Health Care Financial Management, Certificate in (Graduate certificate)

The Graduate Certificate in Health Care Financial Management will help students apply financial concepts to their work in health care organizations. Current M.H.A. and M.S.H.A. students with an interest in health care finance are encouraged to apply for the certificate program. The program is also open to nondegree-seeking applicants working in health care who wish to strengthen their skillsets.

Student learning outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate, students will be prepared to take an active role in financial analysis, decision-making and control as required by an operational management role within a health care organization.

More specifically, students will be able to:

• Analyze organizations’ financial statements
• Describe critical steps in the budgeting process
• Make operational decisions using cost information
• Identify the methods commonly used to reimburse health care providers
• Project the financial implications of new projects
• Identify the financing sources available to health care organizations and describe the implications of their use

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Apply online today.

Admission requirements

The following admission requirements apply to all applicants (other than those currently enrolled in the M.H.A. or M.S.H.A. degree programs at VCU).  Applicants to the certificate program are required to:

• Submit a completed application and the application fee
• Have earned an undergraduate degree from regionally accredited U.S. university or college (or its equivalent from a foreign institution based upon a four-year program) with a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA.
• Provide an official undergraduate transcript from all schools attended
• Provide three letters of recommendation (at least one academic reference)
• Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae
• Submit a statement of purpose outlining career goals (less than 500 words).

Students currently enrolled in the M.H.A. or M.S.H.A. degree program are required to:

• Submit a completed application and the application fee
• Submit a statement of purpose outlining career goals (less than 500 words).
• Be in good academic standing in their current program of study

Students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree in the U.S. must submit an official transcript evaluation from a recognized foreign educational credentials evaluation service accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers as well as proof of English proficiency. International students must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System academic exam or Pearson Test of English meeting the minimum requirements that follow:

• A Test of English as a Foreign Language minimum composite score of 100 for the Internet-based test or 600 for the paper-based score; an International English language Testing System score minimum of 6.5 on the academic exam; or Pearson: 59 overall score
• A score of 68 or higher on the VCU English Language Program Compression test (Students who do not achieve a score of 68 will be placed in the appropriate level English language proficiency courses.)

Degree requirements

The certificate curriculum is designed to prepare students to participate in the financial management of health care organizations. Students will learn how to analyze and interpret financial information specific to health care organizations and systems and will also learn concepts and techniques that inform financial decision-making. Course work will enable students to conduct the financial aspects of management within a health care organization. The curriculum will train students in a broad range of financial management skills including interpretation of financial statements, financial management and control, reimbursement systems, and use of financial capital. Additionally, program will prepare students to sit for the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s Certified Healthcare Financial Professional examination. 

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this certificate is 15.

Contact
Paige Powell, Ph.D.
Program director
powellm9@vcu.edu

Additional contact
Cameron Parkins
Graduate student services administrator
parkinsc@vcu.edu

Program website: ha.chp.vcu.edu/programs/mha-program