Nursing Home Administration

The Nursing Home Administration program at Kent State University is accredited by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB). Our program is one of fifteen NAB accredited programs in the country and one of five in the state of Ohio.

The program is based on standards of excellence established by NAB and strong partnerships with outstanding area senior living communities providing safe and dignified person-centered care. This accreditation highlights the program's emphasis on developing students to become the next generation of leaders in the long term care profession.

The nursing home administration program at Kent State University focuses on preparing students to become executives in the field of long-term services and supports. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the job market for graduates of healthcare management programs is very strong due to the rapidly increasing aging population. The number of older adults living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement communities and those individuals requiring community services is predicted to double within the next ten years.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to apply for the national exam offered through the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards and the state exam offered by the Ohio Board of Executives of Long-term Services & Supports (BELTSS). Graduates of the program perform well on both exams due to the interdisciplinary coursework and high quality practicum sites offered in KSU's program.

For more information contact Donna Alexander at dalexa2@kent.edu.

Special Program Features

The curriculum was developed following the domains from NAB and emphasizes all areas needed to master the national examination. Kent State University's academic program is approved for accreditation by NAB. Students are required to complete a two semester supervised internship in a licensed nursing home or long term care facility. This professional training consists of 800-1000 hours of hands-on experience alongside professionals in nursing home administration. Students in the program are encouraged to become members of the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) and Ohio Health Care Association (OHCA). This organization provides opportunities for professional development, leadership and mentoring from leading professionals in the field.

Nursing Home Administration students are encouraged to pursue a minor in business through the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship.  The Business minor provides students with exposure to a basic business core and helps them gain an overview of the world of business while pursuing a degree in another field.

Before you declare a Business Minor, please meet with the Academic Advisor for Human Development and Family Studies in the VACCA Advising Office in 304 White Hall or an HDFS Faculty Advisor.

Note* A minimum of 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing and a minimum 50% of the total hours for the minor must be earned at Kent State University.

Requirement to declare the business minor:  Minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA; or if new freshman, no established GPA is required.

Requirement to graduate with the business minor: Minimum 2.500 GPA (including all attempts of the courses at the 30000 level) is required in the minor courses.

For the Complete Roadmap for Nursing Home Administration, please click here

Scholarships

Students are strongly encouraged to apply for the following scholarships:

1. Outstanding Human Development Student Scholarship
2. Dorothy and James Fruit Gerontology Scholarship
3. John and Alicia Pieper Scholarship
4. Area Agency on Aging Scholarship (contact Tim Martin at tmartin@services4aging.org for an application)

For more information on available scholarships in the College of Education, Health and Human Services and eligibility requirements, visit the Scholarships page.

Available Resources

• Nursing Home Administration Roadmap
• Nursing Home Administration AIT Student Application Packet
• Nursing Home Administration AIT Preceptor Packet
• NAB
• OHIO BELTSS
• McKnight's Long Term Care News
• American College of Health Care Administrators
• BELTSS Facebook page

Professional Licensure Disclosure
This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.

Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.