The mission of the BSMM program is to educate students whose goal is to perform support and leadership functions in a variety of healthcare settings. This degree focuses on understanding the basics of delivering medical care as well as a foundation of the business of medicine. Students may use this degree as an entry point to the medical management field or as a stepping stone to an advanced degree. A bachelor's degree in medical managementgives a student the opportunity assume administrative and support roles at any healthcare organization.
Learn a wide variety of medical office skills. Develop the skills and knowledge to pursue positions in physician offices, HMO facilities, clinics, urgent care, rehabilitation centers, and other allied healthcare facilities.
- A $50 application fee payable to Aspen University in U.S. Dollars.
- Official college/high school transcripts. Application to a Bachelors Degree Program requires submission of transcripts from each undergraduate institution attended. If the applicant has no previous college experience we require submission of an official high school transcript stating completion of secondary school or its equivalent. International students must submit a foreign degree evaluation. Official transcripts of all previous baccalaureate study must be sent directly to Aspen University by the granting institution(s).
- A resume, curriculum vita, or list of professional accomplishments.
- A statement of the academic, professional, and personal goals you would like to achieve through your studies at Aspen University. The Admissions Committee, as part of the application process, evaluates goals statements.
- Three references attesting to personal and professional qualifications. References must be from a: 1) recent employer, 2) education professional, and 3) former faculty member or dean.
- TOEFL score of 500 if native language is not English.
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Course Catalog
150 Cultural Anthropology
This course provides an up-to-date introduction to cultural anthropology and carefully balances coverage of core topics with contemporary changes in the field. No single theoretical perspective orients this course, so a wide range of views and approaches can be applied effectively.
155 American History I
Part I of American History covers the first Americans through the transformation of the West and into the rise of industrial America in the late 1800s. The course explores the tensions and conflicts that have marked virtually every chapter of American history. It presents history as a dynamic, unpredictable, and dramatic process shaped by the choices made by people of all classes.
156 American History II
Part II of American History covers the rise of industrial America, up to the post cold-war era. The course visually represents complex and controversial decisions and underscores that historical events were contingent on human agency, and not inevitable. Topics include New York’s decision to ratify the Constitution, female suffragists’ decision to withhold support for the Fifteenth Amendment, and President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. It also presents students with excerpts from key primary source documents to exemplify conflicting visions of America. This feature helps students to recognize that Americans have always debated the course of action their country should take to remain true to its founding principles.
160 English Composition I
The overriding goal of this course is to help students master the traditional five-paragraph essay and variations of this essay. It is designed to make a dramatic difference in the student's writing skills. The course embraces the four principles to effective writing: unity, support, coherence, and sentence skills. We will demonstrate how these four principles apply in the different patterns of essay development and in specialized types of writing.
170 English Composition II
In the English Composition I course we focus on grammar, sentence structure, and other aspects of the "mechanics" of English. In this course, our emphasis is on creating arguments that persuade, convince, and inspire. The goal is to develop the writing skills that will enable students to develop powerful arguments that are more than just correct; they produce the results intended. We identify the fixed types of questions that an argument can address, helping students to build writing projects around the need to develop answers to significant questions concerning facts, definitions, causes, values, and actions. These questions form a logical progression - questions of fact and definition must be settled before questions of cause can be addressed, and so on - which means that they can serve as the basis of a sequence of assignments.
220 Management Communication
This course focuses on the skills and strategies that managers need in today’s workplace. The role of communications will be explored, as well as an examination of effective communications in hiring and promoting, conflict management, presentations, routine messages, and reporting and proposals. Studies consistently report the importance of communication to business success, and managers frequently correlate communications proficiency with career satisfaction and progress. This course builds that ability that is so central to managers as they pursue goals and objectives.
225 Legal Environment of Business
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the legal and regulatory environment of business. Topics include law as a foundation of business, litigation, contracts, intellectual property, criminal law, securities regulations, agency and employment laws, discrimination, consumer protection, and more.
240 Operations Management
This course examines recent developments in operations management including revenue management, bullwhip effect, supply chain coordination and manufacturing flexibility. Quantitative topics are explained using real-world examples with data from actual companies. It introduces the topics including process flow, estimating, labor costs, batching, the impact of variability, projecting uncertain demand, reactive capacity, risk pooling and others.
315 Business Information Systems
In today's wired economy, the collection and dissemination of information has become increasingly critical to the success of most businesses. While information systems in business perform a wide variety of tasks; ultimately the goal is to increase revenue and/or reduce costs. From financial executives to administrative assistants, people in all capacities use information to improve effectiveness, customer service, and to gain a competitive advantage. This course outlines the current business requirements that drive the need for information systems, the technology available to satisfy those requirements, the procedures and components of system analysis, planning and development, and the ethical issues that define the boundaries of acceptable behavior as they relate to information systems.
