Public Health, Management Systems Sciences (PHMS)

Subject-area course lists indicate courses currently active for offering at the University of Louisville. Not all courses are scheduled in any given academic term. For class offerings in a specific semester, refer to the Schedule of Classes.

500-level courses generally are included in both the undergraduate- and graduate-level course listings; however, specific course/section offerings may vary between semesters. Students are responsible for ensuring that they enroll in courses that are applicable to their particular academic programs.

Course Fees

Some courses may carry fees beyond the standard tuition costs to cover additional support or materials. Program-, subject- and course-specific fee information can be found on the Office of the Bursar website.


PHMS 501. Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course emphasizes the practical application of the principles of health care organizations to public health at the national, state and local levels.

Note: Taught only at the graduate level.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 505. Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the MS in Health Administration or the undergraduate Minor in Healthcare Management program in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course seeks to provide the student with an understanding of organizations and leadership from dominant ways of thinking about them to ways informed by a complexity perspective. Course participants will read about and discuss a broad range of perspective about what constitutes an organization and leadership of it. Particular attention will be given to the organizational experiences of the student and the experience of the class in being together. Course is held on the Health Sciences Campus and is co-scheduled with the graduate credit section of this course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 509. Health Finance and Financial Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the MS in Health Administration or the undergraduate Minor in Healthcare Management program in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course is designed to provide an overview of health finance and financial management, including context of health finance and the approaches and processes involved in managing the health enterprise. Course is held on the Health Sciences Campus and is co-scheduled with the graduate credit section of this course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 520. Foundations of Public Health in Health Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the MS in Health Management program in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course is designed to introduce new students in the Masters of Science in Health Administration (MSHA) to the field of Public Health in the United States. It provides a broad overview of the field of public health. With a population health focus, we look at protecting and promoting the health needs of a community using the tools of public health like the community needs assessment, and including core areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, health promotion, environmental health, and health care administration as well as introducing students to the Foundational Public Health Knowledge Competencies as prescribed by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 530. Comparative Health Systems3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course examines health delivery and public health systems from a global perspective. The course focuses on teaching students to describe elements of these systems, the environment in which the systems exist, and the internal and external forces through which systems change. Although the structure of different health systems vary, most also have substantial similarities especially in the areas of improving access and quality, while minimizing costs. The course focuses on health systems, using examples of health systems in different countries to demonstrate system similarities and differences. The course will provide a framework for analyzing different models of organizing health care and public health in settings around the world. The course will engage students in examining health systems outside the United States, focusing specifically on how a country's history, geography, government, and economy influence the delivery of health services.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 610. Health Policy and Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to health policy, mechanisms through which policy is made at the state and federal level, and strategies for health policy analysis.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 615. Introduction to Health Systems3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: This course will provide an introduction to the health sector as it currently operates in the US. A systems-theory based approach, informed by complexity theory, will be used to present health systems as complex adaptive networks. Through a review of the history of the health sector the student will learn how the industry has evolved (adapted) to where it is today, and where it may be going in the future.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 620. Healthcare Strategic Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the MS in Health Administration in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course offers an introduction to strategic management within contemporary healthcare organizations and markets. Lectures and assignments will focus on various topics including organizational strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.

Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 625. Population Health Management3 Units

Description: This course will provide an introduction to managing the health of populations. Population health can be defined by geography and demographics. Examples of defined populations include: the population within the catchment area of a hospital, the members of a health maintenance organization, the persons served by an accountable care organization, and the population employed in a workplace. Improving the health of populations has always been a high priority for public health professionals but has been less of a priority for managers of health care organizations, with their focus on the acute-care needs of individual patients.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 630. Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: The purpose of this course is to provide the mater's degree/PhD student in public health and health care fields an overview of Human Resources Management. This will include looking at the framework of human resources management in various settings; planning and developing a competent workforce in various settings; and practice in techniques for training, mentoring and evaluating employees as well as a range of disciplinary actions.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 635. Health Law and Ethics3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Master of Science in Health Administration or MPH concentration in Health Policy program.

