Make an Impact
In this program, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of healthcare delivery and management, preparing you for a rewarding career in various healthcare settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, medical practices, retirement centers, insurance companies, and more.
Are you interested in:
- Improving the healthcare system and population health?
- Ensuring access and affordability of high-quality health care?
- Managing the day-to-day operations of a health care facility?
- Helping others, serving patients and stakeholders?
- Influencing policy and procedures in a health care setting?
If you answered yes to any of the questions, consider the Health Management (HM) major. Our program, led by accomplished faculty and healthcare professionals, offers four specialties: aging studies, health administration, health science, or public health. You can complete the program entirely online or in a hybrid format, offering flexibility to balance work, school, and life.
The Bachelor of Science in health management is currently pursuing certification from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). Certification entails a thorough evaluation of the curriculum, faculty, and educational outcomes, reflecting a commitment to excellence in healthcare management education.
Program Mission, Vision, Values and Goals
Mission:
The Health Management Program prepares students to be essential drivers in health
administration, public health or aging-related careers.
Vision:
To be the premier health management program educating the next generation of change
agents.
Values:
Leadership, Quality, Dedication, Equity, Collaboration, Service
Program Goals:
- Program Goal 1: Prepare students to be leaders in healthcare management.
- Program Goal 2: Foster a high-quality academic experience for health management students.
- Program Goal 3: Engage students in professional experiences outside of the classroom.
- Communication: Communicate healthcare information, in oral and written forms using appropriate media tailored to specific audiences.
- Analytic Assessment: Use healthcare information for analysis and decision making.
- Healthcare Policy and Administration: Describe the evolution of the healthcare system and roles and issues across local, national, and global health systems.
- Evidence Based Practice and Quality Improvement: Demonstrate how to connect and use data to promote, protect and assure improved health outcomes and knowledge.
- Leadership and Management: Exhibit an understanding of healthcare leadership, management, and policy, using systems thinking.
- Health Equity and Justice: Describe social, behavioral, cultural, and environmental factors that impact health.
- Professionalism: Demonstrate a commitment to professionalism, ethics, stewardship and lifelong learning in healthcare.
Fall 2019
Information About the Program
Students will choose one of the following concentrations for further study in the major.
Aging Studies (choose one option)
The aging studies concentration has two options to prepare students for either a career in aging services
or for management in senior living. Both options prepare students for graduate education
in aging studies.
- The general aging studies (AGEG)concentration is for students interested in entry-level roles in community services for older adults, such as senior centers and aging-focused nonprofits.
- The senior living management concentration is available for bachelor's credit or as part of the Dual/Accelerated Bachelor's in health management to Master's in aging studies3 program. It prepares students for the PHS 660 Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Practicum or a Long-Term Care Operators License course post-BS in health management.
The health administration (HA) concentration is for students who want to enhance healthcare delivery, elevate patient outcomes, and navigate complex healthcare systems. It provides essential skills for efficiently managing healthcare organizations, hospitals, and clinics, while also serving as a strong foundation for advanced study in health administration.
The health science (HS) concentration is for students with a passion for advancing public health, fostering wellness, and fueling healthcare innovation. It enables individuals to have a substantial impact on both individual well-being and the larger healthcare landscape.
The public health (PH) concentration is tailored for students driven by a commitment to enhance the welfare of both local and global communities and populations. Additionally, this concentration lays a solid foundation for students interested in pursuing advanced studies in the field of public health.
- Acquire leadership skills. Build personal and professional leadership, analytic and administrative skills that allow you to serve in a leadership capacity necessary for entry-level managerial positions in the health care sector.
- Gain hands-on experience. Gain firsthand experience through local community initiatives while completing a practicum in a local healthcare organization.
- Establish a network in professional field. Establish relationships within a spectrum of local health care services such as acute care medicine, public and community health, and long-term care.
- American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). The health management program is a member of the ACHE Higher Education Network.
- Dual/Accelerated Bachelor's to Masters options. Earn your master's degree in less time by taking advantage of a dual/accelerated bachelor's to master's degree in the areas of health administration or aging studies.
- Caring professors. Compassionate, experienced and student focused faculty.
- Applied Learning Portfolio. Professional development activities are required to provide applied experiences beyond the classroom. Provides a structure to build experiential reflections and educational outcomes, both of which will provide you an edge as you prepare your resume. Evidence of completed activities along with written entry for each activity is required.
- Departmental Honors. In-depth exploration of the research area of your choice, one-on-one faculty mentorship and collaboration in scholarly activities.
- HEALTH Student Association . Involvement with HEALTH provides the opportunity to make a difference in your community and provides leadership opportunities.
The healthcare industry offers diverse management roles in both healthcare delivery organizations and supporting entities. Entry-level positions include supervisors, section heads, department managers, or managing directors in larger and smaller organizations. For those aiming for executive leadership, the dual accelerated bachelor's-to-master's in health administration is an option. The field promises significant career growth, with faster-than-average job growth expected from 2023 to 2032, as per the (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
- The median wage for all medical and health services managers in 2021 is $104,830 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $64,100, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $209,990.*
- The median wage for all health education specialists and community health workers in 2021 is $48,860 per year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $102,480.*
Location and type of job will also play a key role in the amount you are able to earn upon graduation.
