Accelerate your path to a master’s degree
Loyola University Chicago and the City of Chicago together serve as the ideal location for a Bachelor of Science and Master in Healthcare Administration (BSHCA/MHA). Chicago, a leading U.S. hub of health care organization and innovation, offers a unique urban setting for foundational and advanced study in healthcare administration.
Our undergraduate students begin with a broad, interdisciplinary curriculum drawing on courses in healthcare organization, business, data analysis, and ethics. Service-learning, internships, and capstones provide them with rich experiential learning opportunities. Our graduate students develop a more in-depth understanding of operational, finance, and strategic issues in addition to the professional skills to be an effective leader in the vast healthcare industry. With three graduate-specialty tracks, students have the flexibility to tailor an interdisciplinary program to individual interests.
The dual BSHCA/MHA program allows students to explore challenges and solutions in a rich healthcare environment while accelerating their ability to earn two degrees.
The mission of the Department of Healthcare Administration is to develop leaders to improve healthcare through education, research, and service, grounded in the Jesuit values of care for others and social justice.
Our 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.
Our MHA program follows rigorous standards and has aligned our program objectives and outcomes with the following industry-driven competencies:
- Effectively use key accounting principles and financial management tools
- Plan, organize, execute, and monitor the resources of the organization to ensure optimal health outcomes and effective quality and cost controls
- Demonstrate an understanding of system structure, funding mechanisms, and how healthcare services are organized
- Balance the interrelationships among access, quality, safety, cost, resource allocation, accountability, care setting, community need, and professional roles
- Assess the performance of the organization as part of the health system/healthcare services
- Connect the interrelationships among access, quality, cost, resource allocation, accountability, and community need
- Use vital statistics and core health indicators to guide decision-making and analyze health trends of the population to guide the provision of health services
- Analyze problems, promote solutions, and encourage decision making
- Respond to the need for change and lead the change process
- Lead the development of key planning documents, including strategic plans, business services plans, and business cases for new services
- Use data sets to assess performance, establish targets, monitor indicators and trends, and determine if deliverables are met
- Present results of data analysis in a way that is factual, credible, and understandable to the decision-makers
- Collate relevant data and information, and analyze and evaluate this information to support or make an effective decision or recommendation
- Ensure optimal use of information and trend analysis within the organization through the use of business intelligence, information management, clinical, and business systems
- Articulate and communicate the mission, objectives, and priorities of the organization to internal and external entities
- Present results of data analysis in a way that is factual, credible, and understandable to the decision-makers
- Demonstrate problem-solving and problem-solving skills
- Commit to competence, integrity, altruism, and the promotion of the public good
- Demonstrate high ethical conduct, a commitment to transparency and accountability for one’s actions
- Use the established ethical structures to resolve ethical issues
- Practice and value transparent shared decision-making and understand its impacts on stakeholders
CURRICULUM
The BSHCA/MHA accelerated master's program allows students to begin their master in Healthcare Administration during their final year of BSHCA coursework. Students then typically go on to finish their MHA in only one additional year. Please see the courses BSHCA/MHA master's students are required to take below:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| HSM 110 | Healthcare in America | 3 |
| HSM 120 | Essentials of Medical Terminology for Health Professionals | 1 |
| HSM 200 | Careers in Healthcare Administration | 2 |
| HSM 220 | Continuum of Healthcare Services | 3 |
| HSM 230 | Fundamentals of Health Equity | 3 |
| HSM 240 | Healthcare Workforce Environment | 3 |
| HSM 280 | Healthcare Management Ethics | 3 |
| HSM 310 | Healthcare Project Management | 3 |
| HSM 330 | Healthcare Legal & Regulatory Environment | 3 |
| HSM 338 | Healthcare Strategy and Marketing | 3 |
| HSM 340 | Health Care Policy | 3 |
| HSM 345 | Healthcare Data Analytics | 3 |
| HSM 350 | Healthcare Administration Capstone | 3 |
| HSM 360 | Healthcare Administration Field Internship | 6 |
| HSM 368 | Management of Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| HSM 386 | Health Information Systems Management | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Introductory Accounting I | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ISSCM 241 | Business Statistics | 3 |
| FINC 301 | Introductory Business Finance | 3 |
| INFS 247 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| |
| Principles of HR Management | |
| Health Economics | |
| Introduction to Entrepreneurship | |
| Introduction to Supply Chain Management | |
| 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 468 | Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence | 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 |
| |
| 2 | |
| Total Hours | 106-109 |
Credit Hours & Timeline
The two degrees require 152-155 credit hours in total:
- 112 total credit hours for the Bachelor of Science- Less credit hours for the standard BS in HCA (121) because 9 undergraduate credit hours will be replaced by graduate courses. There is 69 credit hours of required classes for the HCA major. The remaining credit hours are university CORE requirements.
