Lamar University Online Healthcare MBA & MSN-MBA Dual Degree

• MBA - Healthcare Administration
• MSN-MBA Dual Degree

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By Sara Navratil Reviewed By Jocelyn Blore Reviewed By School

Updated September 2, 2024

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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.

The Lamar University (LU) College of Business offers a 100 percent online MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration that can be completed in 12 months. Additionally, in collaboration with the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing, LU offers an MSN-MBA dual degree with a concentration in nursing administration that includes two local administrative practicums, and can be completed in 36 months.

LU delivers business courses asynchronously, while MSN courses may be a mix of asynchronous and synchronous course delivery. No campus visits are required. Online learning may include discussion boards, recorded lectures, videos, online chat rooms, case studies, and simulations. In addition, in-state tuition is very affordable.

Core courses for the online healthcare MBA focus on managerial economics, accounting, and decision-making, marketing and strategic management, international business, and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Students also choose three healthcare administration electives that cover healthcare-specific business topics such as healthcare economics, strategy, policy and finance, information systems, and entrepreneurship.

Courses for the dual MSN-MBA combine 24 credits from the MBA program with 37 MSN in nursing administration credits reducing the overall course load to 61 credits. MSN courses cover topics such as research, health policy, business principles for nurse leaders, microeconomics, planning and organization in healthcare delivery, health information systems, and healthcare delivery administration. Two administration practicums are included, plus an evidence-based project. Business courses cover the fundamental and financial and managerial concepts in business administration and management.

Graduates of the Lamar healthcare MBA and MSN-MBA dual degree programs may go on to leadership and administrative positions in hospitals, healthcare clinics, public health organizations, managed care facilities, pharmaceutical companies, research and medical device companies, and other healthcare settings.

Lamar University is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and offers several online and campus-based master’s programs. The online MBA is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the MSN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Lamar University is located in Beaumont, Texas.

Dr. Soumava Bandyopadhyay is a professor and the associate dean of graduate studies and research at Lamar University’s College of Business. He focuses on consumer behavior, online privacy, and student success in online courses. His research contributions have been widely published in prestigious journals like the ACM Digital Library and Clute Journals.

Driven by a passion for advancing marketing knowledge, Dr. Bandyopadhyay’s work enriches the academic community and provides valuable insights for industry professionals, showcasing his dedication to excellence in research and education. He holds a doctorate in marketing from the University of Alabama Manderson Graduate School of Business.

MHAOnline: What is something you wish the public understood about accelerated MBA programs in healthcare?

Dr. Bandyopadhyay: Some people are skeptical about accelerated MBA programs in healthcare because they think such programs try to impart the necessary knowledge and skills in too short a time (12-18 months as opposed to two years in a traditional program). They think an accelerated program often takes shortcuts in preparing students for a career that deals with people’s health and lives. This is not necessarily true.

In Lamar University’s accelerated MBA program, every course has the same number of contact hours and the same level of rigor in an eight-week long course as in a traditional 16-week long course. No shortcuts are taken, and no excessive workload is imposed on the students because they take fewer courses in an eight-week term than they would in a traditional 16-week term. The accelerated program makes the supply chain for healthcare administrators more efficient with a shorter cycle time without sacrificing quality.

MHAOnline.com: What advice would you give to aspiring accelerated MBA students who want to focus on healthcare?

Dr. Bandyopadhyay: My advice would be to get some hands-on experience in healthcare administration while they pursue the MBA program. This could be volunteer work or a paid internship. For example, the intern could shadow the director/senior staff in several departments in a rotation, such as medical records, case management, environmental services, billing, and coding. At Lamar University, we encourage our MBA students to do internships (paid or unpaid) that could substitute for an elective course under the Healthcare Administration concentration.

I would also advise all MBA in healthcare students to become members of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). ACHE has vast resources to set aspiring Healthcare Administrators on the right career path.

Admission Requirements: Prospective online MBA in healthcare administration students must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0. Applicants without a business bachelor’s degree may need to take two leveling courses. The GMAT is waived for applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Applicants to the dual MSN-MBA program must have earned a BSN degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 undergraduate credits. College statistics is also a prerequisite with a grade of “C” or higher, and applicants must have a current RN license.

Application materials include an online application and application fee, and official transcripts. Those whose first language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency and are required to take an additional leveling course.

Study Plan: The Lamar University online healthcare MBA program can be completed in just 12 months, and the online MSN-MBA program can be completed in 36 months. Start dates for these programs land twice each in the fall and spring and once in the summer. The MSN-MBA degree includes two administrative practicums that are completed with an approved preceptor or faculty member.

Healthcare MBA Curriculum: The Lamar University healthcare MBA comprises 30 credits and includes leveling courses, core courses, and concentration courses. Those without an undergraduate business degree may need to take the following leveling courses: financial accounting and foundations of finance. Students who need to submit proof of English language proficiency must also take business communication.

Core MBA courses include managerial accounting; managerial economics; managerial decision-making; financial management; international business; strategic management; and marketing management. Students in all concentrations also choose either managerial decision-making or enterprise resource planning (ERP) overview.

Healthcare administration electives include three of the following: healthcare entrepreneurship; healthcare economics; healthcare information systems; healthcare strategies; and healthcare policy and finance. Students may also choose one of the following in place of one of the electives listed above: team leadership; employment law; directing and controlling healthcare delivery; personal leadership; human resources management; and planning and organizing healthcare delivery.

Dual MSN-MBA in Nursing Administration Curriculum: The dual MSN-MBA program comprises 61 credits and includes two administrative practicums. MSN courses include business principles for nurse leaders; microeconomics principles; role development for nurse administrators; planning and organizing healthcare delivery; directing and controlling healthcare delivery; health information systems; administrative practicum I-II; theoretical foundations; nursing research; advanced nursing issues and health policy; and evidence-based project I-II.

MBA courses include managerial accounting; financial management; managerial decision-making; marketing management; strategic management; business intelligence; human resource management; and employment law.

Online Experience: Lamar University uses LULearn, the Blackboard learning management system (LMS) branded for Lamar University, to deliver online course content. MBA courses are asynchronous, while MSN courses for the MSN-MBA degree may be delivered synchronously or asynchronously. Interaction can occur through online chat rooms, discussion boards, simulations, and faculty office hours. Courses are well-defined and outline weekly increments so that students can keep pace with the program requirements.

LU offers support services for online students, including live chat with librarians, and access to the campus writing center, Blackboard help, technical support, the digital library, and online health tools. Academic advising, financial aid services, career center services, and Smarthinking online tutoring are also available.

On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements as the Lamar University online healthcare MBA and MSN-MBA programs are 100 percent online. The MSN does include two administrative practicums that may be completed with an approved preceptor or faculty member.

The Lamar University online MBA and MSN-MBA program tuition numbers for residents of Texas are listed below, and include a distance learning fee, student service fee, and technology service charge, but not additional fees beyond those. Prospective students should contact the LU College of Business or the Dishman School of Nursing admissions departments for cost clarifications and updates.

Financing options for online MBA and MSN-MBA students may include federal unsubsidized graduate student loans secured by applying for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), employer tuition reimbursement programs, private loans, and outside scholarships and grants.

Sara Navratil

Writer

Sara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She's the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about healthcare-related topics, including information on online MHA programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.