Health Administration (MS)

Master of Science in Health Administration (HEADMS)
Unit: School of Public Health and Information Sciences (GH)
Department: Health Management and Systems Sciences
Program Website 
Academic Plan Code(s): HEADMS, HEADMS_O

This program is not accepting applications for admission in the spring 2025 term; applications for admission will reopen beginning in fall 2025.

Program Information

This program can be completed in a traditional classroom format or entirely online.

Healthcare management is a broad field serving one of the largest and most essential industry segments in the United States and Canada. Management is needed in multiple aspects of the industry which include: hospitals, nursing homes, physician’s offices, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, consulting, government and public policy, and many more.

The Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences (HMSS) offers the Master of Science in Health Administration degree for students with no healthcare experience (MSHA-evening) and a modified curriculum for working mid-careerists (MSHA-online). Evening track students may be enrolled full or part-time. As major policy reforms propel widespread disruption across the entire health care delivery system, HMSS recognizes the need to train and further educate a broad cadre of skilled leaders and managers to meet immediate and critical organizational and system-wide challenges.

Competencies

The Program will use the University of Louisville’s Population Health Leadership (PHL) Competency Model. This competency model is a modified version of the National Center for Health Care Leadership (NCHL) competency model (nchl.org).

For a complete listing of the competencies for this program, please visit the MSHA webpage for the School of Public Health and Information Sciences

Curriculum

The curriculum has three main components beginning with an exploration of broad principles and key influencers of leading healthcare organizations, moving to an examination of evidence-based and data-driven frameworks for strategic leadership and effective management of healthcare organizations and issues, and then to an analysis of the external health care and policy environments that impact population and community healthcare management.

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Health Administration is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). 

Faculty Advisor

On matriculation, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor serves as academic practicum advisor, academic mentor, and counselor on career and employment opportunities, professional development, and opportunities beyond graduate school. Evening track students are requested to meet at least twice each semester with their advisor. Online track students will meet with their advisor at least once each semester to ensure appropriate enrollments align with degree completion requirements. 

---

Dual MPH in Health Policy – Masters in Health Administration

The dual MPH (Health Policy) - MSHA degree program facilitates development of advanced population and public health management professionals that may leverage knowledge and practices from both public health science and healthcare management domains to serve in leadership roles within public health institutions, federal-state-local agencies, and healthcare organizations. For more information about the dual program, please visit the program webpage.

The dual MPH - MSHA program is not available to MSHA Online track students. Only MSHA Evening track students may apply.

---

Dual MBA – Masters in Health Administration

The dual MBA - MSHA degree program provides select, high aptitude graduate students a pathway for rigorous, advanced competency development by providing complementary graduate management and healthcare management education over a three-year period in a dual degree format. The residential, one-year MBA provides fundamental business and management development and is followed by the residential, two-year MSHA providing advanced competencies focused in healthcare management that extend development from the MBA program through coursework, health administrative internship\practicum experiences, and extra-curricular graduate healthcare management case study and applied research competitions. Graduates of the dual MBA-MSHA program are expected to be exceptionally competitive for national administrative fellowship placement and/or seek executive-track developmental positions in healthcare finance, operations, and strategy. For more information about the dual program, please visit the program webpage.

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

This program is not accepting applications for admission in the spring 2025 term; applications for admission will reopen beginning in fall 2025.

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-careerists (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
  • Graduate application submitted to the Graduate School.
  • Application Fee
• 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 79 
  • IELTS scores of at least 6.5 overall
  • Duolingo overall score of 105
  • Degree from an accredited U.S. institution

Evening Track Admissions
Students entering the MSHA evening track are expected to have less than five years of working experience and be seeking an on-campus, synchronous learning 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 1^st  for International applicants
  • July 1^st  for Domestic applicants
  • To be competitive for available program scholarship opportunities, applicants should apply on or before March 1^st 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 1^st for Fall I Term
  • December 1^st for Spring I Term

For information on the application process, please contact:

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: sphishms@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 the PHMS 694 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare 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.

Academic Standing

To maintain good academic standing in the MS in Health Administration program, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for all coursework in the program. A student must be in good academic standing in order to receive the degree.

Any MS in Health Administration student with a program cumulative GPA below 3.0 will be placed in probationary status. Any student who remains in probationary status for two consecutive terms may be considered for dismissal from the program.

