Course Catalog
The NEC online Master of Science in Management/Healthcare Administration Concentration (MSHA) program was developed by industry leaders, respected academic mentors, and program development experts committed to preparing the next generation of leaders in the healthcare industry. Its focus is to provide a specialized degree for healthcare professionals who want to advance their careers and engage in more senior management activities and responsibilities.
Students begin the program with core courses that pave the way for more complex learning. They then progress into the concentration courses that delve further into their specific area of interest and expand their scope of learning. After successfully completing both the core and concentration courses, students use the skills learned within the program in a practical problem-solving Capstone Project.
Select a course below for more details:
- Core Courses:
- Concentration Courses:
- Capstone Project:
Organization Management and Leadership – 4 credits
This course combines theory and practice by encouraging students to learn traditional and contemporary leadership theories, and apply them in analyzing the behavior of leaders, colleagues, and subordinates. Through a variety of readings, cases, and exercises, students will examine effective leadership models. Topics include the evolution of leadership; the roles of strategy and vision in transformational change; the development of leaders; the leadership responsibilities of creating effective teams, organizations, and cultures; the exploration of different leadership styles; and current popular approaches to leadership theory.
Managing Projects in Organizations – 4 credits
This course defines the terminology of project management, and describes the stages of the project life cycle. Students are introduced to the underlying principles and various techniques for managing new programs and projects. This course presents an overview of managing a project from start to finish. Students will examine project organizational structure, work breakdown, scheduling, budgeting, costing, resource allocation, and human resource considerations throughout the project process. Topics include the management of human resources and team building; planning and control; scope management; time and cost management; quality and risk management; and technical tools, including GANTT and PERT charting.
Issues in Ethics for Healthcare – 4 credits
This course explores and analyzes the interrelationships among stakeholders in the healthcare industry. The moral implications of the healthcare organization and its decisions are explored with respect to their social effects, and to the tension that exists between achieving desirable outcomes and attending to the means by which they are achieved. Topics include theories of morality; analysis of ethical decision-making; interaction and conflict among personal, professional, and organizational values; the effect of cultural diversity on individual and group values; current issues; and the impact of ethical considerations on healthcare organizations. Individual and collective choice, and how they fit in the management of competitive environments and the organization's position on contemporary moral issues, will be explored.
Managerial Accounting and Finance for Leadership – 4 credits
This course equips students to more effectively and ethically lead and influence in situations where financial issues play a key role, with particular attention to public fiscal management. This course serves as an introduction to the concepts and principles of financial management and managerial accounting, focusing on the development and use of budgets for planning and control, demonstrating accountability, and establishing priorities within an organization. Students will explore the tools and techniques available to maximize the use of scarce resources, and the implications of public funding and cost accounting for programs and initiatives within the organization.
Strategic Planning and Policy for Healthcare – 4 credits
This course will examine the process of strategic planning. Organizations are undergoing a series of revolutionary changes, including vertical integration, horizontal consolidation, strategic alliances and joint ventures, entrepreneurial startups, and development of specialized niche networks. This course will critically examine these changes, and discuss the various strategic decisions and managerial skills needed to confront them in a variety of forms in organizations. The primary focus of the course is on the strategy of the business unit, which is the foundational level for competitive analysis, and an analysis of the issues central to the firm's short-term and long-term competitive success. Using a combination of case studies and industry field research, students will assume the roles of key decision-makers and/or advisors in analyzing these issues and offering recommendations for strategic change.
Managerial Economics for Healthcare – 4 credits
This course develops the student's capacity to analyze the economic environment in which a healthcare organization operates. Its focus is on understanding the constraints the environment places on its goals, and how these constraints may change with time. Students learn how to apply economic reasoning to internal decision-making and public policy issues affecting the healthcare sector. Students will examine a variety of skills required in managing healthcare organizations in light of economic realities, including activity-based costing, cost estimation, relevant costs, and pricing policies.
Marketing Management in Healthcare and Service – 4 credits
This course introduces fundamental marketing principles and differentiates issues specific to service industries, health organizations, and fundraising structures. Students will develop a foundational knowledge of marketing concepts and practices, marketing decision-making and techniques, and sources of financial support and strategies for their development. Focus is on practical application of marketing knowledge and skills in healthcare and service environments.
Organizational Communications, Conflict Resolution and Negotiations – 4 credits
This course explores the psychological contract in the many forms possible among individuals and groups, from the perspective of exercising leadership in the management of these relationships. Students study group formation and development, as well as the intricacies of coaching, mentoring, and conflict resolution. The impact of organizational behavior on leadership effectiveness is explored. Organizational communication, including formal and informal communication, is analyzed to determine the relationship between communication and organizational satisfaction and effectiveness. Topics include preparing for a negotiation, understanding individual preferences, identifying ethical and cross-cultural issues, and determining when and how to utilize available outside resources. Students assess the importance of coaching and open communication when inspiring individuals to overcome barriers to peak performance.
Master's Capstone Project – 4 credits
In this summative course in the program, each student will undertake a major investigation of a significant leadership and management challenge. Students propose either a public policy initiative or an organizational change or innovation that is responsive to the problem they have identified. In the process of researching the problem and proposing an evidence-based solution or improvement, students integrate principles, theories, and methods learned in required program courses.
Students may enroll in a non-credit self-study Proposal Development course, whenever and as often as they wish. The Proposal Development course guides them in writing an approvable proposal. Once the proposal is approved and students have completed all other courses in their program, they may enroll in the Capstone course. During this final course in the program, students will gather and analyze their research, and create a viable strategic plan for implementing their project.
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The OnlineNEC Experience
New England College (NEC) has a rich tradition of academic excellence. Our online programs are designed for professionals who have already achieved success in their careers and who want to enrich their knowledge with advanced study.
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