West Virginia University’s John Chambers College of Business and Economics is launching a new graduate program to meet the booming healthcare industry’s current and future need for professionals with strong foundations in effective business practices through the lens of healthcare.  

The newly formed Healthcare MBA is a 39 credit-hour program that is delivered fully online and can be completed in less than two years. The flexible format allows students to pursue their degree while also maintaining momentum in their career.  

"We are so excited to get started with our new Chambers College of Business and Economics specialized, online Healthcare MBA degree,” said Virginia Kleist, associate dean for Graduate Programs, Academic Operations and Research. “The business of healthcare is an area of growing jobs in West Virginia and in the United States. Our research indicates that this new degree will be of tremendous benefit to prospective students who are in the healthcare industry or are considering it for their future careers.”  

Program courses will be taught by executive professionals, industry leaders and expert faculty who understand the intersection of business and healthcare. The program’s curriculum was designed to expose students to all of the functional areas of business and real-world applications of the business of healthcare. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to take elective courses in areas such as business intelligence, cybersecurity and strategic communication, all of which are industry hot topics.

"Managing complex healthcare organizations requires strong leadership and excellent business skills,” Kleist said. “Many of our faculty in Chambers work and conduct research at the intersection of business and healthcare, and are delighted to be able to teach in the HMBA program in their respective areas of expertise."

Students will also have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired through the program in either an applied executive project or an innovation course. The online courses will be delivered in eight-week segments that are primarily asynchronous but will offer students the opportunity to work in talented teams and participate in virtual synchronous experiential learning.  

Healthcare is a $3.65 trillion industry in the United States, comprising 17.9 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it’s only projected to keep growing. By 2027, estimates show that the healthcare industry will account for 19.4 percent of the U.S. GDP as issues including rampant fraud, costly epidemiological crises and aging populations continue to grow.

To account for this growth, the Healthcare MBA will train leaders to manage diverse teams, to successfully navigate the business of healthcare, to lead across the many challenging transitions and to provide innovative solutions that improve the healthcare system in order to more readily support positive health outcomes.  

"This Healthcare Master of Business Administration program aligns directly with the mission of the University to advance education, healthcare and prosperity,” said Javier Reyes, Milan Puskar Dean of the Chambers College. “The objective of our Healthcare MBA program is to bridge our business expertise to the healthcare environment to prepare our students to become effective leaders and administrators of the business of healthcare."

Professional opportunities, such as medical and health service managers, are expected to grow by 20 percent over the next decade. This new HMBA program is designed for those seeking a career in the healthcare industry and for current healthcare professionals that want to expand and formalize their business of healthcare skillset to take on leadership roles within their organization.  

The Healthcare MBA qualifies for Board of Governor’s Market Pricing. Contact Joey VanDevender at 304.293.2333 for more information.  

-WVU-

bm/01/10/20

CONTACT: Brittany Murray
Senior Writer, Office of Strategic Communications
John Chambers College of Business and Economics
(304) 293-5927; brittany.murray@mail.wvu.edu

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