Health Services Administration

Return to: Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services

Nathan R. Moran
Chair, Health Services Administration

Roe Roberts
Graduate Coordinator

Degrees/Certificates

The Health Services Administration Graduate Program offers the following:

Master of Health Administration (MHA) with a major in Health Services Administration  (45 semester hours)

The MHA major must choose from among four concentration areas:

1. Health Information Management
2. Medical Practice Management
3. Public and Community Sector Health Care Management
4. Rural and Urban Hospital Management

The MHA Graduate Coordinator will design a degree plan including required courses and electives to meet the requirements for the selected area of concentration. For further information on the concentration areas refer to the department website.

Health Services Administration Graduate Certificate  (GCHSA - 18 semester hours)

An MHA degree is offered for those who want to continue to work full-time and complete a master’s degree in two to three years. Full-time students who take advantage of this unique MHA should be able to complete the degree in five semesters. Each course is offered fully online and includes Internet based discussions and written assignments. Face to face workshops and seminars are offered on campus during the academic terms for interested students; while attendance is optional for domestic students it is required for all international students with F1 visas.

The Health Services Administration program is a Graduate Associate member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).

For more information about the MHA, please click here.

Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives

Vision: To be a high value provider of health services administration education at the regional, state, national, and international levels to all types of clinical and non-clinical individuals.

Mission: The mission of the Master of Health Administration program is to effectively prepare students to operate in leadership roles in the complex and changing environment of health services administration. We strive to provide students with a cross-section of knowledge, skills, and abilities that prepare them to meet the health services administration needs of the larger community, as well as to assist them in accomplishing their career goals. Through ongoing faculty research and development, we aim to incorporate current theory and practice to provide an educational experience that effectively prepares students with diverse backgrounds and experiences to take on administrative roles within the health services delivery system.

Program Goal: Prepare students with the essential competencies to work in mid-level administrative positions at larger health services organizations or upper level positions in smaller health services organizations.

Program Objectives: (1) Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to apply within a range of health services organizations; (2) Develop leadership and human resource management skills to respond effectively in diverse health services settings; (3) Apply core tools in the financial management of health services to support organizational success; (4) Apply quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to enable effective organizational decision-making and problem solving; (5) Understand and apply health care ethics to issues that arise in the changing health services environment; (6) Analyze and synthesize information for effective market-related and strategic decision-making and planning; and (7) Be knowledgeable about the regulatory and legal environment in which health services operate.

Graduate Admission Requirements

Applicants must complete an application for admission to the Midwestern State University Graduate Programs. In addition to completing MSU admission application materials, each applicant must also complete a separate application for admission to the Health Services Administration Program. Links to the application forms can be obtained from the program website. The MHA program is open to students with varied educational backgrounds, and entrance into the MHA program is competitive. No specific baccalaureate degree is required. The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and meet the respective admission requirements for the program. All applicants are required to submit GRE scores as part of the application process, or scores from an equivalent exam approved by the Program Chair. Students who have obtained a graduate degree from a regionally accredited program - master’s or doctoral - are exempt from standards above and are admitted with unconditional status.

Unconditional Admission Guidelines

Unconditional admission may be granted to an applicant who meets the general admission requirements of Midwestern State University graduate admission and who has met the department’s minimum competency requirements including consideration of the following:

1. Competitive scores on the GRE, see the table below; and
2. A basic knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint to enable the student to adequately prepare assignments and effectively function within the Web-based instructional modes used in instruction;
3. Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better; and
4. Paid or voluntary work experience in the health field OR clinical training at the bachelor’s level.

GRE Scores Required for Unconditional/Full Admission*

*Exceptions to the minimum score requirements may be made based on work experience, or other qualifying situations, but exceptions will be made on a case by case basis at the discretion of the program’s admissions committee. Also, an Analytical Writing Score of 3.5 or greater may substitute for a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of less than 50th percentile or greater when considering a student for Unconditional Admission; again this will be on a case by case basis.

* **When compared to other test takers.

Conditional Admission Guidelines

Applicants who do not meet the requirements of unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally. The minimum GRE scores for conditional admission are shown in the table below. As a general rule,

1. Conditional admission shall continue through the first 12 hours of graduate study.
2. If the conditional admission requires leveling courses, they must be completed in the first semester of attendance with a grade of B or better, unless the department agrees otherwise.
3. Upon successful completion of 12 semester hours of graduate courses with a grade point average of 3.2 and no grade lower than a B, the student’s records will be reviewed to determine eligibility for full admission status.
4. Any student removed from the program for academic reasons or rejected for admission to the MHA program may apply for a waiver according to directions below.

Conditional Admission Requirements
Conditional admission may be granted to an applicant who meets the general admission requirements of Midwestern State University graduation admission and who has met the department’s minimum competency requirements for conditional admission including consideration of the following:

1. GRE scores, see the table below; and
2. A basic knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint to enable the student to adequately prepare assignments and effectively function within the Web-based instructional modes used in instruction;
3. Undergraduate GPA of 2.6 or better; and
4. Paid or voluntary work experience in the health field OR clinical training at the bachelor’s level OR work experience in a related field.

Conditional/Provisional GRE Admission Scores

*Exceptions to the minimum score requirements may be made based on work experience, or other qualifying situations, but exceptions will be made on a case by case basis at the discretion of the program’s admissions committee.

**When compared to other test takers.

***An Analytical Writing Score of 3.5 or greater may substitute for a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of less than 50th percentile or greater when considering a student for Unconditional Admission; again this will be on a case by case basis.

