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School of Health Professions - Student Handbook 2020 - 2021


Master of Science in Healthcare Administration

MSHA Program

This section of the Student Handbook describes academic policies and procedures that are specific to the MSHA program.  Academic policies that are common to the School of Health Professions are provided in the Student Resources section at the following website address: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/policies.aspx 

Curriculum, Course Descriptions, Course Schedule and Textbooks
The curriculum, course descriptions, course schedule, and textbook information can be found on the Healthcare Administration student resource page at https://student.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/master-of-science-healthcare-administration/default.aspx 

Mission and Philosophy
Our Vision is to be the graduate degree of choice for working healthcare professionals. Our mission is to educate current and future healthcare managers and leaders by providing an educational program encompassing the essential knowledge, skills, and competencies required for success.
Our objective is to help our students advance professionally, become more successful in their current job, and obtain positions of greater responsibility in the healthcare setting.
Our goal is to be both professors and mentors in the degree experience and professional development process.

Program Description
Our degree is a graduate level Healthcare Administration degree consisting of evidence-based research; a focused, management-based curriculum; individualized instruction; and mechanisms for personal and professional growth. MSHA students entering the program will be required to complete 36 semester hours to meet degree requirements. This will include 30 hours of core class requirements and 6 hours of elective courses. Each course will be offered at least once a year.
Our students are preparing for leadership, management, or supervisory positions in the healthcare field as CEOs, COOs, clinic managers, department heads, program directors, group practice managers, section supervisors, program coordinators, healthcare consultants, or other senior level healthcare positions. Job opportunities for health services administrators and managers continue to be strong as the health industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in our nation’s economy. Our graduates are on the cutting edge of relevancy and creditability supporting the nation’s healthcare growth.

Educational Objectives
The MSHA program is designed to prepare current healthcare professionals with advanced training that will allow them to excel as leaders, managers and supervisors across the healthcare spectrum. The curriculum is designed to address competencies that are needed by managers. Upon completion of the program, students will possess the competencies and experiences necessary for successfully meeting the challenges presented by the current and evolving healthcare delivery systems and should be able to do the following:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of healthcare management, leadership, and organizational behavior.

  • Distinguish the significant elements of the healthcare delivery system and assess how they integrate with one another.

  • Evaluate, implement, and recognize important aspects of operational and human resource management in healthcare.

  • Demonstrate an understanding of basic financial management concepts and how they support and contribute to organizational success.

  • Analyze organizational strategic planning and implement strategic plans to support the organization’s goals.

  • Evaluate and implement different marketing strategies common to healthcare organizations.

  • Analyze key concepts of economic theory within the health services industry.

  • Collect, synthesize, and interpret research and data for analysis and informed decision-making.

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the uses of information technology and data analytics as they apply to healthcare.

  • Evaluate, integrate, and apply evidence-based research towards problems found within the healthcare industry at an environmental or organizational level. 


Professional Societies
Students are encouraged to join either of the following associations: the American College of Healthcare Executives: https://www.ache.org/; and the Medical Group Management Association: https://www.mgma.com/
Members receive access to the association website and journals and periodicals regarding healthcare administration: American College of Healthcare Executives:

Transfer Credits
The MSHA program may accept up 6-credits of transfer from other colleges or universities that are comparable in course content and academic level at the discretion of the MSHA Program Director and with concurrence of the TTUHSC Registrar to count towards the hours needed for an MSHA degree.A student who wishes to enroll concurrently in another college or university course must have written permission from the MSHA Program Director. Transfer credit may be denied if this approval is not obtained in advance. A student must have at least 24 resident credit hours to receive a degree from the TTUHSC MSHA Program.

Professional Behavior
According to the Non-academic Misconduct Policy of the School of Health Professions described in this Student Handbook, all students are expected to exhibit professional conduct in all academic and clinical settings.

Online Professional Behavior
TTUHSC is committed to an open, frank, and insightful dialogue in all of its courses. Diversity has many manifestations including diversity of thought, opinion, and values. The MSHA program encourages all students to be respectful of that diversity and to refrain from inappropriate commentary. Should such inappropriate comments occur, we will intervene and may remove inappropriate comments. In some cases, there may be academic disciplinary action. Students should be guided by common sense and basic etiquette. Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal. If you disagree with someone, respond to the subject, not the person. Avoid harassing, threatening, or embarrassing fellow learners. Also, refrain from transmitting or distributing content that is harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, vulgar, sexually explicit, or otherwise. Class/Section norms of conduct may vary, but there is no place where hate speech is tolerated. Never post harassing, racist, threatening, or embarrassing comments. In summary - Be polite!
The use of online educational material and mechanisms is a privilege, not a right. This privilege may be temporarily or even permanently revoked at any time for abusive conduct.

Abusive conduct includes but is not limited to:
  1. Placing unlawful information on the network.
  2. The transportation of copyrighted software from one site to another without the owner's expressed permission.
  3. The use of abusive or otherwise objectionable language in either public or private messages.
  4. The abuse and misuse of "netiquette."
  5. Sending of chain letters that may result in a loss of network privileges.
For further explanation of expectations for online professional behavior, refer to the section of this Student Handbook entitled "Policies and Procedures for Student Users of TTUHSC Information Technology Resources."

Computer Software
Students can download an updated version of Internet Explorer at no charge at the following website: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17621/internet-explorer-downloads 
A student might also be required to download other miscellaneous software, usually available at no charge. All students will be notified at the beginning of each semester about the software requirements that are necessary for the following semester.

Student Responsibilities for Computer/Internet Problems Computer Software
Students must have contingency plans for computer and Internet problems. Some suggestions include becoming familiar with Internet/free PC usage within your community, or seeking out friends, family, or even coworkers who have Internet services. It is your responsibility to have a backup plan for PC and Internet failure. PC and Internet failure is not a blanket excuse to turn in late assignments and not participate in the course.

Course Work
A detailed syllabus will be provided for each course. The class requirements, assignments, schedule, and the grading methodology will be included in that syllabus. Each student is responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the contents of this syllabus at the beginning of each semester. If the requirements of any MSHA course are not understood, it is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor for clarification within one week of receiving this syllabus.
The published grade ranges must be used by all faculty. However, the actual evaluation of students’ work will be determined by the individual faculty member. The means of evaluation may include examinations, papers, case studies, projects, group activities, peer evaluations, and class participation, depending on the specific subject matter of the course and the individual faculty member’spreferences. Each faculty member establishes appropriate evaluation methods for his/her course(s) to assess the achievement of educational objectives.
Letter grades will be reported to students. The following standard will be used in reporting grades:
90 - 100 = A
80 - 89  = B
70 - 79 = C
60 - 69 = D
    < 60   = F

It is MSHA policy that decimal places not be rounded up in final grades. Therefore, a student with an 89.9 average at the end of the course will receive a grade of “B” in the class.

Capstone Course Policy
Students in the MSHA program will generally take HPHA 5314, Healthcare Administration Capstone, in their final term/semester in the program, in accordance with the following policies:
  1. Students must successfully complete all core courses in order to be eligible to take the capstone course.
  2. Students may complete the capstone course prior to completing their final elective.  This will enable students to take an elective that is only offered in a term subsequent to the term in which they plan to take the capstone.
  3. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Program Director.

Academic Advising
Each student is provided with an academic advisor. Academic advising is performed on an as-needed basis.

Academic Integrity
Healthcare professionals are expected to practice with a commitment to high standards of conduct and integrity. Academic misconduct is contrary to professional ethics. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, falsification of records, intimidation and any other actions that may distort the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement, assisting others in such acts, or attempting to engage in such acts. Refer to the TTUHSC catalog and student manual at the following websites:
TTUHSC Catalog: https://www.ttuhsc.edu/catalog/
TTUHSC Student Handbook: https://hscweb.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/current/handbooks.aspx

Plagiarism
MSHA Students are required to be the authors of their own work. Use of another author’s previously written, (published or unpublished work) must be accompanied by specific citation and reference. Generally, plagiarism is defined as the deliberate or reckless representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in connection with the submission of academic work, whether graded or otherwise. If a student is found plagiarizing, the professor has the right to admonish the student, require you to redo the assignment, and/or fail the student on the assignment at his or her discretion. In very worst case scenarios, the student will immediately be processed for dismissal. Multiple instances of plagiarism by the student may result in dismissal from the program.

Assistance on Written Work
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition) is the default format for all papers produced in the MSHA program. Individual instructors may modify said standard as required for specific course deliverables.
As a graduate student, you are assigned research papers and projects to enhance your education and to allow the faculty to evaluate your work. For genuine education and evaluation to take place, papers and projects must be your own work. You are encouraged and expected to use outside sources such as books, journal articles, class notes, group discussion sessions, student-teacher conferences, and so forth to make your education as rich and complete as possible. However, you must also cite the sources used in the development of your projects and papers.
When you use published sources (to include previous papers written by you) for ideas or expression of ideas, you must acknowledge them through accurate citation and documentation. The knowledge represented in your paper(s) must be your own. If it is not, you must provide proper credit. For example: You may use a typist to type your manuscript(s). You may also receive editorial and/or methodological advices from faculty or peers, and you may act on their advice provided you understand what you are doing (i.e., the knowledge and rationale are yours). You may not allow anyone to write your paper for you or make substantive changes in your paper(s).
Graduate papers should present clear evidence of the quality of your self-education, not of someone else’s. That quality is what the faculty will evaluate.
Using the same paper for multiple purposes is prohibited unless prior permission is obtained from the course instructor.

Academic Standards
Each student of the Healthcare Administration program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher at the end of each semester.  Additionally, each student must receive a grade of “C” or better in all courses taken.

Academic Probation
A student will be placed on academic probation for any of the following reasons:
  • A student will be placed on academic probation due to low cumulative GPA below 2.7 and will remain on academic probation until they return to academic good standing. Student must raise GPA to 2.7 or higher in order to be removed from academic probation. The student may remain on academic probation for reasons of low cumulative GPA for no longer than two semesters (four 8-week terms, please note summer is a 10-week term). 
Failure by the student to meet the prior requirements for removal from academic probation typically results in a recommendation by Program Director for dismissal due to academic deficiency.

Dismissal from the Program for Academic Reasons
Students in the MSHA program will be subject to dismissal for any of the following reasons:
1. Poor academic performance:
     a. Failure to be released from academic probation within the time frame specified.
     b. Earning two Ds, two Fs, or a D and an F while in the MSHA program.
2. Misconduct:
     a. Violation of the TTUHSC Code of Professional Conduct.
Dismissal procedures will comply with the dismissal policy established by the School of Health Professions (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; Schools; School of Health Professions; Current Students; SHP Student Policies; Academic Dismissal).

Dismissal from the Program for Misconduct
A student enrolled in the MSHA program may be dismissed for violation of academic and/or non-academic misconduct policies of the School of Health Professions.

SHP Ethical School Standard
As a student of the School of Health Professions at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, I will use my knowledge and skills responsibly to improve the quality of life for those we serve. I will seek in all academic, professional and personal endeavors to demonstrate ethical behavior, honesty, integrity and respect for others.

Code of Ethics for the MSHA Program
As a student in the MSHA Program, there are certain academic, professional, interpersonal, and personal standards that are expected. It is the objective of the program to enhance each of these areas with the goal of producing graduates who are well-rounded, productive, and ethical professionals and citizens.
Personal Standards
Demonstrate the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct. In order for students to be good citizens and professionals, they must be cognizant of the importance of honest, truthfulness, and personal integrity. This means that there are no allowances made for lying, cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of dishonesty in dealing with classmates, professors, or any part of the Program.
Interpersonal Relations
Be respectful to faculty and fellow students. Accept the personal responsibility to be intolerant of all forms of discrimination. The program has a diverse student body reflecting many different beliefs and backgrounds. It is imperative that we learn to respect and understand our differences and strive to use those differences to learn more about and appreciate other people and cultures. At the same time, we must foster an environment where individuals feel comfortable challenging each other’s views as well.
Class Preparation and Classroom Conduct
In order to obtain optimal results for the program, it is essential for students to take an active role in the educational and learning process. Students should maintain a cordial and respectful attitude in all on-line discussions. Furthermore, the student should complete assignments on time and submit quality work worth of a professional degree program.
External Relations
Promote a positive image of the program and the university in the community. An outsider’s opinion of the MSHA Program and TTUHSC may be based solely on the behavior and performance of students. It is important that students be aware of the broad impact of the actions in the community.
Professional Obligations
Accept as your professional responsibility the need to keep current on literature and activities in the healthcare administrative and business professions. Participate in professional societies related to your job.