Program Description
Population Health (PopH) is an academic and professional field that draws upon diverse disciplines to create a new paradigm for health improvement that engages all key stakeholders that impact the delivery of health services. Health systems in the U.S. and around the world are shifting from volume to value.
Master’s Degree
The Master of Science (MS) degree builds upon the foundational concepts presented in the Graduate Certificate and focuses on the advanced applications of population health science and management. This option contains 10 online courses and a capstone project, which is specifically designed to enhance the student’s career trajectory. This option can be completed in two years.
The three track options allow students to focus their studies on the science of population health improvement or the population health management strategies used in healthcare.
Science Track
This track provides critical knowledge and skills to effectively address population health issues across a spectrum of populations. It is a broad education applicable to administrative leadership positions in healthcare delivery organizations, health insurance companies, government, public health agencies, and health-related non-profit organizations. It is also ideal for general education of professionals new to or considering population health endeavors.
Management Track
This track is designed for professionals in healthcare and provides a deeper focus on the clinical application of population health principles both for strategy and management.
Learning Goals/Outcomes
Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Population Health are able to:
- Articulate U.S. Healthcare organization and delivery, and how it impacts strategy and operations for achieving value-based care.
- Define population health, and describe how public health resources can align to address social determinants of health in order to improve health care outcomes.
- Incorporate principles of healthcare quality and safety to improve the care of patients and populations.
- Apply principals of economics, risk, and finance to the development and implementation of health care strategies.
- Describe how policy, medicolegal, and regulatory factors inform and impact health care systems. (Science track)
- Organize and implement clinical programs while understanding the role of analytics and principles of implementation science. (Management track)
Graduates of the Master of Science in Population Health Program are able to achieve the above competencies plus:
All Tracks
- Apply quantitative and qualitative analytic skills to develop, implement, and evaluate programs that address population health issues at the institutional, community, regional, and national levels.
- Apply principles of change management to more successfully influence healthcare programs and outcomes.
Science Track
- Assess and interpret healthcare policies, legal precedents, statutes, and regulations.
- Analyze the impact of socio-cultural factors on access to health care and adjust health promotions and interventions accordingly.
- Apply social, behavioral and organizational science to the diagnosis, development and implementation of organizational change
- Participate in structured simulations that demonstrate the breadth of population health
Management Track
- Discuss and design clinical programs and initiatives which demonstrate understanding of social, clinical, and financial factors impacting population health.
- Apply leadership strategies for effective change to clinical operations.
All tracks culminate in a capstone project which incorporates knowledge and skills gained through the Master’s Program education. The Capstone should advance knowledge which can be applied to the student’s discipline and/or organization.
Curriculum: Population Health Science, 2 years, 33 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science | ||
| HPL 550 | Comparative Health Systems | 3 |
| POP 500 | Essentials of PopulationHealth | 3 |
| HQS 500 | Intro Healthcare Qual & Safety | 3 |
| POP 510 | Health Econ, Risk, & Finance | 3 |
| HPL 504 | Health Law & Regulatory Issues | 3 |
| HDS 501 | Health Informatics & Analytics | 3 |
| AHE 509 | Epi & Evidnc Outcomes Research | 3 |
| HPL 506 | HealthPolicy:Analysis&Advocacy | 3 |
| OPX 520 | Change Management | 3 |
| General Elective (Program Director approval needed) | 3 | |
| POP 650 | Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Curriculum: Population Health Management, 2 years, 33 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science | ||
| POP 500 | Essentials of PopulationHealth | 3 |
| POP 510 | Health Econ, Risk, & Finance | 3 |
| HDS 501 | Health Informatics & Analytics | 3 |
| OPX 520 | Change Management | 3 |
| HQS 509 | Appl Princ of Healthcare Qulty | 3 |
| HDS 538 | Implementation Science | 3 |
| POP 560 | PopHealth Mgmt Applications | 3 |
| POP 561 | Pop Health Strategy & Mgmt | 3 |
| OPX 530 | Appl Lead Strat for Eff Change | 3 |
| General Elective (Program Director approval needed) | 3 | |
| POP 650 | Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 33 | |