Online Bachelor of Science in Health Management

Students enrolled in the fully online BSHM program pay in-state tuition regardless of where they live, making it an affordable option.The overall tuition and fees will vary depending on how many semesters it takes to graduate and how many credit hours needed to complete in the program.

As part of the BSHM program, students can utilize prior credit for educational and work experience to decrease the overall cost of the degree.

Learn more about tuition and fees

Additional Fees Per Credit Hour (CrHr)

The following CHP course fees, in addition to the tuition rates and mandaotory fees, are assessed per credit hour per participant.

College/Department	Description	Fee
College of Health Professions	for all courses taught by a department in the College of Health Professions	$20
College of Health Professions - Public Health Sciences (PHS)	for all courses with a PHS prefix	$35
College of Health Professions	for course instructional method of HYO, OHY, OLA or OLS	$72
	Total	$92 -$127 per CrHr

Completing the Bachelor of Science in Health Management depends on your schedule, transfer credits and the amount of credit for prior learning that is approved.  The time to complete this degree varies for each student.

Credits from other regionally accredited colleges and universities will transfer to WSU, including community colleges and technical schools. Credits will also be evaluated by your program of interest to see how many credits will count towards your major and how many will count as elective credits. Please note that if you have attended more than one higher education institution, you will need to submit an official transcript for each one. 

For undergraduate students: Try the Transfer Gateway tool to help estimate how many credits will transfer over to Wichita State.

Learn: Where to send incoming transcripts

These programs are designed to be completed entirely online offering students the flexibility to learn on their own schedule (within a specific timeframe). Courses within an online program are likely asynchronous, allowing students to login independently of a set time to participate with instructional materials.

Some courses may be offered in 8-week blocks while other courses are in 16-week sections.

Complete this program fully online. The Bachelor of Science (BS) in health management offers four programs of study: aging studies, health administration, health science, and public health. The degree offers a pathway into entry- and mid-level management careers in a hospital or medical clinic, long-term care community or public health organization and serves as a foundation for success in graduate education in health administration, public health or aging studies. 

Not ready to commit to the full degree?
Start with one of our 12-credit hour certificate programs. Each 100% online certificate is designed to build skills you can use right away, and they fully stack into the Bachelor of Science in Health Management (BSHM) degree. This allows you to continue your education without losing momentum or credits.

Certificate Programs

Students will choose one of the following concentrations for further study in the major. 

Course Rotation Information

• 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 Department of Public Health Sciences (PHS) chooses one Wichita State University (WSU) Bachelor of Science in Health Management (BSHM) student to receive the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) Foster G. McGaw Scholarship.

The AUPHA network is dedicated to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education. Its mission is to foster excellence and drive innovation in health management and policy education and promote the value of university-based management education for leadership roles in the healthcare sector. The PHS Department is an AUPHA fully certified program, and this scholarship is established through the Association and in accordance with instructions as set forth in these guidelines and procedures approved and adopted by PHS

Foster G. McGaw, founder of the American Hospital Supply Corporation, endowed this scholarship to provide financial support to students in health administration. The scholarship was installed as a reflection of the importance of health administration education and AUPHA’s contribution to the field.

The scholarship is awarded to a BSHM undergraduate student who (1) has demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence, and (2) has the potential to make an impact in the healthcare industry.

A scholarship of $750 will be awarded annually to the purpose described below excepting any unforeseen future circumstances that result in the purpose no longer serving the interests of PHS or WSU:

• An undergraduate student enrolled at least part-time (6+ credit hours) and having completed a minimum of 30 credit hours at an institution of higher education and majoring in Health Management in PHS in the College of Health Professions (CHP).
• No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on age, ancestry, color, any type of disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran.
• The recipient must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA.
• This award additionally includes (1) a membership in the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), (2) registration for the Kansas MGMA Annual Conference in April, and (3) membership on the Department of Health Administration external advisory committee during the academic year of award.
• AUPHA will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the PHS Undergraduate Director upon review of written essays submitted by applicants.
• The scholarship is not automatically renewed. Previous recipients can reapply.

