KENOSHA, Wis. – Beginning this fall, Carthage College will offer a major in healthcare administration, one of the nation’s fastest-growing career paths.
This new undergraduate program combines coursework and practical experience. It’s designed to equip students with a well-rounded skill set to manage healthcare facilities, shape healthcare policy, or direct innovative healthcare projects.
“We consistently hear about the need for frontline medical staff, so it’s easy to forget that the healthcare system also relies heavily on employees with business acumen,” says Carthage management and marketing professor Joseph Tenuta, who developed the program. “This is a great alternative for students who are more comfortable working with balance sheets than bodily fluids.”
All healthcare administration majors will complete a yearlong, paid rotation at a local hospital, setting Carthage’s program apart. Guided by experienced professionals, students will observe and participate in several different hospital departments, including operations, human resources, quality improvement, and patient services.
Partnerships are already in place with two of the region’s biggest health care systems, Advocate Aurora Health and Froedtert South. Faculty say others are likely to follow.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Carthage is positioned in a hotbed of opportunity. Nearly 12,000 medical and health services managers are already employed in the Chicago metropolitan area — which includes Illinois’ North Shore and Kenosha — and the demand keeps escalating. Across the country, the BLS projects 28% job growth for the occupation through 2032.
Crossing academic boundaries, the Carthage healthcare administration major pulls in existing courses in accounting, allied health science, business management, economics, marketing, nursing, and social work. Faculty members with extensive experience in healthcare management and policy will share real world insights and case studies.
The curriculum will delve deeply into patient rights, health care disparities, and ethical leadership. Tenuta predicts Carthage graduates will find employment with hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms, and public health agencies.
For more information, visit: www.carthage.edu/healthcare-administration
