Healthcare Administration (MHA)
The mission of the Department of Healthcare Administration (HCA) is to develop leaders to improve healthcare through education, research, and service, grounded in the Jesuit values of care for others and social justice.
Built on a thriving undergraduate Healthcare Administration (HCA) program and its strong national reputation within the Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration (AUPHA), the new Healthcare Administration (HCA) graduate program is uniquely designed for aspiring professionals seeking the flexibility of part-time, online formats.
The program encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds and those with varied interests in health care. The department's vision is to be a national leader whose graduates are forces for positive change and leaders of teams that meet the challenges and opportunities of healthcare consistent with the highest ethical values.
The Healthcare Administration (MHA) also offers an Accelerated Master's Pathway for Undergraduate students to complete their Graduate studies in a fifth year. Further details of the AMP, including the suggested sequence of courses, can be found under the Curriculum tab.
Related Programs
Curriculum
The MHA is a part time two-year, 40-43 credit hour, online program with one-day immersion sessions required prior to each fall and spring semester. Students are admitted on rolling basis. Faculty offer a wide variety of industry and academic experience that they leverage into substantial hands-on learning opportunities via twice-yearly immersion weekends, a unique capstone project, and case competition experiences.
Besides the traditional Master's program, the Healthcare Administration (MHA) is also offered as an Accelerated Master's Pathway where exceptional students can complete the program in a fifth year. A suggested sequence for the AMP can be found below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MHA 405 | U.S. Health Systems Management | 3 |
| MHA 415 | Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| MHA 430 | Managerial Epidemiology | 3 |
| MHA 440 | Healthcare Management and Ethics | 3 |
| MHA 450 | Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers | 3 |
| MHA 451 | Healthcare Finance I | 3 |
| MHA 452 | Healthcare Finance II | 3 |
| MHA 460 | Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| MHA 484 | Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support | 3 |
| MHA 489 | Human Resources and Professionalism | 3 |
| MHA 491 | Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders 1 | 1 |
| MHA 492 | Policy in Health Systems 1 | 1 |
| MHA 493 | Healthcare Performance Management 1 | 1 |
| MHA 494 | Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare 1 | 1 |
| MHA 495 | Capstone II | 3-6 |
| Elective Courses | 3 | |
| Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence | ||
Students may take any Parkinson 400 level course, as long as meeting the pre-requistes, to satisfy the elective requirement. 2 | ||
| Total Hours | 40-43 | |
- 1
Onsite Immersion course.
- 2
A full list of 400 level Parkinson courses can be found here.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Traditional Master's Program
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested part-time path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term and the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MHA 415 | Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| MHA 451 | Healthcare Finance I | 3 |
| MHA 491 | Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| MHA 405 | U.S. Health Systems Management | 3 |
| MHA 452 | Healthcare Finance II | 3 |
| MHA 492 | Policy in Health Systems 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| MHA 430 | Managerial Epidemiology | 3 |
| MHA 450 | Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MHA 440 | Healthcare Management and Ethics | 3 |
| MHA 489 | Human Resources and Professionalism | 3 |
| MHA 493 | Healthcare Performance Management | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| MHA 460 | Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| MHA 484 | Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support | 3 |
| MHA 494 | Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| MHA 495 | Capstone II | 3-6 |
| Any 400 level Parkinson course | 3 | |
| Hours | 6-9 | |
| Total Hours | 40-43 | |
- 1
Onsite Immersion course.
Accelerated Master's Pathway
Students can take up to 15 credit hours in the senior year with admission to the AMP. These credits are shared between the Bachelor's and Master's programs.
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MHA 415 | Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| MHA 451 | Healthcare Finance I | 3 |
| MHA 450 | Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| MHA 405 | U.S. Health Systems Management | 3 |
| MHA 452 or MHA 489 |
Healthcare Finance II or Human Resources and Professionalism |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Master's | ||
| Fall | ||
| MHA 440 | Healthcare Management and Ethics | 3 |
| MHA 489 | Human Resources and Professionalism | 3 |
| MHA 491 | Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders | 1 |
| MHA 493 | Healthcare Performance Management | 1 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| MHA 460 | Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| MHA 484 | Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support | 3 |
| MHA 492 | Policy in Health Systems 1 | 1 |
| MHA 494 | Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare | 1 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Summer | ||
| MHA 430 | Managerial Epidemiology | 3 |
| MHA 495 | Capstone II | 3-6 |
| Any 400 level Parkinson course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9-12 | |
| Total Hours | 40-43 | |
- 1
Onsite Immersion course.
Guidelines for Accelerated Master's Pathways
In Accelerated Master’s Pathways, students share limited, authorized credits between their Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees in a shorter amount of time. Shared credits are Graduate level credit hours (400-level or higher) taken during the Undergraduate career and then applied both to the Undergraduate degree and towards Graduate program requirements.
Admission and Matriculation
Accelerated Master's Pathways are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s Undergraduates. Admission to these programs is competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the Graduate program. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the Master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.
Students enrolled in an Accelerated Master's Pathway who choose not to continue to the Master’s degree program upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.
Ideally, a student will apply for admission to an AMP program as they approach 90 credit hours in their Undergraduate career.
Students will not officially matriculate into the Master’s degree program and be labeled as a Graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the Undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the Graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their Graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
Advising and Registration
Students in their final Undergraduate year will work with Advising in the home School of their Bachelor's program(s), as well as the Graduate Program Director of the Master’s program. Any 400-level or higher courses that the student plans to enroll in should be reviewed by both advisors to ensure that these courses will complete requirements for both degrees.
Registration in Graduate level courses during the Undergraduate year may require assistance from the Graduate Program Director and/or the student’s current academic advisor to enroll.
Shared Credits
Only courses taken at the 400-level or higher will count toward the Graduate program. At the Undergraduate level, students are restricted to enrolling in and sharing up to the number of Graduate level credits explicitly indicated in the catalog for their selected AMP program.
In general, Graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Master's Pathway. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Master's Pathway is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Program Director, students may take one of their Graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.
Degree Requirements and Conferral
Undergraduate degree requirements are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Master’s Pathway. Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a Graduate program.
The program’s Graduate Program Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and Master’s degree conferral review process. Graduate credit hours taken during the Undergraduate career will not be included in the Graduate GPA calculation.
If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate Program Director will review the relevant syllabus or syllabi to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400-level course or higher.
Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer Graduate curriculum to Undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of Undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once matriculated in the Graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from Undergraduate to Graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s Graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their Graduate studies after earning the Undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional Master’s degree program. Any application of Graduate credit earned while in the Undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the Graduate degree granting school.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Aligned with our Jesuit heritage, MHA students (and graduates) will have the skills and confidence to positively influence change in the healthcare industry. Through experiences such as the unique capstone project, students are asked to take initiative, analyze various types of information, and use evidence-based problem solving. In short, graduates are taught to be forces for positive change and leaders of teams that meet the challenges and opportunities of healthcare consistent with the highest ethical values.
Specifically, graduates will be prepared to:
- Apply core business and financial principles to the healthcare environment
- Evaluate industry and organizational dynamics in the healthcare environment
- Drive operational and performance improvements in healthcare organizations
- Manage data to guide decision making in health services organizations
- Synthesize theoretical and analytical knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills to solve problems in healthcare administration