Healthcare Management Masters Programs in Iowa

Iowa City is located about 115 miles from Des Moines and 220 miles from Chicago in eastern Iowa.  It’s home to approximately 70,000 residents, making it the state’s fifth-largest city. It is also the cornerstone of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is home to about 153,000 residents. In 2008, it was ranked second on Forbes’ “Best Small Places for Business and Careers” list. It’s routinely cited as one of the best small cities in the nation for raising a family on the strength of its:

  • public school system
  • low crime rates
  • low cost of living

Iowa City is also home to the only CAHME accredited healthcare management masters program in the state of Iowa.

The University of Iowa

The University of Iowa, located on an urban 1,900-acre campus in Iowa City, is Iowa’s flagship public university. It is a member of the NCAA’s Big Ten conference and has received unofficial “Public Ivy” recognition from numerous publications. It enrolls about 31,000 students, about 70 percent (roughly 22,000) of whom are undergraduates.

The College of Public Health’s Master of Health Administration Program

The University of Iowa’s College of Public Health is home to the state’s lone master’s degree program in healthcare management. Students must complete 60 academic credit hours—-or about 21 months of full-time study-—to graduate.

In their first year of study, students are familiarized with different aspects of health organizations, including:

  • social
  • political
  • economic
  • financial

The concepts, tools, and techniques of effective managerial decision-making, planning and control also are introduced in courses covering:

  • health management
  • economics
  • public health
  • financial management
  • human resources
  • epidemiology
  • public policy
  • the healthcare system’s legal foundations

The second-year students’ curriculum involves application of theoretical principles mastered in the core first-year courses. There are also specialized coursework in areas of their choosing. They are encouraged to take advantage of the many internship opportunities available in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). This is a 711-bed teaching hospital that employs more than 7,100 people.

Accreditation

The MHA is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Executives (CAHME).

Contact Information

Jean Sheeley
Director, Student Services
Department of Health Management and Policy
The University of Iowa
105 River Street, N218 CPHB
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: (319) 384-3827
E-mail: jean-sheeley@uiowa.edu
Website: http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/hmp/programs/Mha/