STEM Designation
The MSBA/MHA is a dual degree program with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designation. Due to the demand of graduates with expertise in STEM fields, the Department of Homeland Security permits international students graduating from STEM programs to apply for a 24 month extension of their initial year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more detailed information, please visit the ISSO webpage.
Curriculum
24-25 Courses
55 Credits
Program Length:
Full-time in as few as 20 months
Part-time in as few as 33 months
Required Introductory Course (1 credit)
| ISOM-700 | Preparing for Your Professional Future | 1 |
MHA Foundation Course (3 credits)
MHA Core Level 1 Courses (9 credits)
ISOM 631 (3 credits) is listed under the Business Analytics Core courses section.
| MBA-641 | Financial Information for Business Management | 1.5 |
| HLTH-611 | Healthcare Financial Management | 1.5 |
| HLTH-711 | Healthcare Operations Management | 1.5 |
| HLTH-722 | Healthcare Supply Chain and Value Analysis | 1.5 |
| HLTH-755 | Quality Improvement and Patient Safety | 1.5 |
| HLTH-801 | Evidence-Based Management | 1.5 |
MHA Core Level 2 Courses (15 credits)
| HLTH-701 | Lean Six Sigma | 1.5 |
| HLTH-733 | Project Management | 1.5 |
| HLTH-765 | Advanced Topics in Operations and Management | 1.5 |
| HLTH-776 | Healthcare Delivery and Clinical Innovation: Shaping the Future of Care | 3 |
| HLTH-811 | High-Reliability Organizing | 1.5 |
| HLTH-822 | Leading Yourself and Others | 3 |
| MBA-770 | Leading and Implementing Change | 3 |
Business Analytics Core Courses (18 credits)
If waived, ISOM-801 must be substituted with an ISOM elective course.
| ISOM-631 | Data Analytics with Python | 3 |
| ISOM-801 | Solving Business Problems Using Advanced Excel | 3 |
| ISOM-821 | Data Management and Modeling | 3 |
| ISOM-825 | Enterprise Data Management | 3 |
| ISOM-827 | Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence | 3 |
| ISOM-835 | Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning | 3 |
Elective (3 credits)
Students in the MSBA/MHA dual degree program will select one three-credit course from the following:
| ISOM-829 | Advanced Data Management Leveraging ETL Tools | 3 |
| ISOM-839 | Prescriptive Analytics: Modeling and Optimization | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, and Storytelling | 3 |
| ISOM-851 | Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Operations, and Analytics | 3 |
| ISOM-861 | Project Management: Gaining Competitive Advantage | 3 |
| ISOM-900 | Special Topics in Information Systems | 3 |
MHA Internship
Required for students without professional experience in the U.S. healthcare system. Typically taken during the summer after MHA Core Level 1 courses are completed. Students starting the MHA program in Fall 2025 will take SBS 920 for 0 credits later in the program. Continuing students who were admitted before Fall 2025 and are required to complete an internship will take HLTH 885 for 3 credits.
Capstone Courses (6 credits)
Should be taken as late in the program as possible.
Transfer Policy
To be eligible for transfer credits, a course must have been completed at the graduate level in a recognized graduate program at an accredited U.S. college or university; been completed within the three years prior to the student being enrolled in Suffolk’s MSBA/MHA Program; and be assessed as equivalent to the Suffolk course for which the transfer credits are sought, based on a review of the syllabus by the chairperson of the Healthcare Administration Department. The grade for a completed course must be a "B" or better. In addition, the credits for a course for which a transfer is sought must not have been applied toward a previously completed degree.
All MSBA/MHA students must complete 55 graduate credits in the Sawyer Business School. The number of credits approved for transfer are limited to a maximum of 6 credits.
Students Who Leave Boston Before Their Degree is Complete
Occasionally, a Suffolk MSBA/MHA student must leave the Boston area before completing their degree. The Sawyer Business School has several options available to enable completion of the Suffolk MSBA/MHA Program. A student may be able to transfer in six credits from a recognized AACSB-accredited MSBA/MHA Program close to the new place of residence. Courses must be pre-approved by Suffolk’s Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs and have a grade of “B” or better.
Transfer Credits from the Moakley Center for Public Management's Certificate Program
Students who have completed a certificate program through the Suffolk University Moakley Center for Public Management may have an opportunity to reduce credit requirements to an SBS graduate degree program (MBA, MHA, MSBA, or MSM). All course waivers and/or transfers for the MSBA/MHA Program must be reviewed by Healthcare Administration Department.
In order for a course to be considered, the following criteria must be met: must have an MSBA or MHA Program course equivalent; the student must have received a grade of "B" or better and successfully completed the certificate prior to enrolling in the MSBA/MHA Program.
Applicants must also meet the admission standards for the MSBA/MHA Program.
Course Substitution Policy
MSBA portion of the MSBA/MHA dual degree program
If waived, ISOM 801 needs to be substituted with an approved ISOM elective. To waive ISOM 801, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSBA matriculation and earned a grade of "B" or better, and provide official transcripts. Students may also elect to take a proficiency exam, for a fee, to gain a waiver. Proficiency exams must be taken in the first semester and are administered on the Boston Campus. The proficiency exam must be scheduled at least two weeks prior to the first day of the semester without exception and must be taken before the add/drop deadline.
To substitute an approved elective for another core course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSBA matriculation, “B” or better, and provide official transcripts.
All substitutions are evaluated upon a student's acceptance into the MSBA Program.