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Next start dates
- Course-Based Courses with a set schedule May 30, 2022
Transfer Credits
- Up to 52 Credits
Explore our PhD in Health Services Healthcare Administration specialization
Explore social justice principles that impact healthcare decisions and practice as well as the theoretical foundations of governance and public policy. Through the Healthcare Administration specialization, you can prepare to manage and implement healthcare programs and services by applying best practices in leadership, ethics, and strategic planning. You can learn collaborative and effective approaches to working with diverse workforces and communities.
PROGRAM SAVINGS
Receive up to a $5,000 Grant if you reside in the U.S. and start this program on May 30, 2022. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
grants-and-scholarshipsCurriculum
Minimum Degree Requirements
- 106–108 quarter credits
- Foundation course (3 cr.)
- Research Core (25 cr.)
- Foundation Core (30 cr.)
- Specialization courses (20 cr.)
- Electives (8–10 cr.)
- Proposal, dissertation, and oral presentation (minimum 20 cr.)
- Four PhD residencies to equal a minimum of 16 days
Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the Chief Academic Officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.
Courses
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Doctoral Writing Assessment |
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| DRWA 8880 |
Doctoral Writing Assessment
This course is part of Walden's commitment to help prepare students to meet the university's expectations for writing in courses at the doctoral level. In this course, students write a short academic essay that will be scored by a team of writing assessors. Based on the essay score, students will complete or be exempted from additional required writing support needed to meet writing proficiency standards. This required assessment course is free. Students will be enrolled automatically in it at the beginning of their doctoral program. |
(0 cr.) |
Foundation Course |
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| HLTH 8003 |
Building a Multidisciplinary Approach to Health
In this course, students will explore the multidisciplinary nature and integration of professional practice in the health field. Students will have the opportunity to utilize their scholarly voice with diverse audiences and with academic integrity to assure academic and professional success as a scholar-practitioner and social change agent. As leaders in their profession, students will discuss critical health services in the health field utilizing a response to a natural disaster, review of emerging topics in the health field, and what it means to be part of a multidisciplinary team to develop community partnerships with key stakeholders to address health issues impacting their communities, agencies, and/or organizations. |
(3 cr.) |
Core Courses |
||
| HLTH 8051 |
Contemporary Topics in the U.S. Healthcare Delivery
Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to gain thorough insight into the current structure and components of health services and delivery. Students identify and describe components of the system, including patients, healthcare professionals, public and private third-party payers, regulators, reimbursement methods, and technology. They engage in activities and discussions focused on the continuum of services related to healthcare, such as hospitals and hospital systems, ambulatory care, and long-term care. Students also explore issues related to these services, such as wellness, prevention, and community and public health, for a comprehensive understanding of the system. Students contextualize their study through the examination of current factors and challenges as well as the impact these challenges have on delivery and management. |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8201 |
Principles of Population Health in Healthcare Administration
An increasing need exists for healthcare administrators to address population-wide health issues. Developing evidence-based health programs enables healthcare to be addressed on a preventive basis at the community or service area level. In this course, students utilize clinical datasets and combine this knowledge with public health datasets concerning socioeconomic and behavioral influencers of health. Students analyze these influencers to determine effective, appropriate services, programs, and solutions to benefit the population as a whole. They discover health issues facing special populations, respond to case studies, and create program plans to improve population disease outcomes. |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8300 |
Law, Ethics, and Policy in Healthcare Administration
The rapidly evolving healthcare system presents the healthcare administrator with complex challenges and risks. Healthcare administrators must possess the skills needed to assess external and internal healthcare polices to influence organizational design and delivery of healthcare services. Students assess and discuss key policy initiatives from the diverse perspectives of policymakers, interest groups, and other stakeholders. Coursework focuses on required knowledge of laws and regulations developed by policymakers that impact the healthcare organizations and students will review key laws that govern patient care delivery, employee relations, contracts, and fraud. Emphasis will be placed on legal and regulatory failure points that administrators must avoid in designing and implementing policies and practices within the healthcare organization. To help frame these concepts, students examine the ethical underpinnings and principles that healthcare organizations and administrators follow in the delivery of services to patients. |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8401 |
Healthcare Financial Management and Economics
In this course, students gain knowledge of economics principles such as cost, quality, and access as they relate to the healthcare world. The principles of healthcare financial management, including accounting and finance, are vitally important to the viability and ongoing operations of a healthcare business. Students have the opportunity to interpret and analyze the financial statements of a business, use and analyze financial ratios, utilize variance analysis, understand and implement operating and capital budgeting, and develop knowledge of the business planning process. Students create portions of a business/financial plan using these techniques and analyze the viability of their plan using accepted financial management tools. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8500 |
