Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Health Services Administration

Administrative Office - San Francisco

415-422-2592

Program Director: Maury Penner, Ph.D.

Senior Associate Director For Curriculum and Instruction: Gleb Nikitenko, M.P.A., M.A.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the MPA with an emphasis in Health Services Administration (MPA/HSA) programs provide mid-career and aspiring professionals with an opportunity to obtain advanced managerial education applicable to a broad range of public sector, nonprofit, and health care organizations. The programs cover all the significant content areas identified by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) in its Standards for Professional Master's Degree Programs in Public Affairs/Policy. The program is designed to be completed in 23 months.

Learning Objectives

• To provide students with knowledge of how to apply management theory and research to common operational, functional, and resource issues in the public sector.
• To expand and deepen knowledge and appreciation of the health care sector and administration.
• To develop managerial skills necessary for the provision of services to the public.
• To examine ethical implications and responsibilities of public managers as a foundation for understanding managerial actions.
• To learn techniques used in planning, organizing, staffing, and evaluating the work of public agencies and to develop the necessary skills.
• To enable students to engage in self-assessment and goal setting for lifelong learning and continued professional growth.

Program Requirements

The MPA curriculum is comprised of 12 courses (36 units). The MPA program's capstone requirement is achieved by completing and passing a written compre-hensive case analysis exam during the last course of the program (MPA 650, Integrative Seminar). Students who select the Health Services Administration (HSA) emphasis will apply their 9 units of the HSA coursework toward the emphasis. Students pursuing an emphasis in HSA take PA 688, PA 660 and PA 617.

• PA - 611 Introduction to Public Management
• PA - 613 Organizational Analysis
• PA - 620 Administrative Ethics
• PA - 670 Quantitative Methods
• PA - 688 Independent Study - Health Care Administration (taught for 3 consecutive semesters)
• PA - 636 Human Resource Planning and Management
• PA - 638 Emerging Technologies for Public Managers
• PA - 660 Managed Care and Health Care Law
• PA - 617 Health Care Issues
• PA - 688 Independent Study - Health Care Administration
• PA - 623 Economics and Finance for Public Managers
• PA - 633 Public Sector Budgeting
• PA - 688 Independent Study - Health Care Administration
• PA - 650 Integrative Seminar in Public Management

Please see .

Degree Requirements

• Completion of all coursework with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA
• Passing a comprehensive case analysis examination during the last course
• Successful completion of all degree and concentration requirements

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Learning Outcomes

Professional level oral and written communication skills, including ability to communicate and facilitate work processes effectively on-line

• Knowledge of techniques to plan, evaluate and manage programs and related skills
• Increased knowledge of technology and how it impacts the management of public organizations
• Knowledge of various areas of and trends in public sector economics and finance
• Knowledge and skill in various human resource management functions
• Effective leadership and teamwork skills
• Knowledge and ability to apply quantitative research and analytical skills
• Ability to develop and analyze budgets and to manage organizational performance using a budget
• Knowledge and broad-based understanding of the U.S. health care systems, legal policy, and managerial issues

Course Descriptions