Doctor of Health Administration Curriculum
Online DHA Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) program, students will have the proven knowledge, skills, and attitudes to:
- Relate economic theory to the organization, financing, and delivery of health services and public health systems in the US. (economics/finance)
- Compare how healthcare models are expected to benefit patients, providers, payers, suppliers, and society. (management)
- Cite examples of the role of health administrators as decision-makers, leaders, and moral agents in the context of governance, health policy and health law. (policy)
- Assess methods for implementing the laws and regulations related to healthcare practices of institutions, providers, and third-party payers such as patient safety, privacy of patient information, and billing for the purpose of improvements to the organization and/or patient processes and outcomes. (quality improvement)
- Describe methods to optimize efficiency, improve outcomes, and reduce health inequities in the delivery of health services in health entities across the country. (systems)
- Identify key components of effective bi-directional communication (oral, written, electronic, and non-verbal) between patients and the healthcare system including health literacy, cultural competence, and language barriers. (communication)
- Describe how leadership and teamwork can drive innovative solutions in healthcare delivery. (leadership)
- Discuss how the scientific method is essential to finding solutions to practical problems facing healthcare organizations. (research)
Skills
- Use competency in fiscal stewardship to ensure solvency of the organization and increase access to affordable care as a means of improving population health. (economics/finance)
- Apply principles of workplace management to address critical issues in the healthcare workforce including diversity, equity, and inclusion. (management)
- Advocate for policies and programs that will better serve institutions and communities. (policy)
- Apply data-driven decision-making concepts, such as population health management, to current and future challenges in healthcare systems. (quality improvement)
- Use evidence-based methods to reduce health inequities in the delivery of health services. (systems)
- Adopt methods for diagnosing and resolving conflict without resorting to the use of power, manipulation, and control. (communication)
- Develop collaborative internal and external relationships that support the mission and values of the institution. (communication)
- Use strategies that are mission-focused, align strategic priorities and result in change initiatives. (leadership)
- Apply best practices in health administration research to create solution-focused outcomes. (research)
Attitudes
- Performs the healthcare administrator role in ways that demonstrate professional integrity.
- Interacts with others using awareness, open-mindedness, sensitivity, and personal accountability.
- Considers social and behavioral aspects of health and their contribution to the health of individuals and populations when making decisions.
- Advocates for the integration of new and emerging approaches to effectively promote health equity.
- Seeks to increase diversity of healthcare professionals and the scientific workforce.
- Advocates for the reduction of inequities in the availability, accessibility, and delivery of health services.
Term I (8 weeks)
- Onsite Orientation - 1 credit hour
- Health Economics - 3 credit hours
- Introduction to Value-based Care Models and the US Healthcare System-2 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Fiscal Stewardship for Health Administration Leaders - 3 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Effectively Managing and Inspiring the Healthcare Workforce - 3 credit hours
- Health Administration, Management & Policy - 3 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Policy & Politics for Healthcare Leaders - 2 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Relationship Building through Negotiation, Mediation and Conflict Resolution - 3 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Strategic Planning for Advancing a Digital World - 3 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Solution Focused Pre-Capstone Seminar I – 1 Credit Hour
- Policy, Law, & Regulation for Healthcare Leaders - 2 credit hours
- Achieving Compliance in Healthcare - 2 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Applied Research Methods in Health Administration - 3 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Current Topics in Health Administration - 2 credit hours
- Informed Decision-Making Using Data Driven Methods - 3 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Communication, Marketing and Public Relations for Health Administration Leaders - 2 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Global Health Systems - 3 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Developing Global & Cultural Competence - 3 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Solution Focused Pre-Capstone Seminar II – 1 Credit Hour
- Leading through Change - 2 credit hours
Term II (8 weeks)
- Solution-Focused Capstone in Health Administration I - 3 credit hours
Term I (8 weeks)
- Leadership in Healthcare – 2 credit Hours
- Solution-Focused Capstone in Health Administration II 3 credit hours
Core Courses & Descriptions
Health Economics (3 credit hours) – Core
Students will explore current issues related to the organization, financing, and delivery
of health services and public health systems in the US.  The course includes a review
of economic theory and the application of economic analysis to the health sector. 
Students will compare and contrast the determinants of health, the supply and demand
for health and medical care, medical care expenditure, utilization, and health production,
health insurance and how these issues have been addressed by the market and by the
government. Students will use key concepts in health economics to develop decision-making
skills that can be applied to current challenges in healthcare policy and practice.
Introduction to Value-based Care Models and the US Healthcare System (2 credit hours)
– Core
This course is an introduction to the economics, public health policies, health equity,
and social determinants which shape health care delivery in the U.S. In addition,
this course will provide an introductory platform to one of the most important topics
in health care transformation today – value-based health care. The course will explore
public policy, financial stability, legal and regulatory frameworks, administration,
health literacy, and public health; value-based approaches to organizing health care
delivery, improving health outcomes of patients, and controlling runaway health care
costs will also be discussed.
