Department of Health Policy and Management (GRAD)

The Gillings School's top-ranked Department of Health Policy and Management trains the next generation of leaders in management, policy making, and research to address the complex challenges of health care delivery and produce cutting-edge research. We prepare our students to improve population health both domestically and globally. We are committed to ensuring that all people — irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, geographic origin, religion, or economic resources — have access to high-quality health care services.

Mission

To improve health for all by creating and translating knowledge into policy and practice and educating current and future health leaders, managers, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.

Vision

High quality, accessible and affordable health systems that achieve optimal population health in North Carolina, across the United States, and around the world.

Our research strengths include:

  • Cancer care
  • Rural health
  • Mental health
  • Comparative effectiveness
  • Financial management and performance
  • Health outcomes
  • Organization and implementation science
  • Quality of and access to care

Degrees Offered

The Department of Health Policy and Management offers two master's degrees, two doctoral degrees, and one graduate-level certificate program. The Gillings School of Global Public Health also offers a master's degree with a concentration in health policy. 

Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.)

The M.H.A. is a professional degree for individuals wishing to pursue management careers in health organizations, including health systems, hospitals, consulting firms, managed care organizations, insurance companies, medical group practices, government agencies, or other health related organizations. The M.H.A. degree provides strong preparation in the management disciplines, a comprehensive understanding of the health care sector, and professional development. Students are encouraged to take elective courses in particular areas of interest. The M.H.A. program is CAHME accredited.

Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.)

The M.S.P.H. is a professional degree that prepares individuals for careers in health policy analysis, health services research, program planning, program evaluation in the public and private sector. Students obtain a comprehensive understanding of the health care system and receive in-depth training in health policy analysis, health services research methods, evaluation, and professional development. Students are encouraged to take elective courses in particular areas of interest.

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Health Policy Concentration

The Health Policy concentration trains future leaders in policy making and practice so they can produce cutting-edge analyses that address the complex challenges of health care delivery. Students learn the skills to design, implement, and evaluate health care and public health policies in a variety of settings, and to advocate for and lead changes in a policy setting. Graduates can demonstrate an intricate understanding of the current U.S. health care system, have expertise in analysis and advocacy, and possess the skills to effectively manage financial and human resources. 

Are you unsure of what Health Policy Master's degree best fits your future goals?  Please visit our website where you can compare the department's master's degrees. 

Course Requirements

Requirements for the M.P.H. degree in the Health Policy concentration

M.P.H. Integrated Core
SPHG 711Data Analysis for Public Health Fall 12
SPHG 712Methods and Measures for Public Health Practice Fall 12
SPHG 713Systems Approaches to Understanding Public Health Issues Fall 12
SPHG 701Leading from the Inside-Out Spring 12
SPHG 721Public Health Solutions: Systems, Policy and Advocacy (MPH Comprehensive Exam administered in class) Spring 12
SPHG 722Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Public Health Solutions (MPH Comprehensive Exam administered in class) Spring 14
M.P.H. Practicum
SPHG 703MPH Pre-Practicum Assignments Spring 10.5
SPHG 705MPH Practicum (200 minimum hours) Summer 10
SPHG 707MPH Post-Practicum Assignments Fall 20.5
M.P.H. Concentration
HPM 754Health Care in the United States Structure and Policy Fall 13
HPM 745Financial Management and Analysis for Public and Nonprofit Entities Spring 13
HPM 790Advanced Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy Spring 13
HPM 730Leadership and Workforce Management Strategies Fall 23
HPM 758Underserved Populations and Health Reform Fall 1 or Fall 23
M.P.H. Electives
Elective (Graduate-level courses, 400+ level at Gillings, 500+ level at UNC)3
Elective (Graduate-level courses, 400+ level at Gillings, 500+ level at UNC)3
Elective (Graduate-level courses, 400+ level at Gillings, 500+ level at UNC)3
M.P.H. Culminating Experience
HPM 992Master's (Non-Thesis) Final Term3
Total Hours42

Competencies

Students will develop the following Health Policy competencies, building on the foundational public health knowledge they attain in the Gillings M.P.H. Integrated Core courses.

HPM01. Examine past, current, and emerging issues related to the organization, financing, and management of health care delivery in the U.S.
HPM02. Apply policy analysis skills to make evidence-informed policy recommendations that improve the health of populations.
HPM03. Demonstrate an ability to influence the formulation of health policies by developing a broad-based advocacy strategy for policy change at the regulatory or legislative level.
HPM04. Analyze existing and proposed governmental policies to assess implementation challenges and the impact of those policies on different populations and stakeholders.
HPM05. Apply knowledge of governmental and nonprofit financial management and financial analysis to plan for, operate, monitor, and report the financial results of nonprofit and publicly financed health programs.
HPM06. Apply key principles of organizational behavior, management, leadership, and workforce management.

Admissions

Please visit Applying to the Gillings School first for details and information. Application to the residential M.P.H. is a two-step process. Please apply separately to (1) SOPHAS and (2) UNC–Chapel Hill (via the Graduate School application). Visit https://gradschool.sites.unc.edu/master-of-public-health/ for more details. If you are interested in the online M.P.H., please visit the MPH@UNC website and fill out an inquiry form.

Milestones

The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information. 

Practicum

Prior to beginning a practicum, students must: 1) have final grades in SPHG 711, SPHG 712, SPHG 713, SPHG 701, SPHG 721, SPHG 722 and SPHG 703 and 2) receive approval from the practicum team to begin their practicum hours.

To satisfy degree requirements, a Gillings M.P.H. practicum must:

  • Be an applied public health practice experience that addresses a health issue from a community or population (not individual) perspective.
  • Take place in a professional public health setting such as a health department, nonprofit organization, hospital or for-profit firm. To be appropriate for a practicum, University-affiliated settings must be primarily focused on community engagement, typically with external partners. University health promotion or wellness centers may also be appropriate. Faculty-supervised lab settings are not appropriate for the practicum.
  • Allow for the application of graduate-level public health skills.
  • Yield at least two student-generated, practical, non-academic work products (e.g., project plans, grant proposals, training manuals or lesson plans, surveys, memos, videos, podcasts, presentations, spreadsheets, websites, photos with accompanying explanatory text, or other digital artifacts of learning), produced for the practicum site’s use and benefit, that demonstrate attainment of five CEPH M.P.H. Foundational Competencies.
  • Be mentored by a supervisor (preceptor) with public health expertise and experience to guide the practicum work. (See “Preceptor Requirements” below.)
  • Take place in a location approved for student travel (UNC Travel Policy), and the student must complete UNC Gillings International Pre-Departure Travel Requirements prior to travel if applicable.
  • Comprise a minimum of 200 hours (equivalent to five weeks of full-time work).

