Website: www.cuemba.org/hmba/overview/pharm.asp
Contact Information: peter.taffe@cudenver.edu
or call:
303-623-1888 or
1-800-228-5778
Program Overview
The Executive MBA Program in
Health Administration with Pharmaceutical Management option
provides practicing health care professionals with a
master's of business administration degree with a major in
health administration in 25 months.
The program consists of
intensive on-campus sessions held approximately every six
months on the Denver campus of the University of Colorado
and computer-based instruction during the off-campus
sessions.
The executive program
provides high-quality instruction utilizing faculty from 14
accredited health administration programs that are part of
the Network for Healthcare Management.
Drawing upon this
exceptionally broad resource base, the program offers the
student an educational environment impossible for a single
institution to produce.
Faculty are selected to teach
in the executive program on the basis of how their
backgrounds and experiences will add to the knowledge base
of health care professionals who are students in the
executive program.
Upon successful completion of
the executive program, students earn a master of business
administration degree with a major in health administration
from the University of Colorado at Denver.
NEW!
Students may earn a major in Pharmaceutical
Management (see below).
Pharmaceutical Management
Option
Students
choosing the Pharmaceutical Management option take 12 of the
16 courses in the Executive MBA in Health Administration
program. Pharmaceutical Management students do not
take the following four courses: first year elective,
Quantitative Methods, Marketing Management, and Management
of Health Care Institutions. In place of these courses
students will take: The Healthcare Industry and Role of the
Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Management, Pharmaceutical Marketing and Pharmacoeconomics.
Upon successful completion of
the Executive Program, students earn a Master of Business
Administration degree with a double major in Pharmaceutical
Management and Health Administration from the University of
Colorado at Denver.
Methods of Instruction
Diverse instructional methods
distinguish the executive program from traditional on-campus
residential programs.
Classes during the executive
program's on-campus sessions consist of traditional
lectures, discussions, and group activities. During
the on-campus sessions, students build the support groups of
fellow students and the faculty ties that sustain them
through the off campus months.
Learning continues off-campus
through the use of nontraditional learning methods including
computer conferencing and computer-directed case analyses.
Computer Conferencing
Through the use of computer
conferencing, the executive program brings the classroom
into the student's home or office. The computer
conferencing system is implemented through an web server in
Denver. By using a personal computer and an Internet
connection, each student can access course assignments,
PowerPoint presentations, and the discussions of classmates
and professors throughout the world.
Program staff and faculty
help entering students become confident of their ability to
communicate using their computers. Novice users often
feel more comfortable if they have pursued, prior to the
first on-campus session, a seminar or community college
course on computer usage. First-year students may also
attend computer lab sessions during the on-campus sessions.
Accreditation
The Executive Program in
Health Administration is accredited by the Accrediting
Commission on Education for Health Services Administration (ACEHSA).
ACEHSA is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation and the Department of Education as the sole
accrediting agency for master's level health administration
programs in the United States and Canada.
The graduate programs offered
by the Graduate School of Business Administration at the
University of Colorado at Denver are accredited by AACSB --
the International Association for Management Education.
AACSB is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation and by the Office of Postsecondary Education,
U.S. Department of Education, as the sole accrediting
agency for baccalaureate and master's degree programs in
business administration and accounting. The University
of Colorado is accredited by the North Central Association
of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Participants
Executive Program students
are drawn from hospitals, community clinics, group
practices, long-term care facilities, public health agencies
and other provider and health-related organizations.
Clinicians (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists,
allied health professionals, and other specialists) compose
approximately 50 percent of the class.
Each student brings a wealth
and variety of experience to the program, thus enriching
class interaction and promoting interdisciplinary
collaboration with faculty and student colleagues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What expenses can I expect?
In addition to tuition,
students should budget for airfare for five trips to Denver,
lodging for approximately 30 nights, and meals.
Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks are provided on days
when classes are scheduled.
All academic materials
(textbooks, course-related software, reading packets) are
covered by tuition.
Students who do not own a
personal computer and modem that meet the minimum
specifications will need to budget for these expenses as well.
Students will also need access to the Internet through a local
or national Internet service provider.
What are the on-campus
dates?
Students come to campus on five
separate occasions during the two-year Program. Total
on-campus time is approximately 30 days. The on-campus
sessions are mandatory.
The first day listed on the
schedule is the first day of class. Classes begin at
8:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. The schedule is
subject to change, but students will be given notice well in
advance of such changes.
How are classes conducted
off campus?
Students take four classes per
semester. Each class is introduced during the on-campus
portion. Students meet their professors and receive
textbooks, reading packets, and course outlines.
Introductory lectures and group discussions take place during
this time.
Off campus, students maintain
contact with professors and classmates via the computer
conferencing system. The conferencing systems lets
students send electronic mail, share files, and participate in
electronic group discussions. Each course has its own
area on the conferencing system and students can read and
respond to questions from their professors and classmates.
How much time does the
program require?
The average student spends
20-25 hours per week on assignments, papers, group projects,
and computer conferencing while off campus. This will
vary depending on the course and the instructor.
Students do not need to be logged on to the computer
conferencing system at any specific day or time.
Conferencing can be done at the student's convenience - early
in the morning, in the evening, during lunch, or on weekends.
Most students access the system
at least three times per week to keep the amount of new
messages received each time to a minimum.
What is the typical student
like?
Students come from a variety of
backgrounds. A typical class comprises physicians (30-40
percent), nurses (15-25 percent), and administrators (40-50
percent). Other health care professionals include
pharmacists, dentists, and consultants.
Rural, urban, public, and
private hospitals and health care organizations are
represented. Students come from across the United States
and Canada.
Is financial aid available?
Most students receive financial
aid in the form of need-based or non-need-based student loans.
A limited amount of grant money is also available to eligible
students each year.
A scholarship is available to
qualified students. The scholarship will cover half of
the tuition for the program. Please call the program
office for additional information.
Are there any prerequisites
for the program?
Previous education in business
administration is not required. Students should have a
basic understanding of college-level algebra prior to entering
the program. Self-study material in algebra and
microeconomics is provided to students who need help in these
areas. Some students find it helpful to do work in
statistics and accounting prior to the first on-campus session
if they have limited business backgrounds.
What computer experience and
hardware is required?
You will need access to an
IBM-compatible or Macintosh computer with a modem. You
will also be required to have a direct Internet connection for
accessing the computer conferencing system. Students
with limited computer and software experience are strongly
encouraged to take a seminar on computer basics and tutorial
on Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) prior to
beginning the program.
How does an MBA in health
administration differ from a traditional MBA?
The Executive MBA in Health
Administration focuses exclusively on the health care
industry. Some MBA programs only offer electives on
health care topics. Our program fully immerses the
student in the business of health care. You'll receive
the same rigorous analytical and financial skills offered in a
traditional MBA program, but you will also receive the
knowledge and skills needed to understand the economic,
financial, organizational, and political structure that is
unique to the health care industry.
