Master of Business Administration (Healthcare Management)

2024 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Master of Business Administration (Healthcare Management)
Deakin course code	M743
Faculty	Faculty of Business and Law
Campus	The final intake for this course was Trimester 1 2024.
Duration	1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2024 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - International students should note that, due to visa regulations, this course can only be undertaken while living outside Australia.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Healthcare managers and senior clinicians are increasingly expected to navigate a rapidly changing health landscape while also providing leadership across key business areas of strategic planning, marketing, finance and people management. Deakin's MBA (Healthcare Management) situates business decision-making in the health context to give healthcare leaders the tools to manage care delivery and the business and policy pressures that impact it.

Do you want the skills to influence business decisions in a healthcare environment?

Jointly run and managed by Deakin's business and medical schools, Deakin's MBA (Healthcare Management) gives you the best of both worlds. Prepare to manage and lead healthcare services in Australia and overseas by undertaking the core of our MBA program plus a tailored set of health units.

Tailor your MBA studies to issues and challenges associated with the healthcare sector. Learn the very latest in business and management thinking then apply your newfound knowledge to healthcare settings.

To excel in healthcare leadership and management today, you need more than pure business knowledge. A comprehensive understanding of the policy context you work in is vital, along with the skills to formulate and implement strategies leading to efficient and effective care delivery.

Develop the specialised knowledge and skills to manage organisations and clinics amidst the growing challenges of our nation's health and provision of healthcare. As a graduate you'll not only have a deep understanding of health policy and funding context, but also the business end of healthcare delivery, such as financing, marketing and leadership.

The MBA (Healthcare Management) is designed for candidates with management experience. If you are not currently working in a management role in the healthcare sector and would like to progress into a leadership role, please refer to our Master of Health and Human Services Management.

Indicative student workload

In addition to attendance at structured learning activities (including classes, seminars, residentials and on-line) students are required to undertake individual and group activities and self-driven learning. While structured activities vary between units and modes of delivery, students would normally be expected to allocate approximately 150 hours total to each unit. Some core units may require attendance at residential presentations up to 5 days duration.

Professional recognition

The course has received Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM) accreditation. ACHSM is the peak body for healthcare executives in the Asia Pacific, their accreditation not only ensures quality and industry relevance, but also enhances graduate employability and networking opportunities. The accreditations and professional recognition indicate the industry’s appreciation of the quality and relevance of the program to industry needs.

The MBA (Healthcare Management) and the School of Medicine is also associated with the Society for Health Administration Programs in Education (SHAPE), which enables ongoing quality improvement for the course content and alignment with current healthcare management trends and theories.

Also, the course is the only MBA recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) for their Fellowship training.

Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide.

Career opportunities

There is a pressing desire for trained and skilled healthcare executives and leaders in Australia and the Asia-Pacific to lead and manage healthcare service delivery into the future. With the Deakin MBA (Healthcare Management) qualification in hand you’re well positioned to either progress in your existing healthcare career or embark on a new one as a healthcare manager.

Participation requirements

Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.

Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental business principles and concepts to develop insights into processes that drive healthcare systems and contribute to the development of new knowledge through use of appropriate research principles and methods
Communication	Demonstrate high level written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills to communicate healthcare management information and strategy
Digital literacy	Select and use digital technologies to locate, curate and disseminate information relevant to the operation of healthcare services and support the research and analysis of complex healthcare systems issues
Critical thinking	Apply critical thinking and analysis skills to evaluate complex data, relationships and projects that underpin the functioning of healthcare services
Problem solving	Apply problem solving skills and creativity to arrive at evidence-based decisions and imagine strategies and the changes required to implement recommended courses of action
Self-management	Developed an enhanced insight into leadership style and reflect on own ability to take personal accountability and act as a confident leader in the healthcare industry
Teamwork	Demonstrate the ability to develop networks and business relationships and leverage these to achieve collaborative and mutually beneficial outcomes
Global citizenship	Engage in professional and ethical practice that demonstrates awareness of and adaptability to, diverse social, cultural, and environmental contexts in healthcare management

Course rules

To complete the Master of Business Administration (Healthcare management), students must attain a total of 12 credit points, consisting of 5 credit points of core units offered by the Faculty of Business and Law and 5 credit points of core units offered by the Faculty of Health and 2 credit points of course electives, plus completion of the compulsory 0-credit point module, DAI001 Academic Integrity Module. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point.

Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the practical application of those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature.

Course structure

Compulsory 0-credit point module

To be completed in the first trimester of study:-

DAI001

Academic Integrity Module

Core units

Faculty of Business and Law Core

MBA700

The Deakin Advantage: Leadership and Professional Development

MBR701/MBA701

Strategy and Value Creation ^{^}

MBT704/MBA704

Marketing, Consumers, and the Marketplace ^*

MBR706/MBA706

Leading People in Organisations ^{^}

MBA707

The Deakin Advantage: Capstone ^(Capstone)

^{^}MBR code denotes residential version of unit.

*MBT code denotes study tour version of the unit

Faculty of Health Core

HME704

Fundamentals of Digital Health

HME705

Healthcare Financing

HME711

Health Law and Ethics

HME712

Healthcare Operations ^#

HME713

Clinical Governance

^#As an alternative to HME712, students can complete the following two stackable short courses in a flexible study mode:
HMC701-OD Patient Flow Management
HMC702-OD Patient journey and System Design

Course elective units

The remaining 2 credit points may be selected from the following course electives:

MBT703/MBA703

The Economic Environment ^*

HSH769

Comparative Health Systems

HSH725

Research Literacy

HSH744

Epidemiology 1

HSH762

Resource Allocation and Priority Setting

1.0 credit point of any Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials) (max 2) taken in combination with 1.0 credit point of course elective (as listed above)

2.0 credit point total of any Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials) (max 4)

*MBT code denotes study tour version of the unit

Stackable short courses

Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 cp microcredentials) to earn up to 1-2 credit point(s) of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. See more information on Deakin stackable short course options.

Work experience

This course does not require students to complete compulsory work integrated learning units.

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Other learning experiences

This course includes the option of other learning experiences including residential and study tour units.

Research and research-related study

The MBA-Healthcare Management course being a professional course as opposed to a research-oriented course is unlike many master's level course, which requires extended periods of research study. However, the course recognises the importance of imparting research skills to its students. This education is delivered through the course elective unit HSH725 Research Literacy (1 credit point).