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MPH Program in Health Policy Management (Health Management Track)

Offering Department: 
Health Policy and Management
Program Description: 

The Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Management provides students with the skills to contribute to advancing the health of populations by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of personal and other health services in private and public health organizations. This two-year program integrates a strong foundation of health care management and policy analysis with a set of social values rooted in the discipline of public health. The program offers a broad, general health care management and policy curriculum that addresses critical issues facing the U.S. health care system through coursework, as well as a field training component.

Within the MPH in Health Policy and Management, students choose either the health management track or the policy track. The health management track imbues the student with the critical competencies and skills to help solve the highly complex organizational and policy issues of today’s health sector. In the health management track, the student will develop conceptual, analytical, and practical skills designed to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of our health system. Examining the link between health policy and management of high performance health delivery organizations, students will be well prepared to address the many challenges faced by our health care system.

Program Requirements

 

Required Courses in the Department of Health Policy and Management (10 courses):

 

  • HLT POL 200B Health Systems Organization and Financing, II
  • HLT POL 234 Health Services Organization & Mgmt Theory
  • HLT POL M236 Microeconomic Theory of the Health Sector
  • HLT POL 400 Internship and Consulting Report
  • HLT POL 403 Financial Accounting
  • HLT POL M422 Practices of Evaluation in Health Services
  • HLT POL 433 Health Services Organization Policy & Strategy
  • HLT POL 436 Healthcare Financial Management
  • HLT POL 439: Data Software for Public Health Professionals
  • HLT POL 441: Data Analytics

 

Core Course Requirements in Public Health (2 courses)

 

  • PUB HLT 200A: Foundations in Public Health
  • PUB HLT 200B: Foundations in Public Health

 

Additional Course Requirements

 

  • Elective Courses (5 courses/20 units)

 

Field Training

To supplement the classroom experience, students must complete a summer internship (10 weeks) with a health care organization. During the summer internship students prepare a proposal with a literature review and in the fall quarter following, the students prepare a problem solving consulting report with managerial recommendations. The consulting report will focus on an operational problem or decision identified during the summer placement. This might be any organizational issue, process management initiative, policy white paper, research project, strategic, business plan, or any of a number of analyses. Health care settings may include hospitals, managed care organizations, medical groups, government agencies or departments, consulting firms, community organizations, advocacy agencies, or related health settings. Students enroll in HLT POL 400 in the fall quarter to successfully complete the summer internship requirement and consulting report.

Typical Course Sequencing

The curriculum consists of a three-term sequence of academic coursework, followed by a summer field work placement of at least 10 weeks, followed by a final three terms of further academic coursework. To view a typical sequence of classes for the MPH in Health Policy and Management, Management track, please consult the MPH in HPM (Management Track) Sequencing document (below).

Time To Degree

The MPH degree is normally obtained after six quarters of full-time study (2 academic years), including a required 400-hour internship, usually completed in the summer between the first and second years.

Admissions

Desired Qualifications

In addition to meeting the University’s minimum requirements, prior work experience in a hospital or clinical setting is strongly considered in the evaluation of applicants for admission.

Admissions Process

Applicants are only admitted in the Fall.  Applicants who wish to be considered for all financial aid considerations should have their applications, letters, transcripts and official GRE scores here at the School of Public Health by December 1 of the year preceding the desired entrance year.

The application process has three steps. You must:

  1. Submit an on-line application and pay the application fee at SOPHAS,
  2. Submit an online application and pay the application fee at UCLA Graduate Admissions, and
  3. Mail required academic documents and test scores to SOPHAS and to UCLA's School of Public Health.

For complete application instructions and the list of required materials, review the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Admission Application Check List and Submission Instructions.

As we receive many more qualified applicants for the program than there are available spaces, meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission to the program.

Tuition and Fees

For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.

Please see FSPH Financial Opportunities page for information on awards, scholarships, training opportunities, employment, summer internship funding, and need-based aid. Please note that opportunities listed under 'Summer Internship Funding' are only applicable to MPH students.

Careers

Students in the health management track are well prepared for a variety of careers at the intersection of the business of health, health policy and public health working in the management, planning, financing, delivery, and evaluation of health care organizations.

Upon graduation, students in the health policy track may find positions in:

  • the development and analysis of public health policy and planning at the local, state,  federal, and international level
  • policy analysis, research and evaluation in a variety of health care institutions, community-based organizations, consulting firms, trade associations, federal health agencies, and advocacy organizations
Our respected health policy faculty members have excellent relationships with local, state and federal policymakers that are helpful in networking, obtaining internships, and securing employment after graduation. Upon graduation, we have had students work in influential advocacy organizations such as The Children’s Partnership, governmental organizations such as California’s Department of Health Care Services, and national non-profits such as the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Our students possess a variety of skills that lets them seamlessly move from policy and advocacy around child health issues, obesity prevention, wellness, and nutrition, access to care, quality of care, and health disparities. 

Faculty in this Department

Faculty in the Department of Health Policy and Management have expertise in health policy, organizational theory and behavior, management, economics and pharmacoeconomics, medicine, law, sociology, political science and statistics.

For a list of faculty in this department, please click here.

To search all School of Public Health faculty members by name, department or area of expertise, click here.

Helpful Links

Who to Contact for More Information

For more information or questions, please contact Anna Lim at apark@ph.ucla.edu or 310.825.7863.

 

*This information is intended as an overview, and should be used as a guide only. Requirements, course offerings and other elements may change, and this overview may not list all details of the program. For the most up-to-date information, please consult the registrar’s office.

* Admission requirements listed are Departmental requirements, and are in addition to the University's minimum requirements. Many programs receive more applicants than can be admitted, so meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission. Every effort is made to ensure minimum admissions requirements are up to date - for the most up-to-date information on the University's minimum requirements, please visit the UCLA Graduate Division.

** Fees are subject to change and should be used as a guide only. For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.