Letter from the Director
Dear Prospective Student:
We are pleased that you are interested in the University of Washington's Master of Health Administration (MHA) Program. We believe that with its competency-based curriculum, commitment to innovation and student career development, and support of lifelong learning, our program is truly a national leader in executive leadership development. We would like to share with you reasons why you should consider the University of Washington (UW) MHA Program for your graduate education.
Our curriculum is focused and innovative, providing opportunities to develop a complete range of leadership competencies sought by organizations committed to health care.
The UW MHA curriculum focuses on leadership development. It is a competency-based, multidisciplinary model through which students are encouraged to develop a variety of technical, conceptual, and human leadership skills applicable to a broad range of roles and settings within the health care industry.
Using the National Center for Healthcare Leadership's highly regarded leadership competency model, the UW MHA faculty has developed its own innovative application of competency-based and adult-learning oriented educational methods. It is designed to help students become more self aware, contextually aware, organizationally aware, and collaboratively aware while creating an overall focus on leading and managing organizational and systemic change (i.e., achieving strategic results).
The UW MHA program begins with an overview of health services, integrating managerial, business, and clinical perspectives. Students follow this foundation with courses in four critical areas of applied leadership and management skills:- General management, leadership, and strategic management
- Economic analysis and financial management
- Clinical process management, operations and technology management, and quality management
- Law, public policy, and ethics
Throughout the program, students gain expertise in important conceptual and human skills such as analytic, strategic, and innovative thinking; change leadership communication; and collaborative (team-building) skills. The final quarter capstone course helps students synthesize and apply their learning through practice-based projects and integrated management simulations.
By graduation (and usually before), our students are well prepared for a career of effectively influencing a variety of groups to establish and achieve common goals within health care organizations and the broader industry.
Our faculty balances academics and practice while maintaining a strong commitment to innovation.
The UW faculty supports innovation within the industry and in the classroom. We are leaders in funded research among health administration programs concerning topics such as cost and outcomes of clinical processes, new methods of organizing and financing health care delivery, the economic and social determinants of health, and the policies that shape the health care environment. Not only does this research offer opportunities for student participation, but it also enriches the experience that faculty bring to the classroom. The MHA faculty is also committed to developing and applying innovative teaching methods that emphasize the use of challenging simulations and collaborative learning experiences.
We are committed to student career development through active involvement in local, regional, and national practice.
Health administration occurs in organizations located within communities. Our faculty is involved in health care organizations throughout the diverse communities of the Puget Sound region. We often bring community-based practitioners into our classrooms, many of whom are UW MHA alumni. Our innovative Student Career Development Program supports students in identifying their personal strengths, planning their career trajectories, and developing their own professional networks. All of this, when combined with a strong alumni network and a strong base of national respect for our program and its graduates, result in a wealth of opportunities for class-related projects; internship, mentoring, and job opportunities; and career networking.
We are lifelong learners.
And we want you to be. Your learning doesn't stop with your degree. Our students leave the UW MHA Program with a set of skills and connections that enable them to continue growing and developing throughout their careers.
Health care is one of the nation's most complex and dynamic industries. Successful health care professionals need excellent skills, knowledge, and experience. We are committed to giving UW MHA students the tools they need to be successful as executive leaders within our industry. We hope you will join us.
Sincerely,
William E. Welton, DrPH, MHA
Senior Lecturer and Director
Graduate Programs in Health Services Administration