UW Approves New Online M.S. Degree in Health Services Administration

A new master of science online degree in health services administration will be offered through the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences’ School of Pharmacy beginning in fall 2016.

The new program -- approved by the UW Board of Trustees at its May meeting -- targets new and mid-career pharmacists and other health care professionals who want to become department directors, patient safety coordinators and/or directors, regulatory compliance officers, clinical research associates, health outcomes researchers or advance practice pharmacists.

The program also will benefit health care workers in fields such as management positions, pharmaceutical sales representatives, medical science liaisons and pharmacy technician educators as well as new clinical faculty at newly established pharmacy colleges.

Available nationwide -- excluding students in Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts and Minnesota -- the master’s program will be delivered via a mix of online self-study and online project-based coursework.

Synchronous online learning is online instruction that requires students to meet at specified times, as opposed to self-directed or asynchronous online learning in which students can complete their courses according to their own schedules, says David Brushwood, a UW School of Pharmacy senior lecturer.

The program can be completed in two years of part-time study. Students must travel to the UW Laramie campus for two weekend seminars during the two-year program. Graduates will be expected to complete 30 credit hours of coursework and a comprehensive final exam. Coursework will be completed over five consecutive semesters.

A prospective student should have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and submit a completed application, a current CV or résumé, and a letter of interest describing why he or she wants to pursue a graduate degree in health services administration.

While the specific curriculum, costs and admission standards remain to be determined, interested individuals can email Brushwood at dbrushwo@uwyo.edu.