---

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
Fall		Hours
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
	Hours	13
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
	Hours	13
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
	Hours	15
Spring
PHMS 689	Insurance & Alternative Payment Models	3
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
	Hours	16
	Minimum Total Hours	57

---

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-careerists 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
Fall		Hours
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
	Hours	10
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
	Hours	12
Summer
PHMS 685	Health Operations & Management Science	3
PHMS 610	Health Policy and Analysis	3
	Hours	6
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
	Hours	11
Spring
PHMS 625	Population Health Management	3
PHMS 689	Insurance & Alternative Payment Models	3
PHMS 630	Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector	3
PHMS 635	Health Law and Ethics	3
	Hours	12
Summer
PHMS 694	Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare	3
PHMS 690	MSHA Capstone Course	3
	Hours	6
	Minimum Total Hours	57

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
Fall		Hours
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
	Hours	12
Spring
PHST 501	Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II	3
PHMS 610	Health Policy and Analysis	3
PHMS 509	Health Finance and Financial Management	3
PHMS 530	Comparative Health Systems	3
PHPH 677	Public Health Practice Experience 1	1
PHMS 686	MSHA Practicum Experience I	1
	Hours	14
Summer
PHMS 620	Healthcare Strategic Management (ONLINE)	3
	Hours	3
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
PHPH 678	Public Health Practice Experience 2	1
PHMS 691	MSHA Practicum Experience II	1
	Hours	15
Spring
PHPB 611	Community-Centered Engagement and Assessment	3
PHMS 684	Project Management for Population Health	3
PHPH 679	Public Health Practicum Experience 3	2
PHMS 692	MSHA Practicum III	1
PHPH 698	Public Health Integrative Learning Experience	2
	Hours	11
Year 3
Fall
PHMS 662	Health Economics	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
	Hours	14
Spring
PHMS 689	Insurance & Alternative Payment Models	3
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
	Hours	15
	Minimum Total Hours	84

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
Fall		Hours
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
	Hours	15
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
	Hours	16.5
Summer
MBA 623	Global Learning	1.5
MBA 699	MBA Internship	3
	Hours	4.5
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
	Hours	13
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
	Hours	13
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
	Hours	9
Spring
PHMS 625	Population Health Management	3
PHMS 630	Human Resource Management in the Public Health Sector	3
PHMS 689	Insurance & Alternative Payment Models	3
PHMS 690	MSHA Capstone Course	3
PHMS 692	MSHA Practicum III	1
	Hours	13
	Minimum Total Hours	84

---

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. 

Dual Master of Science, Health Administration - Master of Public Health, Health Policy

Unit: Public Health and Information Sciences
Academic Plan Code: PH_ _MPHHPC, HEADMS

Program Information

The dual MPH (Health Policy) - MS Health Administration degree program facilitates development of advanced population and public health management professionals that may leverage knowledge and practices from both public health science and healthcare management domains to serve in leadership roles within public health institutions, federal-state-local agencies, and healthcare organizations. For more information about the dual program, please visit the program webpage.

Admission Requirements

Students must apply to and be accepted into both the MPH-HP and MS-HA programs. Only MS-HA Evening track students may apply. Each program will require a separate application and application fee. 

Program Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Hours
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
	Hours	12
Spring
PHST 501	Introduction to Biostatistics for Health Sciences II	3
PHMS 610	Health Policy and Analysis	3
PHMS 509	Health Finance and Financial Management	3
PHMS 530	Comparative Health Systems	3
PHPH 677	Public Health Practice Experience 1	1
PHMS 686	MSHA Practicum Experience I	1
	Hours	14
Summer
PHMS 620	Healthcare Strategic Management	3
	Hours	3
Year 2
Fall
PHMS 505	Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations (elective #1)	3
PHMS 680	Health Management Leadership Seminar	1
PHMS 681	Population Health Quantitative Methods (elective #2)	3
PHMS 682	Population Health Information Management	3
PHMS 683	Healthcare Quality Management	3
PHPH 678	Public Health Practice Experience 2	1
PHMS 691	MSHA Practicum Experience II	1
	Hours	15
Spring
PHPB 611	Community-Centered Engagement and Assessment	3
PHMS 684	Project Management for Population Health	3
PHPH 679	Public Health Practicum Experience 3	2
PHMS 692	MSHA Practicum III	1
PHPH 698	Public Health Integrative Learning Experience	2
	Hours	11
Year 3
Fall
PHMS 662	Health Economics	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		3
	Hours	14
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
	Hours	14
	Minimum Total Hours	83