Health Care Management Programs at Peirce College
Peirce College appears in our ranking of the 25 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s in Health Management.
Peirce College offers degree programs for working students that let them fit their courses in their schedules. One option is an Associate of Science (AS) in Health Information, which students can finish online, on campus or with both types of classes. The program features 61 credits of classes that will transfer to a bachelor program. Medical Terminology, Introduction to Health Information Technology, Legal Issues in Health Information Management, Computer Information Systems for HIT and Managing Quality and Performance Improvement in HIM are some of the required classes in the HIT program.
The college offers two bachelor’s degree programs too: a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Information Administration and a BS in Healthcare Administration. In the information administration program, students can bring a total of 90 credits with them, but those who have not attended college before will need to complete a minimum of 121 credits to graduate. This program includes major courses such as Financing Healthcare, HIT Professional Practice Workshop, CPT Outpatient Coding, Healthcare Data Analytics and Electronic Health Records. Healthcare administration majors will take similar classes as well as Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Introduction to Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Research Methods and Public and Community Healthcare.
To go along with these undergraduate programs, the college also offers a certificate in medical coding. It teaches students what each code means and helps them prepare for the national licensing exam for medical coders. Students must complete 28 credits of classes to earn a certificate, including Introduction to Health Information Technology, CPT/Outpatient Coding, Healthcare Reimbursement, and Medical Terminology. All of these credits will transfer to the college’s associate and bachelor’s degree programs.
Also available is a Master’s in Healthcare program that features 36 units of classes. All classes run for seven to eight weeks and are available on campus or online. Students learn how to make healthcare decisions, research healthcare subjects and lead and manage others. The college will accept up to six credits from a university/college that has regional accreditation. Students need to take Foundations of Contemporary Leadership Theory and Practice, Applied Research Methods, Ethics in Healthcare Administration and Introduction to Healthcare Administration: History, Economics and Theory before starting the program. They’ll then take other classes, including Business and Professional Communication and Healthcare Law and Compliance.
About Peirce College
Peirce College is a private college designed for working adults and professionals. Established in 1865 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the Union Business College, it was overseen by Thomas May Peirce. Peirce worked as a teacher and saw the need for a school that educated adults rather than traditional college students. It became a popular option for veterans of the American Civil War and because it was one of the only schools in the area to accept women. Known as Peirce Junior College from 1964 on, it became Peirce College in 1997 after adding bachelor’s degree programs. Peirce saw its enrollment climb to more than 1,800 students after adding online programs in 2000. The campus appeared on the big screen in 1999 in several scenes featured in “The Sixth Sense.”
Peirce College Accreditation Details
All the healthcare management and administration programs available at Peirce have accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). The CAHIIM only awarded accreditation to the college for those programs after making sure that each one met the requirements for professionals working in this field. Peirce also has regional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Not only does this accreditation let the college accept transfer credits, but it also allows students to use the government’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to get help paying for school.
Peirce College Application Requirements
Peirce has just three steps that students need to take to apply. They will apply online, submit their transcripts and then apply for financial aid. Undergrads who have less than 15 credits can pay the $50 application fee and apply online. They will then submit their high school transcripts or a GED score. Peirce asks for college transcripts for students who have more than 15 credits of work that they want to transfer to a program. Undergrads who have more than 50 credits need to submit their transcripts too, which helps them finish their degrees at the college. If they do not provide an ACT or SAT score, Peirce will require that they take a placement exam too.
Graduate students need both a grade point average of 2.75 or higher and a bachelor’s degree. Students applying to the healthcare administration program need a degree in the healthcare industry or a certificate/minor in healthcare with a minimum of three years of related experience. Peirce has an August 9 deadline for the fall semester and a December 6 deadline for the spring semester. Students must pay the $50 application fee, apply online and submit a letter of intent, one letter of recommendation and a resume too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Graduate students at Peirce pay $772 per credit hour for their classes or $27,792 to complete an entire program. Undergrads can take up to 12 credits of classes at the graduate level and pay only the undergraduate rate. They can then transfer their credits to the graduate program. A corporate discount is available for students who work for employers who partnered with the college, including Health Partners Plus and Quest Diagnostics. This discount goes to employees as well as their children and spouses. Graduate students who use the FAFSA when applying to the college can get other forms of financial aid too, including loans and scholarships.
Undergrads pay a $165 service fee every term and a rate of $600 per credit hour for their classes. The college estimates that they’ll pay $200 for the books they need in each class. Though the college does not offer on campus housing, it has financial aid that can cover some of the students’ off-campus living expenses. Those who submit the FAFSA can qualify for the corporate discounts and other financial aid programs. The Pennsylvania State Grant and Pennsylvania Summer State Grant give money to local students taking college classes. Other financial aid options available for Peirce College enrolled in healthcare administration and management programs include the Community College Partners Scholarship and Peirce College Board of Trustees Scholarship.