M.S. in Health Administration Core Competencies

The following 12 competencies have been identified by the M.S. in Health Administration (MSHA) faculty and industry contacts as the most relevant to the MSHA program and which are covered in all MSHA courses. 

We have used the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) Competency Model as our basis for reviewing their 26 competencies to determine which are most relevant and critical to our program and which must be mastered by our graduates to best fulfill our mission, vision and values.

  1. Analytical Thinking
  2. Communication Skills
    (Speaking and Facilitating)
  3. Performance Measurement
  4. Process and Quality Improvement
  5. Collaboration
  6. Team Leadership
  1. Innovation
  2. Strategic Orientation
  3. Professional and Social Responsibility 
  4. Relationship and Network Development
  5. Project Management
  6. Change Leadership

  • Developing a deeper understanding of a situation, issue, or problem by breaking it down or tracing its implications step-by-step. It includes organizing the parts of a situation, issue, or problem systematically; making systematic comparisons of different features or aspects; setting priorities on a rational basis; and identifying time sequences, causal relationships, or if-then relationships.

  • (Speaking & Facilitating): The ability to use spoken communications in formal and informal situations to convey meaning, build shared understanding, and productively move agendas forward.

  • The ability to understand and use statistical and financial metrics and methods to set goals and measure clinical as well as organizational performance; commits to and deploys evidence-based techniques.

  • The ability to analyze and design or improve an organizational process, including incorporating the principles of high reliability, continuous quality improvement, and user-centered design.

  • The ability to work cooperatively and inclusively with other individuals and/or teams they do not formally lead; working together, as opposed to working separately or competitively.

  • The ability to lead groups of people toward shared visions and goals, from forming a team that possesses balanced capabilities, to setting its mission, values, and norms, and holding team members accountable individually and as a group for results.

  • The ability to approach one’s work and the organization in new and breakthrough ways, including applying complex concepts, developing creative new solutions, or adapting previous solutions in promising new ways.

  • The ability to consider the business, demographic, ethno-cultural, political, and regulatory implications of decisions and develop strategies that continually improve the long-term success and viability of the organization.

  • The demonstration of ethics, sound professional practices, social accountability, and community stewardship. Acting in ways that are consistent with one’s values and what one says is important.

  • The ability to establish, build, and sustain professional contacts for the purpose of building networks of people with similar goals and that support similar interests.

  • The ability to plan, execute, and oversee a multi-year, large-scale project involving significant resources, scope, and impact. Examples include the construction of a major building, implementation of a new enterprise-wide information system, or development of a new service line.

  • The ability to energize stakeholders and sustain their commitment to changes in approaches, processes, and strategies.