 months. The Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship offers this program. No campus visits are required, and the program is 100 percent online.

MBA in healthcare administration students form a solid foundation in business management practices with core courses in managerial accounting, business policy and strategy, marketing, managerial accounting, and financial policy. Additionally, a quantitative course is required in analytics, operations management, or linear statistics.

Once the MBA core courses are completed, healthcare administration students move into emphasis courses that focus on human resources in healthcare, healthcare law, medical records, healthcare ethics, strategic management, and quality improvement in healthcare. The online MBA in healthcare administration requires the completion of 33 credits with at least 12 credits completed in the emphasis area.

Start dates land twice each in the fall, spring, and summer. Both part-time and full-time completion plans are available. Graduates of the MBA in healthcare administration may go on to leadership and management positions in healthcare organizations as healthcare administrators, administrative services managers, healthcare CEOs or COOs, hospital administrators, or healthcare consultants.

Lindenwood University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The online MBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Lindenwood University is located in St. Charles, Missouri, and is a private institution, founded on Judeo-Christian values including dedication, integrity, creativity, excellence, and community.

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the Lindenwood University online MBA program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students may transfer in up to nine credits of coursework. Course substitutions may be made for a higher-level course when an equivalent course has already been completed. Program approval must be gained for substitutions.

Those without a business-related bachelor’s degree may need to complete up to 18 foundational credits. Application materials include an online application, a letter of intent with a personal statement of interest and career goals, and official transcripts. No work experience or GMAT/GRE scores are required. However, those with less than the minimum required GPA may need to submit graduate test scores.

Study Plan: The MBA programs can be completed in 15 months with transfer credits and full-time study. Part-time study with no transfer credits may take up to 36 months, especially if students need to complete the 18 credits of foundation courses. Students have up to five years to complete the program.

Courses begin twice each in the fall, spring, and summer and last eight weeks each. Students can take one to three courses per eight weeks to maintain a work, school, and family balance. No campus visits or residency experiences are required.

MBA Curriculum: The MBA program comprises 33 to 51 credits depending on the nature of undergraduate coursework. If necessary, the foundation courses include academic and professional writing for business students I-II; economic concepts or principles of microeconomics; financial accounting concepts or principles of financial accounting; business law and ethics or business law I; and statistics and quantitative analysis or basic statistics or statistics for natural science.

Core courses for the healthcare administration specialization include financial policy; management practices; managerial accounting; business policies and strategies; and marketing principles and issues. Also required is the completion of one quantitative course from the following: business analytics; linear statistical models; or operations management.

Next, online MBA students complete 15 credits of electives, 12 of which must come from the healthcare administration emphasis area. Students are required to take the following two courses: human resources in healthcare and issues in public health care administration.

At least six credits must then be earned from the following courses: medical records, ethics, and the law of health information; quality improvement and management in healthcare organizations; administration of health care law and case study analysis; and strategic management and marketing in healthcare organizations.

Online Experience: Lindenwood University uses the Canvas learning management system (LMS) to asynchronously deliver online MBA courses lasting eight weeks each. Modes of study may include case studies, exploration of modern business issues, videos, recorded lectures, readings, projects, assignments, and assessments.

Collaboration takes place through online discussion boards as well as email and chat. Faculty keep online office hours for student help and feedback. Student services may include library services, academic advising, technical support, and career counseling in the career center.

On-Site Requirements: No campus visits are required for the online MBA in healthcare administration as the program is 100 percent online.

The online MBA in healthcare administration program costs $585 per credit plus fees. Prospective students should contact the Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship for full tuition and fee information.

MBA students may apply for graduate student loans through the FAFSA. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs or tuition discounts. Finally, Lindenwood University offers military tuition discounts. Should students need additional funding other sources include private loans and organizational and community scholarships and grants.