Online MHA curriculum: Designed for you
Coursework for Maryville’s online MHA is structured to align with the 10 key knowledge areas from the American College of Healthcare Executives. You can complete the entire program 100% online in as few as two years.
Foundation Courses
MHA 610 Healthcare industry and Its Impact on Healthcare Management
(3 credits) The course provides an extensive overview of leadership in the U.S. health services system. The focus of the course will be on the role health services leadership plays in the delivery of healthcare services, including financial management, services utilization, regulatory compliance issues, etc. The student will explore the key theoretical and practical elements of leadership as well as current issues clarifying how the U.S. health services system is organized, managed, and financed.
MHA 615 Healthcare Operations
(3 credits) In this course, students examine operational concepts related to delivering quality, consistent and cost-effective patient care across the healthcare system. Students gain an understanding of the major functions of operations management, governance and organizational structures. The course will address specific concepts related to understanding how to perform an operational assessment; taking a systems perspective on the organization and delivery of services; identifying problems and improvement opportunities using analytical techniques; and monitoring performance data to identify trends and variation based on current operations and those resulting from changes and improvements.
Core Courses
MHA 656 Population Health Management
(3 credits) In this course, students will be exposed to management principles of healthcare quality and the origin, distribution and control of disease. Theories of health behavior relevant to individual and community health promotion program planning will also be explored. Students will examine formal and informal programs and strategies used to enhance the healthcare provider’s performance, quality outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
MHA 660 Healthcare Technology and Information Systems
(3 credits) This course provides explores the fundamentals of information technology in the healthcare industry. It includes an exploration of how information technology supports clinical services, quality improvement, and administrative functions in health services organizations.
MHA 630 Healthcare Human Resources and Organizational Behavior
(3 credits) This course provides a systematic application of the principles of organizational behavior to understanding professional roles in health services organizations. Students will explore governance theory and structures in a healthcare setting, medical staff structures and its relationship to facility operation (credentialing, privileging, and disciplinary processes). Students will also examine topics in human resources including recruiting, hiring, compensation, incentives, and performance-based evaluations.
MHA 631 Healthcare Quality and Performance Improvement
(3 credits) Quality and performance improvement is critical to the success of every healthcare organization. Students will explore quality improvement techniques with an emphasis on the roles of patient and health professional in improving healthcare delivery, outcomes tracking, analysis, and impact on practice performance and patient care. Specific topics include clinical care, patient safety, waste and cost reduction and delivery of the most cost-effective care possible.
MHA 651 Healthcare Law, Ethics, and Risk Management
(3 credits) Students will examine legal and regulatory compliance strategies from the business perspective of health administration. Course concepts include: licensing, certification, and accreditation requirements of health care professionals; healthcare-related criminal law and torts, consent, legal reporting, and professional liability, as well as federal and state statutes and regulations and specific mandates. Business considerations related to privacy and security standards related to HIPAA, requirements and implementing management software, will be discussed. Students will also examine basic ethical frameworks and understand how these constructs can assist health management professionals dealing with current medical ethics and related business ethics issues.
MHA 655 Healthcare Financial Management
(3 credits) This course applies financial principles to management within various organizations in the healthcare industry. Topics include resource allocation, cost analysis, budgeting and funding sources. Students will learn how financial decisions are made, reported, and implemented in health care organizations.
Concentrations
Choose from four concentrations or opt for the general MHA degree by choosing any two courses from the concentrations listed below.
Healthcare Strategies
MHA 670 Healthcare Marketing
(3 credits) This course examines the theory, concepts, skills, and principles of marketing applied to health related organizations and networks. Students will analyze marketing theories and methodologies applied to health care marketing, consumer decision making about health, and marketing research techniques. Emphasis is placed on the effective use of social media and digital marketing techniques in healthcare. The course will culminate with the development of a strategic marketing plan for a healthcare product or service.
MHA 671 Health Policy & Economics
(3 credits) This course provides a holistic review of the application of economics and policy-making process to the roles of markets and government in health care. Students will explore the concepts used by economists to analyze health outcomes, health behaviors, health care markets, health insurance markets, and the role of government.
Data Management
MHA 675 Healthcare Analytics
(3 credits) Big data is driving changes in healthcare industry. In this course, students will look at the types of available healthcare data, as well as different types of analytic tools to help make meaningful decisions regarding operations and management, quality, performance improvement, outcomes assessment and marketing. It builds upon previous knowledge of basic statistics and analytics, concepts, and tools by applying them specifically to the health care system.
MHA 676 Healthcare Informatics
(3 credits) This course provides an in-depth multi-disciplinary analysis of the strategic management of information technology in healthcare organizations. Specific topics include: electronic health records, health information exchange, the impact of information technology on quality of care and patient safety. Students will focus on information system acquisition and the implementation process including assessing the need for information technology, cost analysis and justification, Request for Proposal (RFP) process and implementation.
Senior Services
MHA 680 Introduction to Gerontology
(3 credits) This course provides a multidisciplinary perspective of the biological, psychological and sociocultural aspects of aging. An overview of the issues that significantly impact the older adult, their family and society is presented. The demographics profile of America’s older adult serves as a basis for explaining issues related to physical and mental health changes, role transitions, care and living arrangements, and the role of the older adult in our society.
MHA 681 Assisted Living/Senior Services Management
(3 credits) This course provides an overview of the senior services industry and the different forms of senior health care and living services. Students will learn about the day-to-day management of assisted-living communities, including resident care, operations, finance and budgeting, human resources and staffing, and successful marketing and community relations. Students will also examine the future of the industry and approaches to creating next generation of assisted-living services.
Population Management
MHA 685 Managerial Epidemiology
(3 credits) This course focuses on core epidemiological concepts including measures of occurrence of health events and methods of data collection. Students will explore practical applications of epidemiology to health services planning, quality monitoring, planning, policy development, system development, finance, and underwriting.
MHA 686 Community Health
(3 credits) This course provides an overview of the organization and structure of community health agencies and their role in population health management. It explores political, social, environmental, economic and biological factors that determine health outcomes across populations. Students will examine various strategies to promote health, prevent disease and prolong life among populations and communities, including policy change, mass media approaches, and community-based interventions. Students will also examine the role of national and global governance in public health.
Capstone
MHA 690 Leadership and Professionalism in Healthcare
(3 credits) This class will prepare students to practice ethical leadership in a healthcare setting. Students will examine identifying, monitoring and maintaining codes of professional conduct and procedures to ensure needs of staff are met. Students will also focus on understanding the implications of ethical decisions, providing procedures to monitor the standards of behavior and accountability procedures.
MHA 691 Strategic Healthcare Management
(3 credits) As the culminating course in the MHA program, students will review the business and leadership fundamentals of healthcare administration plus further examination of the compelling issues defining the industry today and in the future. Through integration and application of prior course work, students will to develop a strategic plan for a health services organization.