MBA in Healthcare Management

MQF Level 7

18 Months (Full-Time)

36 Months (Part-Time) 

Face-to-face / Blended / Online

92 ECTS / 46 credits (US)

Total ECTS/ECVTS for Course Completion                                 92 ECTS/46 credits (US)

As per AUM Admissions Criteria: https://aum.edu.mt/admissions/entry-requirements/#GD applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree (e.g., a US bachelor’s or European 3 year/ 4 year initial degree, equivalent to MQF level 6) in any discipline.

Admissions standards follow the MFHEA Guidelines for Accreditation of MQF Level 7 Courses minimum entry requirements. Applicants for this program need to submit the following:

• A baccalaureate degree (comparable to EQF level 6) with a minimum of 180 ECTS or equivalent.
• Official AUM application: to be submitted online.
• Scanned copies of qualifications and transcripts in the original language, as well as certified English translations, if necessary. If admitted to AUM, all original documents must be presented to the Admissions Office in order to be permitted to officially enrol.
• Proof of English Proficiency (CEFR Level B2) in accordance with the following international standards:

IELTS 6.0

TOEFL 79

PTE 55

The English language proficiency requirement may be waived if students are native speakers of English and they have completed their secondary education at an English-medium institution in a country where English is the official language.

*Note that all score reports will only be valid if issued within 2 years from the date of matriculation at AUM.

Additional entry requirement

To apply to this program, applicants may also have the following prior learning, such as:

1. postgraduate qualifications PGCert 30 ECTS or PGDip 60 ECTS with two years of experience in healthcare organizations.
2. Undergraduate Higher Diploma 120 ECTS with three years of work experience in healthcare organizations.

To graduate with an MBA, a student must have completed all modules listed in the programme, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 Students who complete the programme with a cumulative GPA of 3.6/4 or above will graduate “with distinction”.
The research project conducted in the final semester will be assessed by a faculty committee. The faculty committee will include 2 major faculty members from the topic area of the project and one major faculty member from a different topic area.

Competences:

Graduates will develop the following competences:

1. Create innovative solutions to complex business problems.
2. Be responsible for activities that affect business outcomes, including but not limited to financial management and reporting, strategy development and implementation, operations, marketing and employee management.
3. Make unbiased decisions that are supported by data rather than gut feelings.
4. Comply with professional standards and laws and demonstrate the highest business and professional ethics.
5. Design business plans that will create value for the organization and its stakeholders.
6. Implement digital dedicated technology to take the business decisions in a more timely manner. 

Specialisation in Healthcare Management

1. g) Design a healthcare management concept and effective methodologies that will create value for the healthcare organization and its stakeholders
2. h) Implement information systems tools to operate the healthcare business and related activities

Knowledge:

Graduates will acquire knowledge of the following fields needed to manage a business or non-profit organization:

• Interpret, design, and apply a wide range of accounting, economics, and practical financial tools and data.
• Evaluate, design, and apply comprehensive legal business policies and theoretical frameworks
• Design and implement a multidisciplinary organizational structure, design and culture
• Develop and maximise the efficiency of marketing strategies.
• Analyse consumer behaviour and business advertising.
• Design and apply research and statistics methods (i.e., qualitative and quantitative).
• Implement and combine different ICT approaches into a digital society-based framework.

Specialization in Healthcare Management

1. h) Evaluate the current issues related to healthcare management and implement the best practice to respond in an efficient and effective way.

Skills:

Graduates will develop the following skills used in managing a business:

1. Analyse competitive threats and differentiate between the complexities of external influences on business activity.
2. Apply appropriate statistical and financial investment techniques and tools to business data in order to make successful business decisions.
3. Apply performant operation management, including cost management.
4. Measure and predict the impact of macroeconomics’ indicators movements, including but not limited to financial systems, business cycles, labour markets, monetary and fiscal policy
5. Use research results to justify business decisions, and the impact of general and specific environment business factors and internal financial data to develop new strategies and tactics for business development
6. Classify the business’ most valuable customers and prepare a strategy to maintain the organization’s market position.
7. Apply ethical and legal principles, with an understanding of the organizational and societal implications of ethical behaviour

Specialization in Healthcare Management

1. h) Critically evaluate and implement the latest strategies of healthcare management tools and methodologies of effective management
2. i) Analyse and debate challenges of the healthcare sector and formulate effective approaches to use

j) Critically examine the healthcare industry’s current practices and improve the systems while driving policy changes, managing healthcare institutions, or implementing cutting-edge technologies.

In general, the pedagogical approach of the Introductory and Core Modules comprises lectures, frequent homework and exams. The Advanced Modules incorporate case studies and group projects. The Research Methods module requires students to develop a proposal for the research project in the last semester. Students must finish the Research Methods for Business module in the second semester with a proposal for the third-semester independent research project before beginning the project. The coursework comprises 62 ECTS, and the research project is assigned 30 credits, for a total of 92 ECTS.

For the online programme, teaching will occur via online meeting/lecture software to deliver real-time lectures.

A VLE will be used to deliver asynchronous learning, which enables students to access learning content (e.g., PDFs, eBooks, videos, etc.) when it is the most convenient time for them.

Faculty will deliver online video lectures that are identical in content to face-to-face classes. Educational videos will be linked from academic resources licensed through the AUM Library (e.g., Business Source Complete and other databases). If appropriate, faculty can also utilize selected VOD such as Netflix or Apple TV to incorporate into lectures.

For the academic support, the VLE and SIS systems will be the main channels of communication for student-tutor engagement. Technical support – ticketing system – will be available 24/7 on both platforms.

In addition, work-based learning will also be used as a method of learning. Students will be supported by industry mentors that will facilitate learning at the place of work. Knowledge and underpinning principles will be delivered also by means of traditional methods.

Work-based experience is encouraged, but not mandatory, through educational field trips followed by internships, university-private sector agreements for practical sessions, and short-term part-time work placements. Students are also encouraged to select a company to build their practical competences and skills and observation of the real process on site. Work-based learning opportunities which involve fieldwork will follow the university partnership agreements. Work-based learning can be part of the coursework project or other assessment according to the course instructor.

The dissertation will be supervised by a dedicated faculty member having experience in supervising healthcare topics.

Graduates of a quality MBA program not only enter the workforce with higher salaries that other master’s graduates but also have higher chances of obtaining and holding a high-level management position in their companies. For all these reasons, AUM considers the MBA as a strategic degree program to offer at the outset to serve the population working at professional level in Malta, who are looking for the opportunity to obtain a proficient qualification that will significantly enhance their careers at the national and international level.

Graduate students may apply for the following positions in any field such as but not limited to:

• Rehabilitation centres
• Health maintenance organizations
• Hospitals and Health Clinics
• Special care institutions
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Public health organizations
• Medical and Health Services industries
• Healthcare Management Consultancy, etc.

The programme is an academic business qualification at MQF Level 7. It does not constitute a route to professional warranting, as the granting of a warrant is regulated separately and is not covered by MQF level alignment alone.