Masters of Science
with a Major in
Health Services Administration

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Masters of Science with a major in Health Services Administration is housed in the College of Health Sciences www.udel.edu/health. The program is designed to develop the knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to succeed in responsible management positions in healthcare systems, hospitals, long-term care institutions, alternative delivery systems, ambulatory care facilities, managed care organizations, consulting firms, and other health-related organizations. Practica allow students to have experiences in a variety of settings, according to the student’s interest and career goals.

Fields of employment from which students come include acute care facilities, community agencies, long-term care facilities, episodic care settings, and other healthcare settings. Student undergraduate preparation should be in a health-related discipline such as nursing, nutrition/dietetics, sports medicine/exercise sciences, physical therapy, medical technology, psychology, social sciences, public policy, information sciences, health education, or health promotion and wellness.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for admission, applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field such as nutrition/dietetics, sports medicine/exercise science, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public policy, information sciences, health education, or health promotion and wellness . The Committee evaluates applicants on the following criteria:

• Completion of one year of management experience in a health-related field or three years experience in a professional health-related practice,
• Satisfactory performance in undergraduate academic work as well as in upper-division major courses,
• Three satisfactory academic and/or professional recommendations,
• Submission of a personal statement concerning goals related to health services administration,
• Interview
• For international students, a minimum score of 600 for the paper test and 250 for the computer-based test is required on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Online Admissions:

Online admission forms can be found at http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/applicants/

Advisement: Each student receives personalized advisement by a faculty member knowledgeable about graduate education at the University of Delaware. An Academic advisor is assigned at the time of admission.

Registration : All registration for HSAD courses need permission from the School of Nursing before registration. This is done by contacting the graduate program secretary either by phone (302) 831-8386, e-mail UD-gradnursing@udel.edu,or in person. After permission is granted, students wanting to register for distance courses complete the registration through the UD Online Office of Continuing Education. Their website www.continuingstudies.udel.edu/udonline/ has useful information about registration forms, etc.

Full-Time and Part-Time Status

Students enrolled in at least 9 graduate (500 level or above) credit hours or in sustaining credit are considered full-time students. Those enrolled for fewer than 9 graduate credit hours are considered part-time students, although students holding assistantships are considered full-time with six credits. Generally, a maximum load is 12 graduate credit hours; however, additional credit hours may be taken with the approval of the student’s adviser and the Office of Graduate Studies.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MS DEGREE

Students in the MS-HSAD program must complete 36 credit hours of graduate study. The following are required courses:

HSAD604 Advanced Practice Roles for Healthcare Providers
HSAD619 Financial Management in Health Services Organizations
HSAD635 Health Administration Theories
HSAD637 Health Planning Strategies
HSAD638 Health Services Evaluation
HSAD664 Administration Practicum
HSAD868 Research (Scholarly Project)
HSAD890 Colloquium (0 cr.) (pass/fail)
EDUC665 Elementary Statistics

PLUS one of the following courses in Communication:

COMM610 Organizational Communication Theory
COMM642 Topics in Organizational Communication
COMM656 Communication in Organizations

PLUS one of the following research courses:

IFST615 Research Methods
PSYC809 Research Design
UAPP800 Research Design and Methodologies

PLUS one of the following courses in human resource management

UAPP837 Public Sector Human Resources Management
UAPP685 Personnel and Human Resource Issues: Current Topics

Students must complete all course requirements within five years of matriculation into the graduate program. Full-time students can complete the program in two years.

PROGRESSION IN THE PROGRAM

Graduate students are subject to the standards for academic status set forth in the University of Delaware Graduate Catalog www.udel.edu/gradoffice. To be eligible for an advanced degree, a student’s cumulative grade point average shall be at least 3.0. A grade below a B- in College core courses will not be counted toward the course requirements for a degree, but is calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average. In addition, the student must receive a course grade of B- or better in HSAD core courses. A student who receives a grade less than a B- in a HSAD core course may repeat each course one time. If a student fails to obtain a B- or better after repeating a course, it will be recommended to the Office of Graduate Studies that the student be dismissed from the program.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

Students who complete graduate credits with the classification of CEND (Continuing Education Non Degree) at the University of Delaware may use a maximum of 9 graduate credits earned with this classification toward their graduate degree. The CEND credits, grades, and quality points become a part of the student’s academic record and grade point average. CEND credit can be transferred provided that (a) the course was at the 600-800 level, (b) the course was taken within the past 5 years, (c) a grade no less than a B- was received, and (d) the course was in accord with the specific degree program as specified by the Graduate Program Policy Statement of the School of Nursing. Transfer of these credits is initiated by the School of Nursing after the student matriculates.

Graduate credit earned at another institution is evaluated at the written request of the student. Such a request should include a course description and syllabus and be given to the student’s advisor. At the advisor’s discretion, course materials may be referred to the Health Services Administration Governance Committee for a decision. A maximum of 9 credits required for the degree will be accepted provided that such credits (a) were earned with a grade of no less than B-, (b) are approved by the student’s advisor or the Health Services Administration Governance Committee, (c) are in accord with the specific degree program, (d) are not older than five years, and (e) were completed at an accredited college or university. The student is responsible for having an official transcript sent to the graduate program secretary in the School of Nursing. The School initiates the transfer of credits. The credits, but not the grades or quality points, are transferable to University of Delaware graduate records. Graduate courses counted toward a degree received elsewhere may not be used. Credits from institutions outside of the United States are generally not transferable to the University of Delaware.

