Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science in Public Health, major in Health Services Administration
Nature of the Program
Health service administrators or managers are typically responsible for planning, coordinating and directing the delivery of quality service to those receiving services in hospitals, clinics, health departments, and other health-related organizations. This includes responsibility for many of the operational duties in these settings, including overseeing the training and recruitment of staff, following and maintaining budgetary and fiscal records, and managing daily operations.
This program aims to be certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in the future. Certified undergraduate programs are recognized for having withstood the rigors of peer review in which curricula, faculty, and educational outcomes are critically examined by peer review. External stakeholders look at certification as a way to distinguish a program from its peers.
Preparing Students for Future Opportunities
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Health Services Administration major can expect to be employed in clinical/administrative healthcare, health services, and population health settings (like health departments) and to be strong candidates for Master of Public Health and Master of Health Administration programs.
Graduates of this major will gain the following:
-
An in-depth understanding of the dynamics that make up the U.S. healthcare system.
-
Expertise to solve organizational problems and navigate complex health delivery systems.
-
A distinctive set of skills that enable you to successfully manage the daily operations of a healthcare facility, including the ability to provide budgetary oversight and recruit, train and retain quality staff.
- Your unique, personal management philosophy and the ability to integrate it with health leadership.
Admissions for 2025-2026
- First time students with minimum GPA of 2.75
- Students transferring internally or from another institution with minimum GPA of 2.75
Major Code: 8423
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for the degree. | ||
| University Requirements | 62 | |
| College Core Requirements | 25 | |
| Health Services Administration Major Requirements | 33 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 | 28 | |
| PUBH 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 33 | |
| Total Hours | 62 | |
College Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PUBH 101 | Introduction to Public and Community Health (GEF 4) | 3 |
| PUBH 200 | Introduction to Public Health Careers and Information | 1 |
| PUBH 201 | Global Perspectives of Public Health (GEF 7) | 3 |
| PUBH 202 | Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| PUBH 205 | Writing for Public Health Audiences | 3 |
| PUBH 211 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| PUBH 222 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PUBH 233 | The US Healthcare System: Structures and Incentives | 3 |
| PUBH 243 | Issues in Environmental Health | 3 |
| Total Hours | 25 | |
Health Services Administration Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in Health Services Administration Major Requirements. | ||
| PUBH 230 | Introduction to Health Administration (minimum grade of B-) | 3 |
| PUBH 311 | Health Data Management and Visualization | 3 |
| PUBH 331 | Introduction to Health Policy | 3 |
| PUBH 338 | Public Health Project Management | 3 |
| PUBH 438 | Managing Quality Improvement in Healthcare | 3 |
| PUBH 439 | Financials Tools for Health Administration | 3 |
| PUBH 440 | Health Systems Leadership | 3 |
| PUBH 464 | Ethical, Legal and Financial Issues in Healthcare | 3 |
| Required Field Experience and Capstone Courses | ||
| Minimum grade of C- is required. | ||
| PUBH 400 | Field Placement Preparation Seminar | 1 |
| PUBH 482 | Health Management Internship | 6 |
| PUBH 489 | School of Public Health Undergraduate Capstone | 2 |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PUBH 191 | 1 | PUBH 200 | 1 |
| PUBH 101 | 3 | PUBH 201 | 3 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | PUBH 243 | 3 |
| BIOL 101 & 101L (GEF 2) | 4 | GEF 3 | 3 |
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PUBH 202 | 3 | PUBH 205 | 3 |
| PUBH 211 | 3 | PUBH 222 | 3 |
| PUBH 233 | 3 | PUBH 331 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 |
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PUBH 230 | 3 | PUBH 311 | 3 |
| PUBH 338 | 3 | PUBH 439 | 3 |
| GEF 5 | 3 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| GEF 8 | 3 | General Education/Minor/General Electives | 6 |
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PUBH 400 | 1 | PUBH 440 | 3 |
| PUBH 438 | 3 | PUBH 482 | 6 |
| PUBH 464 | 3 | PUBH 489 | 2 |
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 9 | General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 |
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Accelerated Program
The School of Public Health’s Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) program offers highly motivated Health Services Administration students with an interest in the Master of Health Administration (MHA) the opportunity to complete their Bachelor of Science and earn an MHA degree in an accelerated format.
To be eligible for this program, you must:
- Be enrolled in the Health Services Administration major.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.5
- Earn a minimum grade of A in PUBH 205 Writing for Public Health Audiences, by the time they start the ABM.
- Have completed a minimum of 60 credits, but not more than 75 credits.
- Transfer students must have completed 24 credit hours as degree-seeking students at WVU before applying.
- The Qualtrics application will open from October 1-March 1.
- Students applying for the ABM cannot be enrolled in a dual degree program.
Students apply using a Qualtrics application form that requires a resume, personal statement, and two references. Students applying to the ABM cannot have any documented infractions with the WVU Office of Student Conduct or any external law enforcement agencies.
Applications are due by March 1, with program admission decisions communicated by the end of the spring semester. An established ABM admissions work group reviews applications.
Students in this ABM program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 throughout their enrollment in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Students in this ABM will complete all 35 credits of MHA courses, 14 credits of which will be “shared” by both degree programs. This means the ABM curriculum will allow students to substitute required graduate program courses for required bachelor’s program courses. Unless given specific permission by the Dean's Office, students admitted to this ABM program must maintain full-time continuous enrollment during fall and spring terms. Enrollment requirements in the summer term of year four are completing a 350-hour internship (HPML 626, 1 credit) at the graduate level.