Comprehensive Exam (Master's Written Exam)

A milestone degree requirement for all graduate students at UNC–Chapel Hill, including M.P.H. students at the Gillings School of Public Health, is the comprehensive exam. The comprehensive exam will cover the public health foundational knowledge and competencies covered in the  M.P.H. Core courses: SPHG 711, 712, 713, 721, 722. Students will have an opportunity to demonstrate synthesis and higher order learning of the 22 core competencies achieved in the M.P.H. Core courses during the exam. The written exam will be administered in SPHG 722 and graded by Gillings faculty.  Clear instructions on how to prepare for and complete the comprehensive exam will be provided.  Should students not successfully pass the comprehensive exam a remediation plan will be developed. Students cannot retake the comprehensive exam for 90 days after the initial exam and must be registered in at least one credit while taking the comprehensive exam. 

Culminating Experience (Thesis Substitute)

M.P.H. students must have permanent grades in all M.P.H. Core or concentration courses before taking the culminating experience (992) course. An Incomplete in any M.P.H. Core or concentration course will prevent a student from beginning the culminating experience (992) course. Each student completes a 3-credit culminating experience and produces a high-quality written product that is completed in the last term of the program of study. The high-quality written product demonstrates a synthesis of two foundational and two concentration-specific competencies appropriate to the student’s educational and professional goals. This culminating experience ideally is delivered in a manner that is useful to external stakeholders, such as nonprofit or governmental organizations, and could take the form of a course-based capstone project or master’s paper but will be tailored to the concentration a student chooses.

Academic Advising and Faculty Mentoring 

We are committed to providing quality academic advising and mentoring for all students. We ensure that M.P.H. students get the guidance they need with several components: 1) an orientation program that provides an overview of the types and sources of M.P.H. advising; 2) cohort advising sessions in year 1 to disseminate information that is relevant to course planning and registration (one-on-one advising is available to students at any point). One-on-one advising in year two as students prepare for graduation; 3) faculty mentoring that provides students with tailored support for their academic, professional, personal development, and practicum support.

M.P.H. students will complete a 14-credit-hour Integrated Core taught by an interdisciplinary team of instructors. The 6-credit first semester focuses on understanding public health issues, and the second semester, 8-credit focuses on creating solutions to those issues.

All M.P.H. students complete COMPASS (Core Online Modules to Promote and Accelerate Student Success). These self-paced online modules are open for students prior to their first academic year. Students can complete any and all parts of COMPASS up to and including the first week of class.

Electives

Students in the M.P.H. program are required to take 9 credits of elective coursework. Students are expected to use their electives in a thoughtful way to strengthen their public health knowledge/skills and are encouraged to consult with their academic coordinator early prior to the registration period for this purpose. In addition to those courses offered in the Gillings School there are many appropriate electives elsewhere in the University. 

For information on policies and procedures, please visit the Gillings School Student Handbook website.

Residency Requirements

Exit Survey

Executive M.H.A. Program (Online)

The Executive Master's Program (M.H.A.) provides graduate-level education to employed public health professionals and health care administrators. This program helps students build and expand their decision making and leadership skills to advance their careers in health and public health organizations throughout the United States and beyond. The two-year program consists of six intensive sessions on the Chapel Hill campus as well as faculty-guided, synchronous distance learning. The M.H.A. program is CAHME accredited.

Health Policy and Management, Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)

The doctor of philosophy in health policy and management combines rigorous training in research methodology with substantive knowledge to provide the academic foundation and research experience to become creative and independent researchers.

Course Requirements

SPH/HPM Foundational Courses
EPID 600Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health3
or EPID 710 Fundamentals of Epidemiology
HPM 754Health Care in the United States Structure and Policy3
SPHG 600Introduction to Public Health3
HSR/HSR Methods
HPM 884Overview to Health Services Research/Health Policy3
HPM 885Health Services/Health Policy Research Methods3
HPM 886Advanced Health Services Research Methods Applications3
Analytical Methods
HPM 880Principles of Health Policy Research Methods3
HPM 881Linear Regression Models3
HPM 882Advanced Methodology in Health Policy and Management3
HPM 883Analysis of Categorical Data3
Minor Area
All students must take 15 credit hours for their minor area (typically five 3-credit courses), see lists below15
Policy Course
All students must take one 3-credit hour policy course chosen from the following list:3
Mental Health Services Research and Policy
Health Reform: Political Dynamics and Policy Dilemmas
Underserved Populations and Health Reform
Making Equity a Priority in Health Care Quality: Strategies for Research, Policy and Practice
Advanced Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy
Introduction to Public Health Policy and The Policy-Making Process
Migration and Health
Institutional Analysis for Public Policy
Pharmaceutical Policy
Professional Development
HPM 871Seminar in Teaching Health Policy and Management1
HPM 873Policy Seminar in Health Policy and Management (Must be completed twice)2
HPM 874Advanced Research Seminar in HPM (Must be completed four times)4
Dissertation Hours
HPM 994Doctoral Research and Dissertation 13
Total Hours55
1

Students register for HPM 994 under the section number for the course instructor during the fall semester of their third year. Because this course is considered part of the dissertation, this course does not count towards the 46 hours required for graduation. Starting in the spring of their third year, students should enroll in HPM 994 using their faculty mentor's section number for all subsequent semesters until they defend their dissertation. 

Minor areas may be either disciplinary or interdisciplinary, but are not specific topics or diseases (e.g., aging, AIDS, child health). Students who want to minor in areas other than those described below must get approval from the director of the Ph.D. program. Students must register for at least 15 credit hours in their minor area, and at least one of these 3-credit hour courses must be a theory course.  

Decision Sciences and Outcomes Research

Core Courses
HPM 772Techniques for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care3
HPM 794Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement and Application in Healthcare Research and Practice3
Three additional courses from one of the two tracks described below. 9
Track 1: Decision Sciences Modeling
Operations Research for Healthcare Systems
Advanced Decision Modeling
One theory course chosen from the following list:
Social and Behavioral Aspects of Pharmaceutical Use
Implementation Science in Health
History of Social Thought
Advanced Economic Analysis for Public Policy I
Individual Behavior in Organizations
Track 2: Outcomes Research
At least one theory course chosen from the following list:
Communication for Health-Related Decision Making
mHealth for Behavior Change
Scale Development Methods
Seminar in Quantitative Psychology
Implementation Science in Health
Cancer Prevention and Control Seminar
Introduction to Implementation Research and Practice in Maternal, Child and Family Health
Proposal development for MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
From Theory to Intervention and Implementation
Additional elective courses chosen from:
Global Health Policy
Implementing Health Informatics Initiatives
Data Visualization
Healthcare Quality and Information Management
Quality of Care
Making Equity a Priority in Health Care Quality: Strategies for Research, Policy and Practice
Cancer Outcomes Research Seminar
Additional course selected in consultation with faculty mentor
Total Hours15

Economics 

Requirements
Microeconomic theory courses from one of the following options:6
Basic Quantitative Techniques
and Advanced Microeconomic Theory I 2
Mathematical Preparation for Public Policy and Economics
and Advanced Economic Analysis for Public Policy I
and Advanced Economic Analysis for Public Policy II 2
One course in health economics:3
Health Economics
Health Economics: Markets and Supply-Side Actors
Remaining courses selected in consultation with your faculty mentor from other courses taken at UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, or NC State in advanced microeconomics, labor economics, public finance, economics and population, econometrics, or other advanced topics in microeconomics.6
All health economics students are expected to attend the Triangle Health Economics Workshop each semester. 1
Total Hours15
1

Students may receive one unit of credit for participating in the Triangle Health Economics Workshop seminars each semester by enrolling in HPM 815, for up to 3 units of credit towards the minor (but are expected to participate whether or not they receive credit).

