NEWS - Texas Southern University

Anfor Excellence:College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences LaunchesTwo New Graduate ProgramsKeeping pace with the ever-evolving healthcare industry, Texas Southern’s Collegeof Pharmacy and Health Sciences has matured,having added its first ever graduate degree plan– a master’s in health care administration – justtwo years ago, and soon, complementing itwith another. The much-anticipated graduateprogram in pharmaceutical sciences is set tolaunch in fall 2004.The master’s of science in health careadministration is structured so that studentscan complete it with 52 credit hours. It offersthe opportunity for those enrolled to studythe concepts and practices relative to publicand private sector health care administration.The four-person faculty is interdisciplinaryand drawn from several health sciences fields:health care administration, public affairs, businessadministration and education.Having authored the initial proposal forthe master’s program, its director Dr. PollyTurner is hopeful for its future. “There wereonly three or four master’s programs in healthcare administration in Texas. We have thelargest medical center in the world, right herein Houston. It’s time we took advantage of that.”Describing the program as “accessible and ready,” Dr. Turnerspoke of her team’s enrollment strategies. “We target TSU students,”she said. “And all of our classes are in the evening, which makes itvery convenient for people with full-time careers.”Having worked for many years in a variety of health care sectors,the passionate program director also feels that such a program is longoverdue. “I’ve been at many levels in this industry, and there’s a lackof people who look like us in the higher levels of decision making…we need minorities at the highest levels of administration in order toGENERATIONS OF PRIDE • Summer 2004 41