The doctorate program in health administration provides health professionals with the skill sets demanded by today's healthcare environment. The only certainty is uncertainty. Our program provides trainees with a solid didactic preparation as well as training in health analytics and critical thinking. It is these skill sets that are a hallmark of our program. Graduates are trained to critically appraise and evaluate complex situations.

The above skills sets are transferred through extensive preparation in research and analysis, epidemiology, organizational behavior, law and policy, and finance. With an EdD in health administration from D'Youville, graduates will be prepared to meet the increasing demand in all sectors of healthcare including academic, health care based, and government. D'Youville graduates have gone on to assume leadership roles in the healthcare industry, as well as attaining faculty positions in institutions of higher learning.

The curriculum involves 72 hours of advanced graduate work. The curriculum is comprised of a mix of coursework in healthcare organization, finance, law, policy, epidemiology, analytics, and research methods.

Course Requirements for the Program

Required Courses

Dissertation Research

800-level may be initiated after successful completion of most coursework, at the discretion of the academic advisor.

Thirty (30) credit hours are eligible for transfer, if applicable to coursework. This is at the discretion of the program director.

Additional Requirements

Electives

Students may take or transfer up to 12 credits of elective coursework. Accepted courses within D'Youville include (but are not limited to) the following:

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  Advanced Statistics (HED-720) (4 credits) 
• Quantitative Research Design (HED-721) (4 credits) 
• Qualitative Research Design (HED-722) (4 credits) 
• Grant Writing Practicum I (HED-742) (2 credits) 
• Grant Writing Practicum II (HED-743) (2 credits) 
• Interprofessional Education Healthcare (HED-750) (3 credits) 
• Survey Research Methods: Design and App (HED-754) (3 credits) 
• Mixed Methods Research Design (HED-755) (3 credits) 
• Strategic Leadership for Healthcare Administration (HAPH-675) (3 credits)
• Special Topics (HAPH-789) (3 credits) 
• Aging American Society (HAPH-605)
• Improving Performance of Health Systems (HAPH-669)
• HSA Practicum (HAPH-672)

Dissertation

Students must complete a dissertation proposal, dissertation proposal defense, dissertation research, and a defense of the final dissertation inclusive of a public presentation. Please refer to the HAPH department's dissertation manual for additional details.

Academic Regulations

In addition to the general academic regulations for graduate programs, the following applies for the Ed.D. program in health administration:

A student’s academic standing is determined by the cumulative quality point average (G.P.A.). Graduate and doctoral students are expected to maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or above. A student who has less than a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. at any time is placed on academic probation for one semester. At the end of the probation semester, the student’s file is reviewed by the program's student progress committee. If the student’s cumulative G.P.A. is a minimum of 3.0, the student is automatically removed from probation. If a student does not achieve the 3.0 G.P.A., the program student progress committee will either dismiss the student from the program immediately or continue the student on probation for one more semester. If a minimum of 3.0 is not then achieved, dismissal is automatic. A student may be on probation no more than two semesters during the entire graduate program.

A student who maintains a minimum of a 3.0 average but receives more than two grades of C or lower will be reviewed by the program graduate committee for a recommendation regarding continuation in the program. See the policy below related to "Grades Below B."

An appeal to any of the above may be made by following the grievance procedures found in the D’Youville University calendar and resource guide.

Grades Below B Policy

 All grades of B or higher are applicable to the Health Administration EdD Program at D’Youville University. Up to six credits of grades lower than a B (B-, C+ or C) may be applied to the doctoral degree. Grades of C- or lower are not applicable to the Health Administration EdD program. If more than six credits of graduate work have received a grade below a B or if the student received a grade of C- or lower, the student will be required to retake  the course in order to continue in the program.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who do not meet the above criteria but have an graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 and show promise, will be reviewed on an individual basis by the admissions committee and may be admitted provisionally. While on provisional status students must meet all academic requirements of the program and must either receive grades of B or better in their first four courses in the Health Administration EdD Program or earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in the first four courses in the Health Administration EdD program. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the program. 

Academic Probation

Students enrolled in the doctoral programs who achieve a GPA less than 3.0, more than 6 credits of grades below a B, or a grade of C- or lower, will be notified in writing that they have been placed on academic probation. Academic probation will then apply to the next semester of their enrollment, including summer semesters. Students who have been placed on academic probation must successfully achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and/or a grade of B or higher for courses in the next semester of their enrollment in order to be removed from academic probation. Students who have been placed on academic probation, and receive a grade of B- or below for any course taken in the next semester of their enrollment, are at risk for dismissal from the program. Students who are taking coursework, and are carrying an I (Incomplete) grade from any previous doctoral coursework, and who have a grade of B- or below submitted to replace any I grade, will immediately be placed on academic probation for the current semester of their enrollment.

Doctoral Policies on Student Misconduct

In addition to the university’s policy regarding academic integrity (see the academic catalog), the doctoral programs affirm that students enrolled in any of D’Youville University’s doctoral programs are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of personal behavior and professional conduct in academic and educational environments. Dishonesty or misconduct in any form, whether academic or professional, will not be tolerated by program faculty. Unprofessional behavior in any educational setting, including on- or off campus fieldwork experiences, may result in failure of the course regardless of the mastery of all other course requirements, and may result in immediate dismissal from the program.

Students may appeal the committee’s decision to the director of doctoral programs.

Appeals

To appeal a decision rendered by the Center for Doctoral Studies and Research faculty/administration that has academic consequences, you must follow the appeal procedures which are available in the student manual.

Application Requirements

Applicants should forward the following materials to the graduate admissions office:

1. A completed doctoral application with a non-refundable application fee.
2. All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
3. Minimum graduate grade point average of 3.20 (based on a 4.0 system).
4. Students are strongly encouraged to have taken an undergraduate accounting course prior to program admission

Applications for admission are considered on a competitive basis.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who do not meet the above criteria but have a graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 and show promise, will be reviewed on an individual basis by the admissions committee and may be admitted provisionally. While on provisional status, the student must meet all academic requirements of the program and must receive grades of B or better in the first four courses of the program. Failure to meet this standard will result in dismissal without probation.

Transferring Credits

Students may transfer up to 30 graduate credits with a grade of B or better at the discretion of the program director or department chair. Credits must be from an accredited institution in courses appropriate to the program.