Regulations effective September 1, 2016.
The Master of Health Studies (MHS) program prepares health professionals to assume leadership positions in the health system. The rapid pace of change in health services requires health professionals to be leaders, equipped to address new challenges. The program provides professionals from various health backgrounds with skills that enable them to discern emerging trends and anticipate future directions in health services and provide leadership in planning, implementation, evaluation, change management, and policy development. A teaching focus is also offered.
By the application deadline, applicants for admission to the MHS program must possess a four-year health-related Canadian (or equivalent) baccalaureate degree program from an accredited/recognized university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in the final 30 credits of graduate or undergraduate study. Admission will be considered for applicants who possess a four-year (or equivalent) non health-related credential, but have relevant work experience in the health care field.
To calculate your Graduate Admission GPA (the GPA AU will use for your entry into the program), please visit the Graduate Admission GPA page on the Faculty of Health Disciplines website.
The MHS program is composed of 11, three-credit courses, for a total of 33 credits.
Students may choose from a course-based or thesis-based route.
Core Courses
The following courses apply to the course-based routes.
| MHST/NURS 601* | Philosophical Foundations of Health Systems | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 603 | Facilitating Inquiry | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 607 | Developing Successful Project and Program Proposals | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 611 | Dissemination Strategies (Taken in final semester) | (3) |
The following core course applies to the thesis-based route:
| MHST/NURS 601 | Philosophical Foundations of Health Systems | (3) |
* MHST/NURS 601 is designed to be the first course you take in your program.
Curriculum Courses
Students enrolled in the course-based routes must complete five of the following CNHS graduate courses. Students enrolled in the thesis-based route must complete two of these courses:
| MHST/NURS 602 | Transforming Health Care through Informatics | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 604 | Leadership Roles in Health | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 605 | Demystifying Policy Analysis and Development | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 606 | Health Systems and Services Evaluation | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 610 | Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 618 | Community Development for Health Care Leaders | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 620 | Culture and Health: Critical Perspectives | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 621 | Coaching and Leading: The Human Side of Organizational Change | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 622 | Understanding Organizations: Theory, Analysis and Application | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 623 | Clinical Teaching and Learning | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 624 | Teaching in Health Disciplines | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 625 | Personalizing Learning through Collaborating and Mentoring in Health Care Environments | ||
| MHST/NURS 695 - 696 | Independent Study | (3) |
Elective and Thesis Courses
Elective Courses: In addition to the core and curriculum courses, two electives are required in the course-based route. These electives may be completed prior to or concurrently with MHST/NURS 611. These elective courses may include: CNHS graduate courses, as listed in the above table of curriculum courses; other Athabasca University graduate level courses; or pre-approved graduate courses from other universities (refer to Letter of Permission to Complete a Course at Another University).
Thesis Courses: Students enrolled in the thesis-based route must complete one elective course, two research methods courses (MHST/NURS 711 and either 712 or 713) and two courses during which the thesis will be completed: MHST/NURS 719 (3 credits) and MHST/NURS 720 (12 credits).
| MHST/NURS 711 | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 712 | (3) | |
| MHST/NURS 713 | Advanced Quantitative Methods for Health Research | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 719 | Thesis I: Proposal Development | (3) |
| MHST/NURS 720 | Thesis II: Conducting, Writing, and Dissemination of Research | (12) |
Students in the course-based route may elect to complete a teaching focus. The teaching focus includes: four core courses as described above, three teaching focus courses (MHST/NURS 623, MHST/NURS 624, and MHST/NURS 625), three of the curriculum courses listed above, and one elective course as described above.
| Course-based Teaching Focus |
| 4 core courses |
| 3 teaching courses |
| 3 curricular courses |
| 1 elective course |
| Total: 11 |
Information effective September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017.
Updated September 19 2017 by laurab
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