In addition, the student chooses elective courses offered in this major and/or from the program curricula of other School of Business and Technology majors.

If the requisite course is waived, the student must choose an elective course from this major or from the program curriculum of another School of Business and Technology major. Students pursuing dual majors who have the requisite course(s) waived will complete only the remaining required courses for the dual majors.

MHA Course Descriptions

HLTH 5000 Organization and Management of Health Systems (Requisite Course) (3)
Various types of health delivery systems are examined, including the hospital, health maintenance organizations, and managed care systems. Formal organizations and informal dynamics are reviewed. Particular attention is directed to the role of the manager in the communications, protocol, and decision-making processes.

HLTH 5020 Organizational Planning and Change in Health Systems (3)
This course explores how management introduces change into the health organization as an adaptive response to the external environment. The sociological dimensions of change are identified from the viewpoint of their impact on the health organization and health systems. Theories of organization change are applied to the health organization, and the role of leadership and strategic management in health organizations is explored theoretically and experientially. Organizational responses to the issues of market changes, managed care, consolidation, and system integration are analyzed.

HLTH 5040 Health Systems Human Resource Management (3)
This course deals with human resource issues in the health care organization. Particular attention is directed to the dynamics of contemporary human relations issues in the health care organization. The relationship between the administrative or bureaucratic structure (with its communication protocol and policy guidelines) and the professional structure of the hospital (with its physicians, nurses, and allied professions) is studied in detail.

HLTH 5050 Financial Management in Health Care (3)
This course emphasizes the managerial aspects of health care finance and begins with a brief review of accounting systems in health care institutions. The development and application of third-party reimbursement is described, including managed care and prospective payment systems. Cost behavior and cost analysis concepts are examined. Budgeting and internal control, including auditing concepts and techniques, are explored. Prerequisite: academic background in accounting or demonstration of satisfactory accounting skills.

HLTH 5060 Materials Planning & Purchasing for the Health Care Facility (3)
This course addresses the basis of decisions to lease or purchase equipment and to provide or contract for certain services.

HLTH 5070 Financial Analysis in Health Care (3)
Financial management and systems development in a changing health care environment are the focus of this course. A financial analysis framework is presented with key elements of forecasting, capital budgeting, and access to capital. Methods of long-term financial planning are considered, including capital investment decisions, equity and debt financing, and lease purchase decisions. Strategic financial planning, including mergers, acquisitions, and financial management in a managed care environment, are addressed. Prerequisite: HLTH 5050.

HLTH 5100 Statistics for Health Care Management (3)
This course introduces the use of statistical analysis in health care management. The course objective is for students to develop an understanding of the basic methods and underlying concepts of statistics that are used in management decision making. Among topics explored are descriptive statistics, probability, sampling, hypothesis testing, forecasting methods, and nonparametric statistics. Applications in health-related management and research are featured.

HLTH 5120 Health Policy Issues (3)
The student examines significant health care policy issues. Special emphasis is given to public policies with broad implications, such as Medicare, regulation, financial assistance for the uninsured, and response to managed care systems. The process of policy decision making is explored. Methods and approaches for the research of policy issues are reviewed.

HLTH 5140 The Law and Health Services (3)
The law and legal processes that affect health services institutions are examined. The course presents an overview of legal principles concerned with torts, contracts, and liability as relevant to health institutions. Legal elements of labor relations in the health field and the legal obligations and malpractice law as applied to health professionals and administrators are discussed.

HLTH 5500 Professional Seminars (1-3)
Students participate in seminars designed to examine contemporary issues in health services management. The professional seminar supplements the core and elective courses in the area of health services management by focusing on issues of current and special interest. Course may be repeated for credit if content differs. Graduate students may apply a maximum of 3 credit hours of these seminars as electives to meet the credit-hour requirements for graduation. This course may not be completed by directed study.

HLTH 5610 Planning & Marketing for Health Care Services Organizations (3)
The student examines concepts and techniques useful in planning for the marketing of health care services. Decision areas covered include market analysis, market segmentation, service strategy development, pricing strategy, distribution strategy development, communications, organizational design, and evaluation. Consideration is given to not-for-profit, public, and for-profit health organizations.

HLTH 6000 Integrated Studies in Health Services Management (3)
The student is expected to synthesize and integrate the learning experiences acquired in health services management and to evaluate the research and current topics relative to this major. Techniques used to accomplish these goals may vary. Prerequisite: completion of all other required courses in this major.

On-Line Courses and Degrees