Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Health Administration

Available Online and In Person Accredited Program

Specially designed for health care professionals and those looking to enter the health care field, the Graduate Certificate in Health Administration is a flexible program developed for working individuals who wish to advance their career by expanding their skills through a university-based program. It is designed specifically to support individuals who aim to advance their career in the public health, governmental and healthcare sectors. It may be completed fully online as well as on the Tucson and Phoenix campuses.

In this certificate program, students will master competencies in the areas of strategic planning and marketing, health budgeting and finance, health care economics and policy, quality improvement and health systems delivery.The certificate is comprised of a minimum of five courses for a total of 15 credits. The time needed to complete the certificate requirements largely depends on a student’s existing commitments at entry to the program and especially the support the student has from his/her supervisor or employer to participate in the program. Students are strongly encouraged to secure sufficient support to complete the program within one to two years.

Upon completion of the certificate, all five courses will be allowed to transfer to the Master of Public Health degree program if the student is admitted to the Health Services Administration, MPH program and the courses meet degree requirements.

View Certificate Curriculum

For more information

For more information, please contact our Certificate Programs Coordinator at coph-certificate@arizona.edu

Admissions Criteria

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate in Health Administration are required to submit the following application materials:

Official academic transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. The applicant is required to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with 2.75 GPA (GPA is based on the last 60 undergraduate units, or if the applicant has 12 or more graduate units, the GPA will be based on graduate units)
One letter of support from a supervisor or a person familiar with the applicant’s professional abilities
Resume or CV
One page personal statement of experiences and goals
International applicants may need to provide proof of English Proficiency. See more information here: https://publichealth.arizona.edu/graduate-students/certificate-admissions-criteria.

Application Deadline

Applications received after the deadline may be considered on a space-available basis. To request consideration, please send an email to the Certificate Programs Coordinator at coph-certificate@arizona.edu.

How to Apply

Apply online: www.grad.arizona.edu/admissions

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate in Health Administration, students will be able to demonstrate the following knowledge and skills:

Health Services Administration:

Examine the organization and systems framework of health services in the United States
Explore cultural/geographical competencies and cultural/geographical relevant approaches in the delivery of health services to underserved communities.
Analyze problems and current issues related to health and health care in the United States, Arizona, and rural areas and derive potential solutions
Analyze the health care system in a community

Health Care Marketing:

Describe and critically analyze marketing theories and methodologies, applied to health care marketing
Understand health care markets and consumer decision making about health
Understand market research as applied to health care products, services, and social marketing campaigns
Understand the links between strategic planning and marketing
Understand the uses of social marketing
Understand uses of marketing communications, especially social media, in health care
Develop a marketing plan for a health care service, or a social marketing campaign

Fundamentals of Budget and Finance:

Construct different types of budgets and study budget processes
Identify financial accounting principles and reports
Develop a business plan
Debate the role of ethics in financial management
Use financial reports for management decision-making
Recognize the nuances of health care reimbursement

Health Care Economics and Policy:

Explain how economic theory predicts the supply, demand and consumption of health care
Compare and contrast free market economy and command economies
Explain theories of market justice and social justice and how they apply to health care
Compare and contrast various methods of cost constraint such as managed care, restricted networks, capitation and price controls
Explain how individuals, interest groups and legislative members interact to establish government health policy and regulation
Compare and contrast the cost, quality and access of health care in various industrialized and non-industrialized nations
Analyze the structure, delivery and financing of health care in the United States and other industrialized nations

Advanced Health Care Administration:

Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between international health care delivery systems and the current United States system and illustrate how some international concepts could work in the United States
Comprehend the financial and reimbursement mechanisms of the United States health care system and how this affects administrative and management decisions
Understand the administrative and management issues required to assuming a leadership role in health care organizations
Understand the legal and regulatory environment in which the United States health care system operates and how it affects administrative and management decisions
Demonstrate the ability to apply administrative and management concepts in a health care environment