The W. Edwards Deming School of Business

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

(with a concentration in Health Care Administration)

The Master of Business Administration Program (with a concentration in Health Care Administration), hereinafter the Program, is an independent study graduate degree program which emphasizes coursework in health care management practices, health care law, and entrepreneurial principles.

The Program has been found to be of particular interest to individuals employed or seeking employment in hospitals and health maintenance organizations and individuals providing consulting services to such organizations.

Certain courses require business research fieldwork. Students are required to interview and evaluate individuals and analyze business opportunities. For example, the Commercial Leasing course requires the student to evaluate three actual lease opportunities. Students conclude the Program with the preparation of a comprehensive business plan.

The overall learning objectives of the Program are:

The Program is presented on a trimester basis. Students are generally enrolled in 12 units per trimester. Each trimester consists of a minimum time period of 16 weeks from the date study commences. Students not completing all trimester coursework in 16 weeks will be granted an extension of time to complete the trimester. Such extensions normally may not exceed 32 weeks. Students may take a leave-of-absence between trimesters. However, except in special circumstances, the entire degree program (3 trimesters) must be completed within 5 years.

Independent Study

The University's independent study modality recognizes that education is an individual process where individuals with different learning needs and study schedules can be accommodated. It emphasizes learning that is meaningful, where individuals enjoy the learning process, and acquire knowledge to better understand and manage their own careers.

The Program’s Faculty Mentors support the student’s independent-study learning role by guiding and stimulating the learning process in one-on-one interaction. Our faculty mentors recognize individual learning styles and needs, encourage one-on-one contact, and emphasize the relevance of the material to the individual's situation.

Each course in the Program contains a series of lesson assignments generally consisting of reading requirements and research projects. Students are evaluated through examinations and/or research assignments which are submitted for faculty evaluation.

All assignments are submitted electronically. As set forth in the University’s General Catalog, Internet access and minimum computer requirements and skills are required as a condition of admittance.

Shortly after enrollment in the Program, the student in collaboration with a faculty member agree on a plan for the completion of the degree requirements. The degree completion plan will include a projected timetable for completion of the Program, selection of electives, and communication with faculty and staff. While the plan can be modified in the future, experience has shown this type of planning increases a student’s probability of success.

Curriculum

To earn the Master of Business (with a concentration in Health Care Administration) degree, a student must complete the courses outlined below with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. The requirements may be completed in as little as twelve months, and must be completed within five years from the date of initial enrollment.

 

First Trimester (12 units)
MGT513	Management Principles for Health Care Professionals	4 units
BUS508	Economics of Health and Medical Care	4 units
MKT511	Marketing Management	4 units

 

Second Trimester (12 units)
FIN513	Health Care Finance	4 units
BLW512	Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration	4 units
ACC513	Managerial Accounting	4 units

 

Third Trimester (12 Units)
Elective	(Select one from the Elective Course Options below)	4 units
FIN514	Financial Planning for the Health Care Professional	4 units
BUS597	Capstone	4 units
	Elective Course Options:
ACC514	Taxes and the Health Care Professional	4 units
BLW513	The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business	4 units
BUS 516	Commercial Leasing	4 units
MKT513	Public Relations	4 units
BUS503	Valuing a Small Business or Professional Practice	4 units

 

Total Semester Units Required for Graduation: 36

Financial Information

The tuition for the Program is $225.00 per unit.

Additional information on financial aid and tuition financing can be found under Tuition, Financial Aid and Financing.

FEE SCHEDULE
Application Fee	$40
Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee	$55
Portfolio Credit Evaluation Fee	$100
Registration Fee (Per Trimester)	$50
Graduation Check/Diploma Fee	$75
Computer Library Fee (Per Trimester)	$45
Administrative Accounting Fee (Per Trimester) (Installment Payment Option Only)	$25
Transcript Fee (Two Provided at No Cost)	$10
Returned Check Fee	$25

The cost of books and materials, other than each course syllabus, is not included in the tuition. Most books and materials may be purchased at local colleges, retail bookstores, directly from publishers or over the Internet. The cost is estimated to average approximately $125.00 per course.

Admission Policies and Requirements

Applicants who have earned a bachelor’s or first professional degree from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education may apply to the Program. The majority of applicants to this Program are mature adults working in a variety of professional settings. Many have not attended college for several years. Consequently, prior class rank and grade point average are not significant factors in the admission process.

To apply for admission to the Program, an applicant must first complete the University’s Application for Admission Form along with the required $40.00 application fee. It is not necessary to submit official transcripts at the time of application. However, official transcripts will be required within 60 days of enrollment.

If the applicant is accepted for admission to the Program, enrollment materials will be prepared and sent to the applicant for review and signature.

