Dual Degree: Master of Healthcare Administration and Master of Business Administration
Website: https://twu.edu/management-marketing/graduate-programs/dual-degree-mba-and-mha/
Our dual Master of Healthcare Administration and Master of Business Administration degree (M.H.A./M.B.A.) prepares students for leadership and management roles at the intersection of business and health. The MBA program focuses on general management and business, while the MHA focuses on the application of these skills to the uniquely complex health industry. Our streamlined, accelerated program is designed for busy professionals who desire to progress to the next level in their careers.
Nationally, healthcare is the largest industry in the US and is growing rapidly. Over the next ten years in Texas, job growth in the healthcare industry is projected to grow by over 20%. Employers are always seeking qualified, competent professionals to join their teams; and our programs can put you on their shortlist. If you desire to be a leader in the business of healthcare, the dual M.H.A./M.B.A. is for you!
In addition to management positions in a wide range of healthcare organizations, our graduates also hold positions in the pharmaceutical industry, health insurance, management consulting, financial institutions, state and federal policy agencies, and more.
The M.H.A./M.B.A. Dual Degree Program is included in the H.C.A. Program’s accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
M.H.A. Marketable Skills
Our MHA Program uses the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) competency model as the framework for curriculum planning and operation. Texas Woman’s University was one of the universities and healthcare groups that worked together to develop the initial model. Our competency model was reviewed and updated in June 2023 by the HCA faculty, alumni, and its practitioner-based Advisory Board. The foundation of the Program’s curriculum is to facilitate the development of a depth and breadth of knowledge in the health sector as well as 17 professional competencies to support career success in healthcare management and leadership.
The competencies are organized in their support of four domains: Critical Thinking, Analysis, Problem Solving and Business Skills; Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness; Professionalism and Ethics; Management and Leadership. Students completing the MHA program will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate the competencies at the basic (B), intermediate (I), and advanced (A)-levels.
All MHA students monitor their growth and development according to these competencies through a series of self- and faculty-assessments, and use this feedback to create professional development plans to guide them toward their career goals.
Critical Thinking, Analysis, Problem Solving, and Business Skill
- L3. Analytical Thinking (A)
- L8. Financial Skills (A)
- L17. Performance Measurement (I)
- L18. Process Management & Organizational Design (A)
Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness
- L5. Collaboration (A)
- L22. Communication Skills (A)
- L21. Relationship Building (A)
Professionalism and Ethics
- L1. Accountability (A)
- L22. Self-Confidence (A)
- L23. Self-Development (A)
- L26. Team Leadership (A)
Management and Leadership
- L4. Change Leadership (I)
- L9. Human Resource Management (I)
- L12. Intuitional Technology Management (A)
- L14. Innovative Thinking (A)
- L20. Project Management (I)
- L24. Strategic Orientation (I)
M.B.A. Marketable Skills
- Critical Thinking: M.B.A. Specific Application - Solving problems by applying knowledge to cases and challenges in organizations. General Employment Application - Using feedback from employees, environment, benchmarking, and innovation to generate multiple solutions, creative ideas, and effective strategies and to understand the industry/general environment.
- Diversity: M.B.A. Specific Application - Grasp knowledge of theory and legal statutes pertaining to workplace discrimination and diversity. General Employment Application - Implement fair selection practices and equal employee treatment while leveraging the benefits of workplace diversity.
- Ethical Reasoning: M.B.A. Specific Application - Recognize and solve ethical dilemmas from assigned cases and grasp theory of ethics in the workplace. General Employment Application - Make ethical decisions and create or support an ethical organizational climate.
- Teamwork: M.B.A. Specific Application - Work with teams on projects and/or grasp concepts related to group dynamics. General Employment Application - Ability to work with teams in a workplace setting and effectively manage workgroups. Vital components of successful teamwork include learning and applying methods for group creation, role formation, successful team communication, team management, and the ability to produce results.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
57-72 Semester credit hours (SCH).
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | 0-15 | |
| Financial Accounting | ||
or HCA 5513 | Financial Accounting in Health Care Administration | |
| Foundations in Business | ||
| Foundations of Financial Management | ||
| Foundations of Health Services | ||
| Research Methods for Managerial Decision Making | ||
| Required Courses for M.H.A. | ||
| HCA 5223 | Strategic Planning in Healthcare | 3 |
| HCA 5343 | Human Resources Management in Health Care Administration | 3 |
| HCA 5473 | Health Information Management | 3 |
| HCA 5483 | Population Health Management | 3 |
| HCA 5493 | Performance Measurement and Quality in Health Care Administration | 3 |
| HCA 5623 | Economics of Health Care | 3 |
| HCA 5633 | Health Policy Analysis | 3 |
| HCA 5883 | Professional Portfolio and Healthcare Career Competencies | 3 |
| HCA 5933 | Capstone in Health Care Administration | 3 |
| HCA Elective (in consultation with advisor, Proficiency courses can not be used as an elective.) | 3 | |
| Required Courses for M.B.A. | ||
| ACCT 5433 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUS 5923 | Global Business | 3 |
| FIN 5243 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| MGT 5263 | Organizational Behavior in Business Administration | 3 |
| MGT 5893 | Business Strategy and Policy | 3 |
| MKT 5133 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| Required Courses for M.H.A./M.B.A | ||
| HCA 5263 | Advanced Financial Management for Health Care Administration | 3 |
| HCA 5393 | Health Law and Ethics | 3 |
| or BUS 5933 | Business Ethics and Legal Environment | |
| MGT 5663 | Decision Analysis for Managers | 3 |
| or HCA 5443 | Operations Analysis in Healthcare Administration | |
| Total SCHs | 57-72 | |
Master of Business Administration Requirements
Added foundation coursework may be required for the students pursuing the MBA. The need for foundation coursework is assessed on an individual case basis by evaluating the student's undergraduate transcripts and current resume for appropriate undergraduate coursework and relevant work experience. See the main College of Business page for additional information.
