Dual Degree in Business Administration and Health Administration, M.B.A./M.H.A.

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Return to: 7140 Institute of Health Administration

Aaron Baird, Faculty Director, 404-413-7639, abaird@gsu.edu

The purpose of the Master of Business Administration/Master of Health Administration dual degree program is to prepare students become future health care leaders. To accomplish this purpose, the M.B.A./M.H.A. curriculum is structured to provide (1) the basic theoretical knowledge needed to develop as a leader in a health care organizations; (2) an understanding of the pragmatic applications of theoretical concepts applied to operational issues through health casework and involvement with health care facilities throughout the program; (3) the technical skills appropriate to successfully function as a health care or leader; and (4) an understanding of the values, ethics, and attitudes basic to excellence in health care leadership roles.

The M.B.A./M.H.A. curriculum is designed around a set of competencies that define the knowledge, skills and abilities students should possess upon completion of the program. The Competences are as follows:

Business Knowledge and Skills

Financial Management
Operations Management
Strategic Management
Human Resource Management
Analytics

Knowledge of the Health Care Environment

Clinical Professions and the Continuum of Care
Legal, Regulatory and Policy Environment
Economics and Financing
Organizational Performance and Quality
Health Information Systems and Technology

Leadership and Professionalism

Strategic Communication
Emotional Intelligence
Team Leadership and Participation
Innovation and Change Management
Ethics, Honest and Integrity

Admissions

The application procedures and admission criteria are given in the “Master’s Admissions” section of this chapter. Applicants must be accepted by the Institute of Health Administration in addition to receiving admission to the Flexible MBA program in the Robinson College of Business.

Admission to the M.B.A./M.H.A. degree programs occurs each semester. Early application is advised, since the number of applicants each year exceeds program capacity. Applicants should note that health administration courses are typically offered during the evening.

Regulations for the Degrees

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)/Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) dual degree is comprised of 60 semester hours of 8000-level graduate courses; a one-semester practical course is included. A maximum of twelve semester hours of MBA coursework can be exempted based on previous completion of equivalent coursework or approval equivalency from work experience.

The time limit for completing the M.B.A./M.H.A.dual degree is five years.

Applicants who have already completed an AACSB accredited M.B.A. degree program may request to complete the M.H.A. portion of the dual degree and earn only the M.H.A. degree. These requests must be approved by the Faculty Director. The program of study for students approved for this option includes the 33 credit hours of health administration courses listed below and a 3 credit hour practical experience requirement described below.

Degree Requirements

The M.B.A./M.H.A. Curriculum

The M.B.A./M.H.A. degree meets all M.B.A. core requirements. In cases where a health-oriented course is available, students will substitute this course for the standard M.B.A. requirement. Health courses are taken to complete M.B.A. elective requirements and M.H.A. core requirements. Following completion of all core requirements, an elective is selected from available health administration courses to meet the student’s interests, career objectives, and academic requirements. The course requirements for the M.B.A./M.H.A. degrees and the format of the program follow.

Note: If changes to the MBA curriculum are implemented, students are advised to contact the Robinson College of Business Academic Advisor and the Institute of Health Administration for impact on degree requirements.

Cornerstone Core Courses (4.5-10.5 Hours)

These courses provide a solid intellectual grounding within an integrative framework that sets the stage for the entire program. Up to 6 hours (two courses) may be waived based on a student’s undergraduate degree (see section 7090.60 for details) or the discretion of the Faculty Director. Once a course is waived, it may not be taken later for credit. Foundation courses and Cornerstone Core courses may be taken concurrently.

MBA 8015 - Strategic Business Communication 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8025 - Financial Statement Analysis 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8040 - Data Driven Decision Making 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8045 - Analytics Experience 1.5 Credit Hours

Functional Core Courses (4.5-10.5 Hours)

The functional core offers curricular breadth. Up to 6 hours (two courses) in this category may be waived based on a student’s undergraduate degree (see Section 7090.60 for details) or the discretion of the assigned advisor or Faculty Director. Once a course is waived, it may not be taken later for credit.

MBA 8115 - Managerial Accounting and Control Systems 1.5 Credit Hours
MBA 8135 - Corporate Finance 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8145 - Marketing Management 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8165 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior 3 Credit Hours

Business Elective Course (3 Hours)

At least one business elective chosen from this list is required of all students. Students should consult with the assigned academic advisor or the Faculty Director prior to beginning their elective coursework. Please note that not all electies will be offered every semester. Therefore, selection of electives will be dependent on availability.

Students may selectwith prior approval, electives other than those shown below if they can demonstarte the course(s) will better meet their educational objectives.

AS 8370 - Health Insurance & Risk Management 3 Credit Hours
MBA 8125 - Digital Innovation 3 Credit Hours
CIS 8000 - Information Technology Project Management 3 Credit Hours
MGT 8730 - Project Management 3 Credit Hours
ENI 8250 - Entrepreneurship and Complex Global Problems 3 Credit Hours
IFI 8410 - Introduction to Programming and Predictive Analytics for Business 3 Credit Hours

Required Courses in Health Administration (33 Hours)

HA 8160 - Introduction to the Health Care System 3 Credit Hours
Can be waived with replacement if a similar course has been taken in the last five years or with approval of the Faculty Director. For replacement, AS 8370 Health Insurance & Risk Management is recommended
HA 8190 - Health Policy and Ethics 3 Credit Hours
HA 8250 - Health Economics and Financing 3 Credit Hours
Replaces MBA 8000
HA 8440 - Executive Leadership in Health Care 3 Credit Hours
HA 8450 - Legal Environment of Health Care 3 Credit Hours Replaces MBA 8030 - Legal Environment: Ethics and Corporate Governance in the MBA curriculum.
HA 8550 - Healthcare Planning and Financial Management 3 Credit Hours
HA 8620 - Operations Management and Quality in Health Care 3 Credit Hours Replaces MBA 8155 - Operations Management in the MBA curriculum.
HA 8670 - Health Information Systems 3 Credit Hours
HA 8680 - Care Management and Delivery Systems 3 Credit Hours
HA 8750 - Predictive Analytics in Health Care 3 Credit Hours
HA 8990 - Strategic Management in Health Care 3 Credit Hours Replaces MBA 8820 - Global Competitive Strategy in the MBA curriculum.

Experiential Learning (3 hours)

One academic semester of experiential learning is required to provide an opportunity for synthesizing and applying the curriculum. Students are responsible for identifying the appropriate organizational setting or project for their experiential learning subject to the approval, oversight and assistance of the Institute of Health Administration. Identification of the experience and approval of the Institute of Health Administrationmust be completed prior to registration for this course. The 3 credit hour practical experiencecourse is subject to matriculation/tuition fees and may not start until at least 9 credit hours of health administration courses have been completed with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students must meet all report/evaluation assignments.

HA 8810 - Administrative Residency and Survey I 3 Credit Hours