PHD IN HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL LAW
Healthcare law is the specialized area of law focused on how the law impacts patients and health care providers. Since 1965, when Medicare and Medicaid were introduced, health care reform has evolved to make sure the most vulnerable people have access to quality health care. Health laws like HIPPA and the ACA have evolved to focus on patient privacy and access to affordable care. Each of these laws influences business decisions and health law experts are needed to understand the impacts and keep up with changing regulations.
While a healthcare law degree does not qualify graduates to sit for the bar exam, it is a beneficial degree for individuals in insurance, health care administration, social work, or health education. Candidates earning a healthcare law degree online can continue working while earning their degree, applying their knowledge and adding value to their workplace immediately. Most programs are open to candidates with a bachelor’s degree in any area, allowing students to transition careers or advance their careers.
We created this list of the top 20 online healthcare law degree programs in the United States to help showcase the best programs. We considered institutions holding regional accreditation and offering online master’s in:
- Health law
- Healthcare law
- Healthcare Compliance
- Health law and policy
We determined the best programs have courses taught by expert-level faculty and a curriculum that exposes candidates to a variety of legal and ethical issues in healthcare. We created a ranking system using the information provided by the College Navigator including student to faculty ratio and average graduate tuition rates. Since we are focused on the online programs, we awarded extra points to programs that don’t require campus visits.
The ranking is as follows:
Applicant to Faculty Ratio
- 15:1 or less= 5 Points
- 16:1 to 20:1= 3 Points
- Greater than 20:1= 1 Point
TOP UNIVERSITIES:
- Regent University – Virginia
- Emory University – Atlanta
- American University – Washington, DC
- Loyola University – Chicago
- University of Southern California – Los Angeles
- Wake Forest University – Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Drexel University – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Nova Southeastern University – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Career Outlook
Walden’s PhD in Health Services program can prepare you for the leadership position at the forefront of the design and delivery of cutting-edge health services in both the private and public sectors. Choose from career options in the following areas:
- Drug manufacturers
- Elder service
- Governmental health agencies
- Health insurance companies
- Healthcare consulting
- Healthcare corporation
Admission Requirements:
Program Admission Considerations: A master’s degree or higher.
General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and the transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply. More information for international students.
Healthcare and medical law education:
Knowledge can help to improve healthcare outcomes. With a specialization in education, you may become the patient educator or care coordinator who helps people learn to improve their own well-being. You might also hold the teaching position in which you help healthcare candidates or continuing-education professionals gain new skills.
This specialization is suited for those who enjoy communicating with and mentoring others.
How Long Will it Take to Earn My PhD in the Healthcare Administration?
The normal range is between three and seven years, but if you have the time, you can enroll in accelerated healthcare and medical administration programs.
Online PhD in Healthcare Programs
Hospitals and other healthcare systems are businesses, but they have a unique focus: caring for people’s bodies and minds. So, serving in the leadership capacity within a medical system requires a specific set of skills and knowledge. A Doctorate in Healthcare Administration is the degree that can help prepare you for those high-level positions.
Administrative healthcare professionals are responsible for the operations and the business success of the organizations for which they work. Big decisions often rest on their shoulders, so they need to have strong critical-thinking skills.