Online B.P.S.: Community and Health Services

PROGRAM TIME TO COMPLETION: at your own pace

Apply Your Management Skills to Diverse Health Services Settings

In the B.P.S. Community and Health Services concentration, you'll explore the U.S. healthcare system and how managers are crucial to consistently delivering quality health services. Combine this knowledge with core leadership skills from the B.P.S. and become a manager or administrator in several types of health services organizations.

As a whole, healthcare occupations in the U.S. are growing much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rapid increase in employment will add about 1.8 million openings each year from 2022 to 2032.1 With this growth comes a need for medical and health services managers who can improve efficiency, optimize delivery of services and keep their organizations running smoothly.

Community and Health Services Competencies

As you move through the B.P.S. Community and Health Services courses, you'll acquire competencies from the following courses:

  • Diverse Moral Thinking Styles
  • Healthcare Management
  • Human Nutrition
  • Intercultural Communication
  • Leading as a Healthcare Manager
  • Personal and Community Health

With each competency you gain, you'll hone leadership, management and problem-solving skills in addition to field-specific knowledge. You can compile highlights from your competencies into a portfolio that will demonstrate your skills to potential employers and managers.

Concentration Learning Outcomes

With essential skills from this concentration, you could pursue leadership positions that streamline healthcare delivery and oversee administrative functions of healthcare organizations. When you complete the online Community and Health Services degree, you'll be able to:

  • Assess the constant change and innovation within community and health services
  • Examine current issues and challenges in community and health services
  • Explore the underlying principles specific to the health care and human services industries
  • Pursue leadership roles within the community healthcare industry

Concentration Courses

HCMT 200: Introduction to Health Care Management (3 credits)

Review of the current and historical social, political and scientific factors that influence the U.S. healthcare system. Students are introduced to the structure, organization, financing, utilization and history of health and medical care services in the United States. International and U.S. health trends are reviewed. Course meets social science requirement.

HCMT 300: The Healthcare Manager (3 credits)

Introduction to and analysis of managerial roles and practices in healthcare organizations. This course develops basic managerial competencies appropriate for future managers in the healthcare industry.

HLTH 300: Personal & Community Health (3 credits)

A study of health issues and problems as they relate to the individual.

MCOM 304: Intercultural Communication (3 credits)

Examination of the similarities and differences of cultures throughout the world. Helps develop an appreciation of cultural diversity and how differences in cultures affect communication.

NUTR 221: Human Nutrition (3 credits)

Basic nutrition concepts applied to the needs of individuals, families and communities.

PHIL 319: Diverse Moral Thinking Styles (3 credits)

This course explores many different styles of moral thinking with a focus on identifying, describing or defining the key thinkers, core concepts and moral dimensions of each. The course requires students to integrate results from diverse moral thinking styles to address a situational moral problem.

 

Visit the B.P.S. Curriculum page to learn more about the Community and Health Servies Concentration.

 

Pursue a Range of Community and Health Services Careers

Your online B.P.S. gives you skills to coordinate the business activities of healthcare providers and organizations. You could start your path toward management, administration and leadership in the following settings:

  • Assisted living facilities
  • Home healthcare agencies
  • Hospitals
  • Medical sales
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Physician's offices
  • Rehabilitation facilities
  • Residential care facilities

Demand is growing for medical and health services managers in these work environments and more. Overall employment growth for these professionals will add about 54,700 openings in the U.S. each year from 2022 to 2032.2 Of all medical and health services managers roles, those who work in hospitals (state, local and private) make the highest median annual wage – $128,740 compared to $110,680 for the group as a whole.2

Top-Paying Health Services Management Careers

Medical and health services managers who make some of the highest salaries, as of May 2023, work in:2

  • Hospitals (state, local and private): $128,740/year
  • Outpatient care centers: $104,710/year
  • Physician's offices: $102,360/year
  • Nursing and residential care facilities: $97,490/year

Learn more about potential career opportunities for the online B.P.S. by visiting the Career Outlook page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to commonly asked questions about Winthrop University’s online B.P.S. in Community and Health Services. Visit the B.P.S. FAQ page for more information.

How do I apply to the B.P.S. Community and Health Services degree?

Your first step is to start your online application. You'll need:

  • Official transcripts from each institution you've attended
  • A GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale from prior institutions (including a 2.0 GPA during your last term of attendance)
  • A short essay is optional but encouraged
  • Work experience is helpful but not required

Visit the admissions overview page to learn more.

How many credits are in the B.P.S. Health Informatics degree?

Each concentration in the B.P.S. degree includes six courses, which total 18 credits. Read more about the B.P.S. Curriculum.

Do I have to choose a concentration in the B.P.S. degree?

Yes, all students must choose a concentration from one of the four options. Read more about the B.P.S. Curriculum.

Can I move from one concentration to another after enrollment?

Yes, your advisors can help you move to another concentration if desired.

What is the value of a Community and Health Services concentration?

The online B.P.S. Community and Health Services concentration allows you to combine health services knowledge with core leadership skills from the B.P.S., so you can become a manager or administrator in several types of health services organizations.

What kind of career can I pursue with an online B.P.S. in Community and Health Services?

With your B.P.S. in Community and Health Services, you can pursue a career as a medical and health services manager across several settings, such as:

  • Assisted living facilities
  • Home healthcare agencies
  • Hospitals
  • Medical sales
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Physician's offices
  • Rehabilitation facilities
  • Residential care facilities

Read more about B.P.S. career outcomes.

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. "Healthcare Occupations." April 17, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm.

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. "Medical and Health Services Managers." April 17, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm.