Accredited by AACSB
Program Description
Health care is one of the largest industries in the United States, accounting for nearly 18 percent of GDP and employing more than 16 million people. It is also an industry that is growing significantly. With growth has come the challenge of containing costs, improving quality, and providing greater access to a diverse and aging population. In such an environment, health care organizations need well-prepared and competent managers—people who can position their organizations for success in a competitive marketplace, design systems to deliver cost-effective care, and develop and lead an effective workforce.
The MBA in Healthcare Management (MBA-HCM) provides these competencies to individuals interested in management careers in the health care industry. It prepares graduates to work in a variety of health-related organizations, including hospitals and health systems, long-term care organizations, mental health facilities, medical practice and ambulatory care organizations, insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms, government agencies, and consulting firms. The program is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing upon and focusing on the interaction and interdependence of management, economics, medicine, and politics.
The MBA-HCM program is designed to meet the expressed needs of senior health care executives for competent graduates to fill entry level and middle management positions in health care organizations. Graduates are trained for leadership roles through a rigorous and innovative curriculum that focuses on the application of sound theoretical concepts to practical situations, the development of professional and interpersonal skills, and the mastery of competencies needed to succeed in the health care industry. The program also provides students with opportunities to gain valuable field experience through career development workshops and an administrative residency.
With both evening and online classes, the MBA-HCM program is ideal for those who wish to continue working while pursuing a graduate degree on a part-time basis. A significant percentage of students in the program work full time in the health care industry.
Vision
We aspire to be a premier graduate program in health care management in the Delaware Valley, recognized for a challenging educational experience that prepares students for leadership positions in the health care industry.
Mission
The mission of the MBA-HCM program is to:
- Provide a relevant high-quality graduate education in health care management.
- Prepare clinicians and non-clinicians for entry level and middle management positions in the health care industry and enable them to assume leadership roles in their field.
- Meet the needs of our students through excellence in teaching, program flexibility, and continuous improvement of the educational experience.
- Conduct research that improves health care policy and management practice, and facilitate the dissemination and application of this research.
- Serve our stakeholders: Widener University, health services organizations, the health administration profession, health care providers, and local communities.
Values
We are guided by the following values:
- Caring—We care about the needs of our students, our profession, and our community. Our program enables students to balance school, work, and family demands. Our research addresses problems faced by health care providers. Our service meets the needs of our community and stakeholders.
- Excellence—We strive for excellence in teaching, research, and service. We expect excellence from our students.
- Collegiality and Integrity—We operate in an atmosphere of respect and collaboration.
Competencies
Students in the MBA-HCM program gain knowledge of the health care industry and develop a portfolio of competencies needed to lead and manage clinical and administrative units in healthcare organizations. They learn to develop viable business models that deliver desired results (clinical outcomes, business outcomes, and community/stakeholder outcomes). They acquire the skills to build and manage talented teams, robust structures and information systems, and effective administrative and clinical processes. Skill development occurs in an innovative learning-by-doing environment, characterized by a range of teaching methods that include cases, simulations, role-plays, work-based assignments, and field projects.
MBA-HCM graduates will develop competencies in:
- Health System Knowledge—Ability to evaluate impact of health policy, laws, and regulations on health outcomes and performance of healthcare organizations and make appropriate recommendations to achieve desired goals and outcomes.
- Population Health Management—Ability to develop plans and programs to assess and manage population health status, risk, and outcomes.
- Communication—Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups through clear and concise written reports and persuasive oral presentations.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness—Ability to utilize emotional intelligence capabilities and interpersonal skills to develop and manage effective working relationships.
- Information Management—Ability to use appropriate data and information in conjunction with robust analytical techniques and decision models to make sound management decisions and achieve desired outcomes.
- Process Management—Ability to analyze, design, improve, and control organizational processes to deliver desired clinical and business outcomes.
- Financial Management—Ability to use financial data, tools and techniques to assess financial risk, evaluate the impact of organizational strategies on financial performance, and make resource allocation decisions.
- Strategic Orientation—Ability to strategically position an organizational unit, product, or service for success in the marketplace.
- Leadership—Ability to identify, evaluate, and recommend appropriate leadership styles and techniques to lead individuals, groups, and organizations toward achievement of vision, mission, and goals.
- Performance Management—Ability to motivate, manage and change individual and organization behavior to achieve desired performance outcomes and organizational goals.
- Team Building and Collaboration—Ability to evaluate group dynamics and propose actions to improve team collaboration and team performance in pursuit of goals.
- Ethics and Professionalism—Ability to use ethical analysis, principles, and standards to make sound ethical decisions, promote organizational integrity, and behave in a professional manner.
Academic Policies and Standards
All academic policies and standards for the School of Business Administration apply to the MBA-HCM program. Additional policies are as follows:
- Students must complete all degree requirements within five academic years from the date they matriculate into the program.
- Students wishing to take a leave of absence from the program must formally notify the director of graduate business programs.
- Students not taking a course in a 24-month period are considered inactive. Students who wish to return must petition the graduate program director.
Curriculum (36 credits)
Students in the MBA-HCM program must complete 21 credits of core business courses and 15 credits of electives in the field of healthcare management.
Core MBA Courses (21 credits)
An integrated set of seven core MBA courses enable students to develop a portfolio of strategic, leadership, business and functional skills need to deliver results in corporate or not-for-profit settings.
- BUS 605 – Leading Organizations and People (3 credits)
- BUS 615 – Information Systems and Data Analytics (3 credits)
- BUS 635 – Marketing (3 credits)
- BUS 645 – Accounting and Managerial Decision Making (3 credits)
- BUS 655 – Strategic Financial Management (3 credits)
- BUS 665 – Managing Business Processes (3 credits)
- BUS 675 – Managing for Results (3 credits)
Core MBA courses assume that students have an understanding of Excel and basic concepts in statistics, accounting, finance, organizational behavior and management, communication, critical thinking and case analysis. All students are advised to review these concepts by accessing a series of foundational knowledge modules that are available to them on demand and free of cost.
Please see https://lifelonglearning.widener.edu/ for foundational knowledge resources.
Healthcare Management electives (15 credits)
Five specialized courses enable students to take a deep dive into various aspects of healthcare management, including health policy, health economics, and population health management, and develop interpersonal and human capital management skills that are essential to leading health professionals.
- HCM 601 – Health Care Policy (3 credits)
- HCM 626 – Healthcare Economics (3 credits)
- HCM 661 – Managing Community Health (3 credits)
- MGT 622 – Developing Management Skills (3 credits)
- MGT 670 – Managing Human Capital (3 credits)
Professional Development Workshops (Noncredit)
All MBA-HCM students are required to complete four professional development workshops (PDWs) while they are in the program. These workshops are conducted by a professional leadership and career coach and are designed to help students achieve professional growth and implement a plan for launching or advancing their careers. Two PDWs are offered each semester in Fall and Spring, and one in the Summer semester. PDWs are typically held on weekends or in the evenings. They are also offered in an online format.
Administrative Residency
The administrative residency provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate management competencies by applying their knowledge and skills to real world issues in health care organizations.
Students are required to put in a minimum of 360 hours, on a full- or part-time basis. They may do it at their current employer or at another health care organization. The administrative residency project must be substantial enough to require about 8 hours of work per week. Students work with an HCM faculty advisor and an on-site management preceptor. Students with management experience may request a waiver of the administrative residency from the director of the program.
Residency Requirements and Degree Eligibility
A student must complete the minimum residency requirement of 30 credit hours in MBA-HCM courses, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all 600-level courses, and complete all credit and noncredit requirements to qualify for the MBA-HCM degree.
Curriculum