Winston-Salem State University will offer a new master’s degree in healthcare administration, beginning August 2008. The UNC Board of Governors recently granted approval to establish the program, which will be offered by WSSU’s School of Business and Economics.
“This new 45-credit hour program will address the areas of health administration, health services management, health planning and evaluation, health policy, and other related activities, all of which there is high job demand,” said Dr. Suresh Gopalan, WSSU School of Business and Economics assistant dean of graduate programs.
Employment in medical and allied health industries accounts for more than 12 percent of the workforce in Forsyth County. A need-assessment survey of regional health care and allied health care organizations indicated a strong demand for a part-time MHA degree at WSSU. The medical industry is listed as the largest growth industry in the Winston-Salem area, with the upper-level health care jobs expected to increase more than 16 percent from 2006 to 2012.
WSSU’s MHA degree will prepare management professionals for positions in hospitals, outpatient clinics, public health, non-profit associations, long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical companies, medical equipment manufacturers, health insurance and temporary health services. The program will enable collaboration between the graduate business and health sciences programs at WSSU through shared faculties, courses and resources.
The program will help tackle the severe under-representation of minorities in senior healthcare management. WSSU aspires to be the first historically black college or university nationwide to offer programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).