Application for Re-Admittance

The department does recognize that in rare cases course grades may cause a student to be administratively dismissed from the program or who may have not met the requirements for provisional admission. In such cases, a student may apply to the department’s academic review committee for re-admission after he or she has been officially dismissed from the program or for reconsideration if not granted conditional admission. The student must submit a letter requesting readmission with supporting documentation of ability to perform satisfactory academic work. Also, the student must submit a statement explaining why he did not perform up to departmental standards and how he intends to remedy this situation. Approval of the readmission request will be based upon the student’s written essay in his or her original application, the trend of undergraduate and graduate grades, professional work experience, letter of request, GRE analytical score, and consideration of letters of recommendation. Approval of a readmission request moves the student to conditional status with attendant requirements, which shall be evaluated based on a time schedule established by the department’s academic review committee. Students seeking reconsideration for provisional admission must write a letter to the committee explaining why their GRE and/or their undergraduate GPA did not meet the minimum program requirements and how they intend to work towards strengthening these identified areas of deficit.

Requirements for Academic Good Standing

Any student who receives two grades of C or less, or one F will be administratively removed from the program the term following the second C or D or the one F. The student in the master’s or the graduate certificate programs may repeat one course in which a grade of C or lower has been earned with the approval of the department’s academic review committee. A 3.0 overall grade point average is required for graduation, and students must have a grade of B or better in all courses in the major. Students who are seeking the graduate certificate must earn a grade of B or better in each of the courses to be awarded the certificate.

Structure of Programs

The MHA program is a 45-credit program which requires students to take some courses in a specific sequence. Although students are encouraged to start in the fall semester, exceptions are made for those who want to start in the spring or summer semesters. MHA part-time slots are available, but students are responsible for assuring that they complete the courses in an appropriate sequence.

Core Courses: All Health Services Administration students must complete the 33 semester credit hours specified below:

HSAD 5013 - Health Services Administration Foundations *
HSAD 5103 - Health Care Organization Behavior & Management Theories *
HSAD 5113 - Health Care Financial Management I  
HSAD 5133 - Health Systems Engineering and Quantitative Methods  
HSAD 5143 - Health Care and Personnel Law  
HSAD 5203 - Health Care Marketing and Microeconomics  
HSAD 5213 - Health Services Operational and Strategic Management  
HSAD 5223 - Health Informatics  
HSAD 5253 - Health Services Research  
HSAD 5293 - Managerial Epidemiology and Biostatistics  
HSAD 6063 - Graduate Seminar in Advanced Research **
*Must be taken during the first full academic semester in program.
**Taken only one time after completing at least 30 semester credit hours and HSAD 5253.

Electives: 12 semester credits of elective courses are to be defined by the student and the advisor, based on the student’s desired career goals and their concentration area.

Students should contact their advisor to ensure courses are taken in the proper sequence. Typical course offerings each semester are as follows (Electives will rotate, so if a student desires a specific elective be sure to take it the first semester it is offered as it may not be offered for several more semesters):

Fall
HSAD 5013 - Health Services Administration Foundations *
HSAD 5103 - Health Care Organization Behavior & Management Theories *
HSAD 5113 - Health Care Financial Management I  
HSAD 5203 - Health Care Marketing and Microeconomics  
HSAD 5223 - Health Informatics  
HSAD 5253 - Health Services Research  
HSAD 6063 - Graduate Seminar in Advanced Research **

Spring
HSAD 5013 - Health Services Administration Foundations *
HSAD 5103 - Health Care Organization Behavior & Management Theories *
HSAD 5133 - Health Systems Engineering and Quantitative Methods  
HSAD 5163 - Capstone: Health Administrative Problems  
HSAD 5213 - Health Services Operational and Strategic Management  
HSAD 5293 - Managerial Epidemiology and Biostatistics  
HSAD 6063 - Graduate Seminar in Advanced Research **

Summer
HSAD 5143 - Health Care and Personnel Law  

Graduation Requirements

Students must successfully complete all required courses with a grade of B or better. To graduate, all students must successfully complete all course work in a manner consistent with the guidelines for that course (Contact the Program Coordinator for more information). In addition, all MHA students must complete and successfully pass a written comprehensive examination in the semester in which they intend to graduate. A student who fails the comprehensive examination may be allowed one retake of the exam. The student will be notified by the Program Coordinator and/or the student’s advisor if a retake is permitted. This retake cannot be completed until the next semester and will be comprised of new questions. If a student fails the retake of the examination, his/her degree candidacy will be terminated.

Note: These requirements are specific to MHA students. Students who are in other program areas and taking MHA courses should refer to the program requirements for the program for which they have been admitted.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to Candidacy occurs when the student completes all courses with a grade of B or better.

Degree Requirements and Courses

Programs

• Health Services Administration, M.H.A.

• Health Services Administration Graduate Certificate

Courses

• HSAD 5003 - Independent Graduate Study in Health Administration
• HSAD 5013 - Health Services Administration Foundations
• HSAD 5103 - Health Care Organization Behavior & Management Theories
• HSAD 5113 - Health Care Financial Management I
• HSAD 5123 - Health Care Personnel
• HSAD 5133 - Health Systems Engineering and Quantitative Methods
• HSAD 5143 - Health Care and Personnel Law
• HSAD 5163 - Capstone: Health Administrative Problems
• HSAD 5203 - Health Care Marketing and Microeconomics
• HSAD 5213 - Health Services Operational and Strategic Management
• HSAD 5223 - Health Informatics
• HSAD 5233 - Health Policy and Macroeconomics
• HSAD 5253 - Health Services Research
• HSAD 5273 - Health Care Ethics
• HSAD 5283 - Health Care Financial Management II
• HSAD 5293 - Managerial Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• HSAD 5503 - Healthcare Demographic Analysis
• HSAD 5603 - Prison Health Care
• HSAD 6003 - Special Graduate Topics in Health Administration
• HSAD 6063 - Graduate Seminar in Advanced Research

Return to: Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services