Health Administration (MS)

Admission Requirements

The Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences (HMSS) offers the Master of Science in Health Administration degree for students with no healthcare experience (evening track) and a modified curriculum for working mid-career executives (online track). 

Prospective students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent.  It is recommended that applying students have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

Prospective students must also submit:

  • Application
  • Official transcripts of all degrees
  • Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
  • One-page personal statement written by the applicant that is a clear, substantive description of his or her goals in public health and health care management, noting any professional or research experience.
  • Three letters of recommendation written within the last twelve months.
  • International applicants: Foreign credential evaluation of all degrees from non-U.S. institutions. Please contact the MSHA program prior to completing this requirement.
  • Admission interviews by the HMSS Health Leadership Committee are required and are in addition to your application for admission. An interview provides the HMSS Health Leadership Committee an additional source of information and perspective about your potential fit for the University of Louisville.
  • If candidate’s primary language is not English, one of the following:
    • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam with a minimum score of 90 (after conversion for test type), IELTS scores of at least 6.5 overall or Duolingo overall score of 105
    • ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) certification
    • Passing an advanced level Intensive English as a Second Language program
    • Degree from an accredited U.S. institution (requires provisional admission with evaluation of English language competency)

Evening Track Admissions
Students entering the MSHA evening track must have less than five years of working experience.

Online Track Admissions
Students entering the MSHA online track must have a minimum of five years working experience. Preference will be given to students with healthcare-related work experience. Click here to apply to the online MSHA program.

Dual MPH in Health Policy/MSHA Admissions

Students must apply to and be accepted into both the MPH-HP and MSHA programs. Each program will require a separate application and application fee. For more information about the dual program, please visit the program webpage.

Dual MBA/MSHA Admissions

Students must apply to and be accepted into both the MBA and MSHA residential, full-time programs. Each program will require a separate application and application fee. For more information about the dual program, please visit the program webpage.

Application Deadlines

  • Evening Track: Applications are accepted for Fall semester only.
    • March 1st  for International applicants
    • July 1st  for Domestic applicants
    • To be competitive for available program scholarship opportunities, applicants should apply on or before March 1st for full consideration.
    • Spring semester: - Applications are not accepted.
    • Summer semester - Applications are not accepted.
  • Online Track: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
    • July 1st for Fall I Term
    • December 1st for Spring I Term

For information on the application process, please contact:

Pam Renner, MPA
Program Coordinator Senior
Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences
School of Public Health and Information Sciences
University of Louisville
485 E. Gray Street
Louisville, KY 40292
P: 502-852-2797
Email: Pamela.renner@louisville.edu

Program Requirements

Students must successfully complete the 57 credit hour curriculum, earn a grade of B or above in the MSHA Capstone Course, and have an overall 3.0 GPA in coursework in order to graduate from the program. Students in either track in the program must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in coursework. 

All courses within the curriculum are required and there are no electives. Students within both the evening and online tracks take the same courses except for the MSHA Practicum. The practicum is designed to expose students new to the health management field to working conditions in healthcare organizations between their first and second year in the Program. MSHA evening track students will register in the Practicum for one (1) credit hour in three consecutive semesters beginning in Spring I for a total of three (3) credit hours. The MSHA online track substitutes the practicum with a Current Topics in Health Administration course that allows students to consider and discuss the current, real-time challenges facing the healthcare industry. Since the online track students have management experience, the practicum is not required.


Evening Track Requirements

Education Plan
The evening track is designed so that students can work as full-time employees and attend evening classes. The practicum courses, PHMS 686, PHMS 691, and PHMS 692, are designed to expose students new to the health management field to working conditions in healthcare organizations between their first and second year in the Program.