2

ECON 710 and PLCY 888 fulfill the theory course requirement. 

 Financial Management 

In order to assure adequate preparation for these courses, students admitted to the healthcare financial management minor usually have completed courses in finance, microeconomics, and calculus. 

Requirements
PLCY 800Mathematical Preparation for Public Policy and Economics3
PLCY 888Advanced Economic Analysis for Public Policy I 13
BUSI 881Corporate Finance (3 credits)1-6
In consultation with your faculty mentor, select two more accounting and/or finance courses offered by the Kenan-Flagler School of Business or the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University6
Total Hours15
1

Satisfies the theory requirement. 

Health Politics and Policy

The health politics and policy minor introduces students to theories and practices of policymaking, policy analysis, and political science, with the goal of understanding how and why governments and private institutions create and change health policy. Students explore a wide range of issues in health politics and policy, including health care reform, evaluation of public programs, and developments in private insurance. Students are encouraged to concentrate their coursework on political behavior, public opinion, political communication, political psychology, or other aspects of political science that particularly affect health policy. 

Requirements
At least 15 credit hours from courses selected in consultation with your faculty mentor.15
At least one three-credit hour course must be a theory course.
Total Hours15

Quality and Access

Access to, and the quality of, health care in the United States are often the focus of important health policy discussions at the local, state, and national levels. The minor in Quality and Access is an interdisciplinary program that prepares Ph.D. students to obtain the substantive, methodological, and statistical skills required to conduct research in this area. 

Requirements
HPM 762Quality of Care3
HPM 766Making Equity a Priority in Health Care Quality: Strategies for Research, Policy and Practice 13
Three additional courses approved by your faculty mentor, which may include:9
Implementation Science in Health
Techniques for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care
Advanced Decision Modeling
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement and Application in Healthcare Research and Practice
Total Hours15
1

Satisfies the theory requirement.

Organization and Implementation Science

The fields of organizational theory and behavior and implementation science are complementary because implementation of evidence-based health interventions frequently occurs within health organizations, and efforts to change practice patterns frequently focus on organizational members. The organization and implementation science minor equips doctoral students with the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain faculty positions in health care organization and management and/or implementation science. 

Requirements
One implementation course chosen from the following options:3
Implementation Science in Health
Implementation Science for Global Maternal and Child Health
Systems and Design Thinking for Public Health Leaders
Or another course selected in consultation with your faculty mentor
One organizational theory course chosen from the following options:3
Organizational Theories 1
Individual Behavior in Organizations 1
Interpersonal and Intergroup Behavior in Business Organizations 1
Macro Organizational Behavior 1
Or another course selected in consultation with your faculty mentor
Three additional courses approved by the student's advisor9
Total Hours15
1

Satisfies the theory requirement. 

Milestones

The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information. 

  • Doctoral Committee

  • Doctoral Oral Examination SA

  • Doctoral Written Examination 1

  • Prospectus Oral Examination

  • ABD/Advanced to Candidacy

  • Dissertation Defense

  • Approved Doctoral Dissertation

  • Residency Requirements

  • Exit Survey

Recommended Checklist

  • Individual Development Plan

Public Health Executive Leadership, Doctoral Program (Dr.P.H.)

The doctor of public health provides professional training to prepare students to participate in and lead evidence-based practice and generate practice-based evidence; lead and effect change across systems, disciplines, professions, and sectors; analyze, develop, implement, and evaluate policies, programs, and services that promote health and communicate and promote public health as a common good. Graduates typically are employed by operating community or public health programs at the local, state, national, or international level. A program of study leading to the Dr.P.H. degree is offered by the Department of Health Policy and Management (synchronous online learning and periodic in-residence weeks format).

Course Requirements

Core Courses
Prerequisite
SPHG 600Introduction to Public Health3
Year 1 Fall
HPM 970Training and Pedagogy for Health Leaders1
HPM 810Leadership in Health Law and Ethics2
HPM 820Organizational Leadership Theory and Practice2
HPM 860Population Perspectives for Health2
Year 1 Spring
HPM 951Literature Reviews and Appraisal2
HPM 953Practice Based Research2
HPM 965Cultural Humility for 21st Century Health Leaders1
HPM 966Systems Thinking/Collective Impact1
Year 1 Summer
HPM 823Global Health1
HPM 945Dissertation Planning and Preparation2
HPM 963Program Evaluation for Health Leaders2
HPM 969Program Planning and Design1
Year 2 Fall
HPM 956Fundamentals of Research Analysis3
HPM 958Financial Leadership3
HPM 964Implementation Science1
Year 2 Spring
HPM 759Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy for Health Leaders2
HPM 957Crisis Leadership1
HPM 959Strategic Management in Health Leadership2
HPM 967Quality Improvement1
Year 2 Summer
HPM 940Leadership in Health Informatics1
HPM 962Marketing and Public Relations for Health Leaders2
HPM 968Managing the Healthcare Workforce1
Year 3 & 4
HPM 994Doctoral Research and Dissertation3
Total Hours42

Milestones

The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information. 

  • Practicum Project — Students are expected to engage in one or more applied practice experiences in which they must complete at least one project that is meaningful for an organization and that advances public health practice. The practicum provides students an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills being acquired through their coursework and further develop and demonstrate attainment of program competencies.

  • Practicum Paper — In addition to the practicum deliverable, a separate practicum reflection paper is required.

  • Leadership Paper — Students are required to write a separate leadership reflection paper at the end of their second summer to describe how their leadership framework has changed over the two years of Dr.P.H. coursework. As this is a leadership focused doctoral programs, students begin their coursework by developing their personal leadership framework (fall, year 1 in HPM 820), and complete their program coursework by reflecting on how their leadership framework has evolved over time.

  • Doctoral Committee

  • Doctoral Oral Examination SA

  • Doctoral Written Examination 1

  • Prospectus Oral Examination

  • ABD/Advanced to Candidacy

  • Dissertation Defense

  • Approved Doctoral Dissertation

  • Residency Requirements

  • Exit Survey

Certificate Program in Community Preparedness and Disaster Management

The professional certificate program in community preparedness and disaster management is designed to provide students, as well as community leaders in emergency services (fire, law enforcement, EMS, 911 communications), public health, emergency management, health services, veterinary services, and all who prepare for and respond to disasters, with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of disaster management systems used to combat natural and man-made disasters, including terrorism. The certificate consists of three courses (nine credit hours) that are all completed online. The courses can be used for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The certificate is open to residential students as well, who may take just one course, or opt for all three courses to complete the certificate.

