Program Overview

Master of Health Administration (MHA) Overview

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is designed to provide the key competencies and specialized knowledge required of health services professionals to manage effectively. Key competencies are developed in the core courses, while specialized knowledge and understanding are developed in the concentrations and/or electives courses.

Admission Requirements

• Completed Admission Application and non-refundable application fee
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended
• A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required
• Statement of purpose
• Resume
• Students without a degree from an English-speaking institution, where English is not the primary language of instruction and of the geographic area, must establish minimal proficiency in English by accomplishing one of the following:
  • TOEFL of 79 (iBT), 213 CBT, or 550 PBT or above
  • Duolingo 105 or above
  • GRE verbal score of 146
  • Satisfactory completion of La Verne's English proficiency test
  • Satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses at La Verne as indicated by a placement examination
• Admission is evaluated on two criteria:
  • Overall performance in undergraduate studies; while no minimum GPA is required, it is expected that the applicant demonstrates the academic ability to succeed at the graduate level
  • Personal statement of purpose that details applicants' desire to work in health serving organizations

Prerequisites

• Experience in the US health services industry preferred
• Healthcare fieldwork/internship required if no US health services industry experience

Degree Requirements

• Total program: 36 semester hours

Core Requirements

• Course List:
  • HSM 500: Management & Organizational Theory & Practice (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 501: Current Trends and Issues in Health Services (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 502: Financial and Cost Analysis (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 503: Healthcare Economics (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 505: Risk Management, Quality & Patient Safety in Healthcare Settings (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 545: Foundations of Public Health (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 555: Ethical Issues in Health Services (3 semester hours)
• Total Semester Hours: 21

Research and Culminating Courses

• Course List:
  • HSM 596: Graduate Seminar (3 semester hours)
• Total Semester Hours: 3

Concentrations

• Students can elect to complete one of the concentrations below, or they can choose four additional elective courses with the HSM subject code

Financial Management Concentration

• Course List:
  • Select one of the following: (3 semester hours)
  • Select three of the following: (9 semester hours)
    • HSM 532: Budgeting and Cost Control
    • HSM 534: Program Evaluation in Health Services
    • HSM 571: Management of Clinical and Financial Information
    • HSM 590: Selected Topics 1
• Total Semester Hours: 12

Public Health Concentration

• Course List:
  • Select one of the following: (3 semester hours)
  • Select three of the following: (9 semester hours)
    • HSM 546: Epidemiology
    • HSM 547: Public Health Policy
    • HSM 548: Applied Research for Public Health Professionals
    • HSM 549: Public Health and the Urban Context
    • HSM 551: Food Systems & Public Health
    • HSM 590: Selected Topics 1
• Total Semester Hours: 12

Long Term Care Administration Concentration

• Course List:
  • HSM 440: Long Term Care Administration (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 441: Managing Quality & Safety in Long Term Care Settings (3 semester hours)
  • HSM 447: The Life Span and Health (3 semester hours)
  • Select one of the following: (3 semester hours)
    • HSM 425: Emergency Preparedness
    • HSM 562: Human Resource Management in Health Service Organizations
    • HSM 590: Selected Topics 1
    • HSM 598: Field Work/Internship
• Total Semester Hours: 12

Leadership and Management in HSOs Concentration

• Course List:
  • Select one of the following:
  • Select three of the following:
    • HSM 520: Strategic Planning and Management in Health Service Organizations (3 semester hours)
    • HSM 524: Personal Professional Development (3 semester hours)
    • HSM 562: Human Resource Management in Health Service Organizations (3 semester hours)
    • HSM 571: Management of Clinical and Financial Information (3 semester hours)
    • HSM 583: Marketing and Business Development (3 semester hours)

Accelerated 4+1 Master of Health Administration (MHA)

Qualifying University of La Verne undergraduate students may apply to participate in the accelerated Master of Health Administration (MHA) program once they have completed 90 semester units of undergraduate courses. Participants will need advance approval from their undergraduate advisor for shared credit courses. The MHA courses may not exceed 15 units prior to undergraduate degree completion. Applicants must meet all MHA admission requirements. Admission to the MHA program is provisional prior to undergraduate degree completion and contingent on applicants continuing to meet MHA admission and program requirements.