MSHCA Course Requirements

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MSHCA Curriculum

The minimum number of units for this CSU Graduate Program is 36 semester units. In the MS-HCA Program, applicants with 3 to 5 years of middle management or administrative experience or a related terminal degree are evaluated at admission in regard to satisfaction of internship and/or elective requirements. (Learn more about internship satisfaction.)

The internship requirement but not the units is also considered satisfied by at least one year of experience (at the discretion of the Program Director). This decision regarding the internship is made at admission or during establishment of the Program of Study. When a student was designated as needing to fulfill the requirement but subsequently is employed for at least 6 months in health care, the Director will re-evaluate and may determine the requirement satisfied.

Satisfaction or Waiving of Credits

Graduate course work from another CSUB program or another institution may be allowed as transfer credit toward the degree up to a limit of 6 units and at the discretion of the Director.

All coursework that counts for the master’s degree must have been completed within the seven-year period immediately preceding the approved application for graduation.

Exceptions may be granted by the PPA Department on written application. The number of units may also be satisfied by a review by the Director, of the health care professional experience of the applicant. Also up to a limit of 6 units.

MSHCA Students Must Take the Following:

This seminar provides an introduction to applied research for decision-making in government, health care and nonprofit agencies. The course covers experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental research designs, measurement, data collection, analysis, evaluation, and communication of findings. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or higher.

Requisite(s): Prerequisite: sophomore standing or higher. 
This course explores the history, current impact and implications for the future of managed care from the management and patient perspectives. Course participants will have the opportunity to explore and discuss the dilemmas specific to a managed care environment and the roots of the transformation and the various challenges presented by the stages and the models for the financing and delivery of care.
This course is an in-depth exploration of the health care delivery system of the United States and the contemporary challenges to that system in delivering health care services. The purpose of the course is to foster a conceptual and contextual understanding of the system to prepare students for careers and the manager/administrator for active, reflective participation in the delivery of health care services
This course focuses on aligning health and human services offerings with the demands of markets, in order to maximize customer / client value and organizational competitive advantage. Course components include: the nature of marketing function; differences in services and product markets and marketing; market analysis; elements of the tactical marketing mix; and marketing strategies.
This course introduces the student to quality initiatives and the specific processes of work-flow management, statistical process control, patient management, analytic techniques and research strategies applicable to the quality improvement process. This course satisfies the PPA 22-23 Catalog Copy Department Applied Learning requirement through service learning.
This course addresses health policy issues from the public policymaking process perspectives. Explored are the stakeholders, policy networks, and policy impacts---including Medicaid, Medicare, S-CHIPS, and the PPACA. Types of policy research are introduced with a focus on the methods used, argumentation, and the stage of program evaluation.
The course examines quantitative and qualitative research design in public administration and health care management. Topics include selecting research topics, defining research questions, quantitative research design, qualitative research design, development of a literature review, measurement, and analysis. Students must develop a research proposal as the key work product of the class. Prerequisite: Classified standing.
This graduate seminar provides a survey of current public policies, principles, processes, and issues related to public, nonprofit, and healthcare finance and budgeting. Prerequisite: Classified standing
This graduate seminar examines the legal and ethical issues that confront managers and administrators in health care and human service organizations. Explored will be the social, cultural, legal, economic and organizational values, paradoxes and dilemmas of our society and the laws, regulations, codes, standards and theories constructed to deal with these issues. Prerequisite: Classified standing.

An internship experience is required for all students that have not had supervisory level experience in the U.S. health care setting. Requirements of the course include at least 200 hours of supervised management level experience and leadership of an assigned project. This course is graded credit/no credit. May be repeated up to a maximum of 6 units.

Learn more about internship satisfaction.

Candidates for the MSHCA degree must complete an applied research project in accordance with Title V of the California Administrative Code of Regulations. The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate competency acquired in the graduate program. This includes mastery of knowledge in the discipline and in the ability to use theory and method in the preparation of an applied research project. Prerequisites: HCA 5360; and Prerequisite or Corequisite: HCA 6030. Classified standing.

NOTE: You are not able to register yourself for this course.

Elective Courses

MSHCA Students may be required to take elective courses. Elective selections must be preceded by a conversation with the Program Advisor/Director about how the student interests mesh with the program of study. Electives that are not approved however will not count toward the graduation requirements.

Elective courses vary by semester.
More Course Descriptions

Grade Point Average (GPA)

All graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in all graduate course work. Students who receive a “B-” or below in any course, will not be able to use that result towards the fulfillment of any degree requirement.