school of health professions 2024 - 2025 Catalog

Graduate Certificate in Long Term Care Administration (CRLA)

Program Description

A Graduate Certificate in Long Term Care Administration (CRLA) is available for working professionals who would like to expand their knowledge and further their education in long term care administration without pursuing a full graduate degree in healthcare administration. It is a flexible, 100% online, 15-semester hour program, provided in an accelerated 8-week format. 

Up to three courses that meet the academic requirements are eligible to transfer into the Master of Science in Healthcare Administration program should you choose to continue towards the MSHA degree. 


For more information about Texas nursing facility administrators licensing, please visit the DADS website at 

https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/licensing-credentialing-regulation/credentialing/nf-administrators-licensing-enforcement.


Admission to the Program

The CRLA certificate program begins three times a year, in the Summer, Fall and Spring. The application period will open on January 1st for Summer, March 1st for Fall, and August 1st for Spring. The deadline for the receipt of the application, supporting documentation, and application fee is April 1st for Summer, July 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring.

Application Process

To be considered for admission, applicants must have one of the following qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7.

The following are considered in the admissions process:

  • All official college transcripts
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7

It is in the best interest of the applicant to apply as early as possible. Applicants should understand that fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission.

CRLA Curriculum

Students admitted to the CRLA program will be required to complete 15 semester credit hours with passing grades and a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better to meet the certificate requirements.


REQUIRED COURSES
HPHC 5310      Health Law & Ethics
HPHC 5311      Healthcare Finance
HPHC 5312      Strategic Planning & Marketing in Healthcare
HPHC 5325      Long Term Care Administration


ELECTIVES*
HPHC 5307      Human Resources Management in Healthcare
HPHC 5322      Quality, Patient Safety & Risk Management
*Students must complete one of the electives.


Optional electives for MSHA graduates**
HPHC 5302      Medical Sociology
HPHC 5320      Health Insurance and Reimbursement


HPHA 5307 is a required course for the state licensure exam. Students who have not completed this course previously as an MSHA student should take HPHA 5307 as their elective course.


Five courses are required for this certificate. 

A maximum of three courses (5310, 5311, and 5312) may be transferred from the MSHA program into the Long-term Care Administration certificate program. 

MSHA graduates should take 5322 and 5325 within the certificate program. 

An MSHA graduate will have completed courses 5310, 5311, and 5312, and 5307 as core courses within the MSHA program. If an MSHA graduate has taken course 5325 as one of their electives within the MSHA program they will have fulfilled the didactic requirements for licensure and will not need the Long-Term Care Administration certificate. However, they may still earn the Long-Term Care Administration certificate, if they so desire, by taking two of the available electives. 

**If an MSHA graduate has taken course 5322 and/or course 5325 as an elective within the MSHA program they will need to taken one of the available electives to make up for each. 


CRLA graduates may enroll in the MSHA program. They may transfer three courses into the MSHA program. 

They will take additional electives to make up for the core courses (over 3) they've taken within the certificate program. 

  • HPHC 5302 Medical Sociology (3:3:0,O)

    This course provides an introduction to central topics in the sociology of medicine, health, and illness. Topics include but are not limited to: epidemiology, history of medicine in the West, public health, the social stratification of illness, the medical profession, and health care provision, access and delivery. In exploring these topics, emphasis will be placed on how socio-economic factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, race, and financial status affect health care.

  • HPHC 5307 Human Resources Management in Healthcare (3:3:0,O)

    This course introduces students to the principles of managing human resources in healthcare organizations. Concepts presented include supervision, teamwork, recruitment and selection, performance management and evaluation, compensation and benefits, motivation, training and development, and employment and labor law. Students will learn effective methods of strategically managing human resources and incorporating these within the overall strategic plan of the organization.

  • HPHC 5310 Health Law and Ethics (3:3:0,O)

    This course provides an overview of legal, regulatory, and ethical issues in healthcare. Topics include patient consent, privacy, confidentiality, torts, contract law, corporate liability, malpractice, antitrust, fraud and abuse, and key federal regulations. Students will analyze and discuss legal and ethical considerations in providing health services and learn to apply these considerations in decision making as a healthcare administrator.

  • HPHC 5311 Healthcare Finance (3:3:0,O)

    This course introduces students to the core concepts of financial management in healthcare, including interpretation of financial reports, financial ratio analysis, cost and profit analysis, planning and budgeting, time value analysis, financing, investments, capital budgeting, and current accounts management. The purpose of this class is to assist the student in developing the necessary analytical ability, attitudes, and decision making skills required of a healthcare manager in a changing environment.

  • HPHC 5312 Strategic Planning and Marketing in Healthcare (3:3:0,O)

    The purpose of this class is to integrate key aspects of strategic planning and marketing in healthcare. The class examines strategic planning techniques, concepts, and practices, as well as leadership responsibilities regarding the creation of mission, vision, goals, and objective statements. The course integrates marketing with strategic planning such that the key elements of marketing and the complementary roles of public relations, advertising and sales are captured in the organizational analysis.

  • HPHC 5318 Organizational Behavior in Healthcare (3:3:0,O)

    The purpose of this course is to help students gain an appreciation of the theory of organizations and how this theory shapes the way healthcare administrators come to think about their administrative responsibilities and the range of options available to them through the literature. Understanding the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and groups in healthcare organizations will also be emphasized. Students will learn about organizational strategy that draws from and integrates a number of disciplines, including organization theory, finance, planning, and marketing. Course concepts will be applied in a series of cases.

  • HPHC 5320 Health Insurance and Reimbursement (3:3:0,O)

    This course provides an overview of health insurance, including public and private payers, self-funded insurance, managed care, health insurance markets, and policy changes that impact these areas. In addition, the course will cover healthcare payment systems and reimbursement methods of various payers in the health services marketplace.

  • HPHC 5322 Quality, Patient Safety, & Risk Management (3:3:0,O)

    This course introduces the concepts of health care risk and quality management and how these domains go hand in hand with patient safety. Class work addresses the major elements of risk management program including claims management, risk financing, risk reduction, and emergency preparedness. A "systems" approach to health care quality is provided including performance improvement methodologies, tools and strategic initiatives to address continuous quality improvement. Appropriate standards, laws, and regulatory requirements are covered with special emphasis on compliance with Joint Commission accreditation.

  • HPHC 5325 Long Term Care Administration (3:3:0,O)

    This course provides an overview of the physical, psychosocial, cognitive, cultural, and environmental factors that affect a person as they age. Topics include financial and administrative issues that affect patient services, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, and community resources. Also present is an analysis and application of regulatory requirements of certified and licensed long term care facilites.