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College of Management and Human Potential - Doctoral Programs:
Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

The Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA) program prepares professionals to effectively manage the healthcare delivery demands of their organizations and the communities they serve. Through a multidisciplinary curriculum, students gain insight into the post-Affordable Care Act landscape and gain the core business and leadership skills expected by today’s healthcare employers. By blending theory with research in their coursework, students in the DHA program focus on utilizing practice-based research, communication strategies, and data-driven approaches for decision making to improve the healthcare experience for both providers and patients.

Learning Outcomes

The DHA Program Learning Outcomes relate to the Walden University Outcomes.

As graduates of this program, students will be prepared to:

  1. Assess evidence-based leadership approaches in changing healthcare environments.
  2. Evaluate data-driven decision making in healthcare settings within the domains of financial management, strategic planning, economic analysis, and quality assessment.
  3. Analyzing the relationship of ethical and legal principles to healthcare administration practice and communication.
  4. Evaluate qualitative and quantitative research methods for healthcare administration practice.
  5. Apply appropriate statistical analysis skills to healthcare administration research.
  6. Evaluate theoretical and conceptual frameworks for healthcare administration.
  7. Assess culturally responsive healthcare management and systems thinking techniques to positively impact social change.

Students who hold a Master of Healthcare Administration degree

Minimum Degree Requirements

  • Foundations courses (0 credits)
  • Core courses (33 credits)
  • Research methods courses (10 credits)
  • Capstone (15 credits)
    • DHA Project Prospectus course (5 credits)
    • Practice-Based Capstone (two courses, 5 credits each)

Curriculum

Foundations Courses (0 credits)

Core Courses (33 credits)

OR

AND

Research Courses (10 credits)

  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.

Completion of the Doctoral Capstone (15 credits)

To complete a doctoral capstone, students must meet several independent academic approvals including their project mentor, Form and Style Review, oral defense stage, and final approval by the chief academic officer (CAO). Students must also publish their doctoral capstone on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral capstone process by contacting a student success advisor.

Course Sequence

The recommended course sequence is as follows:

Quarter Course Credits
Quarter 1

DDHA 8006 - Doctor of Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts

 OR 

DDHA 8011 - Doctor of Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts* 

 3 credits

DDHA 8203 - Advanced Healthcare Operations Management

 5 credits
Quarter 2

RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods

 5 credits
DDHA 8750 - Trends and Issues in Executive Level Management for Healthcare Administrators 5 credits
Quarter 3 DDHA 8703 - Advances Health Analytics and Data-Driven Decision Making 5 credits

DDHA 8103 - Advanced Healthcare Quality and Risk Management

 5 credits
Quarter 4

DDHA 8113 - Advanced Concepts in Healthcare Leadership

 5 credits
DDHA 8503 - Strategic Management and System Thinking 5 credits
Quarter 5 DDHA 9500 - DHA Project Prospectus 5 credits
Quarter 6 DDHA 8303 - Research Methods for Healthcare Administrators 5 credits
Quarter 7 DDHA 9901 - Practice-Based Problem Identification 5 credits
Quarter 8 DDHA 9902 - Practice-Based Problem Analysis, Findings, and Recommendations** 5 credits

*Students enrolling in a midterm start date will take a 6-week version of DDHA 8006 by itself in their first term.

**To complete a doctoral capstone, students must obtain several independent academic approvals including their project mentor, Form and Style Review, oral defense stage, and final approval by the chief academic officer (CAO). Students must also publish their doctoral capstone on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral capstone process by contacting a student success advisor. 

Students who hold a master’s degree in an academic discipline other than healthcare administration

Minimum Degree Requirements

  • Foundations courses (35 credits)
  • Core courses (33 credits)
  • Research methods courses (10 credits)
  • Capstone (15 credits)
    • DHA Project Prospectus course (5 credits)
    • Practice-Based Capstone (two courses, 5 credits each)

Curriculum

Foundations Courses (35 credits)

  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.
  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.
  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.
  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.
  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.

Core Courses (33 credits)

OR

AND

Research Courses (10 credits)

  • Students may take this as a non-degree course.

Completion of the Doctoral Capstone (15 credits)

To complete a doctoral capstone, students must obtain several independent academic approvals including their project mentor, Form and Style Review, oral defense stage, and final approval by the chief academic officer (CAO). Students must also publish their doctoral capstone on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral capstone process by contacting a student success advisor.

Course Sequence

The recommended course sequence is as follows:

Quarter Course Credits
Quarter 1

DDHA 8006 - Doctor of Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts

 OR 

DDHA 8011 - Doctor of Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts* 

 3 credits

DDHA 8501 - Leadership Within the Healthcare Sector

 5 credits
Quarter 2

RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods

 5 credits

DDHA 8051 - Delivery of Healthcare

 5 credits
Quarter 3

DDHA 8300 - Healthcare Finance

 5 credits

DDHA 8301 - Law and Ethics in Healthcare

 5 credits
Quarter 4

DDHA 8601 - Technology and Innovation in Healthcare

 5 credits

DDHA 8801 - Building Healthcare Brand and Alliances

 5 credits
Quarter 5

DDHA 8203 - Advanced Healthcare Operations Management

 5 credits
DDHA 8200 - Creating Healthy Communities 5 credits
Quarter 6 DDHA 8750 - Trends and Issues in Executive Level Management for Healthcare Administrators 5 credits

DDHA 8103 - Advanced Healthcare Quality and Risk Management

 5 credits
Quarter 7

DDHA 8703 - Advanced Health Analytics and Data-Driven Decision Making

 5 credits
DDHA 8113 - Advanced Concepts in Healthcare Leadership 5 credits
Quarter 8

DDHA 8503 - Strategic Management and System Thinking

 5 credits

DDHA 9500 - DHA Project Prospectus

 5 credits
Quarter 9

DDHA 8303 - Research Methods for Healthcare Administrators

 5 credits
Quarter 10 DDHA 9001 - Practice-Based Problem Identification 5 credits
Quarter 11 DDHA 9902 – Practice-Based Problem Analysis, Findings, and Recommendations** 5 credits

*Students enrolling in a midterm start date will take a 6-week version of DDHA 8006 by itself in their first term.

**To complete a doctoral capstone, students must obtain several independent academic approvals including their project mentor, Form and Style Review, oral defense stage, and final approval by the chief academic officer (CAO). Students must also publish their doctoral capstone on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral capstone process by contacting a student success advisor.

Doctoral Writing Assessment

Students who start or readmit to doctoral programs at Walden University in the university catalog for academic year 2017 or later will complete the university’s required doctoral writing assessment. Designed to evaluate incoming doctoral students’ writing skills, this assessment aims to help prepare incoming doctoral students to meet the university’s expectations for writing at the doctoral level. 

8-Year Maximum Time Frame

Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements (see Enrollment Requirements in the student handbook). Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum time frame, but an extension is not guaranteed.