Program Description
Health Policy explores the advancement and implementation of health law, regulations, or voluntary practices that influence systems development, organizational change, and individual behavior to promote improvements in health.
Our Health Policy program has two degree options and the master’s degree has three tracks. All coursework is 100% online and uses an accelerated semester format specifically designed for working professionals. This enables students to focus on building one set of skills at a time, but still graduate at the same pace as traditional graduate degree programs.
MD/MD/MS in Health Policy with Concentration in International Health & Medicine (Cattolica/SKMC Program)
This program is for students in the Cattolica MD program completing the SKMC MD and the MS in Health Policy, concentrating in International Health & Medicine. There is a pathway to complete the MS if a student completes only the Cattolica MD, and an option to earn an APC for those who do not complete either MD
Learning Goals/Outcomes
Graduates of our Health Policy program are able to:
- Identify the inter-relationship among key stakeholders in U.S. health and health care, including health care delivery systems, public health, financing systems, advocacy organizations, and the political system, with a focus on policy-making bodies.
- Examine the influence of social, economic, behavioral and political factors on health outcomes.
- Explore the general theoretical principles of economics and their application in the healthcare sector.
- Understand the legal, legislative, and regulatory processes that influence health policy development, implementation, and financing.
- Understand the role of information systems and data analysis in the policy-making process.
- Design, conduct, and evaluate health policy briefs, statements, analyses, and research.
- Apply data driven analytical skills to identify problems, model solutions, and predict outcomes.
- Develop system-wide approaches that consider market forces and multiple stakeholder positions in the development of actionable policy solutions.
- Develop competencies in multi-sector collaboration.
- Explore approaches to developing and financing policies to address the social determinants of health.
- Select and integrate information systems and technology to support decision-making and workflow within and across settings and sectors.
- Learn effective approaches to communication and dissemination of information and data.
- Apply advanced management and leadership skills to develop policies that manage costs of health care and that improve access, quality and safety.
Curriculum: International Health & Medicine (Cattolica/SKMC)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HPL 500 | US Healthcare Org & Delivery ((2)) | 3 |
| HPL 513 | Eff Commun & Dissemin of Data ((2)) | 3 |
| HPL 516 | Del Hlth Serv in Res-Ltd Cntrs ((2)) | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| HPL 650 | Capstone | 3 |
- Students in this program who do not complete the SKMC MD, but successfully complete the Cattolica MS, along with the listed JCPH courses, will earn an MD/MS
- Students in this program who do not complete the Cattolica MD or SKMC MD, can opt for an APC (Advanced Practice Certificate) in International Health & Medicine by completing these four courses.