Beginning in the spring semester, the Naveen Jindal School of Management will offer a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management, which blends business acumen with health care-specific technical knowledge.
UT Dallas will be the only UT System institution whose business school offers a bachelor’s degree in health care.
Dr. Britt Berrett
“The Jindal School is offering a robust curriculum taught by seasoned health care executives and talented researchers for an unprecedented educational experience,” said Dr. Britt Berrett PhD’09, the program’s director. “We are building on existing strengths in cross-over disciplines, such as IT (information technology) and supply chain, to make this degree even more valuable.”
The introductory class on health care familiarizes students to the breadth and scope of the industry. Additional health care-specific classes focus on health care accounting, information systems, economics, law and regulatory environments.
Business classes include a variety of disciplines that are relevant to health care. They include marketing, supply side management, information technology, organizational behavior, management methods in decision-making, operations management, international business and strategic planning.
In addition, students will select from elective health care-specific classes including human resources, hospital administration and new courses that respond to a changing and dynamic health care environment.
Upon graduation, students can find opportunities in a number of health care jobs, ranging from imaging clinic manager to business leader of a physician practice.
Dr. Marilyn Kaplan, associate dean for undergraduate education, sees the new degree as a way to extend the graduate-level health care management classes to undergraduates.
“There has long been interest for a degree like this, as a significant population of our students seeks to differentiate themselves in the management marketplace,” she said. “Completing this degree plan prepares students well for the challenges and dynamic nature of the health care industry.”
The new degree program was approved in mid-October and builds the Jindal School’s portfolio of health care offerings, which includes:
New Program Party
When: 4 p.m. Thursday
Where: Undergraduate study area, Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM 11.105)
What: Hear from Dr. Britt Berrett, talk with industry contacts and decide if the new bachelor's in health care management program is right for you. There will be door prizes and free refreshments. No RSVP required.
- Graduate certificate in health care information technology
- Executive master's of business administration in health care management, offered through the Alliance for Medical Management Education (AMME)
- Executive master's degree in health care management, also offered through the AMME
- Health care leadership and management certificate for physicians
- Health care organizational leadership program
- Master's degree in health care management.
“The need is there: Health care is a $3 trillion business in America, and due in part to an aging population, it’s only going to continue to grow,” Berrett said. “Factor in changes like the Affordable Care Act and the tech boom, which allows us to do things with medicine we never thought possible, and the result is a field experiencing an unprecedented need for talented professionals to manage the business side of health care.”
Students interested in finding out more about the new degree program can email Berrett or call him at (972) 883-5849.