Strategically located in the bustling Tri-State area in the southernmost reaches of the New England region in the northeastern United States, there are several Master’s in Health Administration degrees in Connecticut that can provide the perfect opportunity for advancement into leadership positions in the health care industry. Despite being the third smallest state in land area, Connecticut has an international reputation for being the “insurance capital” with one of the largest financial services industries in the world. Furthermore, Connecticut also serves as the U.S. headquarters for Boehringer Ingelheim, which is one of the globe’s top 20 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Therefore, read on to learn more details about the health administration degree programs that can provide ample job opportunities in leading hospitals, medical practices, health insurance carriers, and pharmaceutical companies within the “Land of Steady Habits.”
Quinnipiac University
School of Business and Engineering
Situated on an attractive 250-acre suburban campus in Hamden within minutes from New Haven at the midway point between Boston and New York City, Quinnipiac University is a comprehensive student-oriented private liberal arts institution in the shadows of Sleeping Giant Mountain. As home to a close-knit community of over 8,500 students, Quinnipiac is ranked as the 9th best college and 1st top up-and-coming school in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Also named among the Princeton Review’s “Best 295 Business Schools,” the School of Business and Engineering is acclaimed for having the 9th best online graduate business programs in America.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Health Care Management Track
Building upon the university’s two decades of experience in training successful health care administrators to lead in all facets of the industry, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Health Care Management Track is designed to prepare graduate students for the business side of health care with a comprehensive understanding of the organizational structure of American health delivery systems. Available on-campus in Hamden or online from anywhere, the program blends traditional classroom lectures with extensive case studies, presentations, team projects, online databases, and two semesters of consulting practicum in an approved health care organization. With a focus on developing the essential professional competencies required for entry and mid-level health care administrators, the 52-credit track emphasizes business, oral and written communication, ethics, strategic planning, project management, and leadership skills.
Long Term Care Administration Certificate
With approval by Connecticut to qualify graduates for taking the national nursing home administrators exam and the state portion of licensing requirements, the Long Term Care Administration Certificate is devoted to preparing graduate students for careers as long-term health care administrators to meet the needs of the large aging baby-boom population. Featuring guest lecturers and long term care collaborators, the program is developed in a cohort-based model to build strong professional bonds and welcome students into the university’s highly developed relationships in the field. In the program, students will complete a 900-hour residency over one academic year at a long-term care facility where they have had no previous employment. For admissions, all students must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, though those with a master’s degree will have priority.
Health Care Compliance Certificate
As the first university-based program in the United States to become certified by the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) to educate health care compliance officers, the Health Care Compliance Certificate program is jointly developed between the School of Business and School of Law to train students in understanding the federal and state regulations for all areas of the health care industry. From patient referrals to billing and documentation, the program is focused on preparing health care managers who are knowledgeable in the rising issues of health care fraud and non-compliance. As a six-course program offered online, the certificate provides qualified graduate students with the academic foundation needed to successfully take the HCCA national certifying examination for becoming a health care compliance professional.
Accreditations
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
275 Mount Carmel Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 582-5022
Joseph.Gaspar@quinnipiac.edu
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/department-of-health-care-management-and-organizational-leadership/
University of Connecticut
School of Business / School of Medicine
Based on a 4,093-acre rural campus in the sleepy farm town of Storrs with regional locations in Avery Point, Farmington, Greater Hartford, Stamford, Torrington, and Waterbury, the University of Connecticut is one of the country’s leading elite public research institutions with over 30,200 students. Named in the top 25 best values in public colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, UConn is currently ranked as the 58th best college and 19th top public school in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. As the oldest public institution offering health care management educational preparation in Southern New England, the School of Business is also nationally acclaimed for being the 52nd best business school with the 23rd best online graduate business degrees in the United States.
B.S. in Business Administration – Health Care Management Major
Within the B.S. in Business Administration program, undergraduate students can choose to earn a Health Care Management Major to receive the educational preparation needed to pursue careers that combine business principles with health care services. As the only program in New England to receive both AACSB and AUPHA recognition, the major provides a small personalized learning environment where students develop an in-depth understanding of general business concepts, an appreciation of the overall business climate, and the skills required to succeed in dynamic health care organizations. Students in the 120-credit program will take courses in accounting, finance, risk management, information technology, marketing, insurance, human resources, health law, and organizational behavior. Students can also choose to participate in a full-time 10-week internship during the summer before the senior year to receive real-world working experience beyond the classroom.
