Syllabus
Master of Healthcare Administration
HCA 720 – Leadership and Strategic Management in Health Settings – Fall 2024
Credits - 3
Description
This course explores the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare leaders and organizations in an age of accountable care, and examines the critical role health data and informatics can and should play in strategic management. Using case-based study techniques, students explore practice and system management, strategic planning, and change leadership. Students combine these insights into health leadership with the actionable insights offered through effective health informatics and business intelligence practices, to craft optimal solutions to internal organizational processes and to external business decisions.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Program Outcome addressed by this course:
- Understand foundational concepts and theories of leadership and management, especially with respect to data-driven business intelligence
Course Outcomes:
- Analyze leadership skills and tactics required of healthcare managers and executives in the current healthcare environment
- Evaluate leadership styles used to achieve successful outcomes in healthcare situations
- Assess healthcare strategic planning problems to develop comprehensive and practical solutions
- Describe the role health informatics plays in the strategic management of healthcare organizations
- Link quality, efficiency, and financial decision making in an organization’s strategic plan
Assignments
Please note that all times in the syllabus and in Blackboard refer to Eastern Time. The discussion board and assignment links for each week will open at the start of the week for submissions.
Discussion Board Posts: These assignments will assess your ability to clearly and accurately apply concepts from your readings and from your own experiences. Each week you are expected to submit an initial post and comment on at least 2 other students’ posts. You need to follow APA guidelines for citing any sources you may reference in either your initial post or your response to others. Refer to the Discussion Rubric and discussion question for submission guidelines.
Initial post: You should submit your initial post by 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Your initial post should be approximately 500 words.
Response to others: You should comment on at least 2 other students’ posts by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Your comments to others should be thorough, thoughtful, and they should offer some new content. Do not merely respond with “I agree” or “I disagree.” Engage directly with the ideas of your classmates and briefly mention which part of the post you are responding to.
Weekly Assignments — Case Studies and other Activities — weeks 1-3 and 5-6. Refer to specific assignment rubrics and instructions for submission guidelines.
Key Assignments:
Leadership Development Plan —A key assignment in the class is a leadership development plan which allows you to consider areas where you may want to focus your development over the next 12-24 months. This plan is divided into 2 parts. There are 8 sections of the plan, divided as follows:
- Part I is due week 4 and includes the following elements:
- 1. Complete a Self-Assessment
- 2. Create a Life Mission Statement
- 3. Master Core Skills
- 4. Identify Leader Role Models
- Part II is due week 7 and includes the following elements:
- 5. Find a Mentor
- 6. Seek Challenging and Varied Experiences
- 7. Schedule Training
- 8. Seek Feedback
Course Reflection — Due week 8
All assignments use scoring rubrics to assess student performance. Thoroughly review the rubric and assignment instructions for guidance on what’s required for each assignment.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assessment Item | Possible Points | Percent of Total Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Assignments (5) | 60 pts - (12 pts each) | 30% |
| Discussion Forums (8) | 40 pts - (5 pts each) | 20% |
| Leadership Development Plan – Part I | 30 pts | 15% |
| Leadership Development Plan – Final - Parts I and II | 60 pts | 30% |
| Reflection | 10 pts | 5% |
| Total | 200 pts | 100% |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course learning modules are divided into weeks. Each week starts on Wednesday at 12:00 am Eastern Time (ET) and closes on Wednesday at 11:59 pm ET, with the exception of Week 8, which ends on Sunday. All assignments must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on the due date.
Course Schedule
Week 1: Sep 4 – Sep 11
Week 2: Sep 11 – Sep 18
Week 3: Sep 18 – Sep 25
Week 4: Sep 25 – Oct 2
Week 5: Oct 2 – Oct 9
Week 6: Oct 9 – Oct 16
Week 7: Oct 16 – Oct 23
Week 8: Oct 23 – Oct 27
| Learning Modules | Topic | Assignments and Due Dates |
|
Week 1 |
Introduction to Leadership |
Introductory Discussion Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Leadership Framework and Ethical Scenario – Wednesday |
|
Week 2 |
Types of Leadership |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Leadership Assessments – Wednesday |
|
Week 3 |
Leadership Skills and Tactics |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Employee Engagement or Empowerment Case Study – Wednesday |
|
Week 4 |
Strategic Leadership and Leadership Development |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Leadership Development Plan, Part I (first 4 sections) – Wednesday |
|
Week 5 |
Strategic Planning Fundamentals |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday SWOT analysis Case Study – Wednesday |
|
Week 6 |
Strategic Planning and HIT |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Case study Performance management – the Coastal Medical Center exercises and questions – Wednesday |
|
Week 7 |
Strategic Management for Health Systems, ACOs, and Post Acute Care |
Discussion – Initial post by Sunday, responses by Wednesday Leadership Development Plan – submit Part II and resubmit part I – Wednesday |
|
Week 8 |
Strategic Management and Value |
Discussion – Initial post by Friday, responses by Sunday Reflection – Sunday |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Healthcare Administration page
APA Style Guide
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library log-in ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log-into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- MSIN Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/health-informatics/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
AI Use
The Graduate Programs in Healthcare Administration hold the position that AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.