Samford University

What you'll study

The program blends core business and management concepts with healthcare-specific competencies. Learning emphases include:

• Operations and organizational management: overseeing teams, improving operational efficiency and applying quality improvement strategies.
• Strategic and financial management: using financial, economic and strategic principles in healthcare settings.
• Policy, ethics and law: navigating health policy, ethical issues and healthcare legal frameworks.
• Data and informatics: applying analytics and informatics to support organizational decision-making.
• Communication and workforce management: developing communication skills for complex organizations and understanding workforce dynamics.
• Applied experience: project-based learning focused on patient safety, quality improvement and exposure to executive decision-making.

Entry requirements

Students enter the accelerated plan after admission to Samford University as Healthcare Administration majors and by contacting the School of Public Health adviser to be placed on the accelerated track. By the end of junior year applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and complete convocation credit requirements. A graduate application is submitted during the junior year. Progression requires keeping a minimum 3.0 GPA; achieving at least a B in all graduate coursework; and earning C or better in required undergraduate HA courses (C- or lower is treated as failure, with only one permitted repeat). Upon beginning graduate coursework students follow the Graduate Healthcare Administration Student Progression Policy.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for administrative and management positions across the health sector. Specific roles identified by the program include public health education and outreach, program management and evaluation, epidemiology and research support, health care and nonprofit leadership, and global and community health initiatives. The program positions students to improve organizational performance and assume leadership within evolving health systems.

Scholarships & funding angle

The course page does not list specific scholarships or tuition figures. Prospective applicants should consult Samford’s financial aid office and the School of Public Health for information on university scholarships, assistantships, and other funding options that may apply to accelerated or graduate students.