Our extensive network of alumni serve throughout Kansas and beyond in various health care sectors including, hospitals and health systems, medical practice management, long term care, insurance, electronic health records management and public service.
Alumni Job Titles
- Practice Manager
- Business Development Manager
- Electronic Health Records
- Public Health Program Manager
- Disease Intervention Specialist
- Tobacco Educator
- Non-profit Program Director
- Operations Manager
- Health Promotion and Physical Fitness
- Licensed Nursing Home Administrator
- Health Facility Manager
- Marketing in Health Services
- Health Services Administrator in Long Term Care
Alumni Employers
- Ascension
- HCA
- Cerner Corporation
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- Kansas Academy of Family Physicians
- Kansas KIDS Network
- Crothall Healthcare
- Medxcel Facilities Management
- Health Insurance Companies
- Long Term Care Corporations
- Hospice Organizations
- State and County Health Departments
- Area Agencies on Aging
*Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
Visit the Health Management Alumni Directory to view what program alumni are doing with their degree.
Dual/accelerated bachelor's to master's programs are available in both health administration and aging studies. The dual/accelerated programs are designed to prepare you for graduate work at WSU while allowing you to earn dual credit towards your bachelor's degree. Once admitted to the accelerated program you are allowed to enroll in courses for graduate credit (up to 9 credit hours) while completing your undergraduate degree requirements.
- Dual/accelerated Bachelor of Science (BS) in health management to online Master of Health Administration (MHA). Allowed dual credit hours include PHS 621, PHS 622, and PHS 807.
- Dual/accelerated bachelor's to online Master's in Aging Studies. Allowed dual credit hours include PHS 560, PHS 562, and PHS 626.
Students should apply to the accelerated bachelor's to master's program of their choice early in their junior year before taking any of the courses listed.
- Fall or spring entry.
- Program can be completed as hybrid or fully online.
- Can be completed in two (2) years.
-
Accommodates flexible study plans including full-time, part-time, with a combination of evening and online synchronous and asynchronous classes. The program can be completed fully online.
- Minimum GPA for admission 2.00.
Annual Health Management Award Winners
Community Service Award Public Health Sciences
Academic Achievement
Sarah graduatd in Fall 2022 with a triple major in Health Science, Psychology, and Health Management with an aging studies concentration and honors leadership track. During her time at Wichita State, she served as a Student Ambassador for the Office of Admissions where she helped recruit prospective Shockers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered for Wichita State’s asymptomatic COVID testing site. Additionally, she spent time as a research assistant for the Institute for Health Equity Advances and the INSPYRE Research Lab. She currently works full-time as the Transfer Communications Assistant for the Wichita State Office Of Admissions. In this role, she manages the marketing and communications efforts for nontraditional prospective students and plans recruitment events. After graduation, she plans to stay at Wichita State and obtain her MBA in Marketing.
Leadership Award Public Health Sciences
Kari graduated with a Bachelor of Science in health management with a concentration in health administration in Fall 2022. During her time as an undergraduate student, she also was an Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar and received Departmental Honors in Public Health Sciences. She was dedicated to being involved at WSU and served as an Honors College Ambassador, Treasurer and Vice President of Academic Excellence for Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Treasurer and President for Health Education Advocates for Leadership Teamwork and Humanity (HEALTH). Kari is most proud of her time spent developing the Dr. Amy Drassen Ham HEALTH Student Association Scholarship with her fellow Executive Board Members and Dr. Drassen Ham. After graduating, she will stay at Wichita State University to pursue a Master of Healthcare Administration degree.
Alpha Eta Outstanding Student
Academic Achievement
Taygen is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in health management with minors in public health and health science in Spring 2023. She is also a part of the Accelerated Master's Program for health administration. Currently, she works as the Prevention Intern at Positive Directions and has been the College of Health Professions Living Learning Community Resident Assistant for the last two years. Her campus involvement includes being an executive member of Future Health Care Professionals, a member of Mortar Board, and Christian Challenge. She has been on the Dean's honor roll each semester and has completed the Emory Lindquist Honors Track as part of the Honor's College.
Academic Achievement
Vincent will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in health management with a concentration in health administration in spring 2023. He has worked as a clinic manager since 2012, where he supports a highly skilled team. Together they provide care for patients undergoing sleep diagnostic testing. He shares the organization’s mission and values to enhance patient outcomes by providing exceptional service and compassionate care through collaboration, drive, innovation, sincerity, and professionalism. The highlights of his time at WSU have included his community service experience through work as a Customer Care-Usher at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and as a warehouse worker at the Kansas Food Bank. His volunteer service combined with his personal learning investment at WSU have immeasurably enriched his life. With school wrapping up, he is heartened by the thought that he has e something to show for his efforts as he applies what he has learned to continue to impact the lives of his children, professional team, and my community.
Academic Achievement
Madison will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in health management with a concentration in health administration and receive a minor in human resource management in Spring 2023. She transferred to WSU in the fall of 2020 and most of my classes have been online since then, but she has enjoyed getting to travel to campus on different occasions. Throughout her college experience she has been involved in many different community service events such in her own community and in the Wichita community. In the future she would like to have a career that focuses on Quality Improvement and Safety in the Workplace, as that was a topic that hooked her right away, although the possibilities with this degree are endless and she cannot wait to see where it takes her.