Students' eligibility to remain in this ABM program will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Students failing to meet program or University standards will be placed on program probation for no more than one semester, after which they will be terminated from the ABM program. Terminated students and students who choose not to continue the ABM program will be eligible to receive their bachelor's degree after completing the traditional bachelor's degree requirements.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A cumululative GPA of 3.0 is required for the degree. | ||
| University Requirements | 57 | |
| College Core Requirements | 25 | |
| Health Services Administration Major Requirements | 38 | |
| MHA Health Administration Program Requirements | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 141 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 | 28 | |
| PUBH 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 28 | |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
College Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PUBH 101 | Introduction to Public and Community Health | 3 |
| PUBH 200 | Introduction to Public Health Careers and Information | 1 |
| PUBH 201 | Global Perspectives of Public Health | 3 |
| PUBH 202 | Social Determinants of Health | 3 |
| PUBH 205 | Writing for Public Health Audiences | 3 |
| PUBH 211 | Biostatistics | 3 |
| PUBH 222 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| PUBH 233 | The US Healthcare System: Structures and Incentives | 3 |
| PUBH 243 | Issues in Environmental Health | 3 |
| Total Hours | 25 | |
Health Services Administration Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum GPA of 3.5 is required for students in the Health Services Administration major to be considered for admission to the accelerated bachelors to master’s program. | ||
| PUBH 230 | Introduction to Health Administration | 3 |
| PUBH 311 | Health Data Management and Visualization | 3 |
| PUBH 331 | Introduction to Health Policy | 3 |
| PUBH 439 | Financials Tools for Health Administration | 3 |
| PUBH 464 | Ethical, Legal and Financial Issues in Healthcare | 3 |
| HPML 522 | Introduction to Data Analytics for Health Administrators | 3 |
| HPML 555 | Health Services Project Management | 3 |
| HPML 582 | Managing Quality Improvement in Healthcare | 3 |
| HPML 540 | Leading and Managing Health Organizations | 3 |
| HPML 596 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| Culminating Experience Coursework | ||
| Minimum grade of C- is required. | ||
| PUBH 400 | Field Placement Preparation Seminar | 1 |
| PUBH 482 | Health Management Internship | 6 |
| PUBH 489 | School of Public Health Undergraduate Capstone | 2 |
| Total Hours | 38 | |
MHA Health Administration Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. | ||
| HPML 523 | Introduction to Data Analytics for Health Administration | 3 |
| HPML 575 | Health Insurance and Revenue Cycle | 3 |
| HPML 601 | Health Policy, Law, and Ethics | 3 |
| HPML 610 | Health Economics for Health Services | 3 |
| HPML 626 | Internship | 1 |
| HPML 656 | Managerial Epidemiology and Strategy | 3 |
| HPML 659 | Comprehensive Experience in Health Services Management | 3 |
| Graduate Seminar | 2 | |
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| Total Hours | 21 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| PUBH 191 | 1 | PUBH 200 | 1 | ||
| PUBH 101 | 3 | PUBH 201 (GEF 7) | 3 | ||
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | PUBH 243 | 3 | ||
| GEF 2 (Suggested: BIOL 101/101L) | 4 | GEF 3 | 3 | ||
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | GEF 8 (Suggested: ECON 201) | 3 | ||
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | ||||
| 14 | 16 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| PUBH 205 | 3 | PUBH 202 | 3 | ||
| PUBH 211 | 3 | PUBH 222 | 3 | ||
| PUBH 230 | 3 | PUBH 331 | 3 | ||
| GEF 1 | 3 | GEF 6 | 3 | ||
| General Education/Minor/General Electives (Suggested: PALM 200) | 3 | General Education/Minor/General Electives (Suggested: ACCT 201) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| PUBH 233 | 3 | PUBH 311 | 3 | ||
| GEF 5 | 3 | PUBH 439 | 3 | ||
| GEF 8 (Suggested: COMM 309) | 3 | GEF 8 (Suggested: ECON 202) | 3 | ||
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 6 | General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | ||
| General Education/Minor/General Electives | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| PUBH 400 | 1 | PUBH 482 | 6 | HPML 626 | 1 |
| PUBH 464 | 3 | PUBH 489 | 2 | ||
| HPML 582 | 3 | PUBH 540 | 3 | ||
| HPML 596 | 1 | HPML 555 | 3 | ||
| HPML 522 | 3 | HPML 596 | 1 | ||
| General Electives | 4 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | 1 | |||
| Fifth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| HPML 575 | 3 | HPML 523 | 3 | ||
| HPML 656 | 3 | HPML 659 | 3 | ||
| HPML 610 | 3 | HPML 601 | 3 | ||
| HPML 696 | 1 | HPML 696 | 1 | ||
| 10 | 10 | ||||
| Total credit hours: 141 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Health Services Administration
Graduates of the Health Services Management and Leadership program will:
- Demonstrate a strong foundational knowledge of the history, principles, theories, frameworks, and current issues in public health.
- Describe health and health care dynamics, including the structures, policies, processes and institutions that make up the U.S. healthcare system.
- Manage the basic human, fiscal, and physical resources needed for accomplishing organizational goals.
- Articulate a personal management philosophy that integrates health services management and leadership concepts, knowledge, and skills.
- Apply principles and practices of health services management and leadership to identify and solve organizational problems.