Master of Health Administration Program
INTERIM PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Michael H. Kennedy, PhD, MHA, FACHE
School of Health Professions, Academic Building, Office H241
(903) 877-1402
michael.kennedy@uthct.edu
mkennedy@uttyler.edu
michael.kennedy@uttyler.edu
PROGRAM MISSION
The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed for future leaders to meet the challenges of the health industry. Students will graduate from the program with marketable skills, qualifications and competencies in five domain areas: measurement and analysis; communication; leadership; law and ethics; and professional development.
PROGRAM GOALS
Graduates of the MHA program will:
- Be able to identify information needs as well as gather and understand relevant data information in order to define a problem, assess a situation and implement a set of metrics.
- Be able to organize, manipulate and use information to assess performance, identify alternative courses of action, investigate hypotheses and accomplish other strategic goals.
- Be able to receive and convey information in ways that encourage continued dialogue among stakeholders. Effective communication involves strong written and oral transmission skills, responsive listening and use of creative strategies for exchanging information.
- Be able to influence others to reach their highest level of effectiveness in achieving common goals, both as individuals and in teams. They will be able to establish direction and engage various constituencies in producing a shared vision of the future, motivating and committing them to action and making them responsible for their performance.
- Have established a high ethical standard and be able to help create a community culture of shared ethical values and legal understanding, and transform those ideals into visions and expected behaviors.
- Be able to excel professionally throughout their career and make meaningful contributions to the field through personal development and organizational improvement.
COMPETENCIES BY DOMAIN
Measurement & Analysis:
- Identify appropriate sources and gather information effectively and efficiently.
- Appraise literature and data critically that enhances community health.
- Develop, understand and use data from performance, surveillance or monitoring systems.
- Understand and explain financial statements; prepare and manage budgets; make sound, long-term investment decisions (financial analysis).
- Understand and apply basic statistical methods relevant to public health and health administration practice (statistical analysis).
- Understand the policy-making process and the role of public health politics; assess a problem and identify and compare potential policy solutions; understand and critically assess methods to evaluate policy impact (policy analysis).
- Use basic microeconomic theory to understand how the incentives of consumers, providers and payers affect behaviors, costs and other outcomes; understand and apply basic econometric tools for the empirical study of issues in health economics (economic analysis).
- Analyze, design or improve an organizational process, including the use of quality management, process improvement, marketing and information technology principles and tools (operational analysis).
- Understand and apply basic epidemiologic principles, measures and methods to assess the health status of a population; identify risk factors in individuals and
communities; evaluate the impact of population-based interventions and initiatives (population health assessment).
- Implement a decision-making process that incorporates evidence from a broad analysis that includes uncertainty, risk, stakeholders and organizational values (decision-making).
Communication:
- Convey: Speak and write in a clear, logical and grammatical manner in formal and informal situations; prepare cogent business presentations; facilitate an effective group process.
- Listen: Receive, process and respond appropriately to information conveyed by others.
- Interact: Perceive and respond appropriately to the spoken, unspoken or partly expressed thoughts, feelings and concerns of others.
Leadership:
- Organizational Vision: Through effective governance, establish an organization’s values, vision and mission; systematically enhance performance and human material and knowledge resources.
- Strategic Orientation: Analyze the business, demographic, ethnocultural, political and regulatory implications of decisions and develop strategies that continually improve the long-term success, viability of the organization and focus on community health status.
- Accountability: Hold self and others accountable to standards of performance; encourage commitment to the long-term good of the organization.
- Change Leadership: Energize stakeholders and sustain their commitment to the organization while adapting to changes in the environmental factors.
- Collaboration: Work collaboratively with others as part of a team or group, demonstrating a commitment to the team’s goal and encouraging individuals to put forth their best effort.
- Organizational awareness: Understand and learn from governance structures, formal and informal decision-making structures and power relationships in an organization, industry or community.
Law & Ethics:
- Use legal reasoning as a tool for analysis, communication, strategy and planning.
- Behave ethically and promote standards of ethical behavior throughout public and healthcare organizations and professional communities.
