New ASU health care administration and policy degree prepares students to improve systems of health

Beginning this fall, students who want to improve the systems, processes and management of health care have a new option to meet the rapidly changing needs of the industry. 

The College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University now offers a fully online undergraduate degree in health care administration and policy, designed for students who want to make a difference in health using the tools of management and application and development of policy.

The new degree had previously been offered exclusively on campus under a different name: science of health care delivery. In addition to now being available both through ASU Online and on campus, the program curriculum has been updated to address the current and future challenges of the health care system, preparing students to make strong connections between the business of medicine, clinical practice and policy. 

The master’s degree program, created in partnership with Mayo Clinic, will continue to be called science of health care delivery.

Fernanda Lozano, a senior at the College of Health Solutions, found the degree to be aligned with her interests and career goals.

“I’ve always wanted to get into the medical field, but didn’t necessarily want to be a doctor or a nurse or something like that,” Lozano said. “I wanted to work within the system itself, such as helping people get access to health care and things like that. I was looking for a degree that related to exactly what I wanted to do.”

Degree Director and Lecturer Elizabeth Kizer said the curriculum emphasizes practical experience through courses and internships that prepare students to take on challenging roles in health care.

“We focus on teaching students how to think like an administrator,” Kizer said. “So when they find themselves in these roles they’ve already had some experience. It’s very practical.”

Kizer pointed to a 2021 study from visualcapitalist.com that showed medical and health services managers as being some of the fastest-growing jobs in the country.

“These jobs are projected to be on the upswing,” she said. “There are a lot of new jobs in health care administration in running clinics, running long-term care facilities.”

Lozano has appreciated the practical aspects of the curriculum. Through her internship, she is working as a family health advocate at the Native Health center in downtown Phoenix.

“A lot of things I’ve learned in textbooks or in class, I’m seeing in person in my internship,” said Lozano, who is also applying for the master’s program. “Things like how not having reliable transportation makes a big difference in having access to health care.

“I’ve learned a lot while working (at Native Health), but the program helped me get the foundation for what I’ll need.”

The new ASU Bachelor of Science in health care administration and policy starts this fall 2022 on campus and online. Online students gain the same knowledge as they would in the on-campus program, as the online program is taught by the same College of Health Solutions faculty as the college’s on-campus version.