Human Resources Management and Organizational Development and Leadership for Healthcare Administrators
Students in this course examine organizational behavior as well as the roles and responsibilities of management and leadership within healthcare organizations through the macro (organization-wide) and micro (individual and team performance) perspectives. Students also focus on understanding organizational values, mission, and vision; management and leadership principles to help manage change; and effective delivery of services in an increasingly global environment. They also learn and apply theories of organizational design, governance, and alternative organizational structures, and they consider the theory and practice of managing individuals and groups through motivation, communication, teamwork, leadership, organizational change, coalition building, negotiation, and conflict management and resolution. Through group assignments and personal assessments, students work toward developing self-awareness and effective management styles and strategies. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8800 |
Marketing Management and Business Communication
Students in this course analyze the four Ps of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion and how they affect the five Ps of healthcare marketing— physicians, patients, payers, public, and politics. The interrelationship of a healthcare organization's strategic plan, business plan, and marketing plan is analyzed and social marketing will also be an area of focus. Students will practice effective oral and written business communication skills. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
Research Courses |
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| RSCH 8110 |
Research Theory, Design, and Methods
In this research course, students are provided with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the graduate level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the role of theory, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research designs and data collection methods are introduced. The alignment of research components is emphasized. Students also explore ethical and social change implications of designing and conducting research. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing an annotated bibliography. Prerequisites |
(5 cr.) |
| RSCH 8210 |
Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis
In this research course, students are provided with the opportunity to develop core knowledge and skills for designing and carrying out quantitative research at the doctoral level, including the application of statistical concepts and techniques. Students explore classical common statistical tests, the importance of the logic of inference, and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. Students approach statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to derive statistics from quantitative data and interpret and present results. Prerequisites Doctor of Social Work
PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision
PhD in Social Work
All Other Programs
|
(5 cr.) |
| RSCH 8310 |
Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis
Students in this research course are provided with the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills for conducting qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry, how theory and theoretical and conceptual frameworks uniquely apply to qualitative research, data collection procedures and analysis strategy, and how the role of the researcher is expressed in the ethical and rigorous conduct of qualitative research. Students practice collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting data, and they develop a detailed research topic for conducting a qualitative study. Prerequisites |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8551 |
Preparing for Dissertation
The focus of this course is on the process of writing the doctoral dissertation premise and prospectus. The premise will guide students through their committee selection process. The prospectus will guide students through the stages of writing a dissertation—conducting a literature review, developing a problem statement and research questions, and evaluating research designs, methods, and types of analysis. The premise and prospectus that students write for this course will be for a possible dissertation topic. This exercise is the cornerstone of this course and will prepare students for working with their chosen dissertation topic. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
Choose one course from the following courses: |
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Specialization Courses |
||
| HLTH 8031 |
Public Health Administration and Leadership
Students in this course are provided with a foundational understanding of the administrative, managerial, and organizational practices of public health and healthcare delivery systems. They examine theories of leadership as well as the professional attributes, skills, styles, and strategies required to advance public health goals. Students engage in a variety of contextual and practical assignments focused on management theories, policy processes, systems thinking, strategic planning and partnerships, quality and performance improvement, leadership, and organizational behavior. They also consider the impact of global trends on public health practice, policy, and systems. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8750 |
Trends and Issues in Executive Level Management for Healthcare Administrators
Healthcare administrators, more than ever before, are facing challenges and opportunities, given the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry. In this seminar-style course, students address how executive-level managers leading complex health systems can use strategic planning, risk management, and innovative business practices to take advantage of healthcare trends, as well as the current social and economic forces that guide strategic planning of healthcare systems. Students explore ways to improve Board of Director relationships, address financial challenges, and implement healthcare reform measures. As a result of this course, healthcare leaders are better able to visualize and address the quickly changing landscape of healthcare delivery per the guidelines outlined in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Students also have the opportunity to address the cultural issues that are present in the healthcare environment. |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8465 |
Strategic Planning: Collaboration, Cooperation, and Coordination
