Health Administration - Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements:

• A completed Pfeiffer University graduate application for admission with application fee.  You can also complete it online.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a satisfactory grade point average
• Official transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended.  (Transcript Request Form)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Satisfactory completion of one of the following:(1) Miller Analogies Test (MAT), (2) Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), (3) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other standardized graduate admissions test. This requirement is waived for applicants with a graduate degree from an accredited institution.

Program Requirements:

The MHA program is a 36 semester hour course of study that is normally completed in five semesters (approximately one-and-one-half years). It is expected that students who enter the MHA program will have a working knowledge of commonly used computer programs involving word processing, database, and spreadsheet software. Each student must have an individual email address and have access to the Internet. MHA 790 is an applied field experience, normally conducted under the direction of a senior management official at the student’s place of employment. MHA 776 takes place between semesters and involves a 7-10 day foreign study experience in either England or Germany.

Contact Us

Here are ways you can contact us:

1. Request an info packet.
2. Come to an information session.
3. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
4. Call: (704) 945-7320 (Charlotte) or (919) 941-2920 (Triangle)
5. Visit: Our address in Charlotte is 4701 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28209.  Our address in the Triangle is 2880 Slater Rd Suite 100, Morrisville, NC 27560. Our normal business hours are Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.  If you want to schedule an appointment, please call (704) 945-7356 in Charlotte or (919) 941-2920 ext. 2927 in the Triangle.

Health Administration - Concentrations

Leadership Concentration:

The Leadership concentration is designed to provide practical applications from both the health service and business leadership fields of knowledge. The four MSL courses provided in the concentration will provide the student with the essential specialized competencies necessary for successful leadership in the rapidly changing and extraordinarily complex health service enterprise of the 21st Century. NOTE: This concentration is available only on the Charlotte Campus, the Triangle Campus, online or with special permission of the Department Chairperson.

Concentration Curriculum Requirements - 36 Semester Hours

MHA Curriculum Requirements - 21 Semester Hours

All MHA-Leadership and Change Concentration students must successfully complete a twenty one (21) semester hour, seven (7) course core health service curriculum which includes:

• MBA 701 Organizational Communications
• MHA 710 Contemporary Health Administration
• MHA 715 Legal and Ethical Environment of Health Services
• MHA 725 Health Services Policy
• MHA 730 Health Economics
• MHA 740 Health Services Financial Management
• MHA 799 Strategic Health Services Management

MHA Elective Requirement- 3 Semester Hours

All MHA-Leadership and Change Concentration students must successfully complete one of the following three (3) semester hour MHA elective courses:

• MHA 735 Health Services Information Management
• MHA 776 Comparative International Health

MSL Curriculum Requirements - 12 Semester Hours

All MHA-Leadership and Change Concentration students must successfully complete a twelve (12) semester hour, four (4) course leadership and change curriculum which includes:

• MSL 702 Organizational Behavior
• MSL 710 Organizational Leadership
• MSL 740 Negotiations and Conflict Management
• MSL 750 Organizational Change Management

Health Administration - Joint Degree Programs

MBA/MHA

The Joint Degree MBA/MHA program incorporates an efficient combination of the most significant components of the Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration programs. The course of study culminates with neither a separate MBA or a separate MHA; rather, the Joint Degree MBA/ MHA is an intensive single degree program. The program is intended primarily for clinicians and healthcare managers whose career paths require advanced competencies in both quantitative and qualitative aspects of management. The program will be of significant benefit to persons who have worked in healthcare for at least five years. Individual arrangements may be developed for persons with less tenure in the health sector. A highlight of the program is an eight to ten day international study where students travel in Europe, the United Kingdom or Canada under the direct supervision of Pfeiffer professors.

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MHA/MSL

The Joint Degree MHA/MSL program incorporates an efficient combination of the most significant aspects of the single degree Master of Health Administration and Master of Science in Leadership programs. The course of study culminates with neither the Master of Health Administration nor the Master of Science in Leadership; rather, the MHA/MSL is an intensive single degree program. The program is intended primarily for clinicians and healthcare managers whose career paths require advanced competencies in qualitative and quantitative aspects of management. In addition to providing functional knowledge in the key managerial, finance, legal and ethical areas of the healthcare enterprise, it will provide the latest knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage others and to successfully implement change initiatives. In so doing, the individual will be better prepared for leadership in the rapidly changing and extraordinarily complex health service environment of the 21st Century.

