ETSU to offer Bachelor of Science in Health Administration
JOHNSON CITY (August 19, 2019) – Beginning this fall, East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health will offer a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration degree.
Since 1978, ETSU has offered a concentration in health administration as part of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree. The concentration has proven to be very popular and effective, providing graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective health care administrators capable of managing and delivering health services.
However, health care is a rapidly changing field, and the degree has evolved significantly over the four decades. The Public Health degree was completely revised in 2014, and the Health Administration concentration is now ready for further evolution as its own bachelor’s degree: the Bachelor of Science in Health Administration.
“This new title better describes how the concentration has evolved over time and come to provide a unique set of competencies for the health administration profession,” said Dr. Amal Khoury, chair of the Department of Health Services Management and Policy. “The new name will help students better understand which fields of employment they can pursue with this degree.
“It also allows us more flexibility to continuously improve the degree to assure that our graduates are always meeting the needs of this rapidly changing workforce.”
The health care industry is the largest industry in the nation and employment of health services managers was projected to grow 20% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Khoury reports that 100% of ETSU’s health administration graduates in 2016-17 were employed or continuing their education within 12 months of graduation, and 100% reported that their training at ETSU was relevant to their professional goals.
ETSU’s health administration alumni are working in hospital systems, medical practices, long-term care facilities, federal and state health agencies, and other health-related organizations in the region and around the world. Many have moved on to hold senior-level positions in the health care industry, Khoury added.
“The Health Administration concentration has been one of ETSU’s signature undergraduate health programs for four decades” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health. “It not only prepares students for jobs in the health care marketplace, but also works with our regional health care leaders to educate our students.”
All health administration students complete a semester-long internship under the guidance of a full-time working professional.
“Ballad Health and a wide range of other regional, national, and even international partners have been vital in helping to provide our students with the real world skills they need to excel in the workforce,” Wykoff said.
The College of Public Health will continue to offer a bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health. It also has very strong undergraduate degrees in Environmental Health, Microbiology and Human Health. All degree programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Health Administration, are nationally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
For information about the B.S. in Health Administration, contact Taylor Dula, program advisor, at mckeehan@etsu.edu; Whitney Oliver, program coordinator, at oliverwd@etsu.edu; or visit www.etsu.edu/cph/hsmp/bsha.php.
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