Dr. Patricia O’Connor, M.H.A. Coordinator      Phone: (203) 837-3203

                                                                                          OconnorP@wcsu.edu

Lorraine DiLeo, Dept. Secretary                          Phone: (203) 837-8341

                                                                                          Fax: (203) 837-8527

M.H.A. Program Overview

Western’s Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) program prepares students for managerial positions in a range of health services organizations. The program is designed for part-time study; classes are scheduled in the evenings and occasionally on Saturdays.

Program Mission, Goals and Objectives

•   blends the practitioner and academic perspectives into a managerial emphasis;

•   examines the managing of health care organizations, and;

•   provides its students the opportunity, through the elective courses, to focus on their career needs.

M.H.A. Admission Requirements

Admission to the M.H.A. program requires submission of the following materials:

•   A completed application for graduate study

•   Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate courses and degrees

•   An entrance examination score from one of the following:

         -Graduate Record Examination

         -Graduate Management Admission Test  - Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

•   Two letters of recommendation

•   Optional – current resume or curriculum vita

Once the application process is under way, the applicant meets with the program coordinator to complete the application process, to review the program requirements, and to design a course of study.

Criteria for admission to the program include the following:

•   2.50 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) undergraduate grade point average

•   35 percentile or higher score on an entrance test (see below)

Previous academic achievements, entrance test scores (i.e., Miller Analogies Test, Graduate Management Admissions Test or Graduate Record Examination), letters of recommendation, and work experience are all important factors. For example, a record of appropriate employment at increasing levels of responsibility, or significant contributions to the community might be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to be computer literate (i.e., word processing, spread sheet) and competent with fundamental quantitative and statistical tools. While these are not admission criteria, students will gain more from the program if they have these capabilities.

Applicants who do not meet the admission criteria may take two courses selected from MGT 501, MGT 580 and MGT 582. If a grade of “A” is earned in each of these two courses, the student’s application for the M.H.A. program will be reevaluated.

Degree Requirements

Students have six years to complete all M.H.A. degree requirements.

Waiver of Courses

A maximum of nine graduate credits may be waived (with substitution) based on undergraduate course work. The total number of waived and transferred course credits may not exceed 15 semester hours.

Transfer of Courses

A maximum of nine graduate credits from other institutions may be transferred to the M.H.A. program. To be considered for transfer, the courses (at least a grade of B) must have been completed in the six years prior to enrollment at Western.

Course Restrictions                                                                     

For a complete list of prerequisites, corequisites and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Course Description section of this catalog.

Master of Health Administration

The M.H.A. program consists of 12 graduate courses (36 semester hours) arranged in three groupings:

Management Core:

Two courses (6 SH) focusing on fundamental managerial ideas needed in all organizations.

MGT 501 Organizational Behavior

MGT 547 Human Resource Management

Health Services Core:

Six courses (18 SH) presenting management practice applied to healthcare settings, especially managerial and strategic perspectives.

MGT 580 Health Delivery Systems

MGT 581 Health Services Financial Management

MGT 582 Managing Health Services Organizations

MGT 585 Health Services Quality Management

MGT 591 Introduction to Health Policy

MGT 595 Strategic Managing for Health Services

Elective Courses:

Student may choose 12 or more semester hours of elective credit. Electives are offered by the management department (see below), but courses from other Ancell School departments (e.g., marketing) or from departments in the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Professional Studies may be considered after they have been approved by the M.H.A. program coordinator.

Note: M.H.A. students may not take more than three M.B.A. courses as electives.

Management Department Electives:

MGT 584 Long Term Care Administration

MGT 586 Health Services Marketing

MGT 587 Health Services Law

MGT 530 Leadership

MGT 544 Negotiations and Conflict Resolution

MGT 550 Selected Topics in Management

MGT 599 Student Developed Study

Total Semester Hours for M.H.A. Program: 36 SH

*The M.H.A. does not provide preparation for careers in business.