HPM

Advanced Undergraduate and Graduate-level Courses

HPM 420.  Community and Public Health Security: Disasters, Terrorism, and Emergency Management.  3 Credits.  

This course examines systems for emergency management at federal, state, and local levels. The roles of emergency management, health services, and public health in disaster management are also reviewed. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 422.  Emergency Management I: Analytic Methods.  3 Credits.  

Introduction of analytical tools to assess, evaluate, map, and investigate disasters (including biological outbreaks). These tools will be used to improve planning and evaluation of disaster management programs. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 423.  Emergency Management II: Disaster Management.  3 Credits.  

Explores issues of preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and research in disaster management. Students will participate in evacuation decision making, volunteer management, and the development of a disaster exercise. Every other week, evening online sessions required with instructors.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 472.  Program Evaluation.  3 Credits.  

Concepts and methods of the program evaluation paradigm as applied in health administration.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 496.  Readings in Health Policy and Management.  0.5-3 Credits.  

Directed readings or research. Written reports are required.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 565.  Global Health Policy.  3 Credits.  

Coursework will focus on public policy approaches to global health, employing interdisciplinary methodologies to understand selected public health policies, programs, and interventions. For students who have a basic understanding of public health.

Rules & Requirements  
Making Connections Gen Ed: GL.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
Same as: PLCY 565.  
HPM 571.  Health and Human Rights.  3 Credits.  

Course focuses on rights-based approaches to health, applying a human rights perspective to selected public health policies, programs, and interventions. Students will apply a formalistic human rights framework to critical public health issues, exploring human rights as both a safeguard against harm and a catalyst for health promotion.

Rules & Requirements  
Making Connections Gen Ed: PH, GL.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
Same as: PLCY 570.  
HPM 600.  Introduction to Health Policy and Management.  3 Credits.  

This course provides an overview of the United States health care system. Students will explore the system's organization, financing, management, resources, and performance. For each topic, they will analyze relevant legislation and discuss current issues. Students will develop skills in policy research and analysis, health care system evaluation, and basic financial literacy.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 601.  Issues in Health Care.  1 Credits.  

Lectures on current topics in health care.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 602.  Concurrent Practice.  1-3 Credits.  

Permission of the program director. Supervised activities in an approved health organization, to include one or more specific projects, approved by HPM faculty member and directed by an approved preceptor/mentor in the organization.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 605.  Practice Application Journaling I.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the first of six field-based Journal Practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 606.  Practice Application Journaling II.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the second of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 605.  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 607.  Practice Application Journaling III.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the third of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 608.  Practice Application Journaling IV.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the fourth of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 609.  Practice Application Journaling V.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the fifth of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 610.  Practice Application Journaling VI.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the sixth and final of six field-based journal practica in which students monitor their learning processes, identify where knowledge and skills learned in courses are helpful and relevant to areas of their professional responsibility, and apply that knowledge and those skills to actual work situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 1 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 620.  Implementing Health Informatics Initiatives.  3 Credits.  

Focuses on implementing informatics programs and projects in health organizations. Informatics initiatives aim to facilitate effective information use for the purpose of improving the quality of health services and/or efficiency of processes. Therefore, these initiatives have implications for various stakeholder groups, including consumers, practitioners, administrators, and policy makers.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 630.  IHI Course in Healthcare Quality Improvement.  1.5 Credits.  

The IHI Certificate demonstrates an investment in further education and a strong knowledge base in quality improvement. Upon completion of this course, students will have met the requirements for the IHI Open School Certificate and participated in two in-person sessions.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 660.  International and Comparative Health Systems.  3 Credits.  

Methods of comparing health systems, examinations of related national health systems, and analysis of related high prevalence health issues.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 664.  Globalization and Health.  3 Credits.  

Globalization--its economic, environmental, political, technological, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions--historically and currently contributes to beneficial and adverse effects on population, community, and family and individual health.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
Same as: MHCH 664.  
HPM 671.  Statistical Methods for Health Policy and Management.  3 Credits.  

Introduction to statistical analysis for healthcare settings using an Excel framework. Topics include variable types, sampling, probability distributions, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, categorical data analysis, ANOVA, and introduction to regression methods. Previously offered as HPM 470.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 690.  Special Topics in Health Policy and Management.  0.5-3 Credits.  

Special topics course for health policy and management undergraduate students.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 3 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
IDEAs in Action General Education logoHPM 691H.  Honors Research I.  3 Credits.  

Students design a research project, known as the Honors Thesis. Students write a research proposal and complete an IRB application toward partial completion of the thesis. Requires a UNC-approved cumulative GPA by the end of the junior year and permission of the instructor.

Rules & Requirements  
IDEAs in Action General Education logo IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: RESEARCH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: EE- Mentored Research.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
IDEAs in Action General Education logoHPM 692H.  Honors Research II.  3 Credits.  

Students complete, write up and present the Honors Thesis research project that they designed in HPM 691H. Requires having maintained the UNC-approved cumulative GPA by the end of the senior fall semester and permission of the instructor.

Rules & Requirements  
IDEAs in Action General Education logo IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: RESEARCH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: EE- Mentored Research.  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 691H.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 696.  Research in Health Policy and Management.  1-3 Credits.  

This course is for health policy and management undergraduate or graduate students who wish to pursue applied research or practice opportunities with healthcare organizations under the supervision of a faculty member in the Department of Health Policy and Management.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 6 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 697.  Health Policy and Management BSPH Capstone.  3 Credits.  

The capstone course serves as a culminating experience for students in the BSPH program in Health Policy and Management. Students integrate and apply the knowledge and skills they have learned across the program. Students work in teams to complete a major project with a local organization -- such as a hospital, health system, governmental health department, non-profit, or global health organization.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  

Graduate-level Courses

HPM 701.  Professional Training I.  1 Credits.  

Restricted to HPM majors. Supervised professional training (fee is $550).

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 702.  Professional Training II.  1 Credits.  

Restricted to HPM majors. Supervised professional training (fee is $500).

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 703.  Professional Training III.  1-15 Credits.  

Restricted to HPM majors. Supervised professional training (fee is $500).

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 705.  Healthcare Management Skills Development Workshop I.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the first of two workshops for students in the Executive Master's Program. These workshops are designed to provide students exposure to key cross cutting skills that will be used in the program. These skills also are essential for effective healthcare management.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 706.  Healthcare Management Skills Development Workshop II.  0.5 Credits.  

This course is the second of two workshops for students in the Executive Master's Program. These workshops are designed to provide students exposure to key cross cutting skills that will be used in the program. These skills also are essential for effective healthcare management.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 705.  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 710.  Health Law.  3 Credits.  

An introduction to law and the legal system as it relates to the delivery and financing of health care.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 713.  Hospital Functions and Operations.  2 Credits.  

This course provides exposure to the knowledge and skills required to solve the most pressing operational problems found across departments within today's complex health care institutions.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 714.  Advanced Spreadsheet Modeling for Business.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on using advanced features of Microsoft Excel to create efficient spreadsheet models of common and complex business problems. It challenges students to use critical thinking and analysis to find effective solutions to real-life situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 715.  Health Economics for Policy and Management.  3 Credits.  

