The Master of Science in Health Care Administration program prepares individuals to develop and implement solutions that address today‛s unique challenges facing the health care industry. Graduates with a master‛s in health care administration will be prepared to work in middle to upper management in for profit or non-profit organizations including health and wellness organizations, hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care, or health services companies. In addition, employment opportunities in other types of health care organizations such as insurance companies, governmental health agencies, non-profit health organizations, medical device companies, and medical equipment manufacturers are possible.
The master‛s in health administration program emphasizes the conceptual, analytical, and application skills required to manage contemporary health care organizations. Topics of study include: contemporary health care delivery models, health care policies and economics, legal and ethical principles in health care, cost containment models, workforce management, marketing communication strategies, health care finance, leadership styles and development, and health care business analysis.
A capstone course culminates the master‛s in health administration program, providing an opportunity for students to complete the development of a comprehensive research project, plan, or proposal that addresses a problem, issue, or concern and can be implemented upon completion of the program.
| Course # | Course Title | Course Description | Credits |
| UNV-504 | Introduction to Graduate Studies in the Ken Blanchard College of Business | This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the Ken Blanchard College of Business. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success. | 2 |
| HCA-515 | Analysis of Contemporary Health Care Delivery Models | This course allows students to develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary health care models from financial, economic, quality, access, and disparity perspectives, and to relate the ethical, cultural, political, and financial factors that drive and support them. It is from this broad, integrative, and comparative perspective that students begin defining their role and perspective as administrators within the health care system. Students begin to investigate their options and define their potential to serve as leaders of systematic improvement, within their health care discipline, based on changes in these driving factors. | 4 |
| HCA-530 | Health Care Policies and Economics | This course focuses on the practical financial-analysis skills that have immediate application within the health care industry, as well as managerial decision-making processes based on cost, service, and economic variables that influence market performance and outcome. | 4 |
| HLT-520 | Legal and Ethical Principles in Health Care | Topics covered in this course include principles and models for the recognition, analysis, and resolution of ethical dilemmas in health occupations; legal responsibility; workplace safety; and the health care facility‛s obligation to provide protection from injury for patients, their families, and staff. | 4 |
| HLT-540 | Health Care Research Methods, Analysis, and Utilization | This course focuses on the critical analysis of health care research and its application to the administration and delivery of health care services. Emphasis is placed on strategies to access current and relevant data, synthesize the information, and translate new knowledge into practice. Students are introduced to concepts of measurement, reliability, and validity, as well as ethical issues in the design and conduct of research through an evaluative process of health care initiatives and projects. | 4 |
| HCA-545 | Organizational Structure, Dynamics, and Effectiveness | This course focuses on the analysis of health care organizational structure and effectiveness. Topics include the distributive leadership model, decision making through collaboration and teamwork, and the integrative analysis of how change impacts other components of the system. | 4 |
| HCA-615 | Human Resource Management and Marketing Communication Strategies | This course focuses on essential managerial communication skills. Human resource topics include conflict management, negotiation, mediation, and coaching, as well as change management principles and the types of communication required for paradigm modification. Marketing topics include interdepartmental, cross discipline, external partner, and consumer communication and collaboration techniques. | 4 |
| LDR-600 | Leadership Styles and Development | This course explores the nature of business leadership models and theories, examines these models through a broad variety of insights and viewpoints, and provides a description and analysis of these approaches to leadership, giving special attention to how the models can improve leadership in real-world organizations. | 4 |
| HCA-610 | Essential Health Care Business Analysis | This course focuses on the critical analyses of health care business operations and performance. Topics include analysis of financial performance, operational process analysis, and quality of service evaluation. | 4 |
| HLT-610 | Networking and Professional Readiness | This course is designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge, skills, resources, and guidance to prepare for professional health care standards related to their future discipline within the industry. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, awareness and identification of resources, communication strategies, and goal setting. Students apply learned face-to-face and electronic networking techniques and tactics to ensure professional readiness along with gaining knowledge of professional standards. Students prepare a professional portfolio and resume, and learn practical interviewing techniques to prepare for entry into/advancement within their chosen discipline-specific health care careers. | 2 |
| HCA-620 | Business/Project Plan Evaluation and Development | The focus of this course is to begin integrating all previous study and to identify the focus of students‛ final capstone project. Students evaluate and integrate the methodologies, considerations, and strategies for project or program design, planning, implementation, and evaluation that are relevant or specifically required by their specific health care discipline. Topics of investigation and consideration include (but are not limited to) financial and economic impact; resource allocation; competition; public and private educational requirements; availability of information technology; impact assessment of change; process improvement assessment; social, behavioral, and environmental impact; legal/ethical issues; and any other factors that impact the provision of care or subsequent outcomes within an organization and community. A collaborative group project approach is emphasized to enhance contribution and consideration from diverse experiences within the health care field. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous coursework in the program of study. | 4 |
| HCA-675 | Health Care Innovation | This course provides an opportunity for students to envision the best possible future for the American health care system, and to understand what changes are necessary to achieve it. By focusing on and developing a set of recommendations for improving American health care, students appreciate the difference between forcing a current system to work harder, and redesigning a system in order to achieve desired outcomes. Students learn how transactional leaders can become transformational leaders, and begin the formal process of preparing for their capstone research project. Students gain understanding of how clinical data, knowledge, and practice are driving the development of health care surveillance systems through informatics. Topics of investigation include the role of informatics in improved patient care and research, organization and national bio-surveillance, and clinical decision support. Consideration is given to legal and regulatory issues in private and public health practice and as they apply to public health security and preparedness in response to bioterrorism and disasters. Prerequisite: HCA 620. | 4 |
| HCA-699 | Evidence-Based Research Project | This capstone course provides an opportunity for students to complete the development of a comprehensive evidence-based project, plan, or proposal that addresses a problem, issue, or concern in their professional practice and can be implemented upon completion of the program. Projects address a problem amenable to research-based intervention; include a relevant and comprehensive literature review; propose a solution; and include a fully developed program, project, or business plan. The project also contains all the necessary information to implement the proposed solution, evaluate its outcome(s), and disseminate the findings. Prerequisite: HCA 675. | 4 |
| Required Course Total Credit: | 48 | ||
| Courses: | 48 credits |
This program is offered in the following formats or locations:
An online education allows you the flexibility to fulfill your educational goals without distracting you from your career. Full-time faculty members support our online students while our dynamic tools allow for engaging and challenging discussions with classmates. Classes start every month.
Program Disclosure
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* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.