Samford’s healthcare administration major provides students with a foundation in business, leadership and interpersonal skills. It is uniquely focused on nurturing service-minded leaders who have a global leadership perspective and a call to serve the community.

Students will graduate with the knowledge, skills and experience to:

• Understand business principles and practices necessary to deliver quality healthcare
• Apply servant leadership characteristics and attributes
• Demonstrate the highest professional and ethical standards
• Use communication, interpersonal problem solving and conflict resolution skills effectively in interprofessional teams
• Understand healthcare issues that affect different segments of the healthcare patient population

Plan of Study

Fast-track Master of Healthcare Administration

Students interested in earning a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Healthcare Administration can take advantage of our fast-track program, enabling you to earn two degrees in just five years.

Competency Based Education

Healthcare administration education is a competency-based curriculum. The competency model is based upon the ACHE Healthcare Executive Competencies and Assessment Tool developed by the Healthcare Leadership Alliance and the American College of Healthcare Executives. The curriculum is designed for students to achieve targets established in each of the competencies, communication, leadership, professionalism, business knowledge and healthcare systems, with unique specializations at the undergraduate level.

Healthcare administration is perfect for students who want to combine their interests in both healthcare and business. This major is well-matched for students who are called to service-minded leadership. They are strong communicators, detail-oriented, effective with administrative duties and activities and have robust interpersonal skills. Finally, healthcare administration is a pathway that allows graduates to care for patients beyond the bedside.

Interprofessional Approach

Samford’s healthcare administration major utilizes the expertise of all disciplines within the School of Public Health, including health information management and public health. This collaborative nature provides a diversity of discussion, faculty expertise and resources.

In addition, the School of Public Health is one of four schools that comprise Samford’s College of Health Sciences, and through interprofessional education, students are empowered to learn alongside their peers in a variety of programs. This commitment reflects today's team based approach to patient care, and ensures that students learn about, from and with the individuals who will one day be their colleagues.  

A Commitment to Service

Distinctively Christian

Samford’s Christian mission encourages students to consider the needs of the whole person—mind, body and spirit—in the work they do and accomplish. In the field of healthcare administration, this mindset elevates the need for professionals with strong ethical principles who value integrity, service-minded leadership and understanding.

ACHE Student Membership

We are a proud supporter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). The ACHE is an international professional society of more than 49,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. All Samford Healthcare Administration students also receive the following ACHE benefits:

• An ACHE student membership: This membership allows students to gain industry experience in their degree pursuits through education, certifications, and networking.  More information on an ACHE membership can be found here.

Internships

At Samford, we know there is no substitute for experiential learning. Internships are a critical tool that combine what a student learns in the classroom with real-life experience. As a part of the curriculum, students are required to complete two internship placements, totaling at least 240 hours of field experience. Faculty work directly with students to ensure their internship placements align with their interests and career goals.

Professional Development

Opportunities for professional development and fellowship abound, including student membership in the American College of Healthcare Executives, attendance at conferences, case competitions, student organization leadership and service projects. 

Career Pathways

The healthcare administration major is designed to prepare students to serve in entry-level management positions in a diverse field of healthcare businesses and organizations, including: 

• Hospitals and health systems
• Consulting firms
• Insurance
• Local, state and federal government agencies
• Long-term care
• Nonprofit organizations or foundations
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Medical group practices
• Medical sales
• Healthcare entrepreneurship

Program Recognitions

• 2018 New Program Member of the Year from the Association for University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).
• Recognized as model self-study by AUPHA
• Selected by Upsilon Phi Delta, the national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration, to present the 2020 Undergraduate Scholarship to a current undergraduate student.
• Selected by AUPHA to present the 2021-22 Bugbee-Falk Book Award to a current undergraduate student.
• 2022 Upsilon Phi Delta Undergraduate Grant Recipient
• Student are prepared and accepted into traditional Master of Healthcare Administration programs across the country.

Student Accolades 

• Samford University's John Pittman Award recipient
• Samford University's James M. Sizemore Award recipient
• Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) scholarship recipient 
• Acceptance into the 2022 American Enterprise Institute's Summer Honor Program
• Received top honors at Samford University's 2022 Student Research Colliqua 
• Top finisher in the Alabama Academy of Sciences Conference, social sciences category

Alumni Careers

While the number of alumni is small for this new program, Samford’s healthcare administration alumni have graduated and begun careers with: 

• Beckton Dickinson (BD)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
• Brookdale Senior Living
• Dicerna Pharmaceuticals
• Emory Healthcare
• Grandview Medical Center
• MediCopy
• Norwood Clinic
• R1 RCM
• Rotochopper Mid-Atlantic
• Sequel Electrical Supply
• Stryker
• Surgical Dermatology Group
• Urology Centers of Alabama

Our graduates have continued their education by completing Samford’s online Master in Healthcare Administration program or top residency-based healthcare administration programs across the country, as well as medical school and Master of Business Administration programs.

Mission Statement

Vision Statement

We aspire to prepare influential and visionary healthcare professionals who make a positive impact on their communities.

Core Values

• Christian-Based Education: We are committed to integrating our Christian faith and beliefs in our delivery of healthcare administration education.
• Excellence: We pursue excellence within the department through opportunities for achievement in scholarship, service and research.
• Practice-Ready: We are committed to preparing students who are ready to practice upon graduation.
• Respect for Diversity: We are committed to respecting the differences in others by learning to appreciate the different cultures of the populations that we serve.
• Integrity: We are committed to operating in an environment that values honesty, fairness and the highest ethical standards to sustain a community of trust.
• Empowerment: We encourage personal accountability for success through shared governance in academic pursuits.