- 40-43 for the MHA
BSHCA/MHA students are expected to complete the MHA within 18 months of graduating with the baccalaureate. Completion time for the two degrees is shortened by enrolling in 11 credit hours of graduate coursework in the fall and spring semesters of senior year and waiving the undergraduate healthcare finance course (i.e. HSM 325 Healthcare Fiscal Management) in lieu of a higher level graduate finance course.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Plan of Study Grid
| Junior |
|---|
| Summer |
|---|
| MHA 450 |
Research Literacy for Health Decision Makers () |
3 |
| | Hours | 3 |
| Senior |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| HSM 330 |
Healthcare Legal & Regulatory Environment |
3 |
| HSM 340 |
Health Care Policy |
3 |
| MHA 415 |
Culture of Quality & Safety in Health Care |
3 |
| MHA 451 |
Healthcare Finance I |
3 |
| MHA 491 |
Systems Thinking for Healthcare Leaders 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 13 |
| Spring |
|---|
| HSM 350 |
Healthcare Administration Capstone |
3 |
| HSM 360 |
Healthcare Administration Field Internship |
6 |
| MHA 452 |
Healthcare Finance II |
3 |
| MHA 492 |
Policy in Health Systems 1 |
1 |
|
3 |
|
Principles of HR Management |
|
|
Introduction to Entrepreneurship |
|
|
Introduction to Supply Chain Management |
|
|
Health Economics |
|
| | Hours | 16 |
| Summer |
|---|
| MHA 430 |
Managerial Epidemiology |
3 |
| MHA 468 |
Healthcare Data Analytics & Business Intelligence |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Master's |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| MHA 440 |
Healthcare Management and Ethics |
3 |
| MHA 489 |
Human Resources and Professionalism |
3 |
| MHA 493 |
Healthcare Performance Management 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 7 |
| Spring |
|---|
| MHA 405 |
U.S. Health Systems Management |
3 |
| MHA 460 |
Strategy & Leadership in Healthcare Organizations |
3 |
| MHA 484 |
Capstone I-Healthcare Decision Support |
3 |
| MHA 494 |
Multi-disciplinary Teams in Healthcare 1 |
1 |
| | Hours | 10 |
| Summer |
|---|
| MHA 495 |
Capstone II |
3 |
|
3 |
| 2 |
|
| | Hours | 6 |
| | Total Hours | 61 |
Guidelines for Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs
Terms
- Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs: In this type of program, students share limited credits between their undergraduate and graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees.
- Shared credits: Graduate level credit hours taken during the undergraduate program and then applied towards graduate program requirements will be referred to as shared credits.
Admission Requirements
Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s undergraduates. Admission to these programs must be competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the program’s admissions committee. 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. That is, programs may choose to have more stringent admissions requirements in addition to those minimal requirements below.
Requirements:
- Declared appropriate undergraduate major,
- By the time students begin taking graduate courses as an undergraduate, the student has completed approximately 90 credit hours, or the credit hours required in a program that is accredited by a specialty organization,1
- A minimum cumulative GPA for coursework at Loyola that is at or above the program-specific requirements, a minimum major GPA that is at or above the program-specific requirements, and/or appropriate designated coursework for evaluation of student readiness in their discipline.2
Students not eligible for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program (e.g., students who have not declared the appropriate undergraduate major) may apply to the master’s program through the regular admissions process. Students enrolled in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program who choose not to continue to the master’s degree program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.3
Ideally, a student will apply for admission (or confirm interest in proceeding towards the graduate degree in opt-out programs) as they approach 90 credit hours. Programs are encouraged to begin advising students early in their major so that they are aware of the program and, if interested, can complete their bachelor’s degree requirements in a way that facilitates completion of the program. Once admitted as an undergraduate, Program Directors should ensure that students are enrolled using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program will ensure that students may be easily identified as they move through the program. 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.
For more information on Admissions requirements, visit here.
Curriculum
Level and progression of courses. The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to be competitive and attractive to our most capable students. Students admitted to Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs should be capable of meeting graduate level learning outcomes. Following guidance from the Higher Learning Commission, only courses taken at the 400 level or higher (including 300/400 level courses taken at the 400 level) will count toward the graduate program.1,2 Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may come from 300/400 level courses where the student is enrolled in the 400 level of the course. Further, at least 50% of the credit hours for the graduate program must come from courses that are designed for and restricted to graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program at Loyola (e.g., enrolled in plan code that indicates the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, typically ending with the letter “D”).3
In general, graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Director, students may take one of their graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s program if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.4 Undergraduate degree requirements outside of the major are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.5
Shared credits. Undergraduate courses (i.e., courses offered at the 300 level or below) cannot be counted as shared credits nor count towards the master’s degree. Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may be counted in meeting both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Of those shared credits, students in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program should begin their graduate program with the standard introductory course(s) for the program whenever possible. So that students may progress through the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in a timely manner, undergraduate programs are encouraged to design their curriculum such that a student can complete some required graduate credit hours while completing the undergraduate degree. For instance, some of the graduate curriculum should also satisfy electives for the undergraduate major.
The program’s Graduate Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and master’s degree conferral review process. Shared credit hours will not be marked on the undergraduate record as having a special status in the undergraduate program. They will be included in the student’s undergraduate earned hours and GPA. Graduate credit hours taken during the undergraduate program will not be included in the graduate GPA calculation.
Graduation
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 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 Bachelor’s/Master’s program, 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.
