With a concentration in Health Policy, you'll explore the ways in which legislative, executive, and judicial government actions at the federal, state, and local levels affect health and healthcare. You'll gain vital knowledge in health insurance regulation, international healthcare systems, the connection between the labor market and health insurance, political influence on health policy, and the determinants of health.
By gaining an understanding of health trends and data, you'll be able to elevate the debate surrounding human health. This comprehensive curriculum is just part of why we’re ranked #8 in health policy and management by U.S. News & World Report.
4
Health Policy MPA students (Fall 2018)
1:3
Faculty: student ratio
86%
All O’Neill MPA placement rate
You’ll begin by mastering the fundamentals reflected in the MPA program’s core competencies. These five courses (15 credit hours) will give you well-developed analytical skills and a broad understanding of policy issues and government processes. You'll then build on this foundation with three other required courses specific to health policy.
The following is an example of courses. Please work with your advisor as you make your schedule.
The remainder of your course work (9 credit hours) will come in a wide range of elective course. These will allow you to tailor your Health Policy program to your own specific interests. At least two of these electives must be taken within SPEA.
Combining your Health Policy concentration with another MPA concentration—such as Policy Analysis, Public Financial Administration, or Nonprofit Management—can offer you unique advantages in pursuing a particular career. As they help you design your program, our faculty will work to accommodate your specialized professional interests.
Our MPA offers far more than traditional lectures and lessons. You’ll also get the benefit of experiential learning—typically through an approved internship. What’s more, your concentration’s course work will culminate in a project-oriented course—a capstone—that lets you apply the knowledge you gained throughout the program.
Current and past placements and internships:
"Health policy is one of the fastest growing areas within public policy analysis, especially as health care grows and changes. The Health Policy concentration prepares you well to become a thoughtful, well-rounded analyst dealing with the tough questions that surround health policy."
“Moving from Houston to study at O’Neill was one of the best decisions I made in my academic career. The health policy concentration gave me the background to understand how are our everyday decisions and actions affect health and healthcare.”
“The Health Policy concentration really gave me a leg up in my job as a research analyst. Nearly every day I come across some new aspect of my job that I can relate back to things I learned in my classes. Even my TA assignment has played an important role in my career!”
