College of Business

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree is designed to deliver management and business analysis skills that are applicable in most management positions.  Our M.B.A. focuses on current best practices in the functional areas of business and health care, and is designed for individuals interested in a variety of managerial and/or leadership positions. In addition to a common set of graduate courses in the areas of Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, Law and Strategy,  specialized emphases are available in the following disciplines:

• Accounting
• Business Analytics
• General Business
• Health Care Administration
• Human Resources Management
• Marketing
• Sport Management
• Women in Leadership

Our M.B.A. degree programs are offered either entirely online or via hybrid (a combination of face-to-face and online) in an accelerated format.  Our hybrid program is offered in both Dallas and Houston.  Courses are offered in two 7-week periods within a semester, with six 7-week periods in a year.  Face-to-face meetings for hybrid courses are scheduled on alternating Saturdays during the 7-week period.   The M.B.A. is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). 

M.B.A. Proficiency Courses

M.B.A. proficiency courses are the first level of preparation in the business graduate program. These courses must be completed prior to enrolling in required courses. Applicants may request a waiver of any proficiency course by presenting evidence of having completed at least two undergraduate or one graduate course in the content area with a grade of B or higher.  Additionally, BUS 5013 can be waived upon request if the applicant has at least two years of post-baccalaureate work experience in business and has worked in a supervisory capacity within the last six years.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to make the request for specific course waivers. Waivers are not automatic and are made on a case-by-case basis by examination of the content of each course requested for waiver.

Master of Health Care Administration (M.H.A.)

The Master of Health Care Administration (M.H.A.) prepares graduates for management positions in a variety of firms and organizations that comprise the health services industry. The industry is undergoing rapid and dramatic change. Therefore, the faculty seeks to prepare managers who possess the tools and knowledge that will enable them to analyze problems, formulate solutions, and implement decisions to guide their organizations through dynamic times. The course of study will encourage the development of the student’s personal and leadership potential by fostering attitudes of lifelong learning, and social and ethical responsibility. The M.H.A. program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

The program achieves its goals by:

1. Offering flexible educational opportunities to working students, with particular awareness of the needs of women and minority students.
2. Contributing to the effectiveness of the health care delivery process through faculty and student research and technical consultation.
3. Enhancing the profession of health services through active participation of faculty and students in support of professional health service management associations.

The Health Care Administration curriculum provides professional education in both basic and applied health administration. This educational focus involves providing knowledge and skills required for health services managers to function successfully in a complex and rapidly changing environment. The broad content areas include:

Health Systems Operations, Organization, and Policy

History and organization of the health care system, financing, and utilization of health services, health status and disease occurrence, legal aspects of health care, and medical sociology. Government health policy formulation and implementation and its impact on health care organizations.

Accounting, Economics, and Finance

Accounting and financial management tools for health care administrators, budgeting, financial analysis, costing, variance analysis, capital structure, and performance measurement. Fundamentals of microeconomic theory, economic determinants of health, markets for medical care, health insurance, and economic analysis in decision making.

Management of Health Services Organizations

Organizational theory and behavior, health care planning and marketing, human resource management, and leadership, managerial communications, ethics, legal applications for managers, information systems, and strategic management.

Quantitative Methods

Application of statistical methods to solving health care management problems, operations research, research design and analysis, epidemiology, and performance and quality assessment.

Other Program Options

There are several program options available to students in the Health Care Administration Program.  These include concentrations in business analytics and global health, a waiver of the entrance exam, and courses for applicants who have already completed an advanced degree.

Concentration in Business Analytics

The M.H.A. with an emphasis in Business Analytics provides the skills needed to gather, analyze, and evaluate meaningful patterns represented in data that all healthcare organizations must understand and manage.  The emphasis builds the skills required to communicate this information at various levels within an organization.  This program also explores technology, interface, and security issues related to data access and use within healthcare organizations.  For additional information review the Health Care Administration website.

Concentration in Global Health

The M.H.A with an emphasis in Global Health is designed for graduate students wishing to gain more experience in international health delivery.  To be visionary leaders, as well as effective leaders, healthcare executives must have a breadth of knowledge and understanding about other international health issues and solutions.  This emphasis builds the skills required to gain a better understanding of international health issues and opportunities, the role of cultural differences in health and wellness, comparative health systems, and cross-cultural communication.  This program requires travel to international locations to better understand global health concepts in action, along with course work related to international health systems and services.

Applicants with an Advanced Degree

Applicants who apply to the TWU M.H.A. program and who have an existing advanced degree or professional degree (e.g. law or medicine) may request a waiver of courses completed in another advanced degree.  Waivers are generally limited to no more than 12 semester credit hours and require Healthcare Administration program approval. Use of these courses towards the M.H.A. degree plan is not guaranteed, are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and must have a grade of B or higher. Students who have not successfully completed all requirements of another advanced degree will be required to submit test scores from the GRE or GMAT for consideration of admission into the M.H.A. program. Students who have successfully completed all requirements and earned an advanced degree will be waived from the GRE/GMAT requirement. For additional information review the Health Care Administration website.