Coursework

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
PHMS 505 Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations 3
PHMS 681 Population Health Quantitative Methods 3
PHMS 682 Population Health Information Management 3
PHMS 680 Health Management Leadership Seminar 1
PHMS 683 Healthcare Quality Management 3
 Hours13
Spring
PHMS 684 Project Management for Population Health 3
PHMS 620 Healthcare Strategic Management 3
PHMS 610 Health Policy and Analysis 3
PHMS 509 Health Finance and Financial Management 3
PHMS 686 MSHA Practicum Experience I 1
 Hours13
Year 2
Fall
PHMS 520 Foundations of Public Health in Health Management 3
PHMS 687 Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Managers 3
PHMS 662 Health Economics 3
PHMS 685 Health Operations & Management Science 3
PHMS 688 Healthcare Marketing 2
PHMS 691 MSHA Practicum Experience II 1
 Hours15
Spring
PHMS 689 Insurance & Alternative Payment Models 2
PHMS 635 Health Law and Ethics 3
PHMS 630 Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector 3
PHMS 625 Population Health Management 3
PHMS 690 MSHA Capstone Course 3
PHMS 692 MSHA Practicum III 1
 Hours15
 Minimum Total Hours56

Online Track Requirements

Education Plan
The overall guiding philosophy for the online track in the MSHA curriculum design is that an online, primarily asynchronous learning basis will be used so that the mid-career executives can proceed working in their current jobs while in the Program. Courses will be developed in partnership with the Delphi Center for Online Learning adhering to the Quality Matters online course development standards. Courses will be offered in five eight-week terms within the Fall (F1, F2), Spring (S1, S2), and Summer terms to facilitate year-round student enrollments.

Coursework

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
PHMS 505 Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations 3
PHMS 680 Health Management Leadership Seminar 1
PHMS 681 Population Health Quantitative Methods 3
PHMS 682 Population Health Information Management 3
 Hours10
Spring
PHMS 683 Healthcare Quality Management 3
PHMS 684 Project Management for Population Health 3
PHMS 509 Health Finance and Financial Management 3
PHMS 620 Healthcare Strategic Management 3
 Hours12
Summer
PHMS 685 Health Operations & Management Science 3
PHMS 610 Health Policy and Analysis 3
 Hours6
Year 2
Fall
PHMS 520 Foundations of Public Health in Health Management 3
PHMS 687 Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Managers 3
PHMS 662 Health Economics 3
PHMS 688 Healthcare Marketing 2
 Hours11
Spring
PHMS 625 Population Health Management 3
PHMS 689 Insurance & Alternative Payment Models 2
PHMS 630 Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector 3
PHMS 635 Health Law and Ethics 3
 Hours11
Summer
PHMS 694 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare 3
PHMS 690 MSHA Capstone Course 3
 Hours6
 Minimum Total Hours56

PHMS 686 MSHA Practicum Experience I, PHMS 691 MSHA Practicum Experience II, and PHMS 692 MSHA Practicum III (three (3) credit hours total) – Evening Track only

Students develop an understanding and gain knowledge of the complex health care industry and the internal and external factors that influence decision-making in an assigned organization.

PHMS 694 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare (three (3) credit hours) – Online Track only 

Designed to enhance and improve student techniques and skills in entrepreneurship as applied to business venture development in healthcare markets. The focus is the student “being” an entrepreneur and acquiring the skills necessary to evaluate, plan, and develop business opportunities.

PHMS 690 MSHA Capstone Course (three (3) credit hours) 

The primary objective of the course is to assist students in the transition from theory to practice and from learner to user of management knowledge and skills. The course will emphasize the integration and application of management theory in ‘real world’ context.


