Healthcare Leadership, Master of Business Administration
Today’s challenging health care environment is intensifying the need for more effective leadership that combines strategic awareness, visionary prowess, operational expertise, and knowledge of health policy. The MBA in Healthcare Leadership (MBA-HCL) is a 42 credit online program, enhanced with executive retreats, designed to enhance students’ analytical, leadership, communication and problem solving skills while becoming proficient in the theory and practice of effective management of health care organizations. The program is ideal for health care executives and senior managers who seek hospital leadership positions; physicians who aspire to hospital or medical practice leadership; senior managers in health care-related fields, such as health insurance, pharmaceuticals, HMOs and medical supply, seeking to advance their knowledge and competencies; and clinical professionals who seek to strengthen their management skills.
Assessment
Once admitted to the MBA program, you will have an opportunity to generate up to 9 credits through independent direct assessment (IDA) exams. The IDAs allow you to demonstrate prior learning, academic and professional knowledge, and competence associated with three courses: Healthcare Economics, Healthcare Finance, and Health Information Management and Informatics. Information regarding the topics covered in each IDA, along with suggestions about how to prepare for the IDA exams, are provided. Faculty members with subject matter expertise evaluate student performance on the IDAs. Students who wish to take these exams must take them in the first term of their program. Since the exams are only offered in the fall and spring terms, students starting their program in the summer term will not have an opportunity to take them until the following fall and should plan accordingly.
Transfer Credit
A request for transfer credit may be submitted to the School for Graduate Studies. Nine credits are acceptable for transfer subject to the Transfer Credit Policy (located elsewhere in this catalog). In addition to approval by your academic advisor, the chair of your program also must approve these credits.
Program Delivery and Tuition Rate
This master’s program is delivered through online courses. Students also participate in two required executive retreats during the program: the first is held in-person, in Saratoga Springs, NY; the second is facilitated virtually. This program is billed at the MBA rate.
Admission
Admission to the MBA-HCL program is selective. In addition to completing the graduate application, acceptable candidates should have the following academic prerequisites in addition to a bachelor’s degree in a related field (relevant professional experience may substitute for prerequisites):
- 3 credits of accounting
- 3-6 credits of economics (micro and macro)
- 3 credits of statistics
The preferred professional background includes 3-5 years of experience in a managerial or clinical capacity in a health care environment or relevant experience in a related organizational setting. Graduate applications require two letters of recommendation. For the MBA-HCL program, at least one should come from your current direct supervisor or next best alternative who has the ability to discuss your career and professional goals and skills; a second letter can come from a member of the faculty with whom you have worked or who know you well.
Application
Please see the Graduate Admission section of this catalog for a complete listing of materials required to complete a graduate application.
Curriculum
Students have flexibility in pacing through the program. The following is a suggested enrollment sequence1:
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| HCLM 6005 | Mastering Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| HCLM 6010 | Analysis of Healthcare Markets & Health Policy | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| HCLM 6015 | Health Information Management and Informatics | 3 |
| HCLM 6020 | Healthcare Economics | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| HCLM 6025 | Healthcare Financial Management | 3 |
| HCLM 6030 | Quantitative Methods & Healthcare Operations Management | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| HCLM 7010 | Evidence-based Decision Making in Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| Elective 4 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| Elective 5 | 3 | |
| Elective 6 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| HCLM 7015 | Strategic Executive Leadership for Healthcare Organizations | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Electives
Some students use electives to broaden their exposure to new areas of knowledge, while others use them to increase their skills or knowledge in a particular area. The term registration information will provide you with a listing and description of electives offered through the School for Graduate Studies and those specific to the MBA-HCL program. Electives also are offered during the summer term. Sample electives include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HCLM 6023 | Health Care Delivery & Reimbursement Systems | 3 |
| HCLM 6026 | Comparative Health Care Systems | 3 |
| HCLM 6035 | Healthcare Accounting | 3 |
| HCLM 6040 | Competencies for Healthcare Ethics | 3 |
| HCLM 6045 | Case Studies in Bioethics | 3 |
| HCLM 6050 | Healthcare Legal & Regulatory Affairs | 3 |
| HCLM 6055 | Healthcare Marketing Services | 3 |
| HCLM 6060 | Healthcare Quality Control & Compliance Risk Management | 3 |
| HCLM 6065 | High Performance Leadership | 3 |
| HCLM 6070 | Human Resources Competencies in Healthcare | 3 |
| HCLM 6085 | Governance & Trusteeship | 3 |
| HCLM 7005 | Strategic Corporate Communication & Inter-professional Collaboration | 3 |
| 1 | Students have the opportunity to assess out of 3 of the first courses of the program (HCLM-6015, HCLM-6020 and HCLM-6025) through independent direct assessment (IDA) exams. These exams must be taken in the first term of a student's program (fall or spring). |
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Disciplinary Knowledge: Integrate core functional knowledge to facilitate sound managerial decision-making;
- Strategic Thinking: Use evidence-based practices to facilitate effective strategic decision-making processes;
- Leadership: Manage organizational processes and transformational change effectively through well-developed organizational skills and roles;
- Ethical Reasoning: Evaluate theory and tools necessary for sound ethical reasoning;
- Understanding the Healthcare Ecosystem: Assess the challenges associated with leading and managing in a complex healthcare environment and evaluate and integrate the needs of stakeholders, perspectives, trends, and developments that influence the direction of the industry;
- Managerial Communication: Communicate effectively orally and in writing across managerial healthcare contexts and with diverse stakeholders; and
- Teamwork: Contribute effectively to the achievement of organizational goals in a team environment.