The Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management has received full certification from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), making it the only certified undergraduate health care management program in Indiana.
AUPHA certified programs are recognized for having withstood the rigors of peer review, including curriculum, faculty and educational outcomes.
“Students who choose our major will know that it meets the highest set of standards for an educational program in health administration,” said Sarah Johnson, health services management program director and lecturer.
The biggest change the program made to meet certification standards was the addition of a required internship experience. Students in the program regularly completed internships, but it was not previously a requirement to graduate.
“We didn’t want to simply add a required internship, we wanted to make sure we surpassed the spirit of the standard,” said Johnson. “We created a curriculum change that was best suited to the needs of our student population. Over 34 percent of our students are first-generation college students. We incorporated not just an internship, but a full sequence of career development courses spread across a student’s journey to enhance each student’s preparedness to enter the professional world after graduation.”
The career development sequence culminates with students matching with internship sites during Health Services Management Internship Interview Day and completing their Capstone Internships during their final semester in the program.
Programs seeking AUPHA certification must submit an extensive self-study detailing the program's structure, educational processes, and assessment mechanisms in response to criteria established by AUPHA. An external peer panel thoroughly examines the applicant program, with the process culminating in a face-to-face meeting at the AUPHA annual conference. The panel's report and recommendations serve as the basis for certifying the program and driving program improvement.