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Curriculum

The Healthcare MBA curriculum combines core MBA courses with healthcare-specific coursework. Unique in its approach, all courses are taught from the perspective of executives who manage healthcare organizations. The program’s final course gives students the opportunity to write a research paper on an approved topic in the field and complete a Health Policy Analysis Report. Students work directly with a healthcare institution to address real case problems and present findings to the organization’s healthcare executives.

Program Residencies

All students are required to complete three residencies. Residencies are offered in an on-campus/online format.

Core Courses

  • Organizational Behavior

    This course examines individual, interpersonal, and small group behavior in healthcare organizations. Focus is on behavior, its causes, and management interventions to improve organizational effectiveness. Research methods to study organizational behavior are used.

  • Management of Healthcare Organizations in the 21st Century

    This course explores the use of evidence-based management for effective planning and decision-making by today’s healthcare managers. Concepts and theories from the general management literature will be identified for dealing with the emerging issues of the health care industry relating to the delivery of effective, patient-centered care. Field-based examples will be used to illustrate how managers use available information and data to improve the quality of organizational decisions and processes to achieve fiscal sustainability.

  • Legal Environment of Business

    This course studies the importance of law and legal institutions on commerce workings of administrative law, various aspects of employment legislation and other areas of the healthcare environment.

  • Financial Reporting and Analysis

    This course uses a comprehensive treatment of analysis of health services organizations’ financial statements as aid for decision making; looks at current state of financial reporting practices and impact of published statements on economic systems.

  • Financial Reporting and Analysis

    This course uses a comprehensive treatment of analysis of health services organizations’ financial statements as aid for decision making; looks at current state of financial reporting practices and impact of published statements on economic systems.

  • Marketing Management

    This course is the analysis and application of theory and problem solving for marketing management in the healthcare environment. Emphasis will be on the role of marketing in an organization, planning the marketing effort, management of marketing effort, management of marketing organizations, control of marketing operations, and evaluations of the marketing contributions.

  • Accounting for Managers

    This course is a presentation of the nature, techniques, and uses of accounting from the perspective of people who manage health services organizations. It covers both financial and management accounting.

  • Operations Management

    This course covers analysis, design, and operations organizational systems. The system approach is used to provide a framework or general model of analysis, to which specific concepts, quantitative techniques, and tools can be related.

  • Organization Information Systems

    This course provides an introduction to information systems and their role in health services organizations from a user's viewpoint. It surveys and reviews applications of the basic concepts necessary for understanding information systems. It includes study of the main activities in the development cycle used to acquired information systems capabilities.

  • Corporate Finance

    In-depth examination of asset, liability and capital structure management, with emphasis on valuation capital budgeting techniques; risk evaluation; working capital management, and methods of short-term, intermediate and long-term financing. Prerequisite: ACG 6026 or equivalent

  • Managerial Decision Making in Health Economics

    Managerial health economics focuses on supply and demand of health resources and the constraints that limit them. Government roles in public health also are analyzed.

  • Management of Healthcare Finance and Reimbursement

    In this course, the history of financing models for health delivery systems are analyzed and evaluated.Reimbursement includes insurance, governmental assistance and the affordable care act.

  • Strategic Management

    This course uses cases, guest lectures, and gaming to integrate the analysis and measurement tools, the functional areas and health policy issues. The objective is to develop skill in broad area of rational decision-making in an administrative context of uncertainty.

  • Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Law and Regulation

    This course is intended to cover the healthcare fraud and abuse laws and management of issues related to the prosecution and defense in federal and state systems.

  • Master’s Project in Management

    This course requires each student to conduct a research project on a specific health care management problem in a community or institutional setting. Students are expected to demonstrate the application of the theories, concepts and skills acquired during the didactic portion of their graduate healthcare management education. It is an opportunity for the student to integrate prior learning within a healthcare delivery setting.

