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Competency-Driven Curriculum

Master of Healthcare Administration Details

The UNCW MHA program has incorporated the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s (NCHL) 3.0 – Competency Model ™ into the MHA curriculum. The NCHL 3.0 model was developed to provide the field with a comprehensive, validated competency model that was suitable as the foundation for a breadth of leadership assessment and development applications.

The program accomplishes this by providing transformative learning experiences and foundational knowledge and skills aligned with competencies from the NCHL 3.0 model. The model is a perfect fit for the program as it was developed and validated utilizing interdisciplinary subject matter experts, and was refined in collaboration with industrial and educational psychologists.

MHA Program Competencies
The following core competencies serve as the foundation of the UNCW Master of Healthcare Administration program:

Domain I: Communications & Interpersonal Effectiveness

Prepares Effective Written Business Cases and Reports: Uses accurate and complete presentation of facts; Uses logical presentation of arguments pro and con; Develops well-reasoned recommendations; Effectively balances writing with graphical communications (e.g., charts, scorecards); Prepares concise executive summaries
Presents Persuasively: Uses clear and understandable voice that is free of extraneous phrases (i.e., “uh” and “you know”); Uses effective audiovisual media (presentation software, exhibits, etc.); Stays on topic; Engages in non-defensive Q&A; Stays within time allotment; Changes approach as needed based on audience response
Actively Increases Diversity and Inclusion: Uses own insights and perceptions to create and support greater diversity within their organization; Uses understanding to shape future care scenarios to more inclusively serve different community and demographic groups; Sets and monitors progress in achieving diversity supportive goals
Obtains Resources/Takes Care of the Team: The ability to lead groups of people toward shared visions and goals, from forming a team that possesses balanced capabilities, to setting its mission, values, and norms, and holding team members accountable individually and as a group for results. Obtains resources and information to meet team goals; Holds team members accountable for their contributions to team success, including bringing team resources to their assistance

Domain II: Critical Thinking, Analysis & Problem Solving

Develops Complex Plans or Analyses: Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing casual relationships between them; Peels back multiple layers of a problem; Uses several analytical techniques to identify potential solutions and weigh the value of each

Financial and Needs Analysis: Analyzes decisions using financial management concepts and trend analysis of population, disease, and utilization data

Conducts Research to Maintain Knowledge: Makes a systematic effort over a limited period of time to obtain needed data or feedback; Conducts in-depth investigation from unusual sources; Commissions others to conduct formal research (e.g., market, financial, competitive) through newspapers, magazines, computer search systems, or other resources regarding practices in health and other industries for the purpose of keeping current; Seeks expert perspective and knowledge
Evaluates Organization Structure and Design: Assesses the advantages and disadvantages of current and alternative organizing structures (e.g., functional, departmental, matrix, service line, etc.); Understands basic differences in provider structures (e.g., retail clinics, practice sites, teaching hospitals, community hospitals, sub-acute providers); Uses understanding of organization structure to design performance improvement strategies
Uses Evidence-based Approaches to Support Community Wellness: Measures organization success by tracking community wellness and performance against national criteria and priorities; Anticipates community needs; Ensures timeliness, effectiveness, and efficiency of services; Advocates for treatment and other care decisions that are evidenced based and patient/customer centered

Domain III: Management & Leadership

Manages with an Understanding of Basic Employment Processes and Law: Demonstrates basic knowledge of employment management principles, policies, and law in relation to hiring, promotion, or dismissal; Learns and applies organization-specific human resources policies and procedures;  Demonstrates an understanding of union/labor principles and practices (e.g., contracting, negotiations, grievance process, mediation)
Information Technology Management: Recognizes the Potential of Information Systems in Process and Patient Service Improvement: Maintains familiarity with current technology for applications such as patient tracking (e.g., registration, billing and records management, relationship management), financial automation and reporting, and reimbursement management; Is open to automation of manual processes
Aligns Organization to Address Long-term Environment: Understands the forces that are shaping health over the next 5 to 10 years (market, social, cultural, economic, and political); Aligns strategy, structure, and/or people with the long-term environment; Develops a long-term organizational strategy (including competitive, financial, structural, and people elements) to position the organization for success over the next 10 years

Domain IV: Professionalism, Ethics & Transparency

Professionalism and Social Responsibility: The demonstration of ethics, sound professional practices, social accountability, and community stewardship. Acting in ways that are consistent with one’s values and what one says is important. Develops professional roles/values supporting the improvement of individual and population health; Commits to addressing the broader health and wellness needs of the total population, including adapting new and inclusive approaches that address diverse cultural attitudes about health; Ensures sound organizational stewardship and accountability for dealing with all stakeholders honestly and equitably

Pursues Long-term Personal Development: Takes personal responsibility for analyzing future developmental needs, factoring in accurate self-assessment, feedback from others, personal career goals, and direction; Proactively pursues multi-year personal development, willingness to pursue fundamental style and behavior changes as well as mastering new areas of expertise
Career Development - Focused Curriculum

The Program curriculum is innovatively designed to focus on individual developmental needs within each “learner specific” career field. Program faculty realize that while each student is on the same path toward an MHA degree, their prior experiences and ultimate destination will vary. As a result, the curriculum is created to be both adaptive and personalized – leveraging concepts of connectivism, standardized-, and customized- learning paths.

Adaptive learning within the curriculum involves using technology-based educational tools that provide individual adaptive learning experiences for learners based on data gathered throughout the learning process. The Program’s design allows learners the ability to custom-tailor their learning experience so that it becomes more meaningful to their long-term career goals. This often involves engagement in “just-in-time” learning experiences where learners can further develop and apply program competencies.

Contact the MHA Program

Daniel Fisher, PhD, MHA | Interim Program Coordinator & Assistant Professor

Phone: (910) 962-2240

mha@uncw.edu

School of Health & Applied Human Sciences

For questions regarding admissions, advising, transfers and program of study, please contact the CHHS Student Success Center at (910) 962-3208 or chhs@uncw.edu.