Concordia University

Concordia University is also featured in our ranking 20 Best Online MBA in Healthcare Management Degree Programs.

Healthcare Management MBA at Concordia University

The healthcare industry is burgeoning and there is a need for top talent in the management of:

  • hospitals
  • clinics
  • other healthcare facilities
  • corporate insurance
  • pharmaceuticals

There are more than 20 concentrations available in the MBA program at Concordia, including two options in healthcare administration.

The Concordia MBA program is unique in its approach to business administration as a ministry. The school website says that as many ministers also have held jobs in the secular world, people often have more than one career. Each one offers an opportunity for service. Because this is a Christian school, they distinguish their programs through Christ-centered instruction. In addition, the once-classical education offered has morphed into a cooperation between students and faculty to design programs.

Students who want to earn an MBA in Healthcare Administration have two options. They may earn a generalist MBA in Healthcare Administration or an MBA in Healthcare Administration for Practitioners. Both are 39 credit-hour programs offered by the Batterman School of Business, and both are offered online. Goals of the program are to empower students to form policy relying on analysis of healthcare financial issues. This gives them an understanding of risk management and insurance and a competency in facility management. It also ensures they are good communicators. There is no GRE or GMAT required to get into the program. There is no need to have a resume of job experience. Instead, students complete a capstone project at the culmination of the program to prove their competencies.

The MBA in Healthcare Administration requires 15 credits in the concentration, including classes such as:

  • Public Human Resource Administration
  • Budgeting in Public Agencies

The requisite credits in the MBA core include courses like Corporate Finance and Issues in Human Resource Management.

The MBA in Healthcare Administration for Practitioners is for practicing nurses in upper-level management positions. Besides general MBA courses, there are 21 hours of electives.

About Concordia University

This is a private, liberal arts university affiliated with the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod. It is a member of the nine-school Concordia University system and the largest Lutheran University in America. It awards degrees through five colleges:

  • the School of Education
  • the School of Business and Legal Studies
  • the School of Human Services
  • the School of Arts and Sciences
  • the School of Adult and Continuing Education

The university offers:

  • nearly 80 programs in undergraduate studies
  • 17 graduate programs
  • eight accelerated and adult education programs
  • three doctoral degrees.

Concordia was founded in 1881 at Trinity Evangelical Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Thirteen students were enrolled, attending classes in the church basement. In 1882, the school purchased land and built a facility. Until 1964, it continued offering a classical education including high school and junior college in a pre-theology format to men who intended to enter the ministry. The building was then given to an organization that wanted to start a Native American school and Concordia moved to a new location, adopting its present name.

The university has nearly 8,000 students. The student/faculty ratio is 13:1. Most classes have fewer than 20 students. Moving from the classical education, technology now is the pulse of the Batterman School of Business. The faculty, along with the students, drive the curriculum through technology to ensure it is current and engaging. The US News and World Report ranks Concordia at #119 for Best Online Business Programs, excluding the MBA, and #184 for the Best Online MBA programs.

Concordia University Accreditation Details

The university is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools of the Higher Education Commission.

The business programs, including the MBA programs, are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)

Concordia University Application Requirements

Students applying to Concordia as first-time freshmen should complete the online application form found on the school website. There is no application fee for undergraduates. Students are responsible for arranging to have their high school send their official transcript, and for the administering agency to send either SAT or ACT official scores, whichever test the student took.

Graduate students applying to the university should also complete the online application. There is a non-refundable $50 application fee for graduate programs. While many requisites differ according to program, applying graduate students must arrange for their undergraduate transcripts to be sent to Concordia. They must also:

  • write a one-page personal essay on their desire to earn a graduate degree
  • submit a resume of educational and professional experience
  • submit two letters of recommendation to Concordia University.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition at Concordia is $39,650 per year. Room costs average $3,520 and meals add another $4,712. There are also various fees and expenses for supplies. Books and personal expenses. The estimated undergraduate cost-of-attendance is $51,178 per year.

Graduate tuition varies by program. The MBA tuition is $719 per credit-hour. Online and accelerated programs average $28, 420 per year.

Private schools are usually more costly than public universities, but most students require financial aid to pay for their higher education. The first step in getting the help needed is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance. Many other financial aid programs are dependent upon data from the FAFSA form. It is important to fill it out and submit it by the dates specified each year. For students with financial need, the government program awards:

  • grants
  • student loans
  • work-study opportunities

They also offer PLUS loans to parents who want to assist their children with student expenses.

Michigan offers several grants as well. Some of these are:

  • The Wisconsin Grant
  • The Talent Incentive Grant
  • The Indian Student Assistance
  • The Minority Undergraduate Retention Grant

Most of these are only available to undergraduates. The university offers scholarships and grants that are academically-based. There are many awards through departments and through colleges at Concordia University. Private individuals and groups often fund scholarships with varying qualifying requisites.

Service organizations sponsor scholarships, as do corporations. Graduate students are eligible for the Stafford loan through the federal government. They also may qualify for graduate assistantships at Concordia, though these are competitive.

Students who still have a debt after applying all scholarships and grants they have won may apply for student loans. These are special loans that have low interest and allow students to repay them after graduation. Work-study programs and part-time employment can be a good way to decrease student debt while building a resume. Students who graduate from Concordia University, as from any school, should strive to leave with the lowest student debt they can.