MBA in Health Care Management
Featuring a rigorous 57-credit curriculum focused on advanced learning models, the MBA in Health Care Management program is designed to deliver a thorough understanding of health care within the context of economic, financial, and managerial perspectives in preparation for assuming leadership positions in health-related organizations. In order to meet the needs of busy working professionals, courses are offered in daytime, evening hours, or on a special schedule basis at the Storrs campus as well as part-time in evenings at Hartford. With the guidance of doctoral-level faculty mentors, students will develop the analytical and strategic thinking skills for specific application in hospitals, managed care organizations, long-term care facilities, physician practices, consulting firms, insurance companies, and more. Graduates of the program have a 96% placement rate in the health care industry within just three months.
Certificate in Long-Term Healthcare Management
Designed to satisfy all of the state’s requirements for obtaining long-term healthcare administration licensure in the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Certificate in Long-Term Healthcare Management program is specifically focused on preparing graduate students for a rewarding care in managing nursing homes, assisted living centers, hospices, home health services, supportive housing programs, residential treatment facilities, and other long-term care organizations. In a small cohort-based group, the program allows on-going interaction between students and faculty members for strong advisory support and professional contacts. The certificate consists of one on-campus 3-credit course and a 900-hour supervised internship. With the highest pass rate of all educational programs in Connecticut, 99% of graduates from the program successfully complete the licensure examination.
Healthcare IT Certificate Program
Intended to facilitate increased knowledge of healthcare information technology for experienced healthcare staff members, the Healthcare IT Certificate Program is focused on providing the skills needed to more fully address IT challenges, more effectively organize projects, and better understand today’s emerging technological trends. Due to the complexity of our nation’s fast-paced healthcare industry and evolving healthcare reform for electronic medical records, the program consists of seven courses that will effectively build industry expertise in information technology with cutting-edge research. In exploring healthcare IT applications, the certificate examines the role of information technology within a broad framework in the various components of the U.S. healthcare system. Students can complete the entire certificate online with no required textbooks in accelerated five-week sessions.
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Since its inception in 1984, the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree has been awarded to graduate students seeking training and experience in applied public health practice to achieve higher standards of leadership in improving the well-being of Connecticut residents. With a challenging curriculum, the program is focused on fostering the development of the knowledge and skills that are necessary for shaping health services and the environment to benefit public health outcomes at the local, regional, national, or international levels. In addition to the 48 credits of classroom learning, students will be required to complete a semester-long practicum as well as a Master’s thesis or applied practice project on a significant public health concern. Graduates of the program often become health directors, health educators, public policy advocates, health service managers, or health care administrators.
Ph.D. in Public Health
Available with focused concentration areas in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences (SBHS), Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences (OEHS), or Chronic Disease Epidemiology, the Ph.D. in Public Health program is designed to prepare public health professionals, scholars, and research scientists to meet the increasingly complex health challenges of the 21st century. Applicants to the program must have earned a master’s degree in a relevant field of study as well as demonstrate commitment to public health through professional experience and volunteer work. Students must participate in the program in a full-time format for at least three courses each semester for timely completion of the degree. Upon graduation, students will find advanced job opportunities in public health as faculty researchers at higher learning institutions, federal or state health departments, private business, international organizations, or research institutes.
Accreditations
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)
Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
2100 Hillside Road Unit 1041
Storrs, CT 06269
(860) 486-2872
rexford.santerre@business.uconn.edu
http://www.business.uconn.edu/cms/p1885
University of New Haven
College of Business
As a selective comprehensive four-year private liberal arts institution of nearly 6,500 students, the University of New Haven is located on an 82-acre suburban campus in the hillside of New Haven near the state’s Atlantic beaches within just 80 miles from the bustling epicenter of New York City. Consistently named a “College of Distinction,” UNH is currently ranked as the 98th best college and 35th top university for veterans in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. With prestigious accreditation by the AACSB International, the College of Business is focused on providing on-the-job training in internships, access to industry leaders, college-sponsored networking events, and unparalleled freshman experiences to become vigorously involved within the business world.
Master of Science in Health Care Administration (MSHCA)
In providing a deep understanding of the past, present, and future of the American health care system, the Master of Science in Health Care Administration (MSHCA) program is designed to provide graduate students with the essential knowledge and skills needed to take on administrative positions in leading health care organizations through the 21st century. With flexible course scheduling in the evenings and on weekends in the university’s graduate trimester schedule, the program offers a cutting-edge 42-credit master’s degree to build a strong academic foundation for managing today’s health care workforce. Since the program is available in a cohort format at the Yale New Haven Hospital campus, students benefit from a collaborative learning environment, real-world curriculum, lively classroom discussions, work-related class assignments, small class sizes, and opportunities to expand professional contacts.
