At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
The minor in Health Policy and Administration (HPA) is designed to provide students with a background in the policy issues and administrative challenges related to quality, cost, and access to health care. The minor is most appropriate for students interested in clinical and health-related fields (e.g., nursing, nutrition, biobehavioral health, or medicine), professional fields (e.g. business administration or law), or the social sciences (e.g., economics, sociology, political science, psychology), giving these students an understanding of the health care industry and the impact of business and government on that industry.
What is Health Policy and Administration?
Health Policy and Administration (HPA) provides a solid foundation for students interested in business administration and health sciences. Students interested in clinical fields such as nursing, physical therapy, biobehavioral health or medicine can gain an understanding of the impact of business and government on their professions. The world of health care offers students interested in economics, sociology, psychology, human development and family studies, political science or other social science fields a host of challenges, from insuring the uninsured and regulating managed care to reforming Medicare. Students interested in business or law can learn about one of the country's fastest growing industries representing 17 percent of the U.S. economy.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
You Might Like This Program If...
- You are interested in a career as a health care provider and want to know more about how services are reimbursed or how federal and state policies might impact your practice.
- You are interested in business administration or management but want to focus primarily in the healthcare industry.
- You are interested in economics, sociology or politics and want to learn about one of the country's fastest growing industries representing 17 percent of the U.S. economy.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HPA 57 | Consumer Choices in Health Care  | 3 |
| HPA 101 | Introduction to Health Services Organization | 3 |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 3-6 credits of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Health Care Payment | ||
| Financial Decisions in Health Care Organizations | ||
| Health Services Policy Issues | ||
| Health Care and Medical Needs | ||
| Population Health and Healthcare | ||
| Health Systems Management | ||
| Select 6-9 credits from 400-level HPA courses | 6-9 | |
Note: Some courses have additional prerequisites that must be met.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Caroline Condon-Lewis
Academic Adviser
604 Ford Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2900
cxc29@psu.edu
Harrisburg
Jane Beckett-Camarata, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
Olmsted Building, W160
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6206
ejb27@psu.edu
Mont Alto
Michelle Pittman
Lecturer in HPA
112 General Studies Building
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6124
mxp99@psu.edu
Career Paths
HPA courses help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to understand the complex societal problem of providing access to quality health care at reasonable cost. The HPA minor will help prepare you for work in entry-level management or policy-related positions or for the pursuit of graduate education.
Careers
The HPA minor can help prepare you for work as a health services manager/administrator or health analyst. Health services managers/administrators plan, direct, and coordinate medical, behavioral, and/or long-term care services. These individuals might oversee matters of personnel, budgeting, billing, equipment outlays, information systems, planning and more. Health analysts are responsible for analyzing, compiling, and validating information needed by different organizations of providers, payers, and policy makers. Analysts help these organizations understand the current trends in the health care system and to make well-informed decisions. Employment in the health care sector is projected to grow 28 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than all other occupations.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
When added to your academic major course of study, students have used the HPA minor to prepare for graduate study in business, law, medicine or allied health fields, health administration, health services research or policy, and public health.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
601F Donald H. Ford Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2861
mxs838@psu.edu
https://hhd.psu.edu/hpa/bachelor-science-bs-health-policy-and-administration
Harrisburg
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Olmsted Building, W160
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6206
ejb27@psu.edu
Mont Alto
HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM
112 General Studies Building
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6124
mxp99@psu.edu