Learning the fundamentals and principles of healthcare management is a great way for healthcare professionals and students to advance their careers and move into positions of leadership in the healthcare industry. Online healthcare management courses do a great job of teaching individuals these principles and setting them up for success in their future endeavors. To help you find the best courses available, we researched and reviewed the 10 best healthcare management online courses.
- Coursera — Healthcare Organizations and the Health System by Rutgers — Top Pick
- Coursera — The Economics of Healthcare Delivery by The University of Pennsylvania — Best for Developing Business Skills
- Coursera — eHealth: More Than Just an Electronic Record by The University of Sydney — Best for eHealth Specialization
- Udemy — Change Management in Healthcare — Best for Healthcare Project Managers
- Udemy — Healthcare Project Management — Best for Beginners in Project Management
- Udemy — Becoming a Healthcare Administrator — Best for Changing Careers
- Alison — Managing Health and Safety in Healthcare — Best for Safety Management
- edX — Innovating in Healthcare by Harvard University — Best for Healthcare Business Owners
- FutureLearn — Getting Ahead in Health Services: Healthcare Management and Leadership Principles — Best for Career Advancement
Our Ranking Criteria
We based our list on basic and advanced criteria to ensure these courses offer the resources, learning environments, and opportunities students need to succeed. To create our list, we looked at nearly 30 courses and narrowed our list down to the top nine based on the following key factors.
Basic ranking criteria
A few basic factors impact how likely students are to successfully complete an online course while balancing their other obligations. Course length, required prerequisites, schedule flexibility, and certifications all affect the likelihood of a positive outcome.
Time to complete. Shorter course lengths allow students to quickly complete their studies and use their newfound knowledge to advance their careers or education. The majority of courses on this list can be completed in a matter of hours, days, or weeks.
Prerequisites required. Prerequisites create a barrier to entry that makes it difficult for those with no prior experience to reap the benefits offered by the course. With few exceptions, the courses on this list do not require prerequisites and are suitable for beginners.
Flexible schedule. Many individuals taking online courses are working professionals or university students with busy schedules. When creating our list, we valued courses that allow participants to complete the course self-paced.
Certificate of completion. A verified certificate of completion can help increase your job prospects by verifying your competency in a certain subject or discipline. Most of the courses on this list provide certifications to students upon completion of the course.
Advanced ranking criteria
To further refine our list, we reviewed the courses based on several advanced criteria that ensure they will teach students the job skills and soft skills needed to pursue a career in healthcare management.
- The course is taught by knowledgeable instructors with professional experience in healthcare management.
- The course focuses on teaching soft skills conducive to a successful career in healthcare management.
- The course curriculum prepares students for future exams and certifications.
- The course is available fully online to accommodate as many people as possible.
- The course has flexible deadlines to ensure those with busy schedules can successfully complete the course.
- The course helps students understand what their career options are following completion.
- The course curriculum accommodates novices who are interested in changing careers.
9 Best Healthcare Management Online Courses
Coursera
Healthcare Organizations and the Health System by Rutgers
Intelligent Award: Top Pick
As the first course in Rutgers University’s Healthcare Organization Operations Specialization, Healthcare Organizations and the Health System provides an accessible, comprehensive introduction to healthcare management for beginners interested in a career in administrative healthcare. The course is fully remote, offers a certificate of completion, and has flexible deadlines to accommodate students with busy schedules. It takes 17 hours to complete and concludes with a capstone project that requires students to apply their skills by designing a governance structure for a healthcare organization. This course earned our top pick as it provides a comprehensive curriculum and practical projects with real-world experience, and it effectively prepares participants for a future in healthcare administration.
- Price: $49 per month (7-day free trial)
- Time to complete: 17 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? This course is ideal for beginners considering a career change and healthcare professionals wanting to move into an administrative role.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Flexible deadlines | No live lectures |
| Practical projects and assignments | |
| Provided by a prestigious university |
Coursera
The Economics of Healthcare Delivery by The University of Pennsylvania
Intelligent Award: Best for Developing Business Skills
This course by the University of Pennsylvania offers an in-depth look at healthcare economics, including payment methods and pricing models, making it ideal for medical school graduates and healthcare professionals who need to develop valuable business skills. The course is part two of PennMed’s The Business of Healthcare Specialization and teaches students how to identify different types of healthcare providers and understand the relationship between providers and patients to help maximize profit for healthcare organizations. It takes about six hours to complete, offers flexible deadlines for coursework, and offers a verified certificate of completion.
- Price: $79 per month (7-day free trial)
- Time to complete: 6 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? As the course focuses on healthcare-related economic principles not often covered in medical school, it is great for graduates who want to develop the business skills they need to enter an administrative role.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Offered by a reputable university | Requires three other courses for full specialization |
| Flexible deadlines |
Interested in a degree instead?
