The mission of the Department of Healthcare Administration (HCA) is to develop leaders to improve healthcare through education, research, and service, grounded in the Jesuit values of care for others and social justice.
Built on a thriving undergraduate Healthcare Administration (HCA) program and its strong national reputation within the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration (AUPHA), the new Healthcare Administration (HCA) graduate program is uniquely designed for aspiring professionals seeking the flexibility of part-time, online formats.
The program encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds and those with varied interests in health care. The department's vision is to be a national leader whose graduates are forces for positive change and leaders of teams that meet the challenges and opportunities of healthcare consistent with the highest ethical values.
Related Programs
Curriculum
The MHA is a part ime two-year, 40-43 credit hour, online program with one-day immersion sessions required prior to each fall and spring semester. Students are admitted on rolling basis. Faculty offer a wide variety of industry and academic experience that they leverage into substantial hands-on learning opportunities via twice-yearly immersion weekends, a unique capstone project, and case competition experiences.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| MHA 405 | U.S. Health Systems Management | 3 |
| MHA 415 | Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| MHA 430 | Managerial Epidemiology | 3 |
| MHA 440 | Healthcare Management and Ethics | 3 |
| MHA 450 | Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers | 3 |
| MHA 451 | Healthcare Finance I | 3 |
| MHA 452 | Healthcare Finance II | 3 |
| MHA 460 | Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| MHA 484 | Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support | 3 |
| MHA 489 | Human Resources and Professionalism | 3 |
| MHA 491 | Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders 1 | 1 |
| MHA 492 | Policy in Health Systems 1 | 1 |
| MHA 493 | Healthcare Performance Management 1 | 1 |
| MHA 494 | Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare 1 | 1 |
| MHA 495 | Capstone II | 3-6 |
| Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence | |
2 | |
| Total Hours | 40-43 |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested part-time path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term and the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
Plan of Study Grid
| Year 1 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| MHA 415 |
Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care |
3 |
| MHA 451 |
Healthcare Finance I |
3 |
| MHA 491 |
Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 7 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MHA 405 |
U.S. Health Systems Management |
3 |
| MHA 452 |
Healthcare Finance II |
3 |
| MHA 492 |
Policy in Health Systems 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 7 |
| Summer |
|---|
| MHA 430 |
Managerial Epidemiology |
3 |
| MHA 450 |
Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers |
3 |
|
3 |
| MHA 468 |
Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence |
3 |
| | Hours | 12 |
| Year 2 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| MHA 440 |
Healthcare Management and Ethics |
3 |
| MHA 489 |
Human Resources and Professionalism |
3 |
| MHA 493 |
Healthcare Performance Management 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 7 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MHA 460 |
Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations |
3 |
| MHA 484 |
Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support |
3 |
| MHA 494 |
Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 7 |
| Summer |
|---|
| MHA 495 |
Capstone II |
3-6 |
|
|
| MHA 468 |
Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence 2 |
3 |
| | Hours | 6-9 |
| | Total Hours | 46-49 |
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Aligned with our Jesuit heritage, MHA students (and graduates) will have the skills and confidence to positively influence change in the healthcare industry. Through experiences such as the unique capstone project, students are asked to take initiative, analyze various types of information, and use evidence-based problem solving. In short, graduates are taught to be forces for positive change and leaders of teams that meet the challenges and opportunities of healthcare consistent with the highest ethical values.
Specifically, graduates will be prepared to:
- Apply core business and financial principles to the healthcare environment
- Evaluate industry and organizational dynamics in the healthcare environment
- Assess and prioritize population health needs
- Drive operational and performance improvements in healthcare organizations
- Manage data to guide decision making in health services organizations
- Synthesize theoretical and analytical knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills to solve problems in healthcare administration
- Integrate values, ethics, and social justice into the management and leadership of health services organizations, aligned with the Jesuit Catholic tradition
- Incorporate management techniques and theories into leadership activities
- Respond to the need for change and lead the change process
- Present results of data analysis in a way that is factual, credible, and understandable to the decision-making
- Demonstrate problem-solving and problem-solving skills
- Demonstrate high ethical conduct, a commitment to transparency, and accountability for one's action
- Balance the interrelationships among access, quality, safety, cost, resource allocation, accountability, care setting, community need, and professional roles
- Use vital statistics and core health indicators to guide decision-making and analyze health trends of the population to guide the provision of health services
- Effectively use key accounting principles and financial management tools
- Use data sets to assess performance, establish targets, monitor indicators and trends, and determine if deliverables are met: Driving improvements requires a data-driven approach
- Develop and track indicators to measure quality outcomes, satisfaction, and patient safety, and plan continuous improvement
- Demonstrate an understanding of the interdependency, integration, and competition among healthcare sectors
