Program Description
The Healthcare Management program is designed to produce graduates who are prepared to serve in a range of existing and emerging entry-level support, ancillary, and entry-level administrative positions across multiple health care settings. The mission of the Healthcare Management program is to prepare highly qualified and culturally competent graduates for professional positions in healthcare and health-related careers. Guided by the standards of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), the program prepares students in skills and knowledge in five key domains: (1) the healthcare environment; (2) ethical and legal leadership, (3) communication and relationships management, (4) professionalism, and (5) business skills.
Healthcare management is a growing, diverse field of study that offers flexibility, potential for advancement with additional experience and further education, and offers the chance for graduates to have a positive influence on the healthcare of individuals and communities. Graduates have opportunities to work at entry-level positions in these types of settings: assisted-living facilities, community and government agencies, health insurance companies, hospital departments, and long term care facilities.
The program emphasizes the development of effective communication through writing across the curriculum, presentation platforms, ethical behavior, and interpersonal skills generally expected in healthcare organizations. A strong health sciences core will familiarize students with the health care delivery system; major disease processes, including epidemiological methods; medical terminology; the causes and effects of disparities; community and rural health services, chronic and long-term illnesses, and global issues. The healthcare management core will provide students with applied leadership, and critical thinking skills required in today’s healthcare organizations. A solid health business core will inform students about healthcare economics, organizational behavior, finance and policy, and human resources.
Student Learning Outcomes
The graduates of this program should be prepared to
- communicate effectively in oral and written formats
- demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors
- demonstrate sensitivity to disparities, cultural and individual differences
- demonstrate effective critical thinking skills, including analytical reasoning and problem-solving abilities
- determine organizational, team, and leadership requirements for effective people and client management
- assess own strengths and areas needed to improve
- demonstrate knowledge in courses related to health sciences, healthcare and business management
- perform at entry-level in healthcare related activities bound by undergraduate courses in liberal arts, health sciences, healthcare and business management
Major Requirements
Majors must complete 60 semester hours of courses beyond general education drawn from business, clinical laboratory science, accounting, economics and healthcare management. A minimum grade of a “C” must be earned in the pre-requisites, electives and major courses.
Pre-requisite Courses (6 semester hours)
ECON 2310 Concepts in Health Economics
BCO 2311 Business Communications
Major Courses (60 semester hours)
CLS 2102 Medical Terminology
ACC 2316 Prin. of Financial Accounting
ACC 2317 Prin. Of Managerial Accounting
MKT 3331 Principles of Marketing
HCM 2301 Health Law and Ethics
HCM 2302 Research Methods in Health Sciences
HCM 3301 Health Delivery Systems
HCM 3302 Epidemiology
HCM 3304 Health Information Management
HCM 3305 Healthcare Management
HCM 3306 Community/Rural Health Services
HCM 3307 Global Understanding
HCM 4201 Professionalism in the Healthcare Environment
HCM 4301Chronic/Long Term Care
MGT 3322-Organization Behavior
MGT 4348 Human Resource Management
HCM 4302 Healthcare Policy, Org. and Finance
HCM 4400 Internship* (12 semester hours)
*Students are required to participate in a semester-long internship. Students cannot be on academic or non-academic probationary status or suspension during the semester of the internship.
Note:
All internships and some experiential activities require background checks, health and immunizations records, and initial and random drug testing. Some facilities may require a credit check. Background check may be required by affiliating agencies
Major Course Sequence
HCM 2301 Health Law and Ethics - Fall and Spring
HCM 2302 Research Methods in Health Sciences - Fall and Spring
The following HMC courses are only taugth once a year, including HCM electives which are only offered in the fall.
HCM 3301 Health Delivery System-Fall
HCM 3302 Epidemiology-Fall
HCM 3304 Introduction to Health Information Management-Spring
HCM 3305 Healthcare Management-Spring
HCM 3306 Community and Rural Health-Spring
HCM 3307 Global Understanding-Spring
HCM 4301 Chronic and Long Term Care-Fall
HCM 4302 Healthcare Policy, Organization, and Finance-Fall
HCM 4201 Professional Behavior-Spring
HCM 4400 Healthcare Management Internship-Spring
Suggested Electives*
HCM 2304 Virtual Gaming to Address Health Disparities
HCM 3303 Proposal Writing
HCM 4303 Environmental Health
HCM 4304 Global Health Studies
HCM 4305 Spanish in the Healthcare Environment
*Electives outside the HCM major (non-HCM prefixes) should be approve by an advisor.
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