General Education Courses (37-41 credit hours)
For details on required courses, refer to the General Education Program .
Major Courses (33 credit hours)
HSMT 2101. Introduction to Health Systems Management. (3) Restriction(s): Sophomore standing. Introduction to the various systems that comprise the health system and how they work together to support population health, the aim of the larger system. Exposure to germane topics, work settings, trends, skills, and knowledge bases within the health system. Introduction to career options with the Health Systems Management degree.
HSMT 2103. Introduction to Human Resources Management. (3) Restriction(s): Sophomore standing. Introduction to human resources management as it applies to health and human services institutions, including recruitment, selection, training, and development. Emphasis is placed upon understanding the basic functions of a manager and the role of leading. Major theories associated with motivating the individual in organizations, interpersonal and group behavior, job design, organizational processes of decision-making, communication, and change are addressed. Consideration is given to the influence of personal values and ethical frameworks on the processes of managing and leading.
HSMT 2104. Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major or College of Health and Human Services pre-major; and Sophomore standing. An overview of the organization and delivery mechanisms in the U.S. healthcare system. Various settings for the delivery of healthcare and personnel and financial resources integral to the delivery of care are presented. Also included are the historical development and future growth and direction of the system.
HSMT 3201. Health Systems Leadership, Ethics, and Inter-Professional Communication. (3) (O,W) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major and 45 credit hours of college coursework. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 2101, HSMT 2103, and HSMT 2104 with grades of C or above. Examination of leadership skills and communication development. Analysis of ethical and bioethical problems confronting health systems. Contemporary issues confronting organizations and people who work to promote, restore, or maintain health are examined. The course also serves as a continuation of the design and development of student ePortfolios.
HSMT 3203. Introduction to Healthcare Accounting and Finance. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major and 45 credit hours of college coursework. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 2101 and HSMT 2104 with grades of C or above. Basic concepts and techniques of collecting, processing, and reporting financial information relevant to healthcare institutions. Fundamental financial management concepts and tools for healthcare institutions, including financial statements and attributes.
HSMT 3204. Health System Organization Development and Behavior. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 2101, HSMT 2103, and HSMT 2104 with a grade of C or above for students under the catalog years 2022-2023 and beyond. Introduction to organizational theory with applications to healthcare systems, including organizational design and inter-organizational networks and alliances.
HSMT 3104. Health Information Systems. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 2101 and HSMT 2104 with a grade of C or above for students under the catalog years 2022-2023 and beyond. Health information systems include a variety of information technology used in healthcare settings to collect, store, disseminate, and manage health data. These systems provide healthcare in a more efficient, effective, and economical manner. Various applications for information technology in a healthcare setting are emphasized, as well as their potential benefits.
HSMT 4201. Health Policy and Law. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 3201 for students under the catalog years 2022-2023 and beyond. Examination of the formulation, adoption, and implementation of public policy for health services delivery and healthcare through federal, state, and local political processes. Selected legal principles and their application to the healthcare field.
HSMT 4202. Quality Management and Improvement. (3) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 3104 and HSMT 3204 for students under the catalog years 2022-2023 and beyond. Examination of the concepts and practices of quality management, performance improvement, and assessment of outcomes in healthcare delivery settings; the application of quality management theory to healthcare product and service outcomes.
HSMT 4600. Health Systems Management Capstone. (3) (W) Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major. Prerequisite(s): HSMT 2101, HSMT 2103, HSMT 2104 with a grade of C or above, and HSMT 3201, HSMT 3203, HSMT 3204, HSMT 3104 with grades of D or above. Students synthesize and apply lessons learned throughout the Health Systems Management program. Students analyze a current challenge impacting local health and wellness agencies and work as a team to propose strategies and solutions. Individually, students develop ePortfolios that include work samples and reflections as a digital record of lessons learned and their professional development.
HSMT elective courses:
HLTH 2102 - Foundations of Public Health (3). Restriction(s): Pre-Public Health major, Health Systems Management major, Public Health minor, or permission of instructor. Introduction to the field of public health, including its history, content areas, scope, and paradigms of professional practice.
or HLTH 4090 - International Comparative Health Systems (3). Cross-listed Course(s): HLTH 5090 and NURS 4090. study tour to explore the cultural, social, and healthcare systems outside the United States. Participants visit a variety of healthcare sites and attend presentations by practitioners and educators. They will have opportunities to interact with people from the host countries and visit a variety of cultural and historic sites.
or HSMT 3301 - Health Insurance and Managed Care (3). Restriction(s): Health Systems Management major and Sophomore standing. An overview of the design, management, and regulation of health insurance and managed care organizations in the U.S. healthcare system. Various settings for the delivery of healthcare and personnel and financial resources integral to the delivery of care are presented. Also included are the historical development and future growth and direction of the health insurance system.
or UCOL 3410 - Career Development Internship (1 to 3 credits). Restriction(s): Junior or Senior standing, and permission of University Career Center. Designed to allow students to take advantage of a workplace experiential learning opportunity when other options are not available. Completing this internship requires at least 50 hours of supervised employment per registered credit hour. The internship must provide a meaningful work experience in which the student uses the competencies gained from their academic program. An internship proposal form must be completed and approved by the University Career Center in consultation with the student’s major department prior to registration and the commencement of the work experience. Students cannot normally count the Career Development Internship towards their major or minor requirements (it counts as elective hours only); exceptions may be possible at the program’s discretion.
Elective Courses (47-53 credit hours)
Students in the Health Systems Management major may wish to combine their major field of study with a related minor. UNC Charlotte offers a wide range of minors – although not required for the major – to complement and otherwise enrich student readiness for workplace settings that demand effective communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, digital literacy, and effective teamwork. Students are encouraged to consider completing a minor and a large number of options exist on campus that would serve to complement the Health Systems Management major including: biology, communication studies, gerontology, international studies, management information systems, political science, and public health.
Unrestricted Elective Courses
As needed to complete the credit hours required for graduation.
Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours
Grade Requirements
A grade of C or above in HSMT 2101, HSMT 2103, and HSMT 2104 within two attempts* is required to progress in the major. Furthermore, students are limited to two attempts* to achieve a grade of D or above in HSMT 3104, HSMT 3201, HSMT 3203, HSMT 3204, HSMT 4201, HSMT 4202, and HSMT 4600. A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the University are required in order to graduate. Health Systems Management majors who accumulate more than three grades of D, F, or W in required HSMT courses will be terminated from the program. Health Systems Management majors who fall below a GPA of 2.0 in the major will be placed on probation. A student on probation whose GPA in the major remains below 2.0 at the next evaluation will be terminated from the program.
*Each of the following is considered an attempt: Withdrawing from the course after the drop deadline (may be appealed); grade replacement; Incompletes that convert to grades of F; and grades of A, B, C, D, or F.
The HSMT program does not accept study abroad courses as replacements for HSMT courses.