  • Lean Six Sigma

    Lean Six Sigma is a powerful, proven method of improving business efficiency and effectiveness. In a nutshell, here are the key principles of Lean Six Sigma Business Transformation to bear in mind:

    • Focus on the customer's true needs and wants.
    • Learn Critical Thinking skills to identify and understand how the work gets done in the value stream.
    • Manage, improve and smooth the process flow.
    • Remove Non-Value-Added steps and waste.
    • Manage by fact and reduce variation.
    • Involve and equip the people in the process.
    • Undertake improvement activity in a systematic way.

    The curriculum is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement. It was developed by Motorola in 1986. Jack Welch made it central to his business strategy at General Electric in 1995. Today, it is used in many business sectors.

    Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, mainly empirical, statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization ("Champions", "Black Belts", "Green Belts", "Yellow Belts", etc.) who are experts in these methods. Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified value targets, for example: reduce process cycle time, reduce pollution, reduce costs, increase customer satisfaction, and increase profits.

    The FIU residency/orientation program offers students the ability to acquire both the yellow and green belts as a part of their tuition and at no extra cost. (This is a potential cost savings of thousands of dollars if the same instruction was given in the private sector). The students receive instruction from a grand master black belt who has literally written the book on the subject!

Course Competencies

  1. Students will be able to calculate and analyze information useful to decision makers (Financial, statistical, data analysis and decision making; business skills and knowledge).
    • 1a) Financial Management (ACG 6026, FIN 6406, ACG 6175)
      • 1.a.1. Apply break-even analysis to business decisions (ACG 6026)
      • 1.a.2. Evaluate corporate performance using financial ratios (ACG 6026)
      • 1.a.3. Assess the effect of accounting principles choice on financial statements (ACG 6026)
      • 1.a.4. Allocate common costs using multiple methods (ACG 6026)
      • 1.a.5. Calculate free cash flows (FCF) from corporate balance sheets and income statements (FIN 6406)
      • 1.a.6. Assess stand-alone risk and differentiate it from portfolio risk (FIN 6406)
      • 1.a.7. Appropriately use time value of money concepts in securities valuation (FIN 6406)
      • 1.a.8. Differentiate debt and equity (FIN 6406)
      • 1.a.9. Effectively value publicly traded and non-traded corporations (FIN 6406)
      • 1.a.10. Assess the impact of accounting choices on strategic objectives (ACG 6175)
      • 1.a.11. Interpret ratios and other financial information for performance (ACG 6175)
      • 1.a.12. Evaluate the legal liability associated with financial misstatement and fraud (ACG 6175)
      • 1.a.13. Apply models used to value an entity (ACG 6175)
    • 1b) Marketing and Consumer Behavior (MAR 6805)
      • 1.b.1. Use core marketing and consumer behavior concepts to identify various marketing scenarios (MAR 6805)
      • 1.b.2. Evaluate consumer needs and behaviors (MAR 6805)
      • 1.b.3. Assess market opportunities by analyzing consumers (through market research), competitors, collaborators, context, and the strengths and weaknesses of an entity (MKT 6805)
      • 1.b.4. Conduct market research and use the results to support decisions (MAR 6805)
      • 1.b.5. Develop effective marketing strategies to achieve organizations’ objectives (MAR 6805)
      • 1.b.6. Communicate and defend recommendations and critically examine and build upon the recommendations of others both quantitatively and qualitatively (MAR 6805)
    • 1c) Information Management (MAN 6830)
      • 1.c.1. Evaluate the key information technologies and regulatory requirements that support information systems (MAN 6830)
      • 1.c.2. Develop a working knowledge of IS development lifecycle processes and methodologies based on mapping (as-is and to-be) strategy, process and technology (MAN 6830)
      • 1.c.3. Develop an understanding of the key issues and approaches involved in information system acquisition, implementation and change management (MAN 6830)
      • 1.c.4. Evaluate the impact of information systems on the structure, processes and the behaviors of the organization (MAN 6830)
    • 1d) Organizational Behavior and Management (MAN 6095, 6501, 6245, 6276)
