OSU’s HCA program ranked in top 5 for online master’s health care degrees
Friday, November 11, 2022
Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences’ Health Care Administration degree program has been ranked fourth in the country for online health care degrees by website EduMed.org for its overall quality, affordability and commitment to student success.
Bavette Miller, Ph.D., is interim chair of the School of Health Care Administration and said she’s thankful for the recognition.
“Anytime we are ranked as one of the top online HCA programs, it proves our hard work pays off. I feel so privileged to work with such a great team where each individual member goes out of their way to make our programs better,” Miller said. “We strive to focus on the student and their individual needs. Our passion has always been to help others succeed. What’s great about this is that we fulfill our purpose by helping others achieve theirs.”
EduMed.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data collected independently and from the schools themselves. The website’s data science team then applied an algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each health care discipline based on several data points including academic counseling services, career placement services, student-to-faculty ratio, tuition and financial aid.
“Our rankings showcase the schools giving future health care professionals the best chance to succeed from day one in the classroom to day one on the job, said Wes Harris, outreach coordinator for EduMed.org. "This starts with low-cost tuition, but also includes academic counseling, career placement and other key resources that students need to graduate and get hired.”
“The flexibility and affordability of our programs is what makes us good. The faculty
and staff relationships with the students sets us apart from all the other programs
and makes us great.”
The School of Health Care Administration has 456 students currently enrolled in its master’s or doctorate programs and is one of the largest graduate programs in the OSU system, Miller said.
“I’m so grateful we get to share our expertise and knowledge with health care leaders and support them in reaching their academic and professional goals,” she said. “The flexibility and affordability of our programs is what makes us good. The faculty and staff relationships with the students sets us apart from all the other programs and makes us great.”
The demand for trained health care professionals is on the rise and the United States will see millions of vacancies in critical health care positions by 2025, according to health care consulting firm Mercer.
A key to solving the health care shortage is making higher education more accessible, Harris said.
“Online programs open the door to students who may not be able to commit to a campus-based program while working, or commute to a classroom at all. Each school in our rankings has made online learning a priority,” he said.
Miller said health care administrators are the backbone of the health care industry.
“Having an operational and efficient health care delivery system is necessary at all levels of the organization. Nonprofit and for-profit entities need to find the balance of organizational leadership, compliance, public health and financial strategies,” she said. “Health care professionals in all positions benefit from the knowledge our health care administration programs offer.”