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Admissions: Applications are not currently being accepted Starting semester: Fall Length of program: 3 years Degree awarded: Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) About Our Students: Meet Cohort 7 Meet Cohort 8 Program pricing: Click here Current schedule: Cohort 7 Schedule Cohort 8 Schedule FAQs: Click here  Student Handbook: Click here Contact info: (843) 792-2118 (843) 792-3327 - fax dha@musc.edu

The doctor of health administration (DHA) is designed to facilitate the development of highly advanced health care leaders who can influence the shaping of policy and more effectively address the health delivery demands of their organizations and the citizens they serve.

This program meets the intellectual and career development needs of senior healthcare and health policy executives who are actively engaged as leaders in health services organizations, and is offered on an extended weekend basis so students can continue their professional work while completing their academic studies. Program graduates will:

• Be able to apply the tools and techniques necessary to ensure organizational responsiveness and sustainability
• Develop new and enhance present leadership roles for the evolving healthcare industry
• Be able to analyze and apply systematic problem-solving methods toward visible, lasting performance improvements
• Develop skills that will enhance organizational systems with real-world strategies based in sound organizational theory
• Build long-term, mutually beneficial professional relationships with other healthcare leaders

The program is taught by resident faculty along with visiting scholars who are nationally-recognized leaders in their areas of expertise.

The Profession
The new challenges created by healthcare reform to develop cost-effective, quality healthcare delivery systems and contribute to effective, responsive health policy initiatives require a substantial increase in new knowledge and leadership skill in today's healthcare executives.

Successful long-term endeavors of healthcare organizations can be attributed in large part to highly skilled, strategic leadership. Leaders must begin to integrate this new knowledge in traditional subject areas with expanded knowledge and vision in community health and interorganizational network relations.

These challenges and the associated demand for advanced knowledge and leadership development clearly show the need for formal and relevant education beyond the master's degree level.

Career options
Our alumni hold a variety of interesting positions including:

Healthcare leadership positions

• Health System President and CEO
• Hospital Vice President
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Nursing Officer
• Chief Operating Officer
• Consultant

Academic leadership positions

• University President
• College Professor
• Associate Dean for Students

Curriculum
The DHA Program is taught on a three-year curriculum, with new classes beginning in each year. Courses are taught by resident faculty along with nationally known visiting scholars who are experts in their specialty areas. Two years of formal coursework are provided to students during on-campus extended weekend class sessions. Required assignments are completed during periods of home study between sessions. The third year of the program is devoted to individual, supervised doctoral project research. 

Course                              Hours
HAP-801 Financial Management 3
HAP-804 Community and Global Health 3
HAP-807 Managing Healthcare Information Systems 3
HAP-861 Foundations in Leadership 3
HAP-863 Foundations in Strategic Management 3
HAP-864 Quality Improvement 3
HAP-865 Seminar on Health Policy 3
HAP-866 Foundations in Applied Research 3
HAP-867 Logical Tools for Decision Making 3
HAP-868 Foundations in Health Policy 3
HAP-869 Leadership II: Negotiation, Mediation, Conflict Management and Working with
       Professionals 3
HAP-870 Advanced Techniques in Applied Research 3
HAP-871 Strategic Management of Change 3
HAP-872 Leadership III: Community Relations and Organization 3
HAP-873 Topics in Health Administration and Leadership 3
HAP-990 Doctoral Project 18
Total Credit Hours 63

Course Descriptions
Click here

Admissions
Admissions Coordinator
Doctor of Health Administration Program
Phone: (843) 792-2118
Fax: (843) 792-3327
E-mail: dha@musc.edu

Admissions Coordinator
MUSC Office of Enrollment Services
Phone: (843) 792-5396
Fax: (843) 792-6615
E-mail: mcgregom@musc.edu

Acceptance Criteria
Candidates for the Doctor of Health Administration should possess the following:

• Significant experience in a management or policy position in the healthcare field.
• A post-baccalaureate professional degree or master's degree in Health Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Public Administration, or in an equivalent relevant discipline.

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency (either through graduate coursework or professional experience) in health finance, statistics, organizational behavior, health economics, and epidemiology. Applicants without substantial background courses/knowledge will be required to make up deficiencies.

After initial screening, final candidates may be interviewed by the admissions committee.  

Application checklist
Applications are not currently being accepted

1. Confirm prerequisites
2. Complete university application
3. Submit completed application and: 
   1. Application fee
   2. Names/email addresses of 3 professional references who can address prior and potential academic and professional performance
   3. Official transcripts of all college and graduate work
   4. Current organizational chart with applicant's position highlighted
   5. Current position description
   6. A 1,000 word career goal statement and a current resume

NOTE: All above information must be received before an admission decision can be made.