Fiscal Stewardship for Health Administration Leaders (3 credit hours) - Core
Learners will be exposed to best practices used to evaluate and acquire new health
information technologies to meet the requirements of healthcare users (provider, clinic
and/or health system). Topics include information system specifications, request for
proposal/quote, total cost of ownership (TCO), contract agreements, and health information
trend analysis.
Health Administration, Management, and Policy (3 credit hours) – Core
Leading within an ever-evolving healthcare industry requires health administrators
to be equipped to respond to complex challenges and opportunities. Leaders who possess
an open mindset bolstered by critical thinking skills are best positioned to assess
internal and external inputs to successfully lead themselves, their organizations,
and those served. Students in this class will define their core leadership approach
and competencies within the context of leading in a rapidly changing environment.
This course will explore topics to include leadership theory, policy and planning,
leadership ethics, and leading people. Class readings, discussions and writings will
provide for rich dialogue and learning leading to practical applications of theory
and techniques. Upon completion, students will have produced a position paper addressing
a topic of relevance within the industry and should gain a substantive understanding
of how to transfer learnings into successful practice as a healthcare leader.
Effectively Managing and Inspiring the Healthcare Workforce (3 credit hours) – Core
Human resources in the healthcare workforce, represented by the knowledge, skills,
and motivation of the clinical and non-clinical staff, are key determinants of system
efficiency and effectiveness.  Students will investigate the role of health administrators
in addressing critical issues related to workforce distribution, training and professional
development, retention, and increasing the diversity of healthcare professionals and
the scientific workforce.
Healthcare Policy and Politics for Healthcare Leaders (2 credit hours) – Core
Students will explore the formation of health care policy from a theoretical perspective
taking into consideration fundamental realities about how politics – primarily the
concern of politicians to be elected and re-elected – influences the formulation of
health care policy.  In addition, how policies impact stakeholders and shape environments
in a variety of healthcare settings will be examined.  Using this context and approach,
executive leaders will be more effective advocates for policies and programs they
might support or champion to better serve the institutions and communities they serve.
Relationship Building through Negotiation, Mediation and Conflict Resolution (3 credit
hours) – Core
Conflict is inevitable.  This course allows students to develop skills to address
conflict with emotional intelligence and care, avoiding the human tendency to jump
to solutions prematurely.  Students will adopt methods for diagnosing the full scope
of the conflict and assessing the needs to be addressed to resolve the conflict without
resorting to the use of power, manipulation, and control.
Strategic Planning for Advancing a Digital World (3 credit hours) – Core
Healthcare leaders are often called upon to respond to challenging circumstances,
often without the benefit of economic, social and/or political certainty.  Students
will study advanced research in the areas of organizational strategy, adaptability,
and performance with three things in mind: institutional mission and values, strategy
formulation, and strategy implementation to effectively position a healthcare institution
for the future.
Law & Regulation for Healthcare Leaders (2 credit hours) – Core
Students examine their role as decision-maker, leader, and moral agent in the context
of issues of governance, health laws and mandates, as well as health policy issues
and practices currently affecting the healthcare industry.  Students will develop
skills to influence and change existing healthcare policies and practices.
Achieving Compliance in Healthcare (2 credit hours) – Core
Students apply an interdisciplinary and ethical approach to achieving compliance in
healthcare as a means of cultivating a culture of accountability and quality improvement. 
Careful attention is given to methods for implementing the laws and regulations related
to healthcare practices of institutions, providers, and third-party payers such as
patient safety, the privacy of patient information, and billing practices in the context
of patient needs, interests and improving health equity.
Applied Research Methods in Health Administration (3 credit hours) – Core
Students will review and critique advanced quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods
research in health administration.  Other topics will include study design, internal
and external validity, and the use of the scientific method in healthcare with an
eye on the practical application of study findings to healthcare organizations.
Current Topics in Health Administration (2 credit hours) - Core
Students will gain insight into the current challenges facing healthcare leaders and
will critiqued methods to optimize efficiency, improve outcomes, and reduce health
inequities in the delivery of health services in health entities across the country
including health systems, hospitals, outpatient facilities, long-term care facilities,
and home health care agencies.
Informed Decision-Making Using Data-Driven Methods (3 credit hours) – Core
Healthcare leaders can only make informed decisions if they are given the opportunity
to synthesize a wide variety of quality data related to the issue at hand.  Students
will examine techniques to transform data into the information needed to make critical
decisions, considering regulations, laws, institutional policies and the needs of
administrators, managers, providers, and patients.  Students will examine the types
of data available, identify the most frequently used data sources and elements for
health decision-making, learn how to access data sources, and apply them to the decision-making
process using a case study approach.  Students will also develop skills for presenting
data to external and internal stakeholders.
