Loyola University Chicago

What you'll study

The degree blends foundational liberal‑arts education with specialised coursework in healthcare administration and technical services. Typical programme components include core courses in healthcare systems and policy, medical terminology, and healthcare law and ethics, alongside practical modules in medical coding and billing, health informatics, and healthcare finance.

• Core healthcare courses: Healthcare systems and policy, healthcare law and ethics, organisational behaviour in health settings.
• Technical and operational skills: Medical terminology, ICD/ CPT coding, billing and reimbursement, revenue cycle management.
• Information and analytical skills: Health informatics, electronic health records, data analytics for healthcare, statistics and research methods.
• Management and leadership: Healthcare finance and budgeting, quality improvement and patient safety, human resources and team leadership in clinical settings.
• Experiential learning: Practicum or internship in a hospital, clinic or healthcare organisation and a capstone or applied project that integrates technical and managerial learning.

Students also complete Loyola's general education requirements to develop communication, critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills. Elective options may allow focused study in areas such as population health, gerontology, or healthcare compliance.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a high school diploma or equivalent with a competitive academic record. Recommended preparatory subjects include biology, mathematics (statistics or algebra), and English. Admissions typically consider a combination of academic transcripts, a personal statement and any relevant volunteer or work experience in healthcare settings.

Transfer applicants from community colleges or other universities are welcome; credit for prior college coursework is evaluated on an individual basis. For applicants whose first language is not English, proof of English proficiency may be required in accordance with university policy.

Career prospects

Graduates enter a broad range of roles that support delivery of healthcare services rather than clinical care. Common job titles include:

• Medical office manager or practice manager
• Health services administrator or clinic operations coordinator
• Medical billing and coding specialist or revenue cycle analyst
• Patient access or patient services coordinator
• Health information management assistant and EHR specialist
• Compliance coordinator, quality improvement technician and care coordination support roles

Graduates may work in hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, long‑term care facilities, insurance companies and health IT vendors. Many proceed to professional certifications (for example in coding, billing, or health information management) or to graduate study in health administration, public health or related fields to advance into leadership positions.

Why study at Loyola University Chicago

Loyola’s Jesuit tradition emphasises holistic education, ethics and service, which is reflected in programmes that prepare students to manage care delivery with attention to equity and patient dignity. The university’s location in Chicago provides direct access to a large and diverse healthcare marketplace with hospitals, community clinics and health systems for placements and internships.

Students benefit from applied learning opportunities, faculty with experience in healthcare administration and connections with regional employers. Career and internship services, combined with interdisciplinary collaboration across public health, nursing and business courses, help graduates move quickly into operational and administrative roles within the health sector.