Permission of the instructor for nonmajors. Provides training in the theory of health economics and applies this theory to important issues in health policy and management.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, BIOS 600.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 718.  Mental Health Services Research and Policy.  3 Credits.  

This course is an introduction to mental health services research and policy. Topics include the financing of mental health services, supply of services, quality measures, assessing need, and barriers to care. The course includes seminar presentations by local and nationally recognized experts in mental health services research and discussion sessions.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 720.  Management of Human Resources in Health Organizations.  3 Credits.  

Emphasis is on clarifying concepts of human resources management and identifying the importance of human resources in health organizations.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 730; permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 725.  Health Care Strategy and Marketing.  3 Credits.  

This course introduces students to strategic planning and marketing in health services organizations. Students develop practical skills such as assessing the internal and external environment, competitor analysis, and evaluating strategic alternatives in different health care settings. It also explores the role the governing board plays in strategy development and management.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 726.  Health Care Strategy and Marketing.  4 Credits.  

This course introduces students to strategic planning and marketing in health services organizations. Students develop practical skills such as assessing the internal and external environment, competitor analysis, and evaluating strategic alternatives in different health care settings. It also explores the role the governing board plays in strategy development and management.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 728.  Leadership and Workforce Management Strategies.  4 Credits.  

This course provides an introduction and overview to leadership, management, human resources and organizational behavior, with the goal of aligning these with the organization's strategy and mission. The course integrates theory with practice through readings, lectures, written assignments, and guest presentations from different organizational perspectives. Assessment, practice and development of leadership, managerial and organizational skills will be accomplished through team exercises and small group work.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 730.  Leadership and Workforce Management Strategies.  3 Credits.  

This course provides an introduction and overview of leadership, management, workforce challenges, and organizational behavior. The course emphasizes the importance of aligning management practices with the organization's mission and goals. The course integrates theory with practice through readings, lectures, written assignments, experiential exercises, and guest presentations. Assessment, practice and development of leadership, managerial and organizational skills are accomplished through team exercises, self and peer assessments, and small group work.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 734.  Approaches to Business Plan Development.  1 Credits.  

Approaches to Business Plan Development ('Capstone Prep') is a one-credit course to introduce and jumpstart the Spring Semester Capstone business plan process necessary for HPM 735.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 735.  Advanced Concepts and Applications in Health Policy and Management.  3 Credits.  

Required preparation, completion of master's core (can be concurrent). Restricted to HPM graduate students. Integrating and building upon the HPM master's core, this comprehensive course focuses on organization policymaking and administration from the perspective of the CEO and top management.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 734.  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 740.  Health Care Financial Accounting.  2 Credits.  

This introduces concepts of financial accounting to the non-accountant user of financial information. Basic accounting transactions, financial report preparation, concepts of accrual vs. cash accounting, not-for-profit health care accounting, and the analysis of health care organization financial reports.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 741.  Management Accounting for Health Administrators.  3 Credits.  

Permission of the instructor for non-MHA majors. Covers selected topics in managerial accounting applied to health care.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 740; permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 742.  Health Care Finance.  3 Credits.  

Basic financial management concepts, including time value analysis, financial risk and required return, long-term debt financing, equity financing and securities markets, capital structure and the cost of capital, the basics of capital budgeting, project risk analysis, revenue cycle and current accounts management, and financial condition analysis.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 741 or 746.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 743.  Health Care Reimbursement.  1 Credits.  

This online course in health care reimbursement is designed to provide students with relevant and current information about health care reimbursement methods and the complexities around it. After completion of the course, students should have an operational knowledge of health care reimbursement theory and practice.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 744.  Health Care Finance II.  2 Credits.  

Focuses on capital allocation, financial condition analysis and forecasting, and other topics. Course is the conclusion to a five-course sequence in healthcare financial management. Each builds on the prior course with the intent of providing a comprehensive foundation in the concepts and practice of healthcare financial management.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisites, HPM 740, 741, 742.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 745.  Financial Management and Analysis for Public and Nonprofit Entities.  3 Credits.  

This course teaches financial concepts for students seeking leadership roles in the non-profit and government sector, including business planning, budgeting, accounting, performance management, and resource blending and braiding. Students will develop a business plan and learn key strategies and evaluation tools.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 746.  Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Organizations.  4 Credits.  

Focuses on learning and applying key financial and managerial accounting tools and concepts to healthcare problems. Provides a broad introduction to key concepts, issues, tools, and vocabulary useful for policymakers and administrators. Topics include: reading and analyzing healthcare financial statements, recording transactions, budgeting, full costing, incremental costing, and responsibility accounting.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 8 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 747.  Health Care Finance.  4 Credits.  

The course focuses on financial management and analysis. The course includes the healthcare environment, basic financial management concepts, capital acquisition, cost of capital and capital structure, and capital allocation. After completion of the course, students should be able to apply financial management concepts in real world healthcare settings.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 746.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 748.  Economic Principles, Health Insurance & Behavioral Economics in Health.  3 Credits.  

This course provides students with an opportunity to investigate topics of healthcare policy and insurance from a finance and economics perspective. The course covers contemporary health policy topics in great depth and with a focus on economic and financial analysis as a tool to evaluate healthcare policies and proposed new legislation.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 749.  Data Visualization.  3 Credits.  

Introduction to data visualization principles and tools for business professionals. Topics include cognitive processing of visual information, best practices in data visualization, effective data storytelling, data acquisition and preparation, and designing data visualizations using Tableau Desktop software.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, BIOS 600 or HPM 671 or SPHG 711 with a grade of P or better; permission of the instructor for non-majors or for students lacking the prerequisite.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 751.  Dental Public Health and Access to Oral Health.  3 Credits.  

Students will evaluate systems of care that impact oral health and will understand the health policy process and engage in policy analysis. Issues to be explored will include: dental care policy and the health policy process; policy analysis; the legislative process; access to care for high risk populations; integrating dental services into public health programs; trends in the demand for dental care; trends expenditures for dental services; and managed dental care. Permission of the instructor.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 753.  Health Care in the United States: Structure and Policy.  4 Credits.  

This core course is designed to provide students with an overview of the structure, systems, and policies of health care delivery in the United States. The goal is to increase students' knowledge and abilities to analyze and address health care issues from both management and policy perspectives.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 754.  Health Care in the United States Structure and Policy.  3 Credits.  

This core course is designed to provide students with an overview of the structure, systems, and policies of health care delivery in the United States. The goal is to increase students' knowledge and abilities to analyze and address health care issues from both management and policy perspectives.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 756.  Conceptualizing & Measuring Access to Healthcare.  3 Credits.  

This course addresses theoretical and applied approaches to measuring health care access in public health and health services research. Drawing principally from health and medical geography, linking foundational concepts and methods addressing access with health economics and health services research more broadly. Students explore spatial approaches to health and healthcare in place. This course will include reading responses, GIS lab exercises, and a research project addressing health care access. Prior exposure to statistical methods preferred.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 757.  Health Reform: Political Dynamics and Policy Dilemmas.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on the political and policy dynamics of health care reform.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 758.  Underserved Populations and Health Reform.  3 Credits.  