Learn more about online degrees, their start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Coursera
eHealth: More Than Just an Electronic Record by The University of Sydney
Intelligent Award: Best for eHealth Specialization
eHealth is rapidly becoming a major component of the healthcare industry, making it important for individuals interested in healthcare management to become familiar with this relatively new subject. While other courses provide a general overview of essential healthcare management principles, this course focuses on teaching health clinicians, students, managers, administrators, and researchers emerging eHealth trends and how to integrate eHealth into healthcare practices. It is a self-paced course that consists of pre-recorded lectures and assignments. It features a large selection of highly qualified guest speakers from Harvard, the University of Sydney, and other reputable universities.
- Price: Free ($49 for certificate)
- Time to complete: 12 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? It is best for individuals interested in eHealth and digital innovations in the healthcare industry.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Teaches in-demand eHealth technologies | The certificate costs an additional $49 |
| Features several experienced speakers |
Udemy
Change Management in Healthcare
Intelligent Award: Best for Healthcare Project Managers
While many of the courses on our list are aimed at students and professionals interested in a career change, this course is designed specifically for practicing healthcare project managers who want to establish a solid background in change management fundamentals. The course only takes an hour and includes lifetime access to all materials. Students will get an introduction to the change management process by learning popular theories and models of change and will get the opportunity to apply the change management principles they learn through a final project. While there are no prerequisites, the course is not ideal for beginners, as it is tailored to experienced industry professionals interested in change management.
- Price: $34.99
- Time to complete: 1 hour
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? This course is best for healthcare project managers, clinicians, and clinical managers interested in managing change in their healthcare organizations.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Lifetime access to course materials | Not suitable for beginners |
| Specialized curriculum |
Udemy
Healthcare Project Management
Intelligent Award: Best for Beginners in Project Management
Unlike many other courses in our selection, Healthcare Project Management is designed for beginners in project management. The course provides students with foundational project management skills through a series of short, digestible video lectures totaling one hour. You will learn important terminology, the project management lifecycle, how to plan and execute new programs, and how to monitor projects for performance. The course includes full lifetime access to all materials and a certificate of completion. By learning through real-world examples, students can apply their knowledge to improve the efficiency of their healthcare organizations.
- Price: $34.99
- Time to complete: 1 hour
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? This course is designed for beginners interested in healthcare project management and clinicians with no formal background in project management.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Created with beginners in mind | Does not teach other aspects of healthcare management |
| Lifetime access to course materials |
Udemy
Becoming a Healthcare Administrator
Intelligent Award: Best for Exam Preparation
Instead of being directed toward healthcare professionals and medical students, this course appeals to professionals in other industries interested in a career change and students unsure of what career they want to pursue. The course defines what a healthcare administrator is, what they do, and what educational requirements are needed for this career, and it discusses potential paths to becoming a healthcare administrator. The course features 2.5 hours of on-demand video, 15 downloadable resources, and a certificate of completion. Participants are granted full lifetime access to all course materials and a free copy of Freshman Manager, Sink or Swim by Lana Bamiro.
- Price: $44.99
- Time to complete: 2.5 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? This course is ideal for individuals considering a career change and students still deciding what career to pursue.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Lifetime access to course materials | Does not cover advanced management concepts |
| Includes resources for students to continue their education |
Alison
Managing Health and Safety in Healthcare
Intelligent Award: Best for Safety Management
Alison’s Managing Health and Safety in Healthcare provides a detailed introduction to safety management best practices instead of the general overview of healthcare management offered by most of the other courses on this list. Students will learn valuable information regarding safety statements, safe systems of work, safety consultations, biological, physical, and chemical hazard types, and general principles of prevention. The course is accredited by Continuing Professional Development (CPD) UK, ensuring that the materials meet the required CPD standards and benchmarks. At only three to four hours, this course serves as a short, accessible intro to safety management principles professionals need to advance their careers in healthcare management.
- Price: Free
- Time to complete: 3 to 4 hours
- Prerequisites required: None
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? It is best suited for healthcare professionals who want to establish a background in safety management for career advancement.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| CPD accreditation | Not ideal for students |
| Self-paced schedule | |
| The course is completely free |
edX
Innovating in Healthcare by Harvard University
Intelligent Award: Best for Healthcare Business Owners
Harvard’s Innovating in Healthcare course on edX goes beyond covering basic healthcare management practices to explore innovation opportunities in healthcare technology, management, consulting, and investing. The course examines how technological innovation can improve healthcare costs, quality, and access. Over the course of nine weeks, students will learn how to create competitive strategies, evaluate healthcare business models, and craft business plans for their own ventures in healthcare. The course can be taken on an individual basis or with self-assembled teams. Those who take the course in teams will create actual business plans that are evaluated by peer teams and course instructors. Students need to have financial accounting knowledge, making it less suitable for beginners than other courses on our list.