Depending on future career goals in health care administration, the MSHCA program enables graduate students to select one of the following concentration areas:
• Health Care Marketing: Focused on the traditional marketing principles that are needed to deliver powerful messages for connecting with targeted audiences about health services or public health concerns, the Health Care Marketing Concentration includes courses in communication, public information dynamics, public relations, marketing management, and competitive marketing strategy.
• Health Policy and Finance: Featuring courses in public policy formulation, health care economics, financial management, cost containment, financial accounting, and health care reimbursement, the Health Policy and Finance Concentration is designed for students who are interested in building the quantitative techniques needed to make well-informed financial decisions in health-related organizations.
• Human Resource Management in Health Care: Since one of the most important duties for health care administrators is to effectively recruit and lead a high-achieving group of trained health staff members, the Human Resource Management in Health Care Concentration supplements the curriculum with courses in human resource planning, personnel development, employee training, industrial relations, and organizational change.
• Long-Term Care: Designed to cover the professional competencies needed to meet the nation’s growing demand for residential treatment as the baby boomer population ages, the Long-Term Care Concentration offers courses in social gerontology, lifespan development, administration of services for the aged, safety organization, and a long-term health care internship.
• Managed Care: Consisting of courses in alternative health care delivery systems, cost containment, managed care organization, and public relations, the Managed Care Concentration is specifically focused on building the techniques needed to reduce the cost of providing health benefits and improve quality patient care.
• Medical Group Management: For health care professionals who are aspiring to administer the delivery of comprehensive services in small and large primary care or specialty group practices, the Medical Group Management Concentration is available to deliver courses in managed care, health care reimbursement, medical group management, financial accounting, and cost containment in health care.
Master of Public Administration (MPA): Health Care Management
Available for both new college graduates and professionals already employed in the public sector seeking career advancement, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program trains students with the modern tools needed to analyze and make decisions about complex problems of government or non-profit organizations in public service fields. Students who choose a concentration in Health Care Management will build the skills specifically related to the wide range of administrative and managerial responsibilities of leading health-related organizations in the public sector. In the 42-credit program, students in this concentration will take courses in financial health management, public health, health law, health care ethics, medical group management, and alternative health delivery systems. The flexible degree is offered in weeknight courses in West Haven in a trimester format to accommodate working students.
Certificate in Long-Term Health Care
With full approval by the Department of Health Services in the state of Connecticut, the Certificate in Long-Term Health Care is offered to prepare graduate students for participation in an area of expanding career opportunities as health care practitioners for delivering comprehensive residential services to aging populations. In completing the 12-credit certificate, students will take courses in the financial management of health care organizations and management of long-term care facilities before participating in a 900-hour internship within an approved nursing home. All graduates will have eligibility for taking the state licensing examination in long-term care administration.
Accreditations
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
300 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 479-4104
SMcGee@newhaven.edu
http://www.newhaven.edu/business/programs/graduate/health-care-administration/
Western Connecticut State University
Ancell School of Business
Based on a main 34-acre urban campus in midtown Danbury with a satellite 364-acre location about three miles away on the Westside of the city, Western Connecticut State University is a comprehensive four-year accredited public institution with a total enrollment of over 6,000 students. According to the U.S. News and World Report, WCSU is currently ranked as the 135th best college and 46th top public school in the North. At the undergraduate and graduate levels, the Ancell School of Business is committed to providing high-quality affordable business education to meet the needs of employers in a challenging global economy.
Master of Health Administration (MHA)
Founded with the goal of preparing qualified graduate students for assuming managerial positions in a broad range of health services organizations, the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program blends academic perspectives with practitioner models to place a strong emphasis on the managerial practices needed to successfully lead health facilities in the changing 21st century. In examining the management of health care organizations, the program provides students with the opportunity to tailor their degree to meet career interests with electives in long-term care administration, health services marketing, health services law, human resource management, and health policy. Offered only in a flexible part-time format, the 36-credit program schedules classes in the evenings and occasionally on Saturdays to accommodate working health care professionals.
Accreditations
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact
181 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810
(203) 837-8200
martindg@wcsu.edu
http://www.wcsu.edu/asb/grad/mha/#
As the population of the United States continues to grow and age, there is expected to be a large demand for health care professionals who have the strategic leadership skills needed to appropriately manage health services organizations for improving patient care. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment opportunities for health care administrators will grow by 23% before 2022, thus creating 73,300 new job openings in the next decade. New graduates will be given a competitive advantage in this booming job market by earning one of these Master’s in Health Administration degrees in Connecticut from top-ranked universities.
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