This course gives students a greater understanding of programs available to serve underserved populations, and how the ACA (or any replacement) will impact on care provided to underserved populations. The course is designed to help students think critically about the impact of policy changes on different populations.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 759.  Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy for Health Leaders.  2 Credits.  

The course will familiarize students with the history of health reform in the U.S., explore issues in health policy, and analyze the impact of health politics on policymaking.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 760.  Healthcare Quality and Information Management.  3 Credits.  

Integrates essential methods and principles in healthcare quality and information management. Emphasis on use of information to measure and improve quality. Will include presentations, individual/group projects, exercises, and group discussion.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 762.  Quality of Care.  3 Credits.  

The quality of health care in the US has garnered significant attention. This course will examine 1) the current state of the quality of care in the US, 2) approaches to assess quality of care, and 3) strategies that have been implemented or proposed to improve the quality of care.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 765.  Cancer Prevention and Control Seminar.  3 Credits.  

An interdisciplinary overview of cancer prevention and control. Emphasis on projects and activities from perspectives of epidemiology, health behavior and education, and health policy and management. Appropriate research design and methodologies are covered.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
Same as: EPID 772, HBEH 765.  
HPM 766.  Making Equity a Priority in Health Care Quality: Strategies for Research, Policy and Practice.  3 Credits.  

This course examines recent work on defining, measuring, and improving health care equity in the contexts of research, policy, and practice. Health care inequities according to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography will especially be highlighted.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 767.  Implementation Science in Health.  3 Credits.  

This course introduces the concepts, theories, and methods of disseminating and implementing evidence-based health, behavioral health, and social service interventions. The course also examines the methods for conducting rigorous research on dissemination and implementation.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 769.  Cancer Outcomes Research Seminar.  1 Credits.  

The Cancer Outcomes Research Program (CORP) offers a weekly seminar for faculty, students, and fellows/trainees interested in multidisciplinary cancer outcomes research. Guest speakers' topics include Quality of Care, Patient-reported Outcomes (PROs), Comparative Effectiveness, Health Informatics, Cancer Disparities, Decision Making, Dissemination/Implementation, and Health Economics, as related to cancer outcomes.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 770.  Operations Research for Healthcare Systems.  3 Credits.  

Review of the systems analysis process in healthcare systems. Deterministic and random models, mathematical programming, queueing, simulation, forecasting, and measurement. Emphasis on model formulation and computer solution of decision models.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 772.  Techniques for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care.  3 Credits.  

This course provides an investigation of the theory, methods, and application of economic evaluation to health care. Topics include methods used to structure an economic evaluation, measure and summarize health outcomes and estimate their value to patients or to the public, and identify resources used and estimate their costs.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, EPID 600.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 773.  Introduction to Program Evaluation in Public Health and Health Care Settings.  3 Credits.  

This course is a three-credit hour introduction to program evaluation in public health and health care settings. We discuss key concepts in planning, conducting, reporting, and utilizing evaluations. Through a semester-long project students develop a viable program evaluation design for a real-world program.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 3 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 776.  Healthcare Quality and Information Management.  2 Credits.  

The HPM 776/777 and 776/778 course sequences integrate essential methods and principles in healthcare quality and information management, emphasizing use of information to measure and improve quality.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 4 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 777.  Health Information and Quality Applications.  2 Credits.  

The HPM 776/777 and 776/778 course sequences integrate essential methods and principles in healthcare quality and information management, emphasizing use of information to measure and improve quality.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 4 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 779.  Operations Research for Healthcare Systems.  4 Credits.  

Healthcare administrators face a range of decisions: some strategic, some financial, others operational. Through your program of study, you are developing analytical and conceptual skills that will help you to make better decisions when the time comes.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 8 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 780.  Pharmaceutical Health Policy.  2 Credits.  

Overview of the pharmaceutical industry including organization, financing, major regulations, drug development, and ethical considerations. Topics will give a real-world perspective from professionals in the pharmaceutical industry. Students will debate and discuss some controversial topics related to pharmaceuticals and public health including patient safety, data integrity, financial conflicts of interest, and pricing. These topics will introduce students to careers in the pharmaceutical industry and provide a relevant background for careers in public policy or research.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 785.  Advanced Decision Modeling.  3 Credits.  

This course covers advanced decision modeling methods in health care, including probabilistic sensitivity and value of information analysis, economic evaluation using clinical trial data, and discrete event simulation and agent-based/system dynamics modeling techniques. The course teaches analytical techniques and interpretation as well as state-of-the-art best practices.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 772.  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 789.  Master's Paper Development.  2 Credits.  

Second-year M.S.P.H. students in HPM only. Course supports the year-long master's paper process. Broad topics related to the development and management of a research project are covered. The Master's Paper Proposal Defense at the end of the Fall Semester, and the Final Master's Paper, as approved by the student's First and Second Readers at the end of the Spring Semester, are critical steps to meet the UNC Graduate School's requirements for graduation. M.S.P.H. students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 790.  Advanced Health Policy Analysis and Advocacy.  3 Credits.  

This class will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the health policy analysis and advocacy processes in the United States. Students will gain an understanding of the different ways in which health policies are made at the legislative, regulatory, and judicial systems. Students will also learn how to identify and analyze different policy options to address health problems, conduct a stakeholders' analysis, and design an advocacy campaign.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 793.  Health Policy and Management Internship.  1-2 Credits.  

Restricted to HPM majors. Supervised field experience in approved health agencies. (Internship fee: $450.)

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 794.  Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement and Application in Healthcare Research and Practice.  3 Credits.  

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) include measures of health status, quality of life, and satisfaction with healthcare. This course provides an overview of the PRO measurement and research field, and discusses how to design and evaluate a PRO measure and best practices for integrating PRO in clinical research and healthcare settings.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 6 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 797.  Systems Thinking & Collective Impact.  3 Credits.  

This course is designed to help you become familiar with and thoughtfully apply a variety of practical, structured, systems thinking approaches to improve population health by changing aspects of care, service delivery systems, policy, and/or environments in which we live and work. We'll use these methods to both understand individuals' experiences as the foundation for driving change as well as to "zoom out" and see the broader system around a population health challenge.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 810.  Leadership in Health Law and Ethics.  2 Credits.  

Course is designed to provide learners with an introduction and overview of critical issues relating to law, ethics, and public health. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 815.  Graduate Health Economics Seminar.  1 Credits.  

Permission of the instructor. Discussion of recent papers in health economics. Students must have solid knowledge of graduate microeconomics theory and econometrics.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 820.  Organizational Leadership Theory and Practice.  2 Credits.  

Focus is on the behavioral, power-influence, trait, and situational approaches to leadership. Addresses core leadership principles plus leadership-followership theory, transformational and strategic leadership, and creating change. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 823.  Global Health.  1 Credits.  