All payments submitted for tuition and fees must be payable in U.S. dollars. Payments may be made by MasterCard®,Visa®, American Express® or personal/business check.

Foreign Applicants and Applicants with International Credentials

Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 500 (530 for Masters degree program applicants) on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 61 on the iBT (71 on the iBT for Masters degree program applicants), or its equivalent.

For more information on TOEFL visit the website: www.ets.org/toefl

Transfer Credit and Portfolio Credit

The acceptance of transfer credits between academic institutions lies within the discretion of the receiving college or university. Credits earned at William Howard Taft University or Taft Law School may or may not be accepted by another institution depending upon its own programs, policies, and regulations.

The University is committed to providing students the greatest opportunity to apply previously earned credit toward their chosen degree program. Subject to the limitations of state and accreditation regulations and academic comparability, students may apply to have credit awarded through completion of:

MBA students may apply to transfer up to a total of 18 units of Transfer Credit (or a combination of transfer credit and experiential or equivalent credit). A maximum of 9 units may be awarded for adequately documented and validated Experiential or Equivalent Credit.

Foreign Degree Evaluation

Applicants wishing to transfer in credits or degrees earned at institutions located outside the United States must have their academic transcripts evaluated and certified by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) member organization. Applicants will be assessed a fee by the certifying organization and should request that the report be sent directly to Taft University. Applicants transferring in a degree need to request a General Degree Evaluation sometimes called a Document by Document Evaluation. Applicants wishing to transfer in credits toward specific courses must request a Course-by-Course report.

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Course Descriptions

ACC 513 Managerial Accounting (4 Units)
This course offers a balanced coverage of concepts, methods, and uses of managerial accounting with a strong emphasis on management issues. The principal course objective is to help the MBA student focus on concepts and managerial uses of accounting information, rather than the techniques of cost accounting.
Prerequisites: First Trimester courses.

ACC 514 Taxes and the Health Care Professional (4 Units)
This course focuses on Federal and state taxes of special concern to health professionals including income and business related taxes. The objective of the course is not to make the student a tax expert but rather to establish a basic foundation of knowledge which will allow for better communications with CPA’s or other tax professionals.
Prerequisites: Second Trimester courses.

BUS 503 Valuing a Small Business or Professional Practice (4 Units)
This course explores the most commonly accepted valuation methods for closely-held businesses and professional practices. It also covers defining value for different purposes, the impact on value of cash versus financing options, as well as how to work with professional business appraisers and business brokers.
Prerequisites: Second Trimester courses.

BUS 516 Commercial Leasing (4 Units)
Often the largest financial commitment of the small or developmental stage business, this course covers lease negotiations, the lease document, and tenant improvements for both office and retail leases.
Prerequisites: Second Trimester courses.

BUS 508 Economics of Health and Medical Care (4 Units)
This course provides the student with the elements necessary to apply basic economic principles to the health care field. Emphasis is placed on economic tools of particular relevance to health care, pertinent and systematic insights into the workings of the health care system and the evaluation of health care policies.
Prerequisites: None.

BUS 597 Capstone (4 Units)
This course provides students with an opportunity to apply concepts learned in the program combined with research to develop a proposal for a business process or solution. Students work with the faculty to approve a topic and a plan of action to complete the requirements for this course.
Prerequisites: Completion of all required program courses.

FIN 513 Health Care Finance (4 Units)
This course addresses financial information and the decision-making process, financial environment of health care organizations, strategic financial planning, cost concepts and decision making, and working capital and cash management.
Prerequisites: First Trimester courses.

FIN 514 Financial Planning for the Health Care Professional (4 Units)
This course allows medical professionals to expand their knowledge in areas such as retirement and estate planning. The objective of the course is not to make the student a financial planning professional but rather to establish a basic foundation of knowledge, which will allow for better communications with attorneys and other financial professionals.
Prerequisites: Second Trimester courses.

MGT 513 Management Principles for Health Care Professionals (4 Units)
This course is an introduction to the management concepts essential to the understanding of the organizational environment within which the functions of the manager are performed. It includes challenges to assumptions about such concepts as power, authority, influence, and leadership. The course is presented in sufficient detail to enable the practitioner to apply the concepts in day-to-day situations.
Prerequisites: None.

MKT 511 Marketing Management (4 Units)
This course emphasizes the importance of teamwork between marketing and all the other functions of the business, strategic market planning, and presents company examples of creative, market-focused, and customer-driven action.
Prerequisites: None.

MKT 513 Public Relations (4 Units)
This course presents the basic information about public relations practice, presents a brief summary of its development, and addresses trends that might predict the future.
Prerequisites: Second Trimester courses.

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