      • 1.d.1. Apply diversity management tools and techniques to effectively engage employees from diverse backgrounds and cultures (MAN 6245)
      • 1.d.2. Evaluate the well-being and performance of employees, and develop strategies to reduce their stress, while increasing their effectiveness (MAN 6245)
      • 1.d.3. Apply theories and concepts relating to the management, organization and delivery products/services (MAN 6095)
      • 1.d.4. Forecast demand using time series technique or linear regression (MAN 6501)
      • 1.d.5. Evaluate alternative schedules using scheduling algorithms (MAN 6501)
      • 1.d.6. Develop ABC classification inventory management (MAN 6501)
      • 1.d.7. Evaluate risks associated with alternative facility locations (MAN 6501)
      • 1.d.8. Analyze basic business contracts (BUL 6810)
      • 1.d.9. Analyze industry structure and environmental trends to assess industry potential (MAN 6726)
      • 1.d.10. Explain the application of performance control systems (MAN 6095)
      • 1.d.11. Develop quality monitoring and quality improvement processes (MAN 6501)
      • 1.d.12. Apply Six Sigma concepts to service quality management (MAN 6501)
  2. Students will be able to critically analyze complex business issues and make strategic business decisions under uncertainty (leading, thinking creatively, making sound decisions under uncertainty, integrating knowledge across fields; critical thinking, analysis and problem solving).
    • 2a) Critical thinking (All coursework)
      • 2.a.1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills in complex business settings
  3. Students will be able to evaluate ethical problems associated with legal issues (social responsibility, ethical behavior and management (Professionalism and ethics).
    • 3a) Ethics, Personal and Professional Accountability (BUL 6810, MAN 6095)
      • 3.a.1. Maintain accountability for personal ethics (BUL 6810)
      • 3.a.2. Analyze ethical problems/choose and defend resolutions (MAN 6095)
      • 3.a.3. Identify legal constraints and the options available to managers in resolving ethical issues (BUL 6810)
      • 3.a.4. Identify corporate compliance laws and regulations (BUL 6810)
  4. Students will be able to develop leadership by using team building and collaborative behaviors to accomplish group tasks (teamwork, leading in organizational situations; Management and leadership).
    • 4a) Change Management (MAN 6726, 6245)
      • 4.a.1. Analyze decisions under uncertainty using PEST analysis (MAN 6726)
      • 4.a.2. Apply leadership theories including trait and behavioral theories, contingency theories, and contemporary leadership theories to the management of healthcare employees (MAN 6245)
    • 5a) Systems and Policy (MAN 6095, 5, MAN 6097)
      • 5.a.1. Explain the interrelatedness and interdependency of the various segments of the industry (MAN 6095)
      • 5.a.2. Demonstrate an understanding of how service organizations are governed and organized (MAN 6095)
    • HCMBA-specific competencies (5.a.3. – 5.a.11)Students will be able to evaluate systems and processes in organizations (systems and processes, including planning and design, supply chains, marketing and distribution).
      • 5.a.3. Assess and evaluate US and international health systems
      • 5.a.4. Evaluate the interdependencies of different stakeholders in shaping policy
      • 5.a.5. Evaluate potential costs and benefits and provide insights into the effects of health policy based on qualitative and quantitative analysis
      • 5.a.6. Identify current trends and major issues affecting the industry (MAN 6095)
      • 5.a.7. Evaluate the impact of healthcare reform efforts in the US
      • 5.a.8. Analyze economic issues related to health insurance (MAN 6097)
      • 5.a.9. Apply microeconomic concepts and models to public health issues (MAN 6097)
      • 5.a.10. Describe the economic factors that influence health care decisions (MAN 6097)
      • 5.a.11. Identify factors that influence the production and cost of medical care in competitive and non-competitive markets (MAN 6097)
    • 5b) Integrative Problem Solving
      • 5.b.1. Apply tools learned across the curriculum (especially quantitative and qualitative analysis) (MAN 6726, MAN 6974)
      • 5.b.2. Develop M&A and alliance strategies to access capabilities (MAN 6726)
  6. Communication and Relationship Management
    • 6a) Communication Skills (All courses)
      • 6.a.1. Exhibit effective written communications skills
    • 6b) Relationship Management
      • 6.b.1. Explain how the application of conflict management and negotiation techniques operate within healthcare organizations (MAN 6245)