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Health Administration - Curriculum

• MBA 701 Organizational Communications
• MHA 710 Contemporary Health Administration
• MHA 715 Legal and Ethical Environment of Health Services
• MHA 720 Health Services Marketing
• MHA 725 Health Services Policy
• MHA 730 Health Economics
• MHA 735 Health Services Information Management
• MHA 740 Health Services Financial Management
• MHA 776 Comparative International Health
• MHA 790 Practicum in Health Administration
• MHA 799 Strategic Health Services Management
• Elective: One 3 semester hour course from the MSL curriculum subject to specified course prerequisite requirements.

Health Administration - Course Descriptions

MHA - 710 Contemporary Health Administration (3 SH)
Major issues associated with the current and future organization and delivery of health
services in the United States. Concepts and applications of organization and management
in the health sector are explored.

MHA - 715 Legal and Ethical Environment of Health Services (3 SH)
Exploration on the ethical and legal implications of various situations found in health care
settings. Legal foundations, principles and processes, including the origins of health law,
will be emphasized. A major component will focus on issues in biomedical issues such
as euthanasia, abortion, access to care, and biotechnology.

MHA - 720 Health Services Marketing (3 SH)
Survey of marketing concepts as applied to service based organizations; emphasis on
market analysis, consumer behavior, market segmentation, target marketing, relationship
marketing and managing the market mix of services and communications.

MHA - 725 Health Services Policy (3 SH)
Policy making and strategy making in the public and private health sectors. Governmental
and corporate management of issues associated with access, cost and quality; influences
of biomedical and corporate ethics; processes of innovation. Particular emphasis is placed
on the processes of policy formulation, implementation, assessment and modification.

MHA - 730 Health Economics (3 SH)
Economic and statistical analysis applied to health sector; concepts of efficiency and
effectiveness applied to the production and distribution of health services; institutional
description of health insurance, government programs, and health organizations; analysis
of policy issues from economics point of view. Prerequisites: ECON 222 or ECON 591.

MHA - 735 Health Services Information Management (3 SH)
Exploration of concepts and applications of information technology in the contemporary
healthcare marketplace. Focus on design, development and operations of integrated
administrative and clinical management information systems.

MHA - 740 Health Services Financial Management (3 SH)
Application of accounting and finance to decision making for health care and managed care
professionals; emphasis on financial statement analysis, working capital management,
capital, cash and accrual budgets and capital budgeting techniques; and cost benefit
analysis of projects.

MHA - 741 Financial Management in Healthcare (3 SH)
Practical information on financial and management and control tools and techniques in the
healthcare sector. Particular emphasis is placed on risk management, corporate complaiance,
and financial operations in a managed care environment. Prerequisite: Permission of the
Program Director.

MHA - 776 Comparative International Health (3 SH)
A practical focus on the interrelationships between business and health in an international
setting. The course includes a trip to an international setting for on-site lectures and
discussions with foreign business and health leaders. Prerequisite: Permission of the
Program Director.

MHA - 790 Practicum in Health Administration (3 SH)
Faculty-guided independent study offered in cooperation with the student's employer or
an organization of choice. The student is required to demonstrate the application of
knowledge and skills from the curriculum to practical management situations. Students
have three (3) semesters to complete this course.

MHA - 795 Applied Research in Health Administration (3 SH)
Faculty-supervised independent study course to introduce the student to research techniques
in health administration. Emphasis will be placed on research methods as well as
the research of others from professional publications. A major research paper will be prepared
and submitted for evaluation. Students have three (3) semesters to complete this
course.

MHA - 798 Special Topics (3 SH)
Addresses the development and analysis of community-based and regional health-related
information regarding population status, organizational structure, control regulation and
resource requirements to ensure successful program design, implementation and
management. Prerequisite: BUAD 321.

MHA - 799 Strategic Health Services Management (3 SH)
An overview of health planning in the U.S. and its relationship to contemporary health
services marketing. Emphasis will be placed on strategic marketing models for health
organizations and methods for implementing these models within the total health care
environment. Topics include the strategic management process, the marketing concept,
organizational culture, ethics and marketing research.

Master of Health Administration