This course analyzes health systems in global perspective. Although health systems vary in structure, they face similar issues. This course includes discussion about the U.S. health system as well as health systems of developing, low-income, and middle-income countries. This course will assess WHO health systems building blocks, and will identify system elements from different countries that could be used to improve access, quality or health outcomes in the student's home or work country. DrPH students.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 830.  Translational Health Disparities: Research, Practice & Policy.  3 Credits.  

This course will focus on the concepts, principles, methods, and applications of health disparities science, practice, and policy. It will integrate principles and practice of community engagement. Experts from diverse disciplines will give lectures on health disparities research, practice, and policy. Student teams will work on real life case studies.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 860.  Population Perspectives for Health.  2 Credits.  

This course examines historical and contemporary population health and public health perspectives. These perspectives shape the politics and policy making that affect global health. The practical goal is to help the entering DrPH student develop a grounding for further exploration of topics that may evolve into a dissertation.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 871.  Seminar in Teaching Health Policy and Management.  1 Credits.  

Problems and processes of teaching health policy and management, including supervised practicum experience.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 873.  Policy Seminar in Health Policy and Management.  1 Credits.  

Seminar on policy issues in health policy and management.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 874.  Advanced Research Seminar in HPM.  1 Credits.  

This seminar will develop core competencies through a: (1) journal club to develop competencies in research design and expose students to diverse content and methodologies; and (2) professional development series.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 880.  Principles of Health Policy Research Methods.  3 Credits.  

First course in the department's sequence in empirical analysis. Covers principles of statistical inference, univariate and bivariate analysis, statistical software applications, and mathematical concepts necessary for linear regression and further topics.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 3 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 881.  Linear Regression Models.  3 Credits.  

Equivalent background in probability theory/statistics for student lacking the prerequisite. Required preparation, matrix algebra, derivatives, logs/exponentials, and Stata. This course is an introduction to linear regression models. Topics include least squares regression, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, and hypothesis testing.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, BIOS 600.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 882.  Advanced Methodology in Health Policy and Management.  3 Credits.  

This course is an introduction to linear regression models. Topics include linear algebra, least squares regression, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, and hypothesis testing.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisites, HPM 496 and 796.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 883.  Analysis of Categorical Data.  3 Credits.  

This course is an introduction to the analysis of categorical data using maximum likelihood and other non-linear techniques and specification tests. Topics include models in which the dependent variable is not continuous, including logit, probit, censored data, two-part, and count models.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisites, HPM 881 and 882; permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisites.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 884.  Overview to Health Services Research/Health Policy.  3 Credits.  

Pre-doctoral standing or permission of the instructor. This course provides an overview of the field of health services research and health policy. It introduces basic components of the research process, including literature synthesis, development of a research question and hypothesis, and use of conceptual models to guide research questions.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 885.  Health Services/Health Policy Research Methods.  3 Credits.  

This course explores how to develop answerable, policy-relevant, ethical research questions; operationalize questions with actionable specific aims' and identify optimal research design for answering a particular question. It introduces primary data collection methods (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys) and secondary data sources (e.g., administrative claims, medical, records).

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisite, HPM 884.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 886.  Advanced Health Services Research Methods Applications.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on applications of research methods that are relevant to health services and health policy researchers. Skills and topics covered in HPM 884 and HPM 885.

Rules & Requirements  
Requisites: Prerequisites, HPM 884 and 885.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 890.  Special Topics in HPM.  0.5-3 Credits.  

Course reserved for special topics in HPM for graduate-level students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 3 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 893.  Public Health Informatics Practicum.  2 Credits.  

Course will help students: conduct research, develop public health informatics tools/projects, and further develop professional skills and knowledge essential in the public health informatics field. Students will participate in weekly (2 hr) informatics discussions with practicum preceptors and have an opportunity to meet and interact with successful health informatics professionals.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 940.  Leadership in Health Informatics.  1 Credits.  

This one credit hour course introduces health leaders to the field of health informatics. Topics include overviews of various informatics interventions and implementation considerations for using information to improve the delivery of health services in diverse settings. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 4 total credits. 4 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 945.  Dissertation Planning and Preparation.  2 Credits.  

Part of a sequence to guide students in planning, development, and implementation of Dr.P.H. dissertations. Designed to prepare students to identify appropriate research topics, plan the approach, organize, and write.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 947.  Dissertation Planning and Preparation III.  1 Credits.  

The purpose of this course is to build on students' progress on work initiated in HPM 946 and continue to guide students through the steps necessary to complete a dissertation proposal. In collaboration with faculty, learners will assess the current state of their proposals and complete revisions and additional refinements, culminating in dissertations that are ready to be defended by fall of the third year in the program.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 2 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 951.  Literature Reviews and Appraisal.  2 Credits.  

This course is the second in a sequence of courses in research design and methods in the executive Dr.P.H. program. The course explores the nature and process of scientific inquiry in the field of public health, establishing a foundation for methodological exploration, and focusing on the process of developing researchable questions.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 953.  Practice Based Research.  2 Credits.  

Designed to provide Dr.P.H. students with grounding in basic quantitative and qualitative research techniques used in health services research. Topics include types of research designs, measurement scales and coding nomenclatures, analytical techniques for quantitative data, research techniques for primary data collection, research opportunities with secondary data, and qualitative research methods.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 956.  Fundamentals of Research Analysis.  3 Credits.  

This course will provide students with "hands-on" experience in qualitative, quantitative, and policy analytical techniques. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 957.  Crisis Leadership.  1 Credits.  

Offered exclusively to students in the Executive DrPH program, this course exposes students to the theoretical and practical aspects of organizational crises and prepares them to lead effectively in the midst of crisis situations.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit. 2 total credits. 2 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 958.  Financial Leadership.  3 Credits.  

Dr.P.H. students only. Understand the major concepts of financial oversight, including budgeting, financial statement analysis, internal controls, governance, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and be able to apply them to all organizations, whether public, private, non-profit, or governmental. Utilizing both individual and team-based learning.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 959.  Strategic Management in Health Leadership.  2 Credits.  

The purpose of this class is to enhance participants' competence in leading within complex and dynamic systems. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 962.  Marketing and Public Relations for Health Leaders.  2 Credits.  

This course is one of a series of leadership courses in the executive Dr.P.H. Its main purpose is to help students understand public health from the perspective of external audiences.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 963.  Program Evaluation for Health Leaders.  2 Credits.  

This course is one of a series of research courses in the executive Dr.P.H. Its main purpose is to help students understand the purposes of evaluation.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 964.  Implementation Science.  1 Credits.  

This course will provide an overview of implementation research and practice. It will introduce students to guiding conceptual frameworks; barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies at the intervention, individual, organizational, and policy levels; core issues related to sustainment and scale-up; and designs and methods to evaluate implementation research and practice efforts. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 965.  Cultural Humility for 21st Century Health Leaders.  1 Credits.  

We will examine the ways in which culture and cultural competency intersects with health, and how public health efforts (domestic-global) can benefit by understanding relationships between culture and health. Class sessions will be a combination of presentations by the instructor, class discussions, and student presentations. Two papers are required. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics; 9 total credits. 9 total completions.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 966.  Systems Thinking/Collective Impact.  1 Credits.  

This course has two parts, both focused on applying practical, structured systems thinking approaches to improve care, service delivery systems, policy, and/or environments in which we live. The first part of the course is person-centered applying systems thinking tools to understand individuals' experiences as the foundation for driving change. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 967.  Quality Improvement.  1 Credits.  

Provides an introduction and overview of quality improvement efforts in health care. Explores the evidence for why quality improvements are needed, measurements of how health care quality is determined as well as how to implement and manage successful quality improvement techniques. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 968.  Managing the Healthcare Workforce.  1 Credits.  

Workforce issues play a central role in virtually all organizational problems and challenges. At times, workforce issues may be the primary cause of a problem, while in other cases, they may be one of several underlying causes. Similarly, it is difficult to identify a solution to an organizational problem that does not involve some aspect of workforce management. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 969.  Program Planning and Design.  1 Credits.  

The course focuses on approaches to plan programs that promote individual and community health. The course is anchored in the Intervention Mapping approach. Students will develop an understanding of the essential steps in the program planning process: needs assessments, establishing program goals and objectives, and selecting and developing program strategies. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit; may be repeated in the same term for different topics.  
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 970.  Training and Pedagogy for Health Leaders.  1 Credits.  

In this class you will learn how to apply best pedagogical practices to develop effective educational experiences that meet learning needs of audiences in academic, organizational, and community settings. DrPH students only.

Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   
Grading Status: Letter grade.  
HPM 992.  Master's (Non-Thesis).  3 Credits.  
Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   
HPM 994.  Doctoral Research and Dissertation.  3 Credits.  
Rules & Requirements  
Repeat Rules: May be repeated for credit.   

Following the faculty member's name is a section number that students should use when registering for independent studies, reading, research, and thesis and dissertation courses with that particular professor.

Professors

Ethan Basch, Medical Oncologist, Health Services Research
George Mark Holmes (014), Hospital Finance, Rural Health, Workforce, Health Policy, Patient-Centered Outcomes
Sheila Leatherman (286), Quality of Care, Health Systems Performance, International Health Policy
Jessica Lee (312), Access to Care for Children, Evidence-Based Practice of Dentistry
Benjamin Meier, Global Health Policy, Interdisciplinary Research at Intersection of International Law, Public Policy, and Global Health
Jonathan Oberlander (016), Health Care Politics and Policy, Health Care Reform, Medicare
George Pink (018), Integrated Health Care, Health Services Accounting and Finance, Financial Performance Measurement, Executive Compensation, Nursing Cost Analyses
Kristin Reiter (020), Healthcare Financial Management, Management Accounting
Sally Stearns (021), Health Economics, Health Policy
Justin Trogdon (031), Health Economics, Economic Burden of Cancer, Health Policy Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation 
Morris Weinberger (045), Quality Management, Health Outcomes Research, Health Services Research
Stephanie Wheeler (033), Health Services Research, Decision Sciences, Financial Impacts of Cancer, Health Disparities

Professors of the Practice

Sandra Greene (011), Research Design and Methodology, Health Insurance, Health Services Research Involving Insurance Claims Data
John Wiesman (047), Workforce Development, Public Health Funding, Transformational Leadership, Public Health Policy and Advocacy.

Associate Professors

Antonia Bennett (002), Health Services Research, Patient-Reported Outcomes
Leah Frerichs, (009), Integration of Engaged and Participatory Research with Systems Thinking and Systems Science, Environmental Influences on Obesity, Influences on Health and Wellness in Underserved Communities
William B. Gentry (036), Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management
Erin Kent (012), Epidemiology, Health Services Research, Mixed Methods Research, Community-Based Participatory Research
Valerie Lewis (038), Accountable Care Organizations, Payment Models, Health Care Disparities
Kristen Hassmiller Lich (013), Applying Operations Research to Complex Systems, Econometrics Tools in Health Care, Infectious Disease Modeling
Lindsey Haynes-Maslow (041), Policies Leading to Healthy Behavior among Disinvested Communities; Intersection between Public Health and Nutrition
Susan Helm-Murtagh (008), Strategic Management, Leadership
Chris Shea (023), Organizational Behavior, Health Informatics
Angela Stover (028), Health Services Research, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Mixed Methods and Implementation Science
Sean Sylvia (029), Health and Development Economics, Delivery of Health Services in Developing Countries, Econometrics, Impact Evaluation, Cost Effectiveness Analysis
Karl Umble (032), Program Design and Evaluation, Management and Leadership Development in Public Health
Karen Volmar (040), Health Policy Development Through Program Evaluation and Legal Research, Provider and Payer Performance Measurement, Health Law

Assistant Professors

Arrianna Planey (017), Health/Medical Geography, Measuring Health Care Access, Health Care Equity, Spatial Epidemiology
Jeffrey Simms (037), Professional Development, Job Placements, Internships, Professional Networking, Alumni Relations
Lisa Spees (027), Health Services Research, Health Disparities, Cancer Care Quality and Access, Implementation Science in Cancer Care
Melanie Studer (030), Undergraduate Public Health Education, Health Systems, Human Resources, Professionalism in Health Care
Elizabeth Tomlinson (042), Improving Health Care Experiences for Survivors of Violence, Particularly Those Experiencing Health Disparities Associated with Social Determinants of Health
Ciara Zachary (046), Health Policy Research, Policy Advocacy to Increase Access, State and Federal Health Policy Analysis

Adjunct Professors

Edward Baker
Donald A. Holzworth
Samuel Jackson
Joan Krause
Jennifer Lafata

Gene Matthews
Thomas C. Ricketts
Jane Weintraub

Adjunct Associate Professors

Travis Day
Fredrick Homan

Lawrence K. Mandelkehr
Michael Markowitz

Adjunct Assistant Professors

Megan Berlinger
Tim Carney
Oscar Fleming
Tyonne Hinson
Jim Porto
Abu Ugbede
Stephanie Watson-Grant

Craig Westling

Adjunct Instructors

Edwin Alcorn
Randall J. Egsegian
Franklin Farmer

Eric Griffin
Donald R. Markle
Ervin Drake Maynard
Anne McGeorge
Michael Patterson
Robert Patterson

Eric Wolak
Cameron Wolfe

Professors Emeriti

Edward Brooks
Laurel Files
Bruce Fried

Sagar Jain
Arnold Kaluzny
Joe Morrissey
John Paul
William N. Zelman

Department of Health Policy and Management

Visit Program Website

Chair

Morris Weinberger

mweinber@email.unc.edu

Associate Chair

Kristin Reiter

reiter@email.unc.edu

Associate Chair

Erin Kent

Erin.Kent@unc.edu

Academic Coordinator

Yolonda Childs

childsyo@unc.edu

Academic Coordinator

Kim Sieler

krsieler@email.unc.edu