Description: This course provides an overview of major contemporary legal and ethical issues related to administrative decision making in health care and population health.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 637. MSHDA Capstone Course3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Master of Science in Health Data Analytics program.

Description: This course is an intergrative learning experience drawing on all companies presented in the MSHDA program. It requires the students to work independently as a member of a team to complete a comprehensive and relevant health data analytics for a healthcare-related organization and to successfully pass a competency examination.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 638. Data Security & Electronic Health Records3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in MS in Health Data Analytics program.

Description: The course will focus on the framework, the real-world use, and the critical data security issues in deployment of Electronic Health Records, (EHRs) to improve the quality of health care delivery. Students will learn functionality of EHRs through hands-on labs, technical infrastructures require for EHRs (e.g., architecture, network, security design), understand how EHRs change health care delivery workflows, best practice for deploying EHRs (e.g., project management, typical budgets, system selection, HIPAA governmental requirements, funding), and data security-related issues critical to EHRs implementation.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 639. Health Data Analytics Practicum1-3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in MS in Health Data Analytics program.

Description: The practicum experience is designed to bridge the gap between academia and health data analytics practice by providing field experience at a health data analytics-related worksite. Each MSHDA student identifies a practice site, develops a learning agreement in consultation with the practice site mentor and faculty mentor, works at the site to address the components of the learning agreement and to gain experience within the organization, prepares a written characterization of the practice site, and prepares written and oral reports describing the practicum experience.

Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 641. Data Mining I3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in any of the following programs: MS in Health Data Analytics, MS in Biostatistics concentrations in Biostatistics or Bioinformatics, or PhD in PHS specialization in Health Management & Policy.

Description: The course is first in a two semester sequence graduate level introduction to data mining/big data analytics. It focuses on practical implementation and interpretation of the most commonly used techniques in analysis of very large datasets.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 642. Data Mining II3 Units

Prerequisite(s): PHMS 641.

Description: This is the second of a two semester graduate level course on data mining/big data analytics. It focuses on practical implementation and interpretation of the most commonly used techniques in analysis of very large datasets.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 643. Data Management in Health Service Research3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the MS in Health Data Analytics or PhD in PHS specialization in Health Management & Policy program.

Description: Course allows students to pursue study with faculty guidance on data management in health service research.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 644. Biomedical Foundations for Health Analytics3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in MS in Health Data Analytics program.

Description: This course will offer an integrative molecular and biological perspective on public health problems and health data analytics. Students will explore population biology and ecological principles underlying public health and reviews molecular biology in relation to public health biology. Lectures focus on specific diseases of viral, bacterial, and environmental origin. Instructors will use specific examples of each type to develop the general principles that govern interactions among susceptible organisms and etiologic agents and devotes special attention to factors that act in reproduction and development. The course will focus on common elements including origin and dissemination of drug resistance, organization and transmission of virulence determinants, modulation of immune responses, disruption of signal transduction pathways, and perturbation of gene expression. Also considers the role of the genetic constitution of the host.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 645. Health Services Research Methods I3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: The course is designed to introduce students to quantitative techniques and considerations appropriate for observational studies in Health Services Research.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 646. Health Services Research Methods ll3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): PHMS 645 and PHST 501.

Description: This course is designed to prepare students to answer and critically examine questions regarding casual inference in Health Services and Health Policy Research as well as other research settings using observational data.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 650. Advanced Topics in Health Management and Systems Science3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the PhD in Public Health Sciences specialization in Health Management & Policy.

Description: This course will usually focus on one topic in advanced health management and systems sciences, not usually covered in a regularly offered course (or if offered in a regularly offered course, not covered in-depth).

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 662. Health Economics3 Units

Description: The course uses principles of microeconomic analysis to study health care systems: demand for medical services; role of health insurance; productivity/cost measurement; labor markets and competition.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 670. Statistical Data Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the MS in Health Data Analytics or PhD in Public Health Sciences specialization in Health Management & Policy degree programs, or with instructor permission.