Communication, Marketing and Public Relations for Health Administration Leaders (2
credit hours) - Core
Students will examine key principles and approaches used in marketing, mass communication
and public relations, with a focus on their application to healthcare organizations. 
Emphasis is placed on building collaborative relationship with communications personnel
to support the organizational mission and values.  In addition, students will investigate
how these principles and approaches can be used for crisis communication, promoting
health literacy, social media communication, and reaching high needs populations.
Global Health Systems (3 credit hours) - Core
This course is designed to allow students to examine health systems from a global
perspective.  Students will study approaches to care delivery and health services
financing, evaluate care delivery models, and recommend improvements to their performance. The
course focuses on overviews of health systems in developed and low- and middle-income
countries and their approach to addressing health related issues, including the burden
of disease, vulnerable populations, disaster management, and equity in the delivery
of health services. In particular, an extensive overview of the financial, organizational,
and professional complexity of the U.S. healthcare delivery system is presented.
Developing Global & Cultural Competence (3 credit hours) - Core
Students will develop key skills in critical and creative thinking, communication,
and multi-cultural awareness and appreciation in order to succeed within their own
health systems and with global partners.  With a strong emphasis on inclusiveness,
ethical agency, and allowing for diverse perspectives, civic and global engagement,
and compassionate communication, students will explore key strategies for working
collaboratively with their healthcare counterparts in the US and worldwide.
Leadership in Healthcare (2 credit hours) – Core
This course will help students develop problem-solving skills, learn the foundations
of leadership theories and strategies, and negotiation, and mediation strategies. 
Students will study the four capabilities of emotional intelligence and their trains
to inform and understand their own tendencies as leaders and team members. Through
leadership-focused learning using real-world examples, students will explore how strong
leadership, and teamwork can drive innovative solutions in health care delivery. Students
will implement the four functions of management (i.e., planning, organizing, leading,
and controlling) into practice through a series of assignments, activities, and case
studies.
Leading Through Change (2 credit hours) - Core
Because the world changes daily, effectively leading a team through change is a necessary
skill to cultivate in 21st century leaders.  This course ensures that students understand
that challenges to organizational change can be internal and external to an organization
and that recognizing the source drives the change solutions.  Students will reflect
on their views and beliefs about change and learn how to influence others to engage
in change willingly and work as a high performing team toward a future goal.  Students
will research strategies that are mission focused, align strategic priorities, and
result in change initiatives that meet project outcomes of time, cost, quality, and
equity.
Solution Focused Pre-Capstone Seminar I (1 credit Hour) – Core
The SFC Pre-capstone Seminar I is an introduction to the capstone process and will focus on understanding the SFC process and developing its component parts.  It will cover elements of the process including identifying the issue needing a solution, the research process, conducting the literature search, analysis of the issue, discussion of possible solutions and a call to action, selecting a Capstone Coach and Subject Matter Expert (SME), APA formatting and using Endnote Reference Manager. and other topics.  Students will complete a set of defined deliverables based on a timeline designed to develop each element of the SFC process over the period leading to Pre-capstone Seminar II.  Students will learn the basics of developing a white paper including the component parts of the OEEP DHA model.  
Solution Focused Pre-Capstone Seminar II (1 Credit Hour) – Core
The SFC Pre-capstone Seminar II is a continuation of the capstone process and will focus on the application of the solution-focused capstone model for solving complex problems in healthcare administration.  Learners will refine and finalize their research questions, clarify and describe the issue needing a solution, and expand the search and analysis of possible solutions. Students will complete a set of defined deliverables that will lead to the development of a white paper working draft including the component parts of the OEEP DHA model in preparation for Solution-focused Capstone in Health Administration I.  Prerequisite: Successful completion of Solution-focused Pre-capstone Seminar I. 
Solution-focused Capstone in Health Administration I  (3 credit hours) - Core
This course is part one of a two-part capstone application experience.  Students will
integrate the knowledge and skills gained from the DHA curriculum into a project using
a solution-focused approach.  Students are required to select a topic that is relevant
to healthcare administration and encouraged to base their selection on their interest
and career goals.  By the end of the course, students will prepare a thorough analysis
of the issue and describe their vision for the future in terms of organizational performance
as it relates to the issue selected.    Prerequisite:  Successful completion of all
DHA coursework.  Students on academic probation may not enroll in this course.
Solution-focused Capstone in Health Administration II (3 credit hours) – Core
This course is part two of a two-part capstone application experience.  Students will
continue their project started in Solution-focused Capstone in Health Administration
I by adding a thorough analysis identifying what about the issue is already working
(e.g., successes and resources) and address next steps toward realizing a solution. 
Prior to graduation, student will present their capstone project in oral and written
form.  Prerequisite: Successful completion of Solution-focused Capstone in Health
Administration I.