The Mission of the MPH in Health Policy and Management
The mission of the MPH in Health Policy and Management is to provide masters level education, informed by research & evidence-based practice, to develop and prepare early careerists and entry-level health care professionals who will play leadership roles in public and private institutions involved in the organization, financing, and delivery of health services and aimed at developing legislation and regulations that will improve the health of individuals, communities and populations.
Length of Study
The two-year MPH degree, with specialization in health policy or management, prepares students for careers in health management, leadership and public policy analysis related to health. The MPH degree sequence involves 21 months of study, with students admitted in the Fall Quarter of each academic year.
The Department of Health Services' outstanding academic programs, renowned faculty, commitment to translating knowledge into practice and prominent research centers and programs uphold its acclaimed reputation in the field.
Curriculum
The curriculum consists of a three-term sequence of academic coursework, followed by a summer field placement of at least 10 weeks, followed by a final three terms of further academic coursework.
Developing Health Management and Policy Competencies
Managing health care service delivery organizations, preparing cogent strong analytical policies, and ensuring our safety net is efficiently operating require a broad set of competencies. To meet the workforce needs of our health community, th UCLA Department of Health Services requires its studetns to develop a set of foundational competencies expected by the field of practice. Our Health Services Competency Model derives from our mission and provides the strategic direction for the development of our programs' courses.
The Health Services Competency Model blends our Department's focus on health managmenet, health policy and public health. The competencies are organized in six major domains: Health managment skills, leadership skills, analytical skills, health system skills, professionalism, and communication & interpersonal skills.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT TRACK 
The UCLA MPH Program in Health Policy and Management prepares the student for positions in a rapidly changing health care arena by integrating a strong foundation of health care management and policy analysis with the social values and orientation of access and equity in an efficiently managed health delivery system. Our program stresses that to effectively navigate organizations through the turbulent environment of the health care delivery system, managers require a knowledge of the macro-political environment in which they operate, the implications of legislation that affects their organizations, and the skills and techniques of micro-level organizational management. In like manner, individuals assuming a career in policy analysis are likely to need management skills, as they become leaders in their field. Hence, our program instills the students with a solid grounding in health services delivery and management, a strong wrap around health context, and a keen public health ethic so that they can act on their inherent idealism in productive and creative ways to the benefit of society. Upon graduation, our students are prepared for careers in:
- The management, planning, financing, delivery and evaluation of health care organizations, programs and services in the public and private sector,
- The development and analysis of public health policy at the local, state and federal level,
- and Research and policy analysis in a variety of health care institutions, consulting firms, trade associations, federal health agencies and advocacy organizations.
The health management track is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The health management curriculum has the following purposes:
- to provide students with a broad set of fundamental skills necessary to perform in a variety of settings at an entry level or higher management position,
- to provide analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to solve complex health care management tasks in a dynamic environment,
- to provide core public health coursework to lay a foundation for health services as a major area of public health, and
- to assist students in developing professional and interpersonal skills related to enhancing their careers
Students in this track find positions in health care delivery in public and private settings, health care finance and health maintenance organizations, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
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HEALTH POLICY TRACK
The curriculum for the health policy track has four main purposes:
- to give a general orientation to policy analysis,
- to provide specific quantitative and analytical skills necessary for effective functioning in this area,
- to assist students in the development of a specific, personalized career-orientation, and
- to provide students with knowledge about other core areas of public health
Students in the health policy track may find positions in the public sector, in policy research, in community-based organizations and in policy or government affairs of health delivery systems.
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