Master of Science
Public, Human Service and Health Administration
Biennial Report 1999-2001
February, 2002

  This report follows the seven categories listed by the MSUM Academic Affairs office.

  1)      Assessment measures

Completion of the PHSHA program involves each student conducting an administrative research project and presenting the findings and analysis in the form of a “Final Project” paper.  That project is defended before a four-member committee of Graduate Faculty members including one member appointed by the Graduate Director.  The oral exam can focus on the student’s course work, as well as the project paper.  This provides an opportunity for faculty members to evaluate the student’s performance against professional expectations and in comparison with other students who have completed the process.  Assessment of the student’s performance is conducted using an instrument that has been reviewed by the Institutional Assessment Committee.  For this reporting period the assessment scores for students on whom we have data is as follows.  (Based on a five point scale with 5 excellent, 3 average, and 1 poor.

Obviously, these scores reflect programmatic qualities plus the differing levels of ability and achievement by the students who completed the program during this reporting period.  Even with these variations among students, there is a consistent set of scores for each category evaluated.  The evidence indicates that the program is performing well and that students are learning what is expected within the context of professional standards.

2)      Global and regional outreach efforts of the program.

The program has a WEB site (www.mnstate.edu/phsha/) that has led to a number of email inquiries concerning the program from around the United States.  We also advertise in The Forum newspaper each spring.  The program Coordinator has attended Chamber of Commerce events sponsored by the local educational institutions of higher education.  Our brochures and sometimes the Coordinator has been present a job fairs in the Tri-College and any other events attended by the Graduate Studies Office.  A “Help Yourself Help Others” advertisement appears in the Fall or Spring MSUM Class Schedule on a regular basis.

3)      Curricular goals and achievements in last two years.

In our six-year review document we listed as one of our goals to market the program more aggressively to health care professionals.  In 2000-2001 the name of the program was changed from “Public and Human Service Administration” to “Public, Human Service and Health Administration.”   Several courses within the Health Administration undergraduate program were modified to allow for graduate registration and credit.  We have defined three “tracks” with emphasis in either public, human service or health administration.  Along with a more aggressive marketing effort among our alumni, we are experiencing a noticeable increase in inquiries from people within the health delivery sector of our region.  No major changes have been explored in the basic curriculum of the program since we meet annually with our Advisory Committee and try to incorporate their suggestions where a particular emphasis is proposed.

4)      Summary of faculty research and scholarship.

All faculty members in the program are proficient at using the WEB as a research source.    Several faculty members have made research presentations at conferences and published articles or reviews in academic journals.  Adjunct faculty members who have taught in the program are carefully chosen based on their educational achievements as well as professional experience and competence.  They have demonstrated their commitment to scholarship by carefully choosing and assigning up-to-date textbooks and journal articles

5)      Summary of professional development activities (conferences and grants)

All regular (non adjunct) faculty in the program have Graduate Faculty status at MSUM.  This means that they not only teach graduate courses, but that they attend relevant academic conferences, conduct appropriate research and keep themselves abreast of developments in their fields.  Faculty who teach in the program have helped schedule training opportunities for faculty members at MSUM to upgrade computer skills and incorporate technology into instruction.  Most of them use their personal WEB sites for providing information to students and fellow professionals.

6)      Summary of emerging sectors and efforts to cope with challenges

As referenced under item three above, the program has been involved in developing curricula and implementing a marketing initiative for health delivery professionals.  Our annual meetings with our Advisory Committee provide an opportunity to solicit ideas and suggestions from well-respected leaders within the fields served by our program.  We have Advisory Committee members from local government, federal courts, hospitals and clinics, arts organizations, inter-governmental agencies and traditional human service sectors of our society.  Additionally, faculty members keep abreast of developments by their professional activities, including reading, research and scholarship.

7)      Summary of strengths and weaknesses and strategies to address

The two major strengths of this program are its faculty and the focus and quality of the curriculum.  Alumni who return for our annual banquet regularly remind us of the relationship between what they learned in the program and their professional achievements.  Our regular faculty members have terminal degrees in their fields.  We have a strong and growing network of former students, Advisory Committee members and professional contacts within the region that help us to respond to the needs of our clientele. 

The major weakness of the program is related to marketing.  In spite of this, our enrollments have remained steady and appear to be growing this year (the beginning class enrollment was up and inquires have been steady).  Other graduate programs at MSUM share concerns about marketing.  Currently the Graduate Studies Committee is trying to develop some marketing strategies that can attract students who are otherwise tempted by the “degree sellers” that are present in the Fargo-Moorhead market.  We rely on our alumni and professional contacts within the region to provide information to prospective students.  Our WEB page is inexpensive public relations, but a higher marketing profile for the program will require some investment of resources by the university.