Full Description

The Nursing Home Administration graduate certificate prepares individuals to apply managerial principles to the administration of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care, home health services, senior living communities, retirement communities and other long-term services and supports. Individualized coursework may include instruction in social and clinical aspects of aging, health care delivery systems, long-term care administration, aging policy and government programs, ethics, business management, financial management, human resource management, marketing and applicable laws and regulations.

The program prepares graduates for the national and state licensure examinations required in the State of Ohio to become a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA). Once licensed, individuals are qualified to lead organizations in the field of long-term care services and supports. The certificate is particularly appropriate for graduate students from any discipline who are interested in long-term care, but also for individuals currently working in the long-term care field who wish to advance their career as an executive of long-term care services and supports.

Students should be able to complete the certificate within one academic year or three semesters. The certificate includes an internship as required by the State of Ohio in a skilled nursing facility.

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.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 3.000 GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Questions in Anticipation of Licensure form
• Statement of personal goals and professional objectives
• Documented experience and/or coursework in the field of aging or a related field
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Summer Term
  • Rolling admissions

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the Domains of Practice as established by National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards in order to successfully pass the nursing home administrator licensure exams.
2. Demonstrate mastery of the Domains of Practice as evidenced by passing the online practice exams.
3. Earn the Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) credential.

Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

¹

LTCA 54032 recommended to be taken prior to LTCA 63092 and LTCA 63192​.

²

Internship enrollment by permission only. LTCA 63092 and LTCA 63192 must be completed consecutively.

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 3.000 GPA must be maintained throughout the program.
• Students may be required to successfully complete a 40 hour volunteer experience at a skilled nursing facility if missing from their current academic or work experience.
• State/Federal background checks may be required for some internship sites. Results indicating one of the disqualifying offenses, whether expunged or current, may result in the inability to be placed at a skilled nursing facility for the required internship hours and may prevent the applicant from applying for licensure required to operate a skilled nursing facility or assisted living facility. Contact the Ohio Board of Executives of Long Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) for licensure eligibility with a disqualifying offense. Please see faculty advisor for more information.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus
  • Stark Campus

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Long-Term Care Administration provides students the education and qualifications and eligibility for state and national licensure eligibility to work as administrators in long-term care settings, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement communities, congregate living, adult care centers, hospice care and other long term services and supports.

Students may earn the certified dementia practitioner (CDP) credential prior to graduation. After graduation and passing of the state and national licensure exams for nursing home administration (NHA), graduates working in the long-term care field will qualify to apply for the health services executive (HSE) credential. 

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.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the provision of customer care and services
2. Demonstrate an understanding of departmental operations and how each area interacts with other areas in the provision of care and services
3. Demonstrate knowledge of management, leadership, legal and regulatory requirements and the administrator’s perspective on how to successfully oversee operations.
4. Effectively communicate ideas in oral presentations and written papers.
5. Identify opportunities for employment in long-term care services and supports.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • Mostly online
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus (mostly online and in person)
  • Stark Campus (mostly online)

The B.S. degree in Long-Term Care Administration is accredited by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) and approved by the Ohio Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS).