How to Become a Healthcare Administrator in Indiana

Online Bachelors (BS or BSHCA)

If you want to join this fast-growing, highly diversified field, you will first want to start with a bachelor's degree. These days, it's hard to enter any profession without an undergraduate degree, and healthcare administration is no exception. In fact, since the healthcare industry has grown into such a behemoth, there are degrees that are tailored specifically for it.

Consider working towards one of the following:

When you can show on your resume that your academic work was focused specifically on the healthcare industry, recruiters and hiring managers will pay attention. That is, your resume will clearly show that you are focused and determined to work in that area. That will stand out far above a resume that reflects a general education in marketing, business, or human resources, for instance.

Find Your Online Healthcare Administration Program

Examine the Faculty and Visit Campus

Any educational program is only as good as its faculty. Thus, take a good look at who the institution has hired to educate you. It may be difficult to find much information on their part-time instructors, but you should be able to find biographies of their full-time faculty. Try to discern how many come from a practical, working environment as hospital administrators. There will be many whose experience is primarily in academia.

Academic experience is often just as valuable as "real-world" experience, but there is no ultimate guarantee either way. However, do not despair. If you find a program that has a good mix of these two general types of professors, you can be assured that you will be in a program that is well-rounded and diversified to meet your needs.

If possible, arrange a campus visit and sit in on classes, if that is allowed. Try to sit in on the courses you might be most interested in. However, any experience at this stage will be valuable. You should also seek out healthcare majors who can give you a better sense of the programs' strengths and weaknesses.

Curriculum

As you work through your bachelor's degree, you will take special courses that are tailored to the healthcare industry.

You might take courses that focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Where to Study

There are many colleges in Indiana that will provide an accredited education in healthcare administration. A total of eight Indiana towns have such institutions. However, you might not be able to move to attend your preferred program, or you might have to work hours that generally prevent traditional classroom attendance. If that is the case, consider an online program.

First, check to see if your preferred program offers options for online students. Some programs insist that a certain percentage of your coursework take place in a traditional classroom. That sort of compromise might enable you to arrange a solution with your employer. However, you might be able to complete your entire degree online.

If you choose an online program, be sure that it will suit your specific needs. Many programs these days have moved to an asynchronous system that allows you to submit work at your leisure. Other programs, however, require that you log-in at certain times to participate in lecture discussions or some other interactive exercise. Check with your admissions counselor to see if you will receive as much flexibility as you'd like in an online program.

No matter if you desire an online or traditional program, make sure that the program is fully accredited. Look for a regional accreditation. This is very important because, when you apply to graduate school, they will likely only honor a transcript from an accredited institution. Accreditation will also matter if you decide to transfer your credits to a different institution part of the way through your studies.