In an increasingly complex world, leaders and managers in public, private, and nonprofit organizations need to be strategic in planning and creating effective, collaborative programs and services. Students in this course explore the role and process of strategic planning, with an emphasis on collaboration, cooperation, and coordination within and among organizations. Students apply these concepts to real-life situations and organizations. |
(5 cr.) |
| HLTH 8112 |
Governance and Public Policy
Democratic principles are the foundation of modern life. Students in this course are provided with an overview of democratic governance in public administration, public policy, or nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations in modern society. Students examine the theoretical underpinnings of democratic governance and public policy in their chosen area of specialization necessary for doctoral-level research. Students examine the context in which public and nonprofit leaders function and the social institutions that influence public policy and guide administrative decision making. Students also review fundamental theories of governance, research current literature on a specialized topic, and apply best practices as they relate concepts to complete practical application assignments and a final case scenario project. |
(5 cr.) |
Elective Courses |
||
| HLTH XXXX |
Health Elective 1
Select a course offered within all specializations |
|
| HLTH XXXX |
Health Elective 2
Select a course offered within all specializations |
|
Dissertation |
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| HLTH 9001 |
Health Services Dissertation
In this course, doctoral students have the opportunity to integrate their program of study into an in-depth exploration within an interest area through the completion of a research study. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a dissertation supervisory committee chair and committee members. They must also participate in an accompanying online course and complete a prospectus, proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and final dissertation paper and presentation. Once students register for HLTH 9001, they are registered each term until successful completion of the dissertation.Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.To complete a dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr. per term for a minimum of four terms until completion) |
| VIEW ALL COURSES | ||
Tuition and Fees
| Curriculum | Requirements | Cost | Total * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition-Coursework | 88 quarter credits | $605 per quarter hour for coursework credits | $53,240^ | |
| Tuition-Dissertation | 20–115† quarter credits | $605 per quarter hour for dissertation credits | $12,100–$69,575* | |
| Technology Fee | $165 per quarter | $2,145–$5,280* | ||
| Residency Fee | Four Residencies |
$1,375 each (virtual) $1,475 each (in-person: travel, lodging and other expenses are additional) |
$5,500–$5,900 | |
| Estimated Range: | 3.25-Year | 8-Year | ||
| $72,985 |
$133,995*+ |
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These are ranges of what a student can expect in terms of time and tuition cost to complete a degree. It does not include other fees, nor is it adjusted for tuition increases over time. Walden faculty has concluded that generally students who do not complete their program in eight years are unlikely to complete and only allow students to exceed that time frame when a student petitions for an extension and provides good reason for the delay and assurances that obstacles to completion can be overcome. Time is calculated using the time allowed for each semester or unit that the student completes. Students are encouraged to work continuously during the program so as not to extend the time needed to complete the degree as work can become stale and students lose focus. Students who earn two grades of “Unsatisfactory,” who repeatedly drop a course before a semester or unit has been completed, or are unable to complete in the eight year time frame, should expect that they may be dismissed from the program. Walden believes that it is in the best interest of a student who is unable to complete the degree in the stated ranges to strongly consider withdrawal or obtaining a lesser degree.
Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic such as tuition and fee increases and/or the student’s transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; writing, research and editing skills; use of external data for their doctoral study/dissertation; and/or individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations; care giving responsibilities or health issues; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; leaves of absence; and/or other personal circumstances.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included. Students may incur additional costs for remedial writing assistance, if necessary.
^This assumes students successfully complete their coursework on the first attempt.
† Based on a 3.25-year minimum completion requirement and an 8-year maximum timeframe as outlined in Walden academic policy.
*Tuition and fees will be higher if students petition to extend the 8-year maximum timeframe or choose to take more expensive elective courses.
+Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships or other tuition discounts. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-642-0198.
FINANCIAL AID
Many Walden degree-seeking students—67%—receive some form of financial aid.* Create a customized plan that makes sense for you.
*Source: Walden University’s Office of Financial Aid. Data reports as of 2018.
Find Ways to SavePROGRAM SAVINGS
Receive up to a $5,000 Grant if you reside in the U.S. and start this program on May 30, 2022. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
grants-and-scholarshipsAdmission Requirements
Program Admission Considerations: A master’s degree or higher.
General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply. More information for international applicants.
Testimonials
I chose Walden because of its faculty commitment to students and its commitment to social change. I want to master the tools I need to better myself and the community in which I serve.
Cynthia Hickman PhD in Health Services Graduate
I chose Walden because ... acquiring knowledge while thinking about how it can help address some of our pressing issues in healthcare was important to me.
Harold Taitt PhD in Health Services Graduate
I pursued my degree to serve the community on a larger scale, especially those who are vulnerable or treated unfairly due to mental illness and the stigma associated with it.
Pius Omolewa PhD in Health Services Graduate
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