Academic/Curriculum

Health Administration & Policy (HAP) Track
Sharon Davis, PhD - Track Coordinator

Goal & Course Offerings

The goal of the Health Administration and Policy track is to prepare graduates for generalist positions in health services administration. Developments in the U.S. healthcare environment place greater emphasis on prevention, evidence based management, cost containment and community oriented population based training. The HAP track is dedicated to providing a learning and training environment for students grounded in knowledge and skills that emphasis these issues.

Required courses for all HAP Track Students

MPH 511. Financial Management for Health Administrators (3 credit hours)
This course in healthcare financial management is divided into two general areas: Healthcare Economics and Prevention Effectiveness and Financial Management and Budgeting. The overall goal of this course is to introduce students to the principles and practices of healthcare finance as they relate to each of the modules presented in this course.

MPH 512. Healthcare Delivery in the United States (3 credit hours)
This course provides an overview of the financial, organizational and professional complexity of the U.S. healthcare delivery system. This course addresses the structure of health services, in the U.S. and analyzes historical and contemporary methods of financing medical care and their impact on service delivery. Topics include medical education, escalating health costs, health maintenance organizations, Medicare and Medicaid.

MPH 513. Health Policy and the Legislative Process (3 credit hours)
This course introduces students to the process by which laws and regulations are formulated with particular emphasis on the development of healthcare legislation. Students follow a particular public health law through the legislative process and learn criteria for analyzing healthcare legislation to examine its potential effects on general and underserved populations. .

MPH 610. Public Health Law (3 credit hours)
This course is designed to introduce non-lawyers to the role of the law in determining public health. The course examines legal principles and concepts required to analyze fundamental relationships between the provider, consumer and the government. Students analyze judicial opinions, statutes, and regulations. Topics include the balance between individual rights and public health initiatives, privacy, medical malpractice, informed consent), and legal rights of access to healthcare