http://www.rit.edu/cast/servicesystems/hsa/

Program overview

The MS in health systems administration is designed to provide strategic skills for today’s health care management. Now, as never before, health care is rapidly transforming. The pace of technology and innovation are changing how, when, and where health care is provided, and who is providing it. Concurrently, health care customers have high expectations for quality and responsiveness to their needs—delivered in a cost-effective manner.

To provide these strategic skills to health care management, the MS in health systems administration builds on a foundation of courses in policy and law formation, health care economics, innovation, and leadership. Additional options are provided through course selections, building an integrated program that meets the individual challenges of participating students.

The program is available online, allowing students to pursue their degree while maintaining full-time employment in locations around the world. Another distinct advantage is the diversity of our student population, allowing for creative discussion and comprehension of global health care issues and how these relate to the standards and practices of the American health care system. The ability to share information and ideas, and to contrast and compare strategies, allows students a level of creativity and scope of practice not found in the traditional classroom.

RIT provides excellent online learning support that leads the student through registration and use of distance learning tools. In addition, for select subject areas, the health systems administration program plans special learning sessions that blend presentation styles. This could be through attendance at seminars in locations throughout the country or on the RIT campus. These formats provide a combination of both distance learning and interaction with presenters who provide a strategic view of health care delivery models.

Curriculum

The program requires 48 credit hours at the graduate level and can be completed in approximately two years by taking two courses per quarter. Students may take longer to complete the course work by reducing their workload to one course per quarter. However, students must complete their degree requirements within seven years of the date of the oldest course identified on their RIT course records. Students must maintain a 3.0 average throughout their academic career. Toward the end of their program of study, students will complete a capstone course focusing on a business plan/case for an innovative topic related to their work environment. The paper is developed and written within a course that is taken during the last year of study for the degree. Upon matriculation, each student works with the program chair for advice and direction to develop a plan of study.

Electives

Students must also complete a total of 12 credit hours of electives. Students may fulfill electives from other concentrations or from other graduate courses offered in the School of International Hospitality and Service Innovation with permission of their adviser and program chairs.

Thesis/Capstone/Comprehensive exam options

All students must complete a thesis, a capstone project, or a comprehensive exam to complete their degree program. In conferring with their academic adviser, students may choose a thesis or capstone project topic that complements the candidate’s undergraduate training, career experiences, and graduate interests. Both the thesis or capstone project is a formal document that reflects the candidate’s professional preparation and should be of an applied research genre. Graduate faculty will assist the student in selecting a relevant thesis/project topic.

The comprehensive exam focuses on knowledge of the core competencies, theory and foundation principles, and application of this knowledge to a variety of scenarios.

Admission requirements

To be considered for admission to the MS program in health systems administration, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited college or university,
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above (or superior endorsement),
• Submit two letters of reference from individuals who have the opportunity to observe the applicant’s work output,
• Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, 
• Complete an interview with the program chair (for those without health care experience), and
• Complete a graduate application.

It is recommended that applicants have a minimum of three years of experience in a health care or health-related organization as either a practitioner or manager. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be asked to complete certain undergraduate courses as a bridge for the content knowledge required for the graduate program. They may also be required to complete a graduate level internship in health care prior to graduation.

All credentials must be submitted and reviewed by faculty prior to the completion of 12 credit hours of graduate work in the program.