APPLICATION FOR COMPLETION OF POST MASTER’S CERTIFICATE

Post Master’s students fill out an Application for Completion of Post Master’s Certificate form that can be obtained from the graduate program secretary in the School of Nursing. There is no application fee.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (all courses are 3 credits)

HSAD604 Advanced Practice Roles for Healthcare Providers

Focuses on roles and issues affecting healthcare providers engaged in advanced practice. Roles are analyzed in relation to current issues and concepts of advanced practice.

HSAD619 Financial Management in Health Services Organizations

Provides the basic principles and concepts of effective management of budgets for healthcare units. Includes analysis of the environment and departmental organization and their impact on healthcare.

HSAD635 Health Administration Theories

Introduces students to theories of administration, organization, and management; their interaction with other health discipline’s theories; and their influence on management of healthcare agencies. Includes the interaction of theories with attainment of organizational goals. Pre–req/co-req: HSAD604.

HSAD637 Health Planning Strategies

Analyzes organizational systems and roles of managers and administrators. Students identify organizational needs, formulate goals and objectives appropriate to healthcare agencies, and identify strategies appropriate toaccomplishing goal attainment within ethical constraints of healthcare. Pre–req/co-req: HSAD604.

HSAD638 Health Services Evaluation

Emphasizes the roles of managers and administrators in personnel development, promotion of research in clinical settings, and development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives and their implications for healthcare. Pre-req: HSAD604

HSAD664 Health Services Administration Practicum

In conjunction with his/her faculty advisor and based on the student’s individualized long range goals, the student selects a preceptor and healthcare setting in which to apply didactic content in real life settings. This course requires 126 course in an administrative/managerial setting with a preceptor and can be one to three credits at a time for a total of 3 credits. Pre-req/co-req: HSAD635, or HSAD637, or HSAD 638.

HSAD868 Research (Scholarly Project)

Investigation of a problem in clinical nursing, finance, administration, personnel management, public policy, or education resulting in completion of a scholarly project. Pre-req: Research course, HSAD664, and any two of the following HSAD635, 637, or 638.

COMM610 Organizational Communication Theory

Examines major theories of organizations.

COMM642 Topics in Organizational Communication

Emphasizes theory and research in organizational communication.

COMM656 Communication in Organizations

Introduces concepts and research related to communication processes in organizational settings.

EDUC665 Elementary Statistics

Provides a conceptual understanding of some useful statistical techniques along with practical computer and statistical skills, which will enable the student to be able to answer realistic research questions. Topics include descriptive statistics, regression, exploratory data analysis and hypothesis testing.

IFST615 Research Methods

Evaluation of existing research reports, articles and monographs, development of data collection techniques, analysis and presentation of data pertaining to child, family and community populations, elements of statistical analysis, evaluation and selection of research designs, preparation of a research project proposal.

PSYC809 Research Design

An overview of methodological issues in the conduct of psychological research, including correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental studies. Special emphasis on clinical and personality research.

UAPP800 Research Design and Methodologies

Provides skills and examines issues in research design, data acquisition and data analysis in urban affairs.

UAPP837 Public Sector Human Resources Management

Emphasizes personnel management topics of importance to the manager in the public agency setting.

UAPP685 Personnel and Human Resource Issues: Current Topics

Focuses on selected policies, practices, and issues important in the field of public personnel /human resources.

WEB SITES OF INTEREST

University of Delaware Main Page - www.udel.edu

College of Health Sciences - www.udel.edu/health

School of Nursing - www.udel.edu/nursing

Office of Graduate Studies - www.udel.edu/gradoffice

The central location for graduate admissions and enrollment information

Grad Catalog Online - www.udel.edu/health/grad/HNSGradPDF/HNSGRADNURS.pdf

Get official listings of program descriptions, degree options, faculty, and courses

Official Student Handbook - http://www.udel.edu/stuguide/07-08/index.html

Important information about life as a student at UD

Office of the Registrar - www.udel.edu/Registrar

This office maintains official calendars and some information on policies and procedures

The Student Information System-UD-SIS: With your student identification number and PIN, you can use UD-SIS to access grades, bills, unofficial transcripts, and to change addresses.

Billing and Collections - www.udel.edu/bill_coll/fees.html

Tuition and fees

Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid - www.udel.edu/FinAid/applying.html

Foreign Student & Scholar Services - www.udel.edu/IntlProg/fsss/

FSSS, part of International Programs & Special Sessions, is the most know office for foreign graduate students. Visa information, IAP-66 policies, advice for apartment searching, and more.

Student Health Services - www.udel.edu/shs

Continuing Education - UD Online – www.continuingstudies.udel.edu/udonline/

Information Technologies - Help Center – www.udel.edu/help

Thesis Manual Online – www.udel.edu/gradoffice/current/thesismanual.html