Online Master's Degree Programs in Clinical Operations Management
MHA Search
Healthcare is a constantly-evolving, dynamic field, with new challenges and opportunities being created each day. A specialized degree such as a master’s in clinical and healthcare operations management helps students gain an in-depth understanding of the industry and its developments. Many universities offer online master’s programs in healthcare management, thus helping working professionals take their career to the next level while studying at their own pace.
An MS in clinical and healthcare operations generally comprises 30 to 36 credit-hours and can be completed in two years. The coursework typically includes topics such as human resource development, finance for healthcare, clinical informatics, long-term care management, and leadership in a healthcare organization. Students are introduced to the day-to-day challenges that healthcare organizations face and how they can overcome these in an ethical way. They are also encouraged to reduce business expenses, develop new administrative plans, and bring about an overall positive transformation in their organization.
This article examines six exceptional online master’s programs in clinical and healthcare management, as well as three notable faculty members teaching them.
Featured MS in Clinical & Healthcare Operations Management
George Washington University offers an online master of science in health sciences (MSHS) in clinical operations and healthcare management. This is a rigorous program aligned with the “Health Leadership Competency Model” introduced by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership.
Admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, grade point average of 3.0 or above, a written statement, official transcripts from all previously attended schools, and proof of English language proficiency for international students. Previous work experience in healthcare is also preferred.
The program comprises 36 credit-hours and prepares students to become leaders in clinical operations. The curriculum includes courses such as human resource development, leadership and change, strategic communications, applications in clinical operations and healthcare management, healthcare systems operations, and finance for healthcare operations specialists. Students learn how to enhance efficiency and financial stability in healthcare operations, analyze data and promote strategic development, and improve the overall performance of a healthcare organization.
At the end of the program, graduates can take up roles such as clinical manager or supervisor, clinical laboratory operations supervisor, clinical programs lead, vice president of operations, and director of clinical operations. Graduates also may eligible to join healthcare associations such as American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
- Location: Washington, DC, United States of America
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $980 per credit-hour
Strayer University offers an online master of science in health services administration with a concentration in clinical care management. The fully online program offers 24-hour online tech support. It trains students to improve the day-to-day clinical operations at healthcare facilities.
Eligibility requirements include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5, official copies of transcripts from all other colleges or universities attended, a government-issued photo identification, and proof of English ability for international students.
Made up of 12 courses, the program helps students gain an understanding of the on-the-ground realities of running a long-term care facility. The core courses in the program include management in healthcare, health services strategic marketing, and health economics, while courses in the clinical care management concentration are healthcare operations management, long-term care management, and physician’s practice management.
Students develop the skills to plan strategies for different stakeholders in long-term care and learn financial planning and operations, as well as the delivery of quality healthcare. They also learn how to use information technology systems to collect, analyze, and apply healthcare data. Graduates of the program can pursue opportunities in sectors such as pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and government health organizations.
- Location: Herndon, Virginia
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,680 per course
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science offers an online master of science in clinical management program. This is a part-time program, offered completely online. It empowers students to grow into successful clinical management leaders.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0, healthcare management experience (or in a closely related field), official transcripts from each college or university attended, one letter of recommendation, and proof of English language proficiency, if English is not the applicant’s first language.
The program is made up of 36 credit-hours. It helps students develop the skills and knowledge to manage healthcare delivery. Some of the courses include population health and risk management, value-based healthcare, organizational dynamics, quality improvement in healthcare, clinical informatics and data analysis, and leadership in healthcare organizations.
The program trains students to communicate clearly, meet patients’ needs, and take ethical decisions. On successful completion of the program, students can work in leadership roles in hospitals and physician organizations.
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $990 per credit-hour
The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth offers an online master of science in healthcare management (MSHM) program through the Charlton College of Business. Students can complete this program online as well as on campus. The program has been ranked at No. 10 in the nation by College Choice among the “Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Management Degrees.”
Admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, official transcripts from all institutions attended, GMAT exam scores (can be waived off in certain cases), and TOEFL or IELTS exam scores (for international students).
