10 Great Online Healthcare Schools

Purdue Global University

Purdue Global University, which was founded in 1937 as Kaplan University, is one of the nation’s leading distance learning institutions with campuses located around the US and worldwide. Its online school offers a wide selection of degree and certificate programs in a number of professional fields, include the health care field.

Healthcare programs at this institution include five Master’s Degree programs: Master of Health Care Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Health Education, Master of Health Informatics and Master of Health Information Management. Kaplan University also offers five Bachelor’s Degrees and three certificate programs in the healthcare field. While mostly web-based, some healthcare programs at this online school offer on-campus instruction.

Walden University

Founded in 1970, Walden University is an online learning institution that offers a wide range of education in multiple fields of study, including health care. This institution features both a school of nursing and a school of health sciences, which offer certificate, Bachelor’s, Master’s and even Doctoral degrees, which can be earned in as little as 12 credit hours for the certificate.

Academic programs range from a Doctoral Ph.D. in Health Services or Public Health to a certificate in Public Health. Students of Walden University may also pursue their degree through one of the school’s accelerated programs. Recently, Walden University was recognized by the US News and World Report as having the nation’s largest online graduate public health program.

Grand Canyon University

Based out of Arizona, Grand Canyon University (GCU) is an accredited for-profit vocational institution that features both online and traditional classroom programs, ranging from Liberal Arts to Health Sciences. Their College of Nursing and Health Care Professions program has provided health care education for more than 25 years, and includes both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs.

There are many degree programs offered, including a Bachelor of Science in Health Science in Professional Development and Advanced Patient Care, and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration. Students of these programs have the option of taking fully online classes or hybrid courses with once per week face-to-face instruction. Grand Canyon University also offers several Pre-Med education programs.

University of Phoenix

One of the most well-known online institutions in the US, the University of Phoenix is a large for-profit university with over 200 campus locations nationwide and a large selection of online programs. The University of Phoenix was founded in 1976.

Its College of Natural Sciences features several degree programs that emphasize medical administration and business, and offers both undergraduate and graduate programs, including a Master of Health Administration degree program. It also features a College of Nursing.

Capella University

Capella University is an accredited online university that was founded in 1993. This institution is currently owned by the Capella Education Company and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Capella University offers a number of degrees through its Healthcare and Nursing College. Graduate degree program include a Doctor of Public Health (DRPH) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees, as well as a Post-baccalaureate Certificate. Their only Bachelor’s degree offered in the healthcare division is Health Care Management. Capella University also offers several degrees in Nursing.

Ultimate Medical Academy

The Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is a for-profit healthcare learning institution that is completely based online. This school currently offers numerous healthcare degree programs, including both diplomas and Associate’s Degrees.

Its Associate of Science in Healthcare Management degree prepares graduates for the pursuit of entry-level positions, with the potential for growth. Upon graduation, students may apply to take the Certified Medical Manager (CMM) examination. The course takes about 17 months to complete. UMA also offers a Medical Administrative Assistant diploma program, which takes about 10 months to complete. This school is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Healthcare Education Schools (ABHES).

Ashworth College

Ashworth College is an accredited online institution that provides vocational training through its distance learning programs. Founded in 1987 as the Professional Career Development Institute (PCDI), Ashworth College has since expanded, adding many different certificate and degree programs to its curriculum, including several in the healthcare field. Students of Ashworth College may pursue several certificate and diploma programs, including Medical Office Assistant and Pharmacy Technician.

Herzing University

Founded in 1965, this accredited institution is a career college that features more than 30 online programs. Based out of Wisconsin, it features more than a dozen campuses in the US and Canada, along with its online division. Herzing University was just ranked as one of the top-rated online bachelor’s program by the U.S. News and World Report 2013 survey and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Herzing University’s online healthcare programs include diplomas, Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, from Medical Office Administration diplomas to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Family Nurse Practitioner degrees.

Strayer University

Strayer University is currently one of the nation’s largest non-traditional accredited universities and is a major provider of a number of online programs. This school was founded in 1892 and currently enrolls more than 50,000 students.

While it’s a fairly large distance-learning institution, the only healthcare industry program offered by Strayer University is their Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) degree program, which prepares students for advanced duties of the healthcare administrative field, including public relations and implementing healthcare facility policies. The program takes an average of 4.5 years to complete.

Bryant & Stratton College

Founded in 1854, the historical Bryant & Stratton College is an accredited school that offers traditional, evening and online classes. This school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Its programs include a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Services Administration program, which prepares students for a career in assistant management in healthcare, as well as a BS in Nursing Generalist and a BS in Nursing – RN to BSN. It also offers a variety of Associate’s degrees and diplomas, including the Medical Administrative Assistant Associate of Applied Science Degree program, which prepares students for this multi-skilled health profession, including both its administrative and clinical duties.