Master of Healthcare Administration Requirements
Degree/Course Format
The MHA Program offers a flexible, year-round, sequenced, hybrid program that accommodates students to complete degree requirements full- or part-time. Three specially designed immersion courses (HCA 5883, HCA 5633, and HCA 5933) require students to attend a portion of class on the Dallas or Houston campus (see Immersion Sequence description to follow). The balance of courses are offered 100% online. Online courses may or may not include required or optional “live” evening courses via synchronous video. All required remote or in-person meeting dates are communicated in the TWU Class Schedule.
Courses are sequenced to support student success using four levels: Foundation, Levels I, II, and III. Students are required to fully complete a level (or be enrolled concurrently in the final courses in a level) before they can enroll in the subsequent level.
MHA Program Faculty/Staff
The MHA program recruits a blend of full-time tenured or tenure-track, visiting, and adjunct faculty. The MHA Program strives to blend industry expertise with student-centered teaching and rigorous scholarship to prepare students for career success. An introduction to the MHA Faculty/Staff highlights the careers, teaching, and research experience these professionals bring to their students.
Foundation Courses/Placement Assessment
The MHA Program attracts students with highly diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests. The foundation courses are the first level of preparation for specialized study in Health Care Administration and serve as “leveling” courses to ensure that our diverse student body enters the level I-III curriculum prepared for success.
The Program offers three Placement Assessments to all admitted students. Admitted students are invited to complete 1, 2, or all 3 of the assessments to determine their placement in the curriculum or where they will start the program. A 70% or higher score on these assessments will allow students to skip one or more of the Foundation Courses.
Immersion Sequence
Three MHA courses (HCA 5883,HCA 5633, and HCA 5933) are designed as hybrid courses (hybrid = online + in-person course) that require all students to travel to either Dallas or Houston to participate in in-person learning experiences with program faculty. HCA 5883 and HCA 5933 will require participation in a 3-day extended weekend and HCA 5933 will require students to participate in-person for 3 days during the scheduled term on a TWU campus or another approved off-site location. Online pre and post-work will be required to prepare for the course and to wrap up final assignments. These special courses will immerse students in graduate-level, dynamic courses that are designed to support student advancement on competencies that benefit most from in-person instruction.
Electives
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, will select at least one three-semester credit hour approved elective course in order to obtain additional breadth or depth in a particular field of Health Care Administration study. A study abroad elective is also available. Electives from other TWU departments or other Universities may be approved with permission from the faculty advisor if they meet the criteria as related to the study of health care administration and the student’s career goals. However, transfer credits from other Universities or Departments are subject to limits established by the graduate school.
Internship/Fieldwork Opportunities
Internships and field experiences are available with healthcare organizations. They are designed to provide students with the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge and skills from their course experiences. While an internship or fieldwork is not required, it is strongly recommended for all individuals who lack health care experience or whose experience is primarily technical or clinical. The decision regarding whether the internship or fieldwork should be included as one of the elective courses is made jointly by the faculty advisor and student at the completion of 12 semester credit hours of study. In addition, many courses include fieldwork projects, tours, and assessments of local healthcare organizations. A maximum of three semester credit hours may be earned in internship or fieldwork and applied toward the degree. In order to receive academic credit for an internship or fieldwork the student must contact his/her faculty advisor and complete the necessary documentation with the HCA internship/fieldwork coordinator prior to applying or accepting an internship or fieldwork assignment.
Professional Development Portfolio
Each MHA student is required to develop and maintain a professional portfolio throughout their time in the Program. The portfolio is a professional development tool students use to monitor their achievements, strengths, and areas for development against the TWU MHA Competency Model. Each student presents their portfolio to the faculty or their faculty advisor at the conclusion of each of the three courses in the Immersion Sequence. Faculty or faculty advisors work with students to develop professional development plans to support their career goals.
Additional Grading Requirements
In addition to the general University grading requirements, the HCA Program limits the number of courses in which a grade of C is made in HCA program-specific courses to two. If a grade of C is made in a third HCA program-specific course, then regardless of the cumulative grade point average, the student will be dropped from the HCA Program. Since this is an HCA grading requirement and not a University requirement, the student may choose to apply to another TWU program.
The two C Rule applies even if the student retakes a course in which the initial grade was a C.