- Develop an understanding of state and federal healthcare legislation as it affects healthcare organizations
Professional Development:
- Actively seek feedback from others, reflecting and learning from the successes and failures of professionals in public health and healthcare.
- Develop an accurate view of one’s own strengths and developmental needs, including the impact one has on others.
PROGRAM ADMISSION PREREQUISITES
To be admitted into the Master of Health Administration program, a student must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or be in the final year of undergraduate coursework.
PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Students must complete the graduate program application for admission into the MHA graduate program (available on the university website).
- Applicants must submit official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended, including community colleges. Applicants should have an overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.(If you do not meet the minimum GPA requirements, it is possible to be admitted on a probationary status.)
- Although not required, applicants coming directly from a baccalaureate program are strongly encouraged to take the GRE. A minimum combined score of 295 is preferred: 145 on the quantitative section and 150 on the verbal section. (You can sign up for the GRE online (www.ets.org/gre) as well as find out about testing centers and dates. If you have already taken the GRE, this site will allow you to request an official copy of your scores.)
- Additionally, all applicants must submit a cover letter announcing interest in the program; a personal statement addressing the reason for interest in the program and goals upon program completion; a current resume or curriculum vitae outlining education, training and experience; and three letters of recommendation. These letters should be written by former professors and/or employers to highlight why the applicant would do well in the MHA graduate program.
- A personal interview with admission committee member(s) will be required if applicant meets other requirements.
THE MHA TUITION SCHOLARSHIP
Depending on availability of funds, the School of Community and Rural Health offers a semesterly tuition and fee scholarship on a limited basis to degree-seeking graduate students admitted into the MHA program. These scholarship awards are for $250 per credit hour (CH) up to 3 CH ($750) per semester (typically fall and spring) based on availability of funds, number of applicants and the academic merit of the student. If awarded, scholarship funds will be applied to the student’s account at the beginning of the award semester. A new application is required before each semester.
To be considered for this scholarship, a student must:
- Be admitted to the Health Science Center at UT Tyler Master of Health Administration degree program (clear or provisional admission as defined in the General Academic Catalog).
- Be actively pursuing the MHA degree (neither on academic leave of absence nor in absentia).
- Have met all program prerequisite requirements.
- Be enrolled in and maintain at least 5 CH in the MHA program during the award semester.
To be awarded a continuing scholarship, the student must additionally:
- Have satisfactorily completed all previous coursework in the program (“B” or better).
- Have a current, approved degree plan (on file in the program office).
- Have maintained the requisite course load for the previous award semester.
If awarded, the student must maintain regular enrolled student status during each semester of the award and must not be on scholastic probation, leave of absence or registered in absentia. Failure to meet these conditions may result in termination of the scholarship. At the discretion of the committee, the scholarship may be reinstated once the student regains regular student status and/or adequately corrects any academic deficiencies.
Students will be notified via their university email when the application becomes available online at: www.uthct.edu/student-financial-services.
MHA Program Courses
All course information, including syllabi and faculty curriculum vitae, can be found online.
Electives
| HPEM 5340 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| HPEM 5360 | Quality Improvement and Efficacy in Health | 3 |
| HPEM 6350 | Healthcare Economics and Policy | 3 |
| HPEM 6380 | Integrative Health Enterprise Analytics and Decision Making | 3 |
Sample of a Two-Year Degree Plan for Master of Health Administration (36 hours)
This is the sample degree plan for a full-time student. Students traditionally complete the 36 credit hours on a two-year track. However, the MHA program can be completed at your own pace within six years from time of admission.
Year 1 - Fall
| HPEM 6340 | Leadership Foundations and Strategies for Health | 3 |
| HPEM 5317 | Health Business Statistics | 3 |
| HPEM 5360 | Quality Improvement and Efficacy in Health | 3 |
| | or | |
| HPEM 5340 | Health Informatics | 3 |
Year 1 - Spring
| HPEM 5330 | Healthcare Delivery Systems and Contemporary Issues | 3 |
| HPEM 6310 | Healthcare Finance | 3 |
| HPEM 6360 | Healthcare Marketing and Strategic Planning | 3 |
Year 2 - Fall
Year 2 - Spring