Joint Degree Program in Master of Health Services Administration and Master of Science (Nursing-Organizational Leadership)
Dual Degree Program in Master of Science, (Nursing-Organizational Leadership) and Master of Health Services Administration
The objective of this program is to combine into 8 semesters of study the two-year Master of Science Degree offered by the School of Nursing and the two-year Master of Health Services Administration degree offered by the Department of Population Health. This dual program is intended to provide the student who plans to engage in nursing administration (Organizational Leadership) with the opportunity to acquire training in the convergent fields of nursing and health services administration.
The relationship between health services administration and nursing is close, and it is not surprising to find many individuals with nursing backgrounds in top health care management positions. Moreover, it is becoming important for nurses, especially at senior levels, to have a fundamental understanding of financial management, human resources management, operations management, and health policy and administration. Both the School of Nursing and Department of Population Health are seeing increasing numbers of nurses who wish to acquire education and skills in health administration/leadership. Combining the MHSA and MS degrees will provide additional career options for master's level nursing students who wish to pursue a career in health care or organizational leadership.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the dual MS/MHSA program, a student must meet the admission requirements of both the School of Nursing and the Department of Population Health. Application materials must be completed for both the School of Nursing and the Department of Population Health and filed by the appropriate admission deadlines.
A student who decides to enter the program after beginning their first year in the School of Nursing or in the regular MHSA program should review their plans with the organizational leadership advisor in the School of Nursing and the student support manager in the Department of Population Health as soon as possible. No student may enter the dual program after completing the equivalent of two full-time semesters (18 credit hours) in either the Nursing or MHSA curriculum.
Diplomas are awarded concurrently by each School/Department after the student has completed the dual degree program requirements.
The dual MS/MHSA program is open only to individuals who have earned a nursing baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and whose undergraduate academic record indicates that the applicant has the capacity to complete the dual degree program.
All students in the combined program must complete a total of sixty-one (61) graduate credit hours: thirty-two (32) hours in the Department of Population Health and twenty-nine (29) hours in the School of Nursing.
Students enrolled in the dual degree program must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for all coursework. A cumulative grade average below 3.0 will result in dismissal from the dual degree program.
Students enrolling in the dual degree program will be assigned an advisor in both the School of Nursing and the Department of Population Health. Advisors will be assigned when the student is admitted to the dual degree program.
Any course substitutions or curriculum modifications must be approved by both the School of Nursing and the Department of Population Health.
Typical Dual Degree Program Format
| Year | School of Nursing | Department of Population Health | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | 12 credits | 9-11 credits | 21-23 credits |
| Second Year | 10 credits | 11-13 credits | 21-23 credits |
| Third Year | 7 credits | 10 credits | 17 credits |
| Totals | 29 credits | 32 credits | 61 credits |
Course Sequencing for Dual Degree Program Beginning Fall 2012
| Fall (1) | Spring (1) | Summer (1) |
|---|---|---|
| HP&M 810 (3 credits) | NRSG 880 (3 credits) | NRSG 754 (3 credits) |
| NRSG 748 (3 credits) | HP&M 822 (3 credits) | Elective (in lieu of HP&M 848) |
| NRSG 755 (3 credits) | HP&M 846 (3 credits) | Option 1 |
| Total 9 credits | Total 9 credits | Total 3-6 credits |
Nursing Courses
| Course # | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NRSG 748 | Theories for Practice & Research | 3 |
| NRSG 754 | Health Care Research | 3 |
| NRSG 755 | Health Care Professionalism: Issues & Roles | 3 |
| NRSG 820 | Program, Project and Communication Planning | 2 |
| NRSG 826 | Global Perspectives and Diversity in Health Care | 2 |
| NRSG 880/ HP&M 840 | Organizational Foundations for Leading Change | 3 |
| NRSG 881 | Applied Budgeting & Finance | 3 |
| NRSG 882 or NRSG 883 | Introduction to Operations or Complexity Approaches to Improve Organizational Effectiveness | 3 |
| NRSG 885 | Evaluation & Analysis for Health Care Effectiveness | 2 |
| NRSG 886 | Organizational Leadership Practicum | 3 |
| NRSG 898 | Research Project | 2 |
| Total NRSG hours – Dual Degree Program: | 29 | |
Master of Health Services Administration Courses
| Course # | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HP&M 810 | The Health Care System | 3 |
| HP&M 822 | Health Care Economics | 3 |
| HP&M 827 | Financial Applications in Health Care Management | 3 |
| HP&M 832 | Governance and Health Law | 2 |
| HP&M 833 | Ethics | 2 |
| HP&M 837 | Health Policy | 3 |
| HP&M 846 | Managing Information Systems & Technology | 3 |
| HP&M 848 | Designing Health Care Organizations (or Elective) | 2 |
| HP&M 852 | Strategic Marketing | 2 |
| HP&M 853 | Strategic Management | 2 |
| HP&M 854/ NRSG 891 | Human Resources & Workforce Development | 3 |
| HP&M 858 | Health and Social Behavior | 3 |
| HP&M 861 | Capstone Seminar | 2 |
| Total MHSA hours – Dual Degree Program: | 33 | |