Written Essay Suggestions | to be submitted by May 1, 2025, for the fall 2025 semester award

• Describe your plans upon graduation and how membership in MGMA will enhance your educational experience.
• Detail your dedication to improving health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management.

 

The BSHM has 2+2 articulation agreements with several two-year institutions within Kansas. These agreements allow students to begin their studies at a community or technical college to transfer seamlessly into the BSHM program, offering an affordable and flexible path to earning a bachelor's degree.

Transfer students with 75 or fewer credits may qualify for up to $6,000 in merit scholarships.

Learn more transfer merit scholarships 

Students are required to complete a 160-hour practicum (PHS 495). The practicum typically takes place in the final semester of the health management program. Students should enroll in PHS 494 Health Management Practicum Preparation two (2) semesters prior to enrollment in PHS 495 Practicum. 

 

While WSU participates in the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), WSU has limited authorization to offer internship, field experience, clinical placement, or practica in the state of Colorado due to the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act (the “Act.”) The Act requires students to be covered by workers’ compensation insurance when completing an unpaid internship, field experience, clinical placement, or practica within the state of Colorado. The Act requires the institution sponsoring the student (WSU) to either: (1) insure the student through the institution’s workers’ compensation policy; or (2) work with the host site to negotiate a reasonable level of compensation to the host site for the host site’s expense of providing workers’ compensation insurance for the student. WSU is not permitted, under Kansas law, to add students to WSU’s institutional workers’ compensation policy. And while some Colorado host sites are willing to work with WSU and/or individual students to ensure coverage through the Colorado host site or through a private carrier, this is not guaranteed. The Act does not allow students to purchase their own insurance for workers’ compensation.

Students enrolled in either online or on-campus programs cannot be placed in on-ground internships, field experiences, clinical placements, or practica in the State of Colorado without the appropriate workers’ compensation in place. For questions please contact Dr. Brett Petersen-Bruner.

Career options for health management professionals are abundant and diverse, encompassing roles such as hospital management, senior living community administration, quality improvement, infectious disease control, and community health education. A degree in health management equips students with the skills needed for employment in clinical care, public health organizations, and aging programs/services.

Gain a broad view of the health care delivery system and health care management practices to prepare you for entry-level management in a wide range of health services settings including: hospitals and group medical practices, senior living communities, medical sales, insurance companies, health departments, mental health organizations or public agencies.

 

Learn more about careers in this field

Graduates from the BSHM program can hold various job titles, such as Directors, Program Coordinators, Program Managers, Health Educators, Health Promotion Managers, Public Health Educators, Grant Writers, Policy Analysts, Program Administrators, and Program Evaluators.

While job titles may vary, the required skill set is similar, including business and management knowledge in healthcare, quantitative and analytic skills, quality of care, long-term care management, public health management, leadership, change management, and special populations. Local employers seek employees skilled in coalition building, critical thinking, problem-solving, community assessment, computer technology, and interpersonal communication. The BSHM program faculty are dedicated to preparing outstanding graduates for the complex and dynamic healthcare system.

 

Learn more about Health Management Alumni

Graduates who pursued further education most often earned business-related degrees such as a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Master’s in Health Administration (MHA), Master’s in Health Services Administration (MHSA), or Master’s in Healthcare Leadership. These programs provide advanced management and leadership skills specific to healthcare.

Additionally, some graduates earned a Master’s in Public Health (MPH), focusing on areas like epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and community health. The MPH prepares professionals to tackle public health challenges and improve population health.

Overall, these advanced degrees enhance graduates' abilities to take on senior roles in healthcare organizations and public health.

Wichita State offers accelerated paths from the BSHM to both the Master's in Health Administration and the Master's in Aging Studies.

Online Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's in Health Administration

Online Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's in Aging Studes