Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

What you'll study

This programme builds administrative and managerial competence for work in clinics, hospitals, long‑term care, home health and allied health organisations. Study begins with health‑specific foundations and moves into advanced administrative topics.

• Core healthcare subjects: medical terminology, anatomy and physiology basics for administrators, and fundamentals of public health.
• Administrative and management modules: healthcare systems and organisation, healthcare finance and budgeting, human resources for healthcare, operations management and strategic planning.
• Health information and technology: health informatics, electronic health records, data privacy (HIPAA and comparable frameworks), and quality improvement methods.
• Regulation and ethics: healthcare law, compliance, risk management and professional ethics grounded in Saint Mary’s liberal arts context.
• Technical skills: medical billing and coding practices, insurance and reimbursement processes, and front‑office management.
• Leadership and communication: project management, organisational behaviour, conflict resolution, and professional communication for interdisciplinary teams.
• Practicum/Capstone: supervised internship or capstone project that applies classroom learning in a healthcare setting and supports readiness for administrative roles and industry certification.

Entry requirements

Saint Mary’s typically designs this bachelor’s as a completion programme for students who already hold an accredited associate degree or have a substantive block of transferable college credit in a health or related field. Applicants should provide official transcripts from prior colleges and documentation of prior clinical or administrative experience where applicable.

• Academic preparation: an accredited associate degree in a health, allied‑health or business field, or the equivalent number of transferable semester credits (commonly about 60).
• GPA and assessments: a cumulative college GPA consistent with four‑year programme admission; specific minimums are determined by the admissions office and may vary by applicant profile.
• Other requirements: a personal statement or professional goals statement, and sometimes a résumé or letters of recommendation. Prior workplace experience in a medical or administrative role strengthens an application.
• Transfer credits: Saint Mary’s accepts applicable transfer credits and can evaluate prior coursework or professional certifications (for example in medical billing or coding) as part of a tailored degree plan.

Career prospects

Graduates enter a broad range of administrative and supervisory roles within the healthcare sector. This degree emphasises practical skills, regulatory knowledge and leadership competencies valued by employers in diverse settings.

• Medical office manager or practice administrator
• Health services manager or department supervisor in hospitals and clinics
• Billing and coding specialist or reimbursement analyst
• Health information or records coordinator
• Quality improvement coordinator and compliance officer
• Operations coordinator for long‑term care, home health or outpatient services
• Career advancement toward roles requiring further qualifications, such as health administration (MHA), business (MBA) or public health (MPH)

Why study at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Saint Mary’s combines a student‑centred liberal arts tradition with career‑oriented professional preparation. The university is known for small class sizes, close faculty mentoring and flexible delivery formats that accommodate working students, including on‑campus and online options.

• Practical focus: the programme includes practicum placements and employer connections in the region to build workplace‑ready skills.
• Experienced faculty: instructors typically bring a mix of academic and healthcare industry experience, offering applied perspectives on regulation, finance and operations.
• Transfer and completion pathways: the curriculum is structured to recognise prior learning and help students complete a bachelor’s efficiently.
• Values‑based education: the university’s mission emphasises ethical leadership and service, which is integrated into coursework on healthcare ethics and professional practice.

Overall, the programme is suited to students seeking a practical, accredited bachelor’s degree that prepares them for administrative careers in contemporary healthcare delivery systems while preserving options for graduate study.