The Master of Health Administration program is designed to prepare students for effective organizational management based on competencies and evidence based practices needed to become exceptional managers and leaders. The program is also committed to the improvement of health services through health services research and community engagement within complex health related organizations. The 60 credit hour program is designed for aspiring and committed professionals who are interested in careers in health services administration in such settings as hospitals; managed care organizations; medical group practices; ambulatory, long-term care, insurance and pharmaceutical companies; consulting firms; government agencies; for-profit and nonprofit sector organizations.
The curriculum is guided by the NCHL Health Leadership Competency Model which addresses the complexity and dynamic qualities of the health leader’s role and reflects the realities in health leadership today. Through an internship and a final integrative experience, students are expected to incorporate, synthesize, and apply their knowledge within both an operational and a community context. The result is an organizational perspective that encourages students to integrate knowledge from a range of management disciplines while emphasizing accountability for effective performance.
By the conclusion of the MHA program, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills in:
- Accountability
- Achievement Orientation
- Communication Skills
- Financial Skills
- Impact & Influence
- Information Technology Management
- Introductory Public Health Knowledge and Concepts
- Performance Measurement
- Process Management & Organizational Design
- Project Management
- Human Resource Management
- Change Leadership
- Strategic Orientation
- Organizational Awareness
- Analytical thinking
- Information Seeking
- Initiative
- Professionalism
- Self Confidence
Full-time enrollment is required for all cohort programs, i.e., MPH, MS, and MHA. Students in the MPH and MS programs are expected to graduate in five consecutive semesters. Students in the MHA program are expected to graduate in either five or six consecutive semesters, depending upon when they decide, with advising, to complete their internship. Students follow a weekly calendar of curricular and co-curricular activity that occupies 8-hour blocks of time, Monday through Friday. Students are strictly prohibited from holding employment off-campus during semesters in which they are enrolled in courses.
All students pursuing a MHA degree at the UNTHSC SPH are required to complete a professional internship prior to graduation. The MHA internship program is managed under the direction of the MHA Program Director in cooperation with program faculty, students and preceptors in the field.
Each student in the UNTHSC-SPH MHA Program is required to complete a 500 contact hour, 12-13-week, full-time internship in an approved health services organization under the guidance of a qualified preceptor. The purpose of this internship is to provide the student with a “real world” experience against which to compare the concepts and models learned in the classroom; enable an appreciation of the complexity of organizations and the individuals that comprise them; and to provide insights for further development of skills and knowledge during the student’s remaining time in the program.
The MHA internship experience is intended to provide students with “hands on” training in health care administration. The final decision regarding which type of internship would be most appropriate for individual students is made by the MHA Program Director in consultation with each student’s faculty advisor.
All internships are designed to enable students to accomplish the following objectives:
- To observe and understand the leadership and managerial style of the preceptor;
- To understand the overall design and interrelationships of the individual parts of the organization’s structure;
- To contribute to the “real output” of the organization by participating in relevant projects;
- To practice serving as a “real healthcare manager” within the organization; and
- To understand the internal and external environment in which the organization functions.
Additional information can be found on the MHA Internship website.