The program comprises 30 credit-hours in courses such as accounting for decision making; the management of healthcare operation; leading, motivating, and empowering others; strategic cost management; and management of organizational change.
Through the course of the program, students can become positive agents of change. They learn how to make healthcare delivery more efficient, develop administrative policies and procedures, and help reduce errors, thereby saving time and money. They also are trained to redesign organizational processes.
Graduates of the program can pursue roles in a variety of healthcare settings.
- Location: Dartmouth, Massachusetts
- Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: 1,659 per course
Johns Hopkins University offers an online master of science in healthcare management (MSHM) program through the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. The program is available full-time as well as part-time. In the part-time online format, students will be required to take one course with a residency.
The program asks prospective students to submit the following: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended, a current resume, and TOEFL or IELTS scores for non-native English speakers. GMAT scores are required but can be waived in the part-time format. Work experience is not required (but preferred) in the full-time format, while the part-time format requires the student to have work experience of more than two years.
The program is made up of 36 credit-hours in areas such as accounting and financial reporting, business communication, business analytics, business leadership and human values, operations management, frameworks for analyzing healthcare markets, healthcare law and regulation, and accounting for decision making in healthcare. Students gain an understanding of the healthcare system from an economic, analytical, and technological perspective. They also learn how to apply business skills and principles to solve healthcare issues and anticipate changes in this dynamic industry.
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,410 per credit-hour (part-time)
University of Scranton offers an online MBA (master of business administration) with a specialization in healthcare management. The program is ideal for students who wish to pursue a career in healthcare operations and management.
Applicants to the program must submit proof of three years of professional work experience, transcripts from all schools attended, and proof of English proficiency for international students, among other documentation.
The MBA program comprises 36 credit-hours and trains students to make an impact in their healthcare organization. Core coursework includes accounting for management, financial management, and management information systems. Courses in the healthcare management concentration include hospital administration, global health management, introduction to health informatics, and healthcare law.
The program makes students aware of case laws and research statutes related to healthcare, helps them examine organizational and structural changes, and promotes ethical leadership. Graduates of the program can pursue opportunities not only in healthcare but also in enterprises such as healthcare management companies, medical practices, pharmaceutical companies, and biotech firms. Some of the roles they can take up include hospital administrator, healthcare consultant, pharmaceuticals project manager, healthcare services director of program management, and medical practice manager.
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $965 per credit-hour
Professors to Know in Clinical & Healthcare Operations Management
-
Leslie Davidson, PhD The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Dr. Leslie F. Davidson is the chair of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership and associate professor of clinical research and leadership at the George Washington University. She teaches courses in the occupational therapy and translational health sciences. Before she joined George Washington University, she taught at Shenandoah University.
Dr. Davidson is a member of professional organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association. She has published her work in top journals such as the American Journal of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. She earned her PhD from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, her MSe from John Hopkins University, her MA from New York University, and her BA from Indiana University. -
S. Kingsley Gnanendran, PhD The University of Scranton
Dr. S. Kingsley Gnanendran is a professor of operations management and director of the online MBA program at the University of Scranton. He teaches courses in the areas of inventory and production planning, management science, database applications development, and supply chain and logistics management. Presently, his research revolves around the application of optimization modeling to supply chains.
Dr. Gnanendran is a member of professional organizations such as INFORMS (The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences) and APICS (The Association for Operations Management). Professor Gnanendaran's work has been featured in respected journals such as the European Journal of Operational Research, the SIAM Journal of Discrete Mathematics, and the International Journal of Production Economics. He completed his PhD at the University of Tennessee, his MEng at The Asian Institute of Technology, and his BS at the University of Sri Lanka. -
Christopher Myers, PhD Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
Dr. Christopher Myers is an assistant professor in the management and organization discipline, as well as the academic director of executive education at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. Some of the courses he teaches include management and organizational behavior, leading high reliability healthcare organizations, and leadership and organizational behavior, among others. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins University, he worked at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. His research efforts are focused on healthcare teams and organizations, global work environments, knowledge-intensive work settings, and leadership development.
Dr. Myers’s work has been featured in prominent journals such as the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the Journal of Applied Psychology, and Academic Medicine. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan and a BS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.