Skip to main content.

Graduate Certificate in Health Administration

The Graduate Certificate in Health Administration provides an introduction to the field of health administration.

Students will obtain a basic understanding of the U.S. healthcare system and how it operates. This certificate is designed for those aspiring to leadership positions in healthcare, to those new in healthcare leadership positions, and to those considering a Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) degree. If a student is subsequently admitted to the MHSA program, credits from a completed certificate may upon approval be used towards fulfillment of MHSA degree requirements. All certificate classes are accessible to distance learners and can be earned completely remotely.

The certificate will be comprised of four courses taken in the following order:

HPM 810: The Healthcare System (3 credits - Summer)
The structure and function of the components of the U.S. healthcare system are introduced in the context of the history, values, and social forces that influenced its development and evolution. Students gain exposure to the concepts and vocabulary associated with aspects of the system, including delivery (providers, institutions, services), resources (finance, payment, insurance), population and public health, and outcomes (cost, access, quality). Healthcare outcomes from consumer, clinical and societal perspectives are explored.

HPM 825: Financial Concepts in Healthcare Management (3 credits - Fall)
Introduces the financial and managerial accounting concepts used in health care. This includes financial statement analysis; cost accounting; budgeting; and capital project analysis.

HPM 858: Organizational Behavior in Health Care (3 credits - Fall)
Health care as a cultural and socio-behavioral system is presented. Using research and theory, students explore alternative perspectives on the nature of medicine and healing within comparative health systems, both U.S. and abroad. Students examine at an advanced level how healthcare organizational structures contribute to patient health outcomes and influence employee behaviors. The course reinforces the nature and characteristics of the health professions, particularly medicine and nursing perceptions, and the complex behavioral dynamics of health professionals with organizational leaders.

HP&M 822: Healthcare Economics (3 credits - Spring)
This course introduces the core concepts from economics to healthcare with a focus on helping health care managers use economic tools in making sound decisions. The demand for health care products, the structure of insurance, and the supply of health care products are examined. Students will apply a variety of economic analyses to health policy and health system issues.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS:

  • Completed application
  • Current resume
  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) from an accredited institution
  • Letter of reference from a professional colleague or professor
  • Personal statement about why the applicant wants to pursue the certificate
  • Interview with MHSA faculty member

Contact for more information:

Nichole Evans, MHSA Program Manager
Department of Population Health, University of Kansas Medical Center
5001 Student Center - Mail Stop 3044
Kansas City, KS 66160
913.588.1934; nevans2@kumc.edu

School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Population Health
Mail Stop 1008
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-2775
Fax: 913-588-2780