Director of Graduate Nursing
Layna Himmelberg, Ed.D., MSN, CNE
PH 402.552.2776  TF 800.647.5500
himmelberg@clarksoncollege.edu

Director of Healthcare Business
Carla Dirkschneider, M.S., RHIA
PH 402.552.6295  TF 800.647.5500 
dirkschneider@clarksoncollege.edu

Introduction

Clarkson College offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with an option for Nursing Healthcare Administration. In addition, Clarkson College offers a master's degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA). These two programs can be combined to meet specific professional goals of graduate students. In order to complete this program at Clarkson College, students must successfully complete 54 graduate hours.

Program Specific Competency Goals

Upon completion of the MSN requirements for Nursing Healthcare Administration, the graduate will be able to demonstrate:

  • Demonstrate the ability to engage in effective and caring communication with diverse individuals and groups to educate, inform, collaborate, and reflect. (Communication)**
  • Apply complex and evidence-based nuring knowledge and experience to analyze and evaluate strategies and outcomes in health care and educational settings to inform decision-making and/or problem-solving. (Critical Thinking)**
  • Demonstrate the awareness of the unique characteristics inherent to all individuals, by appreciating similarities and differences and advocating for caring holistic nursing approaches. (Diversity)**
  • Utilize and evaluate health care information technology systems and processes for communication, decision making, management and interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance health care delivery. (Technology)**
  • Promote the nursing profession by recognizing and engaging in competent, accountable, ethical and holistic practice; caring and collaborating relationships; respectful interactions with diverse individuals and groups; and quality- and safety-based decision making. (Professionalism)**

Upon completion of the MHA, graduates will:

  • Evaluate strategies based on concepts of leadership and management theory. (Critical Thinking)**
  • Interpret, synthesize and apply concepts to evaluate and solve a variety of real-world health care situations, through problem recognition, methods of inquiry, project management, and strategic analysis and integration. (Critical Thinking)**
  • Communicate thoughts and ideas effectively. (Communication)**
  • Demonstrate an ability to acknowledge and to recognize those differences that exist among all individuals. (Diversity)**
  • Demonstrate an appropriate working knowledge of computer applications commonly used in health care administration (Technology)**
  • Maintain the highest ethical, professional, and legal standards of conduct. (Professionalism)**

**Categories denoted in the parentheses represent relationship to the Clarkson College student success skills, which are our institutional student learning outcomes, and include Communication, Technology, Critical Thinking, Diversity and Professionalism. 

Admission Policies

Enrollment in Clarkson College degree programs is limited through a selective admissions process. Admission policies and procedures are available from: the Enrollment and Advising office, College website or Academic Policies & Procedures section (AD-1).

Online Curriculum

The Clarkson College online dual master’s degree is designed to be a flexible learning environment. Internet-based instruction offers interactive learning opportunities and comprehensive access to information and resources. Dedicated faculty members are focused on student learning, which helps make online learning a productive and rewarding experience.

To complete the dual MSN and MHA option at Clarkson College, students must successfully complete a total of 54 semester hours. These hours must be distributed as follows:

  • Core Nursing Courses = 19 semester hours
  • Major Requirement Courses = 26 semester hours
  • Capstone Experience = 3 semester hours
  • Major Electives = 6 semester hours

The Clarkson College MHA program option operates on an academic calendar using semester hours with three terms, each with 12 weeks of instructional time in length, with two of the terms offered over the fall through spring and the third term offered in the summer. The Clarkson College MHA option defines its academic year as 36 weeks of instructional time using semester hours. These terms are considered nonstandard terms.

Program requires Health and Safety – View Health and Safety Information

Service Requirements

Service reflects a holistic view that focuses on how individuals provide high quality, ethical and compassionate service in the field of health care and the community at large. Students will become familiar with service agencies, connect learning with practice and engage in civic service activities to live and demonstrate the Clarkson College Values of Learning, Caring, Commitment, Integrity and Excellence.

All students are required to complete designated service courses as a component of their program of study. Successful completion of service experiences is required to pass the designated service courses. Designated service courses are identified using the following symbol: ◊

Required Courses for Dual Degree - Master of Science in Nursing and Master in Healthcare Administration

Nursing Core Classes

(19 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
IPE 301 - Interprofessional Education 0
GR 798 - Essentials of Scholarly Writing 1
◊ NS 803 (NRS 803) - Healthcare Delivery Systems and Managed Care 2
NS 805 (NRS 805) - Application and Evaluation of Theory in Nursing 2
NS 807 (NRS 807) - Theories and Concepts of Advanced Practice Roles 3
◊ NS 808 (NRS 808) - Nursing Law and Ethics 3
NS 812 (NRS 812) - Research Design and Methods 3
NS 813 (NRS 813) - Research Design and Methods II 2
GR 847 - Applied Statistics 3
Total Semester Hours 19
All courses are 15 or 12 weeks in duration.
Major Requirement Courses

(26 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
MB 800 (HCA 800) - Ethics in Leadership 2
MB 808 (HCA 808) - Healthcare Leadership 3
◊ MB 818 (HCA 818) - Organizational Behavior 3
MB 821 (HCA 821) - Healthcare Data Analytics 3
MB 826 (HCA 826) - Healthcare Strategic Management 3
MB 828 (HCA 828) - Financial Management in Healthcare 3
MB 833 (HCA 833) - Healthcare Quality and Risk Management 3
MB 837 (HCA 837) - Leading Change 3
NS 898 (NRS 898) - Nursing Healthcare Leadership Practicum 3
Total Semester Hours 26
All courses are six weeks in duration with the exception of the practicum.
Capstone Experience

(3 semester hours)

Courses Semester Hours
MB 900 (HCA 900) - Capstone 3
Total Semester Hours 3
Course is 15 or 12 weeks in duration.
Major Electives

Students must choose a total of 6 semester hours as part of the degree.

Courses Semester Hours
MB 813 (HCA 813) - Healthcare Law and Policy 3
MB 819 (HCA 819) - Human Resources 3
MB 836 (HCA 836) - Healthcare Project Management 3
MB 839 (HCA 839) - Healthcare Reimbursement 3
MB 845 (HCA 845) - Management of Health Information 3
MB 846 (HCA 846) - Fundamentals of Informatics 3
MB 848 (HCA 848) - Systems and Database Design 3
MB 850 (HCA 850) - Healthcare Information Systems 3
MB 899 (HCA 899) - Independent Study for Healthcare Administration 1
◊ MB 903 (HCA 903) - Internship 3
Electives 9
Total Semester Hours 37

All courses are six weeks in duration besides MB 899 & MB 903, which are 12 weeks in duration.

Last updated: 02/02/2023