Health Administration and Policy Core Faculty:
Katie Birger, Lecturer and Director
Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Assistant Professor
Meryl Cozart, Lecturer
Andrea Kalfoglou, Associate Professor
Jamie Trevitt, Assistant Professor
Courses in this program are listed under HAPP.
The Health Administration and Policy major (HAPP) is designed for career-oriented students who recognize that health and health care in America are major public concerns and who plan to seek employment in one of a variety of administrative, supportive, planning and policy positions. Students may choose an undergraduate emphasis in health services administration, health policy or public health.
Students in the Health Administration and Policy major can expect to achieve the following objectives: a comprehensive understanding of health-care issues and the health care system that will underpin various educational and career goals; training in basic administrative, managerial and research skills; preparation for entry-level employment in community health and health care organizations and in support systems in the private and public sectors; and preparation for a graduate program leading to an advanced degree in a health-related field.
Health Administration and Policy majors study with instructors and faculty who are working in the health-care field or who have had years of applied experience before joining the academic arena. Each instructor brings this practical understanding of the health-care field into the classroom. For qualified majors there are opportunities to work with faculty members on their personal research or to develop the student’s own research project.
Career and Academic Paths
Upon completion of the Health Administration and Policy major, students will be prepared for careers in long-term care; hospitals; federal, state and community health agencies and other health-related organizations. After graduation Health Administration and Policy majors have found employment with such organizations as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Blue-Cross/BlueShield, the University of Maryland Medical Center, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Maxim Healthcare and Mercy Hospital. Students also have gone on to graduate study at The Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, College Park, George Washington University, Harvard University, University of North Carolina, Virginia Commonwealth University and Yale.
Academic Advising
Students majoring in Health Administration and Policy must meet with their Health Administration and Policy advisor each semester during advanced registration to review their progress toward fulfilling major and university requirements but are also encouraged to meet with their advisor at any point during the semester. Students must average 15 credit hours per semester to graduate in four years.
Advisors are available to assist students in developing an academic pathway towards graduation, as well as to discuss post-graduate education and career options. A student’s post-baccalaureate plans for either graduate education or immediate employment are important influences on his or her overall academic program and course selections, and completion of the Health Administration and Policy major requires careful coordination of track selection with internship placement. With these considerations in mind, early and continuous contact should be established with a program advisor. Health Administration and Policy majors with another primary major are still strongly encouraged to meet each semester with their Health Administration and Policy advisor.
Students can declare a Health Administration and Policy major by filling out the Declaration of Major Form, located on Register’s website, and making an appointment with the department’s Advising Coordinator. All Declaration of Major Forms must be signed by the Advising Coordinator prior to returning to the Registrar’s office. Students must have and maintain a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 at UMBC from time of declaration to graduation.
For more information about the advising process or for general questions regarding the Health Administration and Policy Program, please refer to the Department’s website.
Evening and Part Time Options
Although many courses are available in the evening, some courses only are offered during the day. To complete the major, students must have the flexibility to include these courses in their academic schedules.
Special Opportunities
The major can be effectively combined with opportunities in the applied sociology and public policy programs at UMBC.
Graduate Programs in Applied Sociology (Master’s, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, and Bachelor’s/Master’s)
The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Health Administration and Policy offers a Master of Arts in Applied Sociology, an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s, and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in the Nonprofit Sector. Our programs offer students training in the practical side of sociology, including the various methodologies and key substantive areas of the field. Our program has core strengths in the sociology of health, illness, and medicine; aging and the life course; diversity, gender, and culture; and applied research methods. Our courses prepare students for careers as research analysts in federal and state agencies, research organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Our program also prepares students for doctoral-level coursework. In order to earn a Master’s in Applied Sociology at UMBC, students complete 30 credits, including a capstone project. The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program for undergraduate students allows students to take up to 9 graduate credits to apply toward the master’s degree. The 12 credit Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in the Nonprofit Sector can be completed as part of the master’s degree, or separately. If you have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 and are interested in any of these programs, please contact Dr. Marina Adler (Graduate Program Director) at adler@umbc.edu or Ms. Emily Byrne (Graduate Program Coordinator) at ebyrne@umbc.edu. For admission requirements and deadlines please consult the Department’s website.
BA/MPP in Public Policy
Undergraduate HAPP majors at UMBC with an interest in U. S. health problems and policies can consider continuing their education at UMBC with a Master of Public Policy (MPP) through the Accelerated Pathways Program. Once accepted into the Accelerated Pathways Program, up to 12 credit hours of graduate courses can be counted toward both the BA and the MPP. For more information, students can contact Ms. Sally Helms, at helms@umbc.edu, 410-455-3202.
The university offers multiple opportunities for study abroad, including a course on international field research. Many graduates of UMBC’s Health Administration and Policy major remain actively involved with the Program, and have provided current students with internship placements and job opportunities in hospitals, nursing care centers, government, and voluntary health organizations.
Student Organizations
The Health Administration and Policy Council of Majors supports and initiates programs of interest to majors.
This program offers tracks in the following:
Health Administration and Policy, Health Policy Track
Health Administration and Policy, Health Services Administration Track
Health Administration and Policy, Public Health Track
