Health Services Management and Community Development
The Health Services Management and Community Development (HSMCD) program prepares graduates for entry level positions in management, planning, and assessment of health services delivery across the spectrum of health care, such as acute care medicine, public and community health, and long term care.
This program is appropriate for individuals interested in health services management. This program will provide students with the analytic, administrative, and leadership skills necessary for entry level managerial positions.
These positions may include acute care medicine (medical group practices, health insurance corporations, medical product companies, hospital and ambulatory care clinics, and EMS systems management), long term care (nursing homes, home health care agencies, continuing care facilities, and hospice), and public and community health (state health agencies, local health departments, and community-based health and wellness agencies).
Throughout this program, student will gain first had experience with community initiatives while also becoming oriented to competencies in designing and implementing culturally sensitive health care services, planning and assessing health programs, developing strategies for health promotion, and building advocacy relationships with those who make health policy.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in health services management are strongly encouraged to minor in Business Administration as an appropriate complement to this career choice. Additional information on this minor can be found under information pertaining to the Barton School of Business or can be obtained through program advisors. Students who are interested in community development work are strongly encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor when selecting an appropriate minor.
Bachelor Degree Information
The Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Management and Community Development (HSMCD) develops leadership capacity for a healthy society through its undergraduate degree program. This curriculum establishes a 48 credit hour professional degree program to prepare graduates for entry level positions in the management, planning, and assessment of health service delivery across the spectrum of health care, such as acute care medicine, public and community health, and long term care.
This 48 credit hour professional degree program is appropriate for individuals interested in applying the social and business sciences to a career in the health care sector. Students enrolled in this curriculum must complete 18 credit hours of introductory course work that provides the knowledge and skills sets that are basic to health services delivery and population health assessment. Program majors complete 24 credit hours of upper-division courses, to include 3 required credit hours and 21 credit hours of elective courses, beyond the introductory course work. Elective courses are chosen, with the assistance of an assigned faculty advisor, based upon a student’s career focus. In addition to didactic course work, students must complete a 3 credit hour practicum placement (educational work experience) in a local health care organization, as well as a 3 credit hour capstone seminar at or near the end of their program of study.
For students with a health services management interest, elective courses are selected to provide students with the analytic, administrative, and leadership skills necessary for entry level managerial positions in acute care medicine (medical group practices, health insurance corporations, medical product companies, hospital and ambulatory care clinics, and EMS systems management), long term care (nursing homes, home health care agencies, continuing care facilities, and hospice), and public and community health (state health agencies, local health departments, and community-based health and wellness agencies). For students with a community orientation, elective courses are selected to provide students with entry-level competencies in designing and implementing culturally sensitive health care services, planning and assessing health programs, developing strategies for health promotion, and building advocacy relationships with those who make health policy. Both options allow students to gain first hand experience with local community initiatives.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in health services management are strongly encouraged to minor in Business Administration as an appropriate complement to this career choice. Additional information on this minor can be found under information pertaining to the Barton School of Business or can be obtained through program advisors. Students who are interested in community development work are strongly encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor when selecting an appropriate minor.
Undergraduate Minor
A minor in Health Services Management and Community Development is available to any student outside the program major. The minor consists of HMCD 310, Introduction to the U.S. Health Care Services System and 12 credit hours of HSMCD introductory (300-level) course work. It does not include HSMCD elective (HMCD 300 or 400-level) course work.