325 Principles of Accounting I
Accounting, the language of business, provides crucial decision-making information to business organizations. Principles of Accounting I presents an introduction to the basic theory and techniques of contemporary financial accounting. Topics include the accounting cycle, preparation of financial statements for solo proprietorship, and ethical accounting considerations.
327 Principles of Accounting II
A continuation of Principles of Accounting I, this course extends the accounting principles and procedures to corporate accounting. Budgeting, managerial accounting, and automated accounting systems are introduced.
330 Principles of Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics emphasizes national income, the monetary system, economic fluctuations, fiscal policy, and the international economy. This course includes a study of institutions that help develop the national and international economy. Supply and demand, theory of prices, government spending and taxation, business cycles, fiscal and monetary policy, banking system and economic development are examined through class discussion and analysis of current economic events.
332 Principles of Microeconomics
Microeconomics focuses on economic decision-making, production, competition and market structures, government, labor markets, unions and the distribution of income. The principles of scarcity, choice, and the laws of supply and demand are examined through class discussions and analysis of current economic events.
350 Quantitative Methods
The quantitative approach involves using numbers to help define, describe, and resolve a wide range of business problems. Quantitative Methods is an overview of statistical techniques used in business decision-making. Students examine research design, statistics, data analysis, and research methodology.
499 Senior Capstone
The capstone project allows students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in their courses to the work environment. The Senior Capstone emphasizes the student initiative in defining and investigating problems or projects focusing on integration and application of theory through research. This project is completely individualized; students are encouraged to select work-related projects that are of particular interest to them and that will result in professional growth and benefit the organization. Due to the extensive evaluation process, and the quantity of work and research involved, the Capstone course has a time limit of 6 months.
MM100 Contemporary Issues in Health Care
Contemporary Issues in Health Care introduces students to the skills they need to become competent and productive health care workers throughout their careers, with a strong emphasis on employability skills such as teamwork, effective communication, professionalism, and medical ethics.
The course also introduces the terminology, concepts, and elements students need to gain employment as health care professionals supporting administrative and clinical functions.
MM105 Pharmacology
A class in pharmacology which meets the needs of the allied health student. The focused approach of this course provides students with the perfect blend of content and practical exercises which promote understanding of pharmacology concepts. A focused approach introduces the history of pharmacology, discussing the legal and ethical principles involved, illustrating drug administration techniques, reviewing math, and explaining drug calculations.
Examining pharmacologic principles, the class focuses on drugs used to treat a certain body system or disease type. There are reviews of anatomy and physiology to provide students with a foundation from which to understand the pharmacologic principles actions, effects, and uses of the drugs that treat a body system or disorder.
MM110 Insurance and Healthcare Reimbursement
This class provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to work in a variety of medical billing and coding positions in the medical field. It covers the foundations of insurance, billing, coding and reimbursement. Students learn not only the submission of claims to the insurance carrier but reviewing medical records, verifying patient benefits, submitting a secondary claim, posting payments and appealing the insurance carrier's decision.
MM115 Medical Terminology
In this course students learn medical record analysis - practical application of medical terminology for each body system for various case scenarios. Students also examine chart note transcription for patient scenarios, focusing on replacing the phrases used to describe maladies, procedures, tests, and conditions with the accurate medical terms. Students also learn how to correctly label system and anatomy art to practice identifying parts of organs and systems discussed.
MM120 Healthcare Information Systems
This course provides an overview of how information technology is used in healthcare, how it has affected traditional techniques, practices, and devices, and ways healthcare professionals can continue to learn and prosper alongside advancing technology. The course covers how computers and other forms of technology have been used in medical offices up until the present day, as well as cutting-edge ideas and techniques that are just beginning to gain popularity.
Specifically, the course shows how information technology is used in public health, radiology, surgery, pharmacy, dentistry and rehabilitative therapies.
MM125 Healthcare Finance
This course builds on the general management and accounting knowledge of the student to focus on the finances of healthcare businesses. Concepts covered include medical insurance, Medicare, claims information, and collections.
Students are also introduced to HIPAA regulations. The course outlines how to set up and market a medical billing service.
MM130 Healthcare Writing and Communications
This course focuses on the writing needs of students in allied health fields. Proofreading and revision exercises help develop critical thinking skills in writing and a keen eye for written work. The course reviews basic writing concepts but also builds knowledge specific to communication in healthcare fields.
