Student Handbook

Master of Health and Leadership (MHAL)

Last Updated: March 2025

Table of Contents

• Who is Washington State University?
• Introduction
  • Leadership
  • Mission and Vision
  • Office of Health Equity
  • Military & Veteran Students
• Program Description
• Program Goals and Measurable Outcomes
• Course Sequence
• WSU Graduate School Information
• Admission
• Specific Online MHAL Admission Requirements
• Graduate Certificates
• Tuition & Fees
• Academic Calendar
• WSU Policies and Procedures
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Adjustment to Schedule
• Attendance
• Grades and Grade Points
• Graduation
• Appendix A — Catalog of Course Descriptions
• Appendix B — Academic Regulations

Who is Washington State University?

Washington State University, the state of Washington’s land-grant institution, was founded in 1890. The first class of 21 students enrolled on Jan 13, 1892. Since that time, the University has grown steadily in size and diversity. It now contains 12 colleges and a Graduate School, with a total enrollment for all campus locations of more than 28,000. The main campus of nearly 600 acres, located at Pullman in the Palouse country of southeastern Washington, encