Master of Health Services Management

What is this course about?

CSU's Master of Health Services Management is designed for practising and aspiring managers in health services who are seeking a formal management qualification to complement their experience and/or undergraduate qualifications.

The Master of Health Services Management is appropriate for a diverse range of health professionals such as medical, paramedical, nursing, allied health and general administrative personnel. The interdisciplinary nature of the student group is a distinctive feature of the course.

The course aims to help students develop their managerial competencies by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate efficiency, effectiveness and a high quality of service in performance at personal, department and organisational level. A high quality of conceptualisation is required to be demonstrated at Master level. It is expected, for example, that students will be able to demonstrate a capacity to evaluate the relevance of different conceptual approaches to management issues in the context of their own experience and workplace.

A distinct feature of the program, which is only delivered by distance education, is its online support including electronic assignment transmission, forums or threaded bulletin boards, direct email to Course Coordinators, and access to electronic databases and journals. The forums allow students to raise issues of concern, and ensure not only contemporary learning, but also an exchange between professionals in different healthcare systems. There are no examinations and assessment tasks are largely workplace based or situated.

Study materials includes printed packages containing course overview, study guide and selected readings. Additional electronic resources are updated frequently and often within the session of study to complement the study resources provided.

Professional recognition

The Master of Health Services Management complies with the core requirements of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators. Our courses are designed in consultation with practicing health professionals. Applicants interested in pursuing affiliation with the relevant professional organisations should contact the Course Coordinator in the first instance to ascertain their eligibility for membership.

Articulation

Applicants for whom the prospect of studying at the Master level is daunting may prefer to enrol initially in the Graduate Diploma of Health Services Management. On the basis of satisfactory performance in the first or subsequent year of that course, and following consultation with the Course Coordinator, a Graduate Diploma student may apply for admission to the Master program. Alternatively, on completion of 64 points of study, students may elect to exit the course with a Graduate Diploma of Health Services Management. If students complete 32 points of study, they may elect to exit the Master course with a Graduate Certificate in Health Services Management.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.