Online Doctorate in Health Care Administration
With an aging population and increasing demand for high-quality accessible health care, society continually searches for innovative options to fill needs. Earning a doctorate in health care administration can put you in the forefront of the changing landscape.
A doctoral degree in health care administration is generally offered by colleges of public health, although some students may earn a degree in business administration with a concentration in health care. At the doctoral level, students can choose among various degree types:
- Ph.D. in health care administration
- Doctor of Health Administration, or DHA
- Doctor of Business Administration, or DBA, with a health care concentration
- Doctor of Public Health, or Dr.P.H., with a focus in administration
Your choice of degree is related to your career goals. A Ph.D. in health care administration is most common for individuals who plan to pursue a career in research and teaching, while the DHA, DBA or Dr.P.H. are designed for practitioners pursuing executive leadership or consulting positions in private and public healthcare settings.
Choosing the direction of your doctoral program
Doctoral programs in health care administration train students to understand the complexities of healthcare systems, which include industry-changing legislation and the rapidly changing health needs of the population. Curriculum is designed to help strengthen professional knowledge while learning to analyze and improve the performance of healthcare structures. Coursework includes analyzing case studies, developing research or business proposals and understanding healthcare organizations.
Most doctoral students also choose an area of specialization, often tightly linked to overall career goals. Possible areas of focus can include epidemiology, gerontology, health care technology, health advocacy and leadership, community health education, wellness and disease prevention, and health care policy.
After students complete coursework and necessary exams, they move on to the dissertation phase of the program. To earn a Ph.D., students complete a traditional, academic dissertation that combines original research and health theory. In a professional program, the dissertation may take an applied approach to focus on community research, case studies or research-based solutions to health care issues.
Earning your online health care administration doctorate
Online doctoral degrees generally combine flexible coursework schedules with more structured degree requirements. For example, in some online DHA programs, students may be required to complete field research or intern at a local health care facility. Other online programs require students to attend one or more brief, campus-based sessions that may provide an orientation to the program, dissertation guidance or just networking and professionalization opportunities.
At many schools, a master's degree in public health, health care administration or a related field is required for admission into the doctoral program. Students with work experience in a health care setting may also have an edge in admissions. Requirements vary from one program to another, so check with your school about specific admissions criteria.
The decision to purse an online doctorate begins with gathering information. Start the process by browsing the programs below and requesting information from prospective schools.
