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College of Management and Human Potential - Doctoral Programs:
PhD in Healthcare Administration

PhD in Healthcare Administration

The PhD in Healthcare Administration (PhD HA) program prepares professionals to effectively conduct original research in the field of healthcare administration. The program focuses on developing scholar-practitioners that desire to advance the profession through research and professional practice. 
 
Students will research operational, business and administration problems with the goal of improving healthcare quality, organizational effectiveness, and improving patient safety and health outcomes. By blending theory, professional practice, and research in their coursework, students in the PhD Healthcare Administration program will develop research studies that have immediate application to the field of healthcare administration, support professional advancement, and contribute to positive social change. 

Learning Outcomes

All graduates will be prepared to:

  • Demonstrate evidence-based leadership approaches in changing healthcare environments. 
  • Demonstrate data-driven decision making in healthcare setting financial management, strategic planning, economic analysis, and quality assessment.
  • Apply ethical and legal principles to healthcare administration practice and communication. 
  • Evaluate qualitative and quantitative research methods for healthcare administration practice.
  • Apply appropriate statistical analysis skills to healthcare administration research.
  • Evaluate theoretical and conceptual frameworks for healthcare administration.
  • Lead positive social change through culturally responsive health management and systems thinking. 

Tracks

  • Track 1 For students who hold a Master of Healthcare Administration degree
  • Track 2 For students who hold a master’s degree in an academic discipline other than healthcare administration

Degree Requirements

Track 1: (for students who hold a Master of Healthcare Administration degree)

Minimum Degree Requirements

  • Core courses (28 cr.)
  • Research courses (20 cr.)  
  • Preparing for Dissertation (5 cr.)
  • Dissertation course (15 credits; continuously enrolled for a minimum of 3 terms until completed)
  • Four PhD residencies

Curriculum

Core Courses (28 credits)

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

OR

  • 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.

 

Research Courses (20 credits)

OR

OR

Residency Requirements

  • Residency 1 – Complete Residency 1 as soon as you begin your program; no later than within 90 days of completing HCAD 8006/HCAD 8011. Completion of Residency 1 is required in order to advance into RSCH 8211.
  • Residency 2 – Complete Residency 2 during your first year in the program. Completion of Residency 2 is required in order to advance into HCAD 8551.
  • Residency 3 – Complete Residency 3 at beginning of your second year. Completion of Residency 3 is required in order to advance into HCAD 9000.
  • Residency 4 –Complete residency 4 after your prospectus is approved as: 
  • Optional: Complete a dissertation intensive (DRWI 8500) during HCAD 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register.

Dissertation (20 cr. minimum)

Course Sequence 

The recommended course sequence is as follows:

Quarter Course Credits
Quarter 1

HCAD 8006 – PhD Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts* 
OR
HCAD 8011 – PhD Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts

 3 credits
RSCH 8111 – Conceptualizing Research 5 credits
Complete Residency 1 no later than within 90 days of completing HCAD 8011/8006; required in order to advance into RSCH 8211.
Quarter 2 HCAD 8203 – Advanced Healthcare Operations Management 5 credits
HCAD 8103 - Advanced Healthcare Quality and Risk Management 5 credits
Complete Residency 2; required in order to advance into HCAD 8551.
Quarter 3 RSCH 8211 – Choosing a Research Approach 5 credits
HCAD 8703 – Advanced Health Analytics and Data-Driven Decision Making 5 credits
Quarter 4 HCAD 8503 – Strategic Management and Systems Thinking 5 credits
RSCH 8311 – Designing Qualitative Research Approaches
Or
RSCH 8312 – Designing Quantitative Research Approaches		 5 credits
Complete Residency 3; required in order to advance into HCAD 9000.  
Quarter 5 HCAD 8551 – Preparing for Dissertation 5 credits
HCAD 8750 – Trends and Issues in Executive Level Management for Healthcare Administrators 5 credits
Quarter 6 RSCH 8361 – Developing Skills in Qualitative Methods
Or
RSCH 8362 – Developing Skills in Quantitative Methods		 5 credits
Quarter 7 HCAD 9000 – Healthcare Administration Dissertation** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Complete Residency 4 after you have an approved Prospectus.  
Quarter 8 HCAD 9000 – Healthcare Administration Dissertation** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Quarter 9+ HCAD 9000 – Healthcare Administration Dissertation** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Optional: Complete a PhD dissertation intensive (DRWI 8500) during HCAD 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register.