- Price: Free ($249 for certificate)
- Time to complete: 9 weeks (6 to 8 hours per week)
- Prerequisites required: Knowledge of financial accounting
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? This course is best suited for healthcare business owners and individuals planning to launch their own business ventures in the healthcare industry.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Offered by a prestigious university | The certificate costs $249 |
| Comprehensive curriculum | Not suitable for beginners |
| Self-paced schedule |
FutureLearn
Getting Ahead in Health Services: Healthcare Management and Leadership Principles
Intelligent Award: Best for Career Advancement
This course is part of FutureLearn’s ExpertTrack, designed to give healthcare professionals the management and leadership skills they need to advance into senior management roles. Developed by Coventry University, the course teaches students the key differences between leadership and management practices, the history of leadership theories, and the skills needed to become effective leaders in a healthcare organization. Students can learn at their own pace, and graduates will earn an industry-specific digital certificate to verify their knowledge and skills. While other courses focus on developing the project management and business skills needed to establish a career in healthcare management, this course excels in helping participants develop and apply valuable leadership skills.
- Price: $39 per month (2-day free trial)
- Time to complete: 2 weeks (8 hours per week)
- Prerequisites required: No
- Flexible schedule: Yes
- Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes
Who should take this course? It is best for students, healthcare professionals, and administrators who want to progress into middle or senior management roles.
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Teaches important leadership skills | Requires four other courses to complete the ExpertTrack |
| Excellent reviews from past students |
Online Course Comparison Chart
| Course | Price | Features |
| Coursera — Healthcare Organizations and the Health System by Rutgers — Top Pick | $49 per month | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Coursera — The Economics of Healthcare Delivery by The University of Pennsylvania — Best for Developing Business Skills | $79 per month | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Coursera — eHealth: More Than Just an Electronic Record by The University of Sydney — Best for eHealth Specialization | Free ($49 for certificate) | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Udemy — Change Management in Healthcare — Best for Healthcare Project Managers | $34.99 | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Udemy — Healthcare Project Management — Best for Beginners in Project Management | $34.99 | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Udemy — Becoming a Healthcare Administrator — Best for Changing Careers | $44.99 | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| Alison — Managing Health and Safety in Healthcare — Best for Safety Management | Free | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| edX — Innovating in Healthcare by Harvard University — Best for Healthcare Business Owners | Free ($249 for certificate) | X No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
| FutureLearn — Getting Ahead in Health Services: Healthcare Management and Leadership Principles — Best for Career Advancement | $39 per month | ✓ No prerequisites required
✓ Flexible Schedule ✓ Certificate of completion |
Tips for Succeeding in an Online Healthcare Management Course
1. Consider the cost
How much do online healthcare management classes cost?
Online healthcare management courses are generally very affordable, with the most expensive course on our list, The Economics of Health Care Delivery on Coursera, costing only $79 per month. For students who cannot afford the upfront cost charged by many of these courses, our list also includes several free options to help individuals get started on their new career path.
Will my employer pay for me to take the course?
In many cases, employers are willing to pay for their employees’ continued education to create a more skilled workforce. Talk to your boss or HR department to determine whether or not financial assistance is available.
2. Get your tech squared away
Healthcare management classes typically consist of online lectures, quizzes, and tests, making it important for students to have access to a fast and reliable internet connection. You should also have a desktop or laptop with at least 8GB of RAM to ensure you can run any software that may be required for your course.
3. Use the right study resources
Supplementing your online coursework with third-party study materials is a great way to reinforce your learning and ensure you retain information.
Several free online healthcare management study resources are available, including the National Library of Medicine’s resources for healthcare professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare Management Courses
What jobs can you get after completing a healthcare management course?
Most careers in healthcare management require a degree, meaning an online course alone won’t prepare you for a job in the field. However, these courses do a great job of helping working professionals gain the skills they need to advance their careers.
Common job titles in healthcare management include medical records manager, office manager, practice administrator, and health services manager. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for medical and health services managers as $110,680 per year.
Are there free online healthcare management courses?
Yes, there are several free online healthcare management courses available. Our list contains several free options, including Managing Health and Safety in Healthcare by Alison and eHealth: More Than Just an Electronic Record on Coursera.
How long is the average online healthcare management course?
Since most online healthcare management courses are self-paced, it’s often up to you how long they will take to complete. Most courses on our list have under 20 hours of course material, which can be completed in about four to eight weeks when committing just a few hours per week.
Can I get a healthcare management degree online?
Yes, several reputable online universities offer healthcare management programs, including Southern New Hampshire University, the University of Central Florida, and Pennsylvania State University.
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