Dual MPH in Health Policy/MSHA Program Requirements

The Dual program is not available to MSHA Online track students. Only MSHA Evening track students may apply.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
PHMS 501 Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration 3
PHPB 501 Introduction to Public Health Behavior 3
PHEP 501 Introduction to Epidemiology 3
PHST 500 Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences I 3
PHMS 680 Health Management Leadership Seminar 1
 Hours13
Spring
PHST 501 Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II 3
PHMS 610 Health Policy and Analysis 3
PHMS 530 Comparative Health Systems 3
PHPH 677 Public Health Practice Experience 1 1
PHMS 686 MSHA Practicum Experience I 1
 Hours11
Summer
PHMS 684 Project Management for Population Health (ONLINE) 3
PHMS 620 Healthcare Strategic Management (ONLINE) 3
 Hours6
Year 2
Fall
PHMS 662 Health Economics 3
PHMS 505 Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations 3
PHMS 681 Population Health Quantitative Methods 3
PHMS 682 Population Health Information Management 3
PHPH 678 Public Health Practice Experience 2 1
PHMS 691 MSHA Practicum Experience II 1
 Hours14
Spring
PHMS 509 Health Finance and Financial Management 3
PHPB 611 Community-Centered Engagement and Assessment 3
PHPH 679 Public Health Practicum Experience 3 2
PHMS 692 MSHA Practicum III 1
PHPH 698 Public Health Integrative Learning Experience 2
 Hours11
Year 3
Fall
PHMS 683 Healthcare Quality Management 3
PHMS 685 Health Operations & Management Science 3
PHMS 687 Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Managers 3
PHMS 688 Healthcare Marketing 2
MPH-HP Elective 3
 Hours14
Spring
PHMS 689 Insurance & Alternative Payment Models 2
PHMS 635 Health Law and Ethics 3
PHMS 630 Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector 3
PHMS 625 Population Health Management 3
PHMS 690 MSHA Capstone Course 3
 Hours14
 Minimum Total Hours83

Dual MBA/MSHA Program Requirements

The Dual program is available for on campus MBA and evening track MSHA students only .

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
MBA 601 Strategic Analysis 1.5
MBA 602 Decision Analysis 1.5
MBA 604 Economics I 1.5
MBA 607 Economics II 1.5
MBA 609 Financial Accounting 1.5
MBA 611 Managerial Accounting I 1.5
MBA 613 Managerial Accounting II 1.5
MBA 612 Finance I 1.5
MBA 608 Technology Management 1.5
MBA 641 Professional Development Module-Team Building 0.5
MBA 649 Professional Development Module-Inclusive Leadership 0.5
MBA 642 Communications 0.5
 Hours15
Spring
MBA 616 Finance II 1.5
MBA 603 Organizational Behavior 1.5
MBA 617 Marketing I 1.5
MBA 619 Marketing II 1.5
MBA 621 Global Business 1.5
MBA 622 Project Management 1.5
MBA 606 Leadership 1.5
MBA 614 Operations Management 1.5
MBA 624 Strategic Management 1.5
MBA 695 PDM-Crisis Management 0.5
MBA 696 PDM-Negotiation 0.5
MBA 651 Introduction to Business Analytics 1.5
MBA 644 Professional Development Module-Business Etiquette 0.5
 Hours16.5
Summer
MBA 623 Global Learning 1.5
MBA 699 MBA Internship 3
 Hours4.5
Year 2
Fall
PHMS 505 Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations 3
PHMS 680 Health Management Leadership Seminar 1
PHMS 681 Population Health Quantitative Methods 3
PHMS 682 Population Health Information Management 3
PHMS 683 Healthcare Quality Management 3
 Hours13
Spring
PHMS 509 Health Finance and Financial Management 3
PHMS 610 Health Policy and Analysis 3
PHMS 685 Health Operations & Management Science 3
PHMS 635 Health Law and Ethics 3
PHMS 686 MSHA Practicum Experience I 1
 Hours13
Year 3
Fall
PHMS 520 Foundations of Public Health in Health Management 3
PHMS 662 Health Economics 3
PHMS 688 Healthcare Marketing 2
PHMS 691 MSHA Practicum Experience II 1
 Hours9
Spring
PHMS 625 Population Health Management 3
PHMS 630 Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector 3
PHMS 689 Insurance & Alternative Payment Models 2
PHMS 690 MSHA Capstone Course 3
PHMS 692 MSHA Practicum III 1
 Hours12
 Minimum Total Hours83

Accreditation 

The School of Public Health and Information Sciences is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

 The University of Louisville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

 The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Population Health Management program is currently undergoing the initial Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) accreditation approval process and is in “candidacy” status. Once the MSHA degree is approved, HMSS will inform CAHME of the curriculum change and the accreditation will transfer to the MSHA.

For more information, see the School’s accreditation webpage