Degree Description: Intercontinental University offers a Degree program that allows students to become successful leaders and managers of the Healthcare system and related industries. The program, which offers coursework that is specifically designed for students to master both their business and administrative skills, and to gain insight and knowledge about the healthcare system in general, will fully prepare graduates to launch their careers as healthcare managers and for continuing education if they choose to do so. Students pursuing this degree will be required to complete courses that are focused on the ethical and legal litigations of the healthcare system, management practices and healthcare operations, and the economics of healthcare. Some courses may include ethical and legal aspects of healthcare, healthcare management, healthcare information systems, and healthcare finance. Students must complete a total of 180 credit hours, all taken at the university, to earn this degree. The cost is $3,975 per quarter, which averages to about 12 to 18 credits. Financial aid is available for eligible students and may reduce costs.This degree should take full-time students about three to four years to earn.

Degree Outlook: While a master’s degree is typically required to acquire high-salaried positions such as an assistant or associate administrator, department head, or chief executive officer at a surgical or general hospital, bachelor’s degree holders usually find employment in the same locations but have a slightly lower ranking. They usually work as medical and Health Services Managers, administrative assistants or assistant department heads in large hospitals, for example. While the healthcare profession in general is expected to see a lot of advancement within the next few years, job prospects for healthcare managers are predicted to have a great outlook as well, especially for those who have exceptionally strong business skills, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau states that career opportunities for medical and health services managers is expected to increase 16 percent during the next decade, creating 45,400 new jobs. Medical and health services managers held about 283,500 jobs in 2008, according to the Bureau’s most recent statistics. The majority worked in hospitals. Hospitals will continue to be the highest employer, the Bureau states. Though salary varies depending on location and place of employment, on average, healthcare managers earned between $62,170 and $104,120 in 2008.