Education Spotlight – Xavier Health Economics & Clinical Outcomes Research

What type of students does the program attract?

Our program attracts working healthcare professionals seeking to differentiate themselves in their field and thrive in a value-based world. Students possess a broad range of collective experience in the healthcare industry, including clinical practice, health system management, research, medical device and pharmaceutical sales, and clinical research. Each student brings their experiences into the courses, facilitating a unique environment in which students can network and learn from each other across disciplines and sectors of the healthcare field.

What types of careers do students move into after receiving their degree?

Graduates of the MS-HECOR program are well equipped to pursue careers as analysts, mangers, consultants, and directors in the fields of health outcomes research, healthcare policy, and market access and reimbursement.

Our alumni are employed by pharmaceutical and medical device companies, clinical research organizations, insurance companies, consulting firms, and healthcare systems. Nearly 65% our Alumni receive promotions or take on a new higher paying position within six months of graduation.

Describe some of your teaching staff and their areas of expertise.

Our experienced faculty members bring their real-world experience and expertise into their courses.

	Peter Mallow, Ph.D., MS-HECOR Program Director Prior to coming to Xavier, Dr. Mallow served as the Program Director, Health Economics, Market Access, and Outcomes Research at Cardinal Health in addition to the Associate Director of Health Economics at CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting.
	Eileen Alexander, Ph.D., MS, RN, BSN, Associate Professor In addition to an extensive clinical background, Dr. Alexander’s research interests and experience includes quality management, epidemiology and biostatistics, and public health promotion.
	Frederick Browne, Ph.D., Chair of Health Services Administration Department, Director of MHSA Program Dr. Browne has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and conducts research in the areas of health administration pedagogy and interprofessional education. His expertise is in ethics, management, professional development, and the US healthcare system.
	Edmond Hooker, MD, DrPH, Professor Dr. Hooker earned his MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed a residency in Emergency Medicine. His research interests and expertise include epidemiology, emergency medicine, health services management, and public health.
	Paul Niklewski, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, Principal Research Scientist Dr. Niklewski is a Principal Clinical Research Scientist for Ethicon Inc. and has approximately 20 years of industry experience, both in medical devices and pharmaceuticals. During his career, he has worked on both the design of medical products and outcomes in the health industry. He has developed a comprehensive understanding of both the clinical and economic needs over his career for companies, hospitals and payers.
	Michael Topmiller, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, Health GIS Research Specialist Dr. Topmiller is a Health GIS Research Specialist at HealthLandscape, where he serves in a variety of roles, including leading multiple geospatial and population health research projects, developing prototypes and configuring web-based mapping tools, and providing support and webinar training for HealthLandscape’s suite of online data visualization tools. In addition, Dr. Topmiller is a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program, where he is working on a community-based participatory research project focused on early childhood wellness in two Cincinnati neighborhoods.
	France Weaver, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Associate Director of EMHSA Program Dr. Weaver’s has a Ph.D. in Health Policy and Administration with a concentration in Health Economics. Her research and expertise is in quantitative data analyses in health economics and policy analysis.

What are the admission requirements and is a GRE required?

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university. Preference is given to applicants who have 3 or more years of healthcare experience and an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. Previous coursework in economics and statistics, with a final grade of “B” or higher, is recommended.

The GRE is NOT required. We do require:

1. our free online application,
2. a current resume,
3. official transcripts of completed coursework from all colleges and universities attended,
4. two letters of recommendation, preferably one from a current employer,
5. a 500-word Letter of Intent and
6. Interview with a program faculty member.

We have Enrollment Specialist available to answer any questions or to help you complete your application. Call 513-745-1098 or email enrollment@xavier.edu and our Online Graduate Enrollment team will be happy to help.

What is the tuition cost?

The tuition rate for the 2021-2022 academic year is $715 per credit hour. Courses are 3 credit hours each and the curriculum requires 42 credit hours to complete the program. Total tuition cost is approximately $30,000 based upon current tuition rates.
Please find more information about Xavier’s tuition here, or learn more about Financial Aid opportunities here.

I’m an international student, can I apply to the program?

International students are welcome to apply, but it is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that their country of residence will recognize a foreign online degree. Please note that online degrees cannot be used to fulfill the legal requirements for visas.
To be considered, all international students must submit an official transcript evaluation performed by an international credential evaluation service that is accredited by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

You can apply for free by filling out Xavier’s free online application.