Description: The course is designed as an introduction to data management and analysis in SAS (Statistical Analysis System) and Stat (Stat Statistical Software). Data management and graphics will be practiced, and linear regression basics where data summary, regression in levels and logs, correlation analysis, hypothesis testing, specification analysis, prediction, using sampling weights, and model diagnostics will be discussed. This course covers all components of econometric modeling, namely, model selection, estimation, diagnostic checks, and model re-specification. Health data will be used in both midterm and final projects of the course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 671. Statistical Analysis for Population Health3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring

Description: Pre-Requisite: PHMS 670 or Instructor permission. This course is designed as an introduction to statistical analysis for population health in IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 software package. The course covers basic components of statistical analysis for population health including linear regression, logistic regression, Cox regression, propensity score analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, multivariate analysis of covariance, repeated measures, and regression trees. Health data will mainly be used in examples and the final project of the course.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 680. Health Management Leadership Seminar1 Unit

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: The course bridges MPH concentration in Population Health Management coursework and the world of practice with a focus on developing career planning and professional skills.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 681. Population Health Quantitative Methods3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrolled in the MS in Health Administration program in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: The goal of the course is to build quantitative analysis foundations for students in health management emphasizing decision-making using health data. The course provides an overview of basic quantitative analysis techniques, and discusses a variety of quantitative analysis tools. Access to Microsoft Windows is required for some course content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 682. Population Health Information Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to key concepts and issues surrounding the adoption and use of information systems for population health management.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 683. Healthcare Quality Management3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in or successful completion of PHMS 681.

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to key concepts and issues surrounding the adoption and use of information systems and the use of quality assessment processes within health care organizations.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 684. Project Management for Population Health3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to key concepts and methodologies involved in managing projects and the use of specific project management tools and processes within health care organizations.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 685. Health Operations & Management Science3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course introduces and reviews the field of operations management as applied to healthcare organizations. It demonstrates the important relationship between operations research and the management science of complex healthcare delivery organizations.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 686. MSHA Practicum Experience I1 Unit

Grading Basis: Pass/Fail

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Masters of Science in Health Administration program.

Description: The MSHA practicum documents students' mid-program administrative experience in a healthcare setting. The practice experience occurs in a carefully selected healthcare organization approved by the MSHA Director. Students are encouraged to select a practicum based on their career interests. A faculty advisor supervises the internship-type experience in tandem with a qualified preceptor at the practicum site. Our goal is that the preceptor serves as a mentor for the student.

Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 687. Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Managers3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of PHMS 509.

Description: This course provides an overview of the principles and processes of managerial accounting and organizational finance within the healthcare marketplace. Lectures, assignments, and case studies will focus on various topics including financial statement analysis, costing, pricing, planning, budgeting, and financial risk analysis.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 688. Healthcare Marketing2 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): PHMS 620.

Description: This course offers an introduction to marketing and marketing strategy within the healthcare system. Lectures and assignments will focus on various topics including strategy formulation, environmental analysis, and market assessment.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 689. Insurance & Alternative Payment Models2 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of PHMS 509, PHMS 662, and PHMS 687.

Description: This course is designed to provide students an analysis of the U.S. health insurance and payment system. Specific topics include health plan types and characteristics, population health alternative financing models, premium setting, and reimbursement of health providers.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 690. MSHA Capstone Course3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course is an integrative learning experience drawing on all competencies presented in the MSHA program. It requires the students to work independently as a member of a team to complete a comprehensive and relevant business plan for a healthcare-related organization and to successfully pass an oral examination.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 691. MSHA Practicum Experience II1 Unit

Grading Basis: Pass/Fail

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Master of Science in Health Administration program and successful completion of PHMS 686.

Description: The MSHA practicum documents students' mid-program administrative experience in a healthcare setting. The practice experience occurs in a carefully selected healthcare organization approved by the MSHA Director. Students are encouraged to select a practicum based on their career interests. A faculty advisor supervises the internship-type experience in tandem with a qualified preceptor at the practicum site. Our goal is that the preceptor serves as a mentor for the student.

Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 692. MSHA Practicum III1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Masters of Science in Health Administration program and successful completion of PHMS 691.

Description: The MSHA practicum documents students' mid-program administrative experience in a healthcare setting. The practice experience occurs in a carefully selected healthcare organization approved by the MSHA Director. Students are encouraged to select a practicum based on their career interests. A faculty advisor supervises the internship-type experience in tandem with a qualified preceptor at the practicum site. Our goal is that the preceptor serves as a mentor for the student.

Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 694. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the MS in Health Administration program, online track only.

Description: This course is 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. Assignments should be treated as if the future of an organization or community depends on the success of the venture. The course will enable students to define the nature, skills, and spirit of entrepreneurs, evaluate and practice entrepreneurship, and conduct market research to develop an innovative and viable business model. Students will learn to conduct market analysis to identify competitors and industry trends. Class activities will identify and evaluate different sources of financing for startups and financial factors of successful businesses.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 700. Introduction to Health Services Research3 Units

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to research that addresses the inherent tradeoffs among cost, quality, and access to care as it pertains to the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of public health and personal health services.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 708. Population Health and Health Disparities3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Odd Years

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the PhD in Public Health Sciences Specialization in Health Management and Policy program at the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: This course examines the social determinants of health within the context of population health, including conceptual models and policy approaches that are designed to lessen the negative impact of health disparities that are attributed to these factors, and to improve the health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessments among community residents and their families, peers and social groups.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 710. Advanced Health Policy and Analysis3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to health policy, mechanisms through which policy is made at the state and federal level, and strategies for health policy analysis.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 715. Health Policy Research3 Units

Description: This course is designed to introduce students to research that aims to inform public policy and health organizations decisions related to the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of public health, population health, and personal health services.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 720. Organizational Theory in Health Services Research3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: The purpose of this course is to provide the health management doctoral student with a rigorous set of theoretical tools that they can use to examine and investigate how health organizations function.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 725. Economic Evaluation in Health Care3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Description: Principles, models and practical methods for the economic evaluation of health care services with an emphasis on medical devices.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 740. Microeconomic Theory3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Spring Only

Description: This course is designed to introduce HMSS policy research doctoral students to the core principles of microeconomic theory, specifically as it relates to health policy-making and health care delivery.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 751. Seminar I in Public Health Management1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Fall Only

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences PhD in Public Health Sciences program with specialization in Health Management and Policy.

Description: Doctoral students engage with faculty to discuss and review significant literature related to major influential factors impacting the context of doctoral careers in public health management and to develop a final paper on a topic related to specific aspects of the profession, research, and the creation of new knowledge within public health management. Students will also develop effective oral presentations of these topics.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 752. Seminar II in Public Health Management1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Spring Odd Years

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences PhD in Public Health Sciences program with specialization in Health Management and Policy.

Description: Doctoral students engage with faculty to discuss and review significant literature related to major influential factors impacting the context of doctoral careers in public health management and to develop a final paper on a topic related to specific aspects of the profession, research, and the creation of new knowledge within public health management. Students will also develop effective oral presentations of these topics.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 753. Seminar III in Public Health Management1 Unit

Term Typically Offered: Spring Even Years

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences PhD in Public Health Sciences program with specialization in Health Management and Policy.

Description: Doctoral students engage with faculty to discuss and review significant literature related to major influential factors impacting the context of doctoral careers in public health management and to develop a final paper on a topic related to specific aspects of the profession, research, and the creation of new knowledge within public health management. Students will also develop effective oral presentations of these topics.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 755. Independent Study in Health Management and System Sciences1-3 Units

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing in the School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Description: Course allows students to pursue advanced study with faculty guidance on a topic related to health management and system sciences.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes

PHMS 777. Dissertation Research in Health Management and Systems Sciences3 Units

Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in The School of Public Health and Information Sciences PhD in Public Health Sciences program with a specialization in Health Management and Policy.

Description: This course is designed as a capstone for PhD students in the Public Health Sciences program with a specialization in Health Management and will touch on a broad range of core areas that comprise the Health Management PhD curriculum. The course, as well as being used for preparation for the qualifying exam, will focus on introducing students to dissertation research planning.

For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes