The program—the first in the state— will begin enrolling students this fall.
Texas State University (TSU) will be offering a new master’s degree in Long-Term Care Administration—the first such a degree in the state.
The new degree, with instruction to be delivered fully online, was authorized by the Texas State University System Board of Regents to address pressing demand in the state's economy created by the rapidly aging "baby boomer" population, said a TSU press release.
The program will build on state and national boards' minimum requirements to become a nursing home administrator. Graduate level preparation is not a current requirement in most states, though "employers view applicants holding a master's degree in high regard," according to TSU.
TSU's new program, offered through the College of Health Professions and Graduate College, will cover environmental design and management, personnel management, elder abuse and mistreatment, and internship hours. Students will be able to complete the degree requirements with either full- or part-time enrollment.
By 2030, the elderly population will be double what it is in 2022, with 61 million people 66-84 years of age living in the United States, along with another 9 million aged 85 years and older, resulting in a significant need for long-term care for these aging populations, including nursing homes.
Texas is expecting an exponential rise in the number of nursing home residents, from about 101,000 in 2010 to more than 309,000 by 2040, according to TSU.
The program will begin enrolling students in the fall of 2022, pending final approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.