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.
Master’s Degree
The Master of Science (MS) degree builds upon the foundational concepts presented in the Graduate Certificate, and prepares graduates to be health policy leaders who possess advanced analytic and advocacy skills for problem identification and actionable policy solutions and implementation.
Our program offers options for students to focus on health policy principles in the U.S. or in different environments around the world.
U.S. Health Policy Track
Students planning to practice in the United States will learn the unique landscape of health policy decision-making in the U.S., and be able to develop, analyze, and advocate for comprehensive policy solutions that can address population health problems.
Global Health Policy Track
- This program is not accepting new students due to Global Pandemic
Students wishing to practice outside the United States will learn how health and healthcare services are organized, financed, and delivered in other countries, and will develop advanced analytical skills needed to drive policy-oriented solutions to population health problems around the world.
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
Program Outcomes
Graduates of our Health Policy program are able to:
Graduate Certificate
- 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.
Master’s Degree (Above Plus)
- 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.
U.S Health Policy Track
Curriculum: 2 Years
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Master of Science | ||
Graduate Certificate courses plus: | ||
HPL 500 | US Healthcare Org & Delivery | 3 |
HPL 511 | PolAppr to Addr SocDet of Hlth | 3 |
HPL 512 | Medicare and Medicaid | 3 |
HPL 513 | Eff Commun & Dissemin of Data | 3 |
HPL 520 | Fund of Pract-Based Statistics | 3 |
HPL 650 | Capstone | 3 |
General Elective (Program Director approval needed) | 3 | |
Total Credits | 21 |
Global Health Policy Track
- Not accepting new students due to global pandemic
Curriculum: 2 Years
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Master of Science | ||
Graduate Certificate courses plus: | ||
HPL 513 | Eff Commun & Dissemin of Data | 3 |
HPL 515 | Refugee & Migrant Health | 3 |
HPL 516 | Del Hlth Serv in Res-Ltd Cntrs | 3 |
HPL 520 | Fund of Pract-Based Statistics | 3 |
HPL 650 | Capstone | 3 |
Global Health Elective (Program Director approval needed) | 3 | |
Total Credits | 18 |
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.