Healthcare Organization and Management
Self-paced online Healthcare Organization and Management course (Health 302). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Does my degree subject matter for a Texas NFA licence?
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
On the Texas NFA licence degree subject question, any bachelor's from an accredited college qualifies on the main track, with a 1,000-hour internship. A degree in health administration, health services administration, health care administration or nursing, plus three years of management experience, qualifies for a 500-hour internship under 26 TAC 555.12.
The short answer
The subject does not decide whether you can get the licence. It can decide how long your internship is. That is the only place the rule treats degree subjects differently on the bachelor's tracks.
How the tracks compare
26 TAC 555.12, amended in September 2024, sets these tracks. Each also needs coursework covering the NAB domains.
| Track | Degree | Experience | Internship |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a)(1) | Bachelor's in any subject + 12 long-term care hours | None | 1,000 hours |
| (a)(2) | Bachelor's in health administration, health services, health care administration or nursing | 3 years management | 500 hours |
| (a)(3) | Bachelor's | 1 year as administrator in another state | 500 hours |
| (a)(4) | Master's in health administration or nursing | 1 year management | 500 hours |
| (a)(5) | Health services executive qualification | Per the qualification | None listed |
Is a health administration degree worth it?
If you already have three years of management experience, or will by the time you finish, a health administration degree can save 500 internship hours: about three months of full-time work. If you do not have that experience, the subject saves nothing, because the 500-hour track needs both. A degree in any subject keeps the 1,000-hour route open. Also think past the licence: a health administration degree teaches finance, law and staffing for care settings, which helps in the job itself, while another subject may suit you better if you want options outside long-term care.
- Have 3 years management: consider a health administration major
- No management experience: any subject works
- Already hold a bachelor's: no need for a second degree
What management experience means
The rule speaks of management experience, and HHSC reviews it at application. It is wise to ask HHSC in writing what kind of roles and settings count before you rely on the 500-hour track. Keep job descriptions and letters from employers that show your supervisory duties.
Three common situations
Most readers fall into one of three groups, and the plan is different for each. Find yours, then ask HHSC in writing about anything that does not fit neatly.
| Your situation | Likely track | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's in any subject, no management experience | (a)(1), 1,000 hours | Take the 12 long-term care hours and find a preceptor |
| Nursing or health administration bachelor's, 3+ years managing | (a)(2), 500 hours | Gather proof of management experience and ask HHSC to confirm |
| No bachelor's yet | None until the degree is done | Finish a bachelor's; pick health administration if you will have the experience |
Finishing a degree with online courses
If the bachelor's is what stands between you and the licence, the fastest step is often to finish whatever degree you started. UPI Study offers management, healthcare finance, healthcare HR and general education courses with ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, which can count toward a degree via a college transcript if the college agrees. Partner colleges TESU, UoPeople and Newlane consider such credit. Ask the college in writing first, and ask HHSC in writing about the long-term care hours.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask HHSC NFA licensing in writing whether your planned coursework meets the 12 long-term care administration hours, and ask the degree college in writing which credits it will count, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can I use a business degree for a Texas NFA licence?
Yes. A bachelor's in any subject, including business, qualifies on the main track with 12 long-term care administration hours and a 1,000-hour internship. The shorter 500-hour track names health administration and nursing degrees.
Does a nursing degree shorten the NFA internship in Texas?
It can. A bachelor's in nursing plus three years of management experience and coursework covering the NAB domains qualifies for a 500-hour internship under 26 TAC 555.12(a)(2). Without the experience, the 1,000-hour track applies.
Does a foreign degree count for a Texas NFA licence?
HHSC asks for a degree from an accredited college. If your degree is from outside the United States, ask HHSC in writing what evaluation it needs before you apply, and keep its answer with your papers.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Human Resource Management in Healthcare
Self-paced online Human Resource Management in Healthcare course (Health 303). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Medical Terminology
Self-paced online Medical Terminology course (Health 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Management and general education courses toward the bachelor's.
Sources
- 26 Tex. Admin. Code 555.12, Licensure Requirements (Cornell LII copy)(a)(1) bachelor's in any subject + 12 semester credit hours in long-term care administration + 1,000-hour internship; (a)(2) health-related bachelor's + 3 years management + 500 hours; (a)(4) master's in health administration or nursing + 1 year management + 500 hours; (a)(5) health services executive qualification. Amended eff. 18 Sep 2024. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Texas HHS: NFA FAQs (official)Bachelor's in any subject from an accredited college; at least 12 academic credit hours in long-term care administration or its equivalent covering the NAB domains; at least 1,000 AIT internship hours with an HHSC-approved preceptor; NAB and state exams; fees: application $100, NAB exam $455, state exam $210, initial licence $250. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.