Health Systems Management MS

Successfully managing strategy, finance, patient experience, and operations in the highly regulated and unique health care sector requires specialized competencies and expertise beyond a traditional MBA. The master of science in health systems management is the currency needed to advance and perform in health care systems today.

This degree focuses on the critical success factors driving health care systems today (guided by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Quadruple Aim):

1. Improve the health of populations
2. Enhance the quality of care for individuals
3. Reduce the per capita cost of health care
4. Improve the work-life of care providers

Flexible degree built around your schedule
This online degree offers five start dates per year and an accelerated course format which will allow you to complete your degree in half the time of a traditional, semester-based program. A full-time student can complete this degree in 12 months; a part-time student can complete the degree in 24 months. 

Plan of study 
This health administration master's degree is an applied, competency-based and industry-focused online degree. Students are provided the flexibility to pursue the degree full- or part-time, with 12-month and 24-month degree plans available, to accommodate professional schedules. 

Unique to this degree, you will have the opportunity to attend two on-campus leadership immersions and a faculty-led travel experience to study another health care system. The faculty strive to blend the flexibility of online learning with the value of face-to-face networking, interaction, and travel. All courses use a case-based, dynamic, and interactive focus on key health care topics including economics and policy, health IT and decision support, ethics, systems quality, and organizational learning.

Business and leadership courses prepare you to tackle issues involving financial management, quality improvement, operations, and strategy formulation—all within the context of real-world health care trends and challenges. You’ll be well prepared to develop, direct, and implement strategy and tactics that will shape the health care organizations of the future.

The MS in health systems administration program was built to support a set of professional competencies identified by the program’s advisory board, faculty and alumni. These 19 competencies fall under five domains and support students for success in the field of management and leadership in health care:

• Knowledge of health care systems in the U.S.
• Communications and interpersonal effectiveness
• Critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving skills
• Management and leadership skills
• Professionalism and ethics theory and practice

Accreditation
The master of science in health systems management was approved for Candidacy Status with the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) in May 2020. Candidate status is an indication that a program in health care management has voluntarily committed to participate in a plan of self-improvement and is actively progressing toward the status of accreditation. Candidate status is not accredited status and does not guarantee eventual accredited status.

On-campus leadership immersion 

To best gain highly developed leadership skills, you will have the valuable opportunity to attend two on-campus, hands-on, application-based learning and networking experiences. You will work closely with your classmates and faculty on case analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills during these four-day sessions. This face-to-face training delivers skills and competencies which will continue to be developed in a virtual environment within the online courses to maximize your return on investment in skill development and practice. 

Travel course
One of the most distinguishing and attractive benefits of this health administration degree is the culminating travel course. During the final summer term, you will have the opportunity for a faculty-led travel experience in which you will conduct an intensive study of the locale’s health system in comparison to your native system. As your final project, you will use that experience to innovate a product or service. For those unable to travel, an alternative study option will be provided.

Earn the advanced certificate in health care finance and advance your career, all while working toward your master of science in health systems management. Four courses of the MS degree program may be fully applied toward a graduate advanced certificate.

The program is led by a team of faculty who are practice-based scholars with extensive experience in the field. Faculty members are accessible, offer constructive feedback on course projects and assignments, and are at the forefront of providing an educational experience in which students can learn and directly apply classroom theories and concepts to the real-world practice of health care management.

An advisory board of health administrators from around the country guides the development of the degree program to ensure the curriculum addresses today’s most pressing challenges for health care leaders.

• Hold a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) from an accredited university or college.
• Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work.
• Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
• Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
• No GRE/GMAT required 
• International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the TOEFL or IELTS exams.

The online MS in Health Systems Management requires 39 credits and costs $1,237 per credit hour (Academic Year 2021 – 2022). This tuition reflects the RIT Online discount of 43% off campus-based program costs.

Keep in mind that there are many options available that may help you lower your costs. Learn more about resources available including:

• Military tuition benefits
• Support from employers
• Private scholarships 
• Financing 
• Payment plans