MM200 Human Development
Using an interdisciplinary approach which emphasizes culture and family, this class challenges students to understand development from a broader perspective. Students draw on their own experiences as they weigh the research and ideas presented.
The course focuses on physical, cognitive, language, and sociocultural development.
Concepts examined include heredity and environment; prenatal development and childbirth; infancy; early childhood; adolescence and emerging adulthood; older adulthood; and death and dying.
MM205 Principles of Health and Disease
This course is a comprehensive survey of common diseases affecting each body system. This class presents the basic principles of human disease, organized by human organ system. Included in the course: new diagnostic tests and lab procedures; treatment and diagnostic sections to include common treatments and general medical options; coverage of disease statistics, prevalencies, risk factors for diseases and conditions; prevention; and aging.
MM210 Medical Transcription
This course provides a glimpse into the practice of transcribing in each medical specialty with transcription tips which offer handy suggestions to increase accuracy. The course provides exercises which relate specifically to the dictations and are designed to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills in the students.
The course goal is that students will understand the needs of the Medical transcription industry which has moved almost completely to the computer based systems.
MM305 Health Perspectives and Assessment
This class includes extensive coverage of the administrative medical assisting profession including the history of the profession, the responsibilities of the medical assistant, responding to emergencies in the medical office, medical practice finances and management of the medical office team, and career strategies for the medical assistant.
MM310 HIPAA and Electronic Health Records
This course prepares students to understand and use electronic records in a medical practice. The material is designed to train future users of EHR programs, to document patient exam, diagnosis, orders, and coding. The course focuses on the importance and implementation of electronic record keeping. The impact of HIPAA rules is examined from the perspective of patients and providers.
MM315 Legal Aspects of Health Care Management
The course provides essential legal and ethical principles for healthcare careers. It provides a foundation of all the essentials including the legal system, the patient/physician relationship, professional liability and medical malpractice prevention, public duties of the physician, workplace law and ethics, the medical record, confidentiality, bioethical issues, and HIPAA.
MM320 Healthcare Policy and Economics
In this course, students look at the health care industry not only as a service for patients, but as a business as well. Health care is a major contributor to the United States economy and provides many different employment opportunities ranging from positions in medicine, administration and policy.
The course provides an overview of what the terms health and health care mean in the United States and how the industry as a business is funded and regulated by both private sectors and government agencies. The course also introduces the payment process involving insurance, third-party payers and government payment programs.
Different types of health care providers from physicians and nurses to specialists and administrators are examined. Delivery systems are addressed, including primary care offices and hospitals. The material compares and contrasts the different types of care provided in each setting, how they are organized as businesses, and legal issues that individuals face working in both clinics and hospitals.
MM405 Medical Office Management
This course focuses on what office managers actually do on the job. The material systematically explores the full range of office management topics-office environment, employees, systems, and functions. The course examines selecting, supervising and motivating employees. The analysis of job duties and performance are also covered.
MM410 Health Sciences Careers
The course addresses the special skills and attitudes that a worker must possess to be recognized as a health care professional. Recognition as a healthcare professional has to be earned and maintained each and every day. This class examines the standards that apply to all health care workers—the “common ground” that everyone shares in providing the quality care and service excellence that today's patients deserve and demand.
MM415 Healthcare Ethics
This class applies critical thinking tools to medical ethics readings, and explains the dialogue which is formed by the readings and clarifies how the various thinkers respond to one another in a common discussion. The course's unified approach offers a critical thinking pedagogy to pull the many ethical perspectives together. The class examines moral theory and illustrates critical thinking tools.
MM424 Leadership in Organizations
This course provides a basic foundation of skills needed to equip students for future leadership activities. It introduces the history, philosophy, theories, and concepts of leadership and its relationship to the management of organizational change. Students identify and hone their own personal characteristics that will help them develop into effective leaders.
MM454 Ethical Decision Making for Business
This course focuses on ethics in business, beginning with the foundations of ethical thought. The course also examines
contemporary issues in business ethics, corporate governance and corporate compliance. Ethics and the environment, health care ethics, and ethics and information technology are also discussed.
MM464 Organizational Behavior
This class presents the research from organizational behavior studies to show how it can be used to solve organizational problems, and provides many pedagogical supports for this problem-solving approach. The course examines individuals and relationships, decision making, motivation, and groups and networks. Organizational culture is discussed along with power and influence.
The goals of the BSMM program are to prepare medical assistants, supervisors, and administrators who emulate the following characteristics and behaviors:
All candidates must submit a completed application. In addition, candidates must submit the following: