Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Set solutions in motion with a doctorate in healthcare administration

Franklin University’s Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA) program reinforces the core technical aspects of quality research, yet also equips you with such sought-after skills as communication and technology. You’ll become a more dynamic leader because Franklin’s applied doctorate is a practical degree that enables both subject mastery and field application. That means you’ll be prepared to research and communicate complex, organization-wide issues.

Program Overview

Franklin’s applied Doctor of Healthcare Administration is a program designed to help you:

  • Design organizational strategies to improve healthcare operations and outcomes
  • Develop innovative healthcare leadership practices based on executive leadership practices
  • Assess and refine your own leadership competencies
  • Apply research to advance the field of healthcare administration


Improve healthcare processes, efficiencies and outcomes

Few would argue the large and complex nature of the administrative side of healthcare. Few also would argue the need for improvement in even the leanest, safest, most patient-friendly healthcare organization. The truth is, there’s always room for improvement – and you could be the catalyst for change in your healthcare organization. While earning your doctorate in healthcare administration from Franklin, you’ll focus on ways to drive quality improvements, including patient safety, risk management and service quality.

Make more informed decisions

When it comes to healthcare decision making, be it process improvement, program effectiveness or sustainability strategies, the crux of any decision is evidence. That’s why our doctoral program for healthcare includes major area coursework related to workflows, databases, informatics and analytics. Your Franklin DHA will help you better understand retrieving, analyzing and reporting intelligence metrics as part of healthcare decision making.

Create and influence healthcare policies and regulations

In spite of being highly regulated and governed, healthcare continues to require new and updated policies to ensure sustainability and parity. Your Franklin DHA will help you explore various aspects of corporate, state and federal policymaking, including regulations, enforcement and organizational impact. You’ll learn how to evaluate the role of agencies in implementation and enforcement, create policies at all government and corporate levels, and influence change for existing policies and regulations.

Get 360-degree support

We’ve taken a comprehensive and systematic approach to our online doctoral program, which includes team-based curriculum development, doctorally qualified faculty, and student-centered activities designed for the working adult. You’ll receive robust academic support from a variety of resources, including a graduate advisor, faculty advisor, personal librarian and peers, as well as the Student Learning Center staff and your Dissertation Committee members. You’ll also enjoy a cohesive and robust graduate culture and cohort. Together, our practice-minded faculty and your fellow students will support, mentor, encourage and keep you accountable to the program – and to yourself. At Franklin, you’re never alone on your doctoral journey.

Transfer Up to 24 Credit Hours

Want to complete your terminal degree in less than three years? Franklin grants up to 24 hours of prior-learning credit for previous doctoral work, and approved certifications and licensures. We honor your prior learning and make it easier to get credit for what you already know. Transfer credit can help you earn your applied doctorate degree faster, as well as reduce your overall tuition expenses.

Program Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate effective research skills; Formulate a research problem; Integrate previous literature into an appropriate literature review; Design a research study; Analyze data; Summarize and present research results; Discuss research results

  2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and competencies in a major field of study in healthcare administration

  3. Create and present advanced forms of oral and written communication

  4. Evaluate and assess the ethical obligations and responsibilities of healthcare administration for the purpose of responsible leadership

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

Research Core (16 hours)
ENG 800 - Writing Foundations (3)
This course will orient students to Franklin University, its learning environments and support systems. Students will develop essential skills needed to be successful in a doctoral program. Foundations of theory and practice in doctoral studies will be taught. Students will gain scholarly and professional writing skills in the context of their discipline. Dissertation structure and process will be introduced. Students will also complete their first colloquia as part of the course requirements.
Course Prerequisites:
GRAD 888
GRAD 888 - Colloquium I (1)
The doctoral colloquium is designed to build a community and ensure that learners have the support, motivation and guidance necessary to succeed in their doctoral programs. This first colloquia will also provide students with an overview of the doctoral program expectations, coursework sequence, doctoral student support services, as well as comprehensive exam and dissertation requirements. The first colloquium is designed to establish a learning community and graduate culture for the doctoral students at Franklin University. The doctoral colloquium will be held at the University's main campus in facilities that provide appropriate online interaction for out-of-state and international students. Please note: A book fee may be included in your tuition charges for required course materials. Please see http://www.franklin.edu/financial-aid/tuition-fees /e-textbooks for specific charges.
Course Prerequisites:
See Academic Advisor
GRAD 889 - Colloquium II (1)
The doctoral colloquium is designed to build a community and ensure that learners have the support, motivation and guidance necessary to succeed in their doctoral programs. The second colloquia will aid students in their transition from coursework to doctoral candidacy. Students will be oriented to the process and requirements for the upcoming comprehensive exam. In addition, they will begin to plan how to navigate and fulfill the requirements of the dissertation process. In addition, students will continue to build their learning network and community through this experience. The doctoral colloquium will be held at the University's main campus in facilities that provide appropriate online interaction for out-of-state and international students.
Course Prerequisites:
MTHD 820 or MTHD 822
MATH 807 - Introduction to Statistics With SAS (2)
This course will introduce the concepts of descriptive statistics with the use of SAS software. Topics will include basic statistical terminology, statistical graphs, numerical summaries of data, probability concepts and distributions, and sampling distributions. The course is designed to integrate the use of SAS with the aforementioned concepts and to provide opportunities to interpret its outputs.
Course Prerequisites:
MTHD 805
MATH 810 - Applied Statistics (3)
Applications of statistical techniques and methods will be explored, including fundamental statistical tests for central values, variances and categorical variables; regression analysis and general linear model. The emphasis will be on selecting and applying the appropriate statistical techniques as well as interpretation and reporting of results with the use of a major statistical software. The course is also designed to provide numerous opportunities to critique statistical techniques commonly used in empirical research articles.
Course Prerequisites:
MATH 807
MTHD 805 - Research Methods & Design (3)
Students will learn about research methodology, related methods, and how to apply them in valid and reliable research designs. Students will be taught how to construct new theories, connect research theory and design to application and practice in the organization. This course will begin to prepare students to identify a research problem, conduct a literature review, and select appropriate research methodology for their dissertation. Issues of research ethics will be discussed.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
MTHD 820 - Advanced Quantitative Research & Design (3)
This is an advanced course in statistics that covers complex analyses used in education and data-driven decision making. The course is designed to broaden and deepen student understanding of advanced statistics in multivariate techniques. The emphasis of the course is on practical application of concepts learnt. To this end, the course is developed to balance theory and application and provides numerous opportunities for application to practical problems. Students will also complete their second colloquia.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800, MTHD 805
OR MTHD 822 - Advanced Qualitative Research & Design (3)
The advanced qualitative research course builds on the knowledge and skills students acquire in GRAD 805. This course leads students on an in depth treatment of qualitative research methodology, exploring its theoretical underpinnings and associated methods for design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of results. Ethics are emphasized for each stage of research. This course will guide students to develop the methodology and data analysis for their dissertation proposal and research. Students will also complete their second colloquia if they had not enrolled in GRAD 820.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800, MTHD 805
Major Area (20 hours)
HCM 810 - Organizations, Community & Global Health (4)
This science of epidemiology is essential for projecting the population health needs, and appropriate allocation of public and private resources. This course focuses on the utilization of epidemiologic studies and techniques as a basis for organizational policy and administrative decision-making. Students will examine the connection between organizational leadership and social health. Students will create and recommend organizational strategies that enhance organizational, community, and global health.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
HCM 820 - Healthcare Policy, Regulations & Reform (4)
This course will explore various aspects of corporate, state and federal policy making. Students will examine the impact of existing health policies on healthcare organizations, providers and patients. Students will develop skills to influence and change existing healthcare policies. Students will also create and propose a new healthcare policy.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
HCM 830 - Healthcare Economics, Resources & Finance (4)
This course will examine the importance of resource and financial management in a healthcare organization. Students will determine the financial status of a healthcare organization and create strategic plans to sustain healthcare services. This course will also explore the various concepts driving healthcare economics. This course will also critique the use of organizational supplies, human resources, and technology.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
HCM 840 - Healthcare Quality, Process & Improvement (4)
This course will examine various aspects of patient safety, quality improvement and risk management in healthcare. Students will compare and contrast several process improvement models with the goal of improving organizational efficiency, patient safety, and service quality. Students will also research governmental agencies driving quality improvement in healthcare organizations.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
HIM 802 - Advanced Health Information Governance (4)
In this course students will evaluate an organizations current health information governance infra-structure and will make recommendations for improvement that will cover the broad spectrum of strategic issues in healthcare including policies, guidelines, standards, processes and controls required to manage and implement enterprise-level information. Students will research how health data and organizational information systems are utilized as a strategic asset to healthcare organizations, process to manage various risks to the quality of information and ensure its appropriate use.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
Dissertation Requirements (10 hours)
GRAD 901 - Comprehensive Exam (1)
This course is designed for students to prepare and complete their comprehensive exam. Remedial strategies and actions will also be provided for students who do not successfully pass their comprehensive exam on the first attempt.
Course Prerequisites:
See Academic Advisor
GRAD 902 - Dissertation I (3)
In Dissertation I, doctoral candidates will complete their dissertation prospectus for approval from their dissertation committee and prepare IRB documentation for their dissertation research. The emphasis in this course is to complete drafts of chapters one, two, and three of the dissertation, with chapter three advanced to point of sufficient detail for the IRB submission.
Course Prerequisites:
GRAD 901
GRAD 903 - Dissertation II (3)
In Dissertation II, doctoral candidates will finalize chapters one and two of the dissertation. Candidates will also collect data upon receiving IRB approval.
Course Prerequisites:
GRAD 901, GRAD 902
GRAD 904 - Dissertation III (3)
In Dissertation III, doctoral candidates will complete chapters four and five and of the dissertation and make any revision necessary to the first three chapters. Students are required to defend their dissertation orally by the end of this course.
Course Prerequisites:
GRAD 901, GRAD 902, GRAD 903
GRAD 908 - Defense of Dissertation Or Capstone (0)
As the final step to meet all requirements for earning a doctoral degree, all students will defend their dissertation or capstone project. They will do so working with their Dissertaton Committee or their Capstone Committee. This course will serve as the marker for that successful completion, notifying all internal constituencies that the student has met all requirements for graduation.
Course Prerequisites:
GRAD 904
GRAD 999 - Study Continuation (3)
This course is for the doctoral student to remain continuously registered once he or she has begun the course study. This may be while the student needs to take a one-term break from studies, time for the remainder of the term to prepare for a re-take of the comprehensive exam or a continuation of dissertation work beyond the program's scheduled three semesters of study.

If necessary

Electives (12 hours)

Select 12 hours from the following:

HIM 810 - Advanced Clinical Workflow & Applications (4)
In this course students will evaluate an organizations existing clinical workflows to include a variety of inpatient, outpatient and emergency healthcare environments. Material in the course covers the documentation, review, mapping and diagramming of clinical workflow information and processes. Students will also assess and make recommendations for improvement of patient care to workflow mapping and change management, as part of evidence based decision making in healthcare.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800
HIM 861 - Advanced Healthcare Analytics (4)
In this course students will evaluate an organizations existing process of retrieving, analyzing and reporting intelligence to make healthcare decisions. Student will assess and make recommendations for improvement on the techniques of extracting, transforming and loading data from a myriad of operational databases into corporate data warehouses, as well means to ensure that decision making is based on clean and reliable information. Students will also develop skills for reporting the healthcare intelligence gathered.
Course Prerequisites:
ENG 800

Any DBA course

  • Any DPS course