Healthcare Administration/Public Health (BS/MPH)
Earn both a bachelor's and master's degree in five years.
Build your knowledge in the organization of healthcare administration and public health with this dual degree. As an undergraduate, you will acquire a broad, interdisciplinary healthcare administration knowledge-base drawing on courses in healthcare organization, business, data analysis, ethics, and a rich experiential learning experience. At the master's level, you will become proficient in core public health competencies in the areas of of evidence-based approaches, public health and health care systems, planning and management, policy, leadership, communication, interprofessional practice, and systems thinking. The Master of Public Health program complements your health care administration studies, enabling you to become a more knowledgeable and evidence-based decision-maker and leader in the field.
CURRICULUM
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BS Requirements | ||
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 315 | Healthcare Quality & Performance Improvement | 3 |
HSM 325 | Healthcare Fiscal 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 358 | Health Services Research | 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 |
FINC 301 | Introductory Business Finance | 3 |
INFS 247 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
ISSCM 241 | Business Statistics | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Principles of HR Management | ||
Introduction to Entrepreneurship | ||
Introduction to Supply Chain Management | ||
Health Economics | ||
MPH Requirements | ||
Core Courses | ||
MPBH 400 | Determinants of Population Health | 3 |
MPBH 402 | Public Health Practice and Management | 3 |
MPBH 403 | Introduction to Epidemiology | 3 |
MPBH 404 | Biostatistics for Health and Biological Science | 3 |
MPBH 407 | Public Health Policy: Concepts and Practice | 3 |
or MPBH 409 | Biostatistics I | |
MPBH 499 | Public Health in Action | 3 |
MPH Track-Specific Curricula | 15 | |
MPH Electives | 6 | |
Select two of the following: 1 | 6 | |
The Epidemiology of Obesity: An Energy Balance Perspective | ||
Infectious Disease Epidemiology | ||
Health Impact Assessment | ||
Special Topics | ||
Applied Practice Experience | 1 | |
MPH Practicum | ||
Integrated Learning Experience | 2 | |
MPH Capstone | ||
Total Hours | 126 |
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Selected courses from other schools/programs may satisfy MPH elective requirements.
MPH Track-Specific Curricula (15 credits)
Epidemiology
This hybrid program combines online and evening classes. Epidemiology is the basic science of public health: it helps us understand the causes of and solutions to diseases. This track equips students to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret population health research, while they learn the basic principles of all public health disciplines.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
MPBH 412 | Intro to Statistical Computing for Public Health | 2 |
MPBH 421 | Biostatistics II | 3 |
MPBH 423 | Intermediate Epidemiology | 3 |
MPBH 427 | Introduction to Correlated Data Analysis | 1 |
MPBH 431 | Grant Writing | 3 |
Choose One Research Methods Course from the following: | 3 | |
The Epidemiology of Obesity: An Energy Balance Perspective | ||
Introduction to Global Health | ||
Clinical Trials | ||
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis | ||
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Global Health Equity
This concentration is a hybrid program of online and evening classes. Study the health of global populations with the ultimate goal of identifying and eliminating structures and practices of inequity and injustice to advance health equity for individuals and populations.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
MPBH 414 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
MPBH 417 | Global Maternal & Child Health | 3 |
MPBH 422 | Population Health Planning & Management | 3 |
MPBH 431 | Grant Writing | 3 |
Choose one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
Social Determinants of Health and Bioethics | ||
Global Bioethics | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
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Students may choose an elective course not on this list with Track Director approval.
Public Health Policy and Management
This concentration can be completed entirely online, and also can be taken with in-person courses. This curriculum studies the organization, structure, and delivery of health-related services, and associated population health outcomes. Students may customize their academic focus in either public health policy, administration, or both.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
MPBH 416 | Health Services Research Methods | 3 |
MPBH 425 | Policy Analysis | 3 |
Choose one of the following | 3 | |
Justice & Health Care | ||
Biomedical Ethics and Law | ||
Social Determinants of Health and Bioethics | ||
Systems Ethics Frameworks | ||
Organizational Ethics I: Business, Professionalism, and Justice | ||
Global Bioethics | ||
Choose two of the following | 6 | |
Policy-oriented | ||
Public Health Law: Theories and Cases | ||
Health Economics and Healthcare Financing | ||
Management-oriented | ||
Population Health Planning & Management | ||
Fiscal Management in Health Care Organizations | ||
Total Hours | 15 |
Applied Practice Experience (1 credit)
Also known as the MPH practicum, it provides the student with practical experience in a public health setting, requiring the student to apply and integrate skills and knowledge learned in courses. The applied practice experience (APE) must be 210 hours or more. Students must apply five program competencies to their APE and produce at least two deliverables, which will become part of their portfolio. Examples of APE sites include MRSA Research Center, North Shore Mosquito Abatement District, Summer Field Research in Ghana, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Chicago Department of Public Health, and Mount Sinai Hospital.
Integrated Learning Experience (2 credits)
The integrated learning experience is a student-led capstone project culminating with a presentation and written manuscript. The project should demonstrate student's ability to apply acquired skills and competencies to a public health problem that simulates a professional practice experience. Depending on their interests, some students may analyze data collected during their practicum to help complete their capstone.
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.
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Programs that have specialized accreditation will adhere to the admissions criteria provided by, or approved by, their specialized accreditors.
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The program will identify appropriate indicators of student readiness for graduate coursework (e.g., high-level performance in 300 level courses). Recognizing differences between how majors are designed, we do not specify a blanket requirement.
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If students choose not to enroll in the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, they still must complete all of the standard requirements associated with the undergraduate degree (e.g., a capstone).
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.
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If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate director will review the relevant syllabus(es) to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400 level course or higher.
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Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer graduate curriculum to undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
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In rare cases, the Graduate Director may authorize enrollment in a 400-level course for a highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduate, ensuring that the undergraduate's exceptional participation in the graduate class will not diminish in any way the experience of the graduate students regularly enrolled.
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For example, if a particular course is only offered once every 2-3 years, and a student has demonstrated the necessary ability to be successful, the Graduate Director may allow a student to take a graduate level course to be shared prior to the student being formally admitted to the graduate program. See, also, footnote 3.
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Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a graduate program.
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.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Beyond the health care systems management skills gained in your undergraduate studies, you will graduate with public health competencies in the areas of evidence-based approaches, public health and health care systems, planning and management, policy, leadership, communication, interprofessional practice, and systems thinking.