* See each specialization page for specific courses for that specialization.

** Students take this course for a minimum of four terms and are continuously enrolled until completion of their doctoral study with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation course shell.

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

Track 2: (for students who hold a master’s degree in an academic discipline other than healthcare administration)

Minimum Degree Requirements

  • Foundational courses (25 cr.)
  • Core courses (28 cr.)
  • Research courses (20 cr.)
  • Preparing for Dissertation (5 cr.)
  • Dissertation course (15 credits; continuously enrolled for a minimum of 3 terms until completed)
  • Four PhD residencies

Curriculum

Foundation Courses (25 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 (28 credits)

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

OR

  • 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.

Research Courses (20 credits)

OR

OR

Residency Requirements

  • Residency 1 – Complete Residency 1 as soon as you begin your program; no later than within 90 days of completing HCAD 8006/HCAD 8011. Completion of Residency 1 is required in order to advance into RSCH 8211.
  • Residency 2 – Complete Residency 2 near end of first year in the program. Completion of Residency 2 is required in order to advance into HCAD 8551.
  • Residency 3 – Complete Residency 3 during your second year in the program. Completion of Residency 3 is required in order to advance into HCAD 9000.
  • Residency 4 –Complete residency 4 after your prospectus is approved as: 
  • Optional: Complete a dissertation intensive (DRWI 8500) during HCAD 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register.

Dissertation (20 credit minimum)

Course Sequence 

Quarter Course Credits
Quarter 1 HCAD 8006 - PhD Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts* 
OR
HCAD 8011 - PhD Healthcare Administration Foundational Concepts		 3 credits
RSCH 8111 - Conceptualizing Research 5 credits
Complete Residency 1 no later than within 90 days of completing HCAD 8011/8006; required in order to advance into RSCH 8211.
Quarter 2 HCAD 8501 - Leadership Within the Healthcare Sector 5 credits
HCAD 8051 - Delivery of Healthcare 5 credits
Quarter 3 HCAD 8601 - Technology and Innovations in Healthcare 5 credits
HCAD 8301 - Law and Ethics in Healthcare 5 credits
Quarter 4 HCAD 8300 - Healthcare Finance 5 credits
HCAD 8750 - Trends and Issues in Executive Level Management for Healthcare Administrators 5 credits
Complete Residency 2; required in order to advance into HCAD 8551.
Quarter 5 HCAD 8103 - Advanced Healthcare Quality and Risk Management 5 credits
HCAD 8203 - Advanced Healthcare Operations Management 5 credits
Quarter 6 HCAD 8703 - Advanced Health Analytics and Data-Driven Decision Making  5 credits
RSCH 8211 - Choosing a Research Approach 5 credits
Quarter 7 HCAD 8503 - Strategic Management and Systems Thinking 5 credits

RSCH 8311 - Designing Qualitative Research Approaches
OR
RSCH 8312- Designing Quantitative Research Approaches

 5 credits
Complete Residency 3; required in order to advance into HCAD 9000.
Quarter 8 HCAD 8551 - Preparing for Dissertation 5 credits
Quarter 9 RSCH 8361 - Developing Skills in Qualitative Methods
OR
RSCH 8362 - Developing Skills in Quantitative Methods		 5 credits
Quarter 10 HCAD 9000 - Healthcare Administration Dissertation ** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Complete Residency 4 after you have an approved Prospectus.
Quarter 11 HCAD 9000 - Healthcare Administration Dissertation ** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Quarter 12+ HCAD 9000 - Healthcare Administration Dissertation ** 5 credits per term for a minimum of three terms; taken continuously until CAO approval
Optional: Complete a PhD dissertation intensive (DRWI 8500) during HCAD 9000. Contact Student Success Advising to register.

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

** Students take this course for a minimum of three quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

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.