Department of Health Policy and Management
Morris Weinberger, Chair
Kristin Reiter, Associate Chair
Rebecca Slifkin, Associate Chair
Melanie Studer, Program Director
Jackie Siler, HPM Academic Program Support Coordinator
Lynnette Jones, Academic Coordinator
Introduction
The mission of the B.S.P.H. program in health policy and management is to improve the health of individuals and communities and reduce health inequities in the United States and abroad by educating future health leaders, managers, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. We are committed to ensuring that all people — irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, geographic origin, religion, or economic resources — have access to high-quality health care services.
Advising and Mentoring
All students receive support from a designated academic coordinator, an assigned faculty mentor, and a full-time career services coordinator in the department.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
Graduates of the B.S.P.H. program in health policy and management are very successful upon graduation. Nearly all are placed within a few months of graduation, with approximately 80% entering the workforce and about 20% going directly to graduate or professional school. Top employers include consulting firms, hospitals, and health systems, private non-profit organizations, private research organizations, and health information technology companies. Within 2–5 years of graduation, most of our graduates have pursued an additional degree, with the majority pursuing a medical degree or graduate degree in public health. Over 90% of recent graduates report doing work they consider public health and/or health-related.
Professors
Ethan Basch, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Marisa E. Domino, Sandra Greene, George Mark Holmes, Sheila Leatherman, Jessica Lee, Jonathan Oberlander, George Pink, Kristin Reiter, Pam Silberman, Rebecca Slifkin, Sally C. Stearns, Justin Trogdon, Morris Weinberger, Stephanie Wheeler.
Associate Professors
Antonia Bennett, Bruce J. Fried, Bill Gentry, Erin Kent, Valerie Lewis, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Chris Shea, Paula Song, B. Alex White.
Assistant Professors
Sarah Birken, Alyssa Damon, Leah Frerichs, Susan Helm-Murtagh, Cleo Samuel, Jeffrey Simms, Steve Sloate, Angela Stover, Melanie Studer, Sean Sylvia, Margaret Thomas, Karl E. Umble, J. Bennett Waters.
Professors of the Practice
Leah Devlin, Sandra Greene, Pam Silberman.
Lecturer
Jay Levy.
Adjunct Associate Professor
Stanley Taylor.
Adjunct Instructor
Franklin Farmer.
Professors Emeriti
Edward Brooks, Laurel Files, Sagar Jain, Arnold Kaluzny, Kerry Kilpatrick, Joe Morrissey, John Paul, William Zelman.
HPM–Health Policy and Management
Undergraduate-level
HPM 310. Introduction to Law and Ethics in Health Management. 3 Credits.
An introduction to health law and ethics for health administration undergraduate seniors.
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 350.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 320. Introduction to Strategic Planning and Marketing. 3 Credits.
An introduction to the development and implementation of strategic planning and marketing processes in health care organizations.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 330. Introduction to Health Organization Leadership, Management, and Behavior. 3 Credits.
Team-based service learning in a hospital, health center, or other organization to facilitate learning about leading teams, organizations, partnerships, and global initiatives. Change, conflict, human resources, and other topics are addressed through readings, cases, reflections, and guest practitioners.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 340. Foundations of Health Care Financial Management. 3 Credits.
Basic methods and techniques in financial management of health care programs, including financial statement analysis, cost determination and allocation, pricing of services, and budgeting.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 341. Information Systems, Technology, and Tools. 3 Credits.
The purpose of this course is to enhance students' understanding of information systems and technology in health care, specifically focusing on the limitations of such technology. Students will be introduced to MS Excel and MS Access and shown how tools within these programs can help to mitigate some of the limitations.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 350. Introduction to Health Services Systems. 3 Credits.
HPM 350 and 352 provide an overview of the United States health system. HPM 350 reviews the organization, management, and financing of the United States health system and the resources required to provide health services. Both courses introduce students to careers in the field of health policy and management.
Gen Ed: US.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 351. Politics, Public Health, and Health Policy. 3 Credits.
This course explores the politics of public health and health care policy in the United States, with a focus on current issues and controversies.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 352. Introduction to Health Services Systems II. 3 Credits.
HPM 352, in conjunction with HPM 350, provides an overview of the United States health services system, including such topics as quality of care and managed care. The course also introduces students to careers in the field of health policy and management and helps students develop necessary communication skills.
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 350.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 393. Field Training in Health Policy and Management. 2 Credits.
Restricted to HPM B.S.P.H. students. Required of all B.S.P.H. students in HPM. The first six weeks of a supervised 12-week administrative internship in a health care organization.
Gen Ed: EE- Field Work.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 4 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate-level
HPM 420. Community and Public Health Security: Disasters, Terrorism, and Emergency Management. 3 Credits.
This course examines systems for emergency management at federal, state, and local levels. The roles of emergency management, health services, and public health in disaster management are also reviewed. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 422. Emergency Management I: Analytic Methods. 3 Credits.
Introduction of analytical tools to assess, evaluate, map, and investigate disasters (including biological outbreaks). These tools will be used to improve planning and evaluation of disaster management programs. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 423. Emergency Management II: Disaster Management. 3 Credits.
Explores issues of preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and research in disaster management. Students will participate in evacuation decision making, volunteer management, and the development of a disaster exercise. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 435. Marketing for Not-for-Profit Organizations. 3 Credits.
Permission of the instructor. Application of basic principles of marketing and marketing decision models to problems in health care and other not-for-profit organizations.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 472. Program Evaluation. 3 Credits.
Concepts and methods of the program evaluation paradigm as applied in health administration.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 496. Readings in Health Policy and Management. 0.5-3 Credits.
Directed readings or research. Written reports are required.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 550. Environmental and Science Journalism. 3 Credits.
Prepare students to work as environmental and science journalists. The course emphasizes writing skills in all delivery formats and interpreting environmental, science, and medical information for consumers. Honors version available
Grading status: Letter grade
Same as: MEJO 560, HBEH 660.
HPM 560. Media and Health Policy. 3 Credits.
Introduces students to news media organizations and their role in health policy development. Students will learn how to evaluate media content and strategies and to effectively communicate via mass media.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 563. Advanced Health Policy Analysis. 3 Credits.
The course is for master's and doctoral students interested in health policy. The course is intended to go beyond an introduction to policy analysis to a discussion and exploration of theories of policy analysis in a context of competing democratic ethics and values.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 565. Global Health Policy. 3 Credits.
Coursework will focus on public policy approaches to global health, employing interdisciplinary methodologies to understand selected public health policies, programs, and interventions. For students who have a basic understanding of public health.
Gen Ed: GL.
Grading status: Letter grade
Same as: PLCY 565.
HPM 571. Health and Human Rights. 3 Credits.
Course focuses on rights-based approaches to health, applying a human rights perspective to selected public health policies, programs, and interventions. Students will apply a formalistic human rights framework to critical public health issues, exploring human rights as both a safeguard against harm and a catalyst for health promotion.
Gen Ed: PH, GL.
Grading status: Letter grade
Same as: PLCY 570.
HPM 600. Introduction to Health Policy and Management. 3 Credits.
This course provides an overview of the United States health care system. Students will explore the system's organization, financing, management, resources, and performance. For each topic, they will analyze relevant legislation and discuss current issues. Students will develop skills in policy research and analysis, health care system evaluation, and basic financial literacy.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 601. Issues in Health Care. 1 Credit.
Lectures on current topics in health care.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 602. Concurrent Practice. 1-3 Credits.
Permission of the program director. Supervised activities in an approved health organization, to include one or more specific projects, approved by HPM faculty member and directed by an approved preceptor/mentor in the organization.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 605. Practice Application Journaling I. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the first of six field-based Journal Practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 606. Practice Application Journaling II. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the second of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 605.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 607. Practice Application Journaling III. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the third of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 608. Practice Application Journaling IV. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the fourth of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 609. Practice Application Journaling V. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the fifth of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 610. Practice Application Journaling VI. 0.5 Credits.
This course is the sixth and final of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 611. Public Health Concepts in a Systems Context. 3 Credits.
This course develops systems reasoning in health policy and management students through the application of systems techniques and systems thinking to core public health concepts in health policy and management, environmental health, epidemiology, and health behavior and health education.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 620. Implementing Health Informatics Initiatives. 3 Credits.
Focuses on implementing informatics programs and projects in health organizations. Informatics initiatives aim to facilitate effective information use for the purpose of improving the quality of health services and/or efficiency of processes. Therefore, these initiatives have implications for various stakeholder groups, including consumers, practitioners, administrators, and policy makers.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 630. IHI Course in Healthcare Quality Improvement. 1.5 Credit.
The IHI Certificate demonstrates an investment in further education and a strong knowledge base in quality improvement. Upon completion of this course, students will have met the requirements for the IHI Open School Certificate and participated in two in-person sessions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 634. Public Health Issues in Community Preparedness and Disaster Management. 3 Credits.
Examines conventional public health constructs of community preparedness and disaster management. Includes a review of traditional and emerging literature. Emphasizes conceptual development and application of adaptive leadership strategies.
Grading status: Letter grade
Same as: PWAD 634.
HPM 640. LEAN/Six Sigma I for Health Policy and Management. 1 Credit.
This course is an introduction to Lean Six-Sigma. Students will be exposed to continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods based on Toyota Production System (TPS or Lean) and Six-Sigma philosophy, methods, and tools.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 641. LEAN/Six Sigma II for Health Policy and Management. 1 Credit.
This project-based course explores the phases of Six-Sigma approach to continuous quality improvement: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC). The overall objective of this course is to help students understand the challenges and pitfalls involved in completing a DMAIC project to drive change at organizational, unit, and individual levels.
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 640.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 660. International and Comparative Health Systems. 3 Credits.
Methods of comparing health systems, examinations of related national health systems, and analysis of related high prevalence health issues.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 664. Globalization and Health. 3 Credits.
Globalization--its economic, environmental, political, technological, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions--historically and currently contributes to beneficial and adverse effects on population, community, and family and individual health.
Grading status: Letter grade
Same as: MHCH 664.
HPM 671. Statistical Methods for Health Policy and Management. 3 Credits.
Introduction to statistical analysis for healthcare settings using an Excel framework. Topics include variable types, sampling, probability distributions, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, categorical data analysis, ANOVA, and introduction to regression methods. Previously offered as HPM 470.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 690. Special Topics in Health Policy and Management. 0.5-3 Credits.
Special topics course for health policy and management undergraduate students.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 3 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 691H. Honors Research. 3 Credits.
Required preparation, approved cumulative grade point average by the end of the junior year. Readings and seminars for undergraduates showing potential and talent for research. Students will design an independent research project, write a proposal, and complete an IRB application toward partial completion of an honors thesis.
Gen Ed: EE- Mentored Research.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 692H. Independent Honors Research. 3 Credits.
Permission of the instructor. Students collect data, analyze and report findings, and make recommendations to complete an honor thesis and present findings in presentation/poster format.
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 691H.
Gen Ed: EE- Mentored Research.
Grading status: Letter grade.
HPM 697. B.S.P.H. Capstone. 3 Credits.
The capstone course is an "integrative exercise" for B.S.P.H. students prior to graduation. It is intended to simulate the integration of various disciplines--finance, human resources, ethics, policy, operations, and information technology--into a comprehensive and practical framework. Students work with healthcare organizations to solve financial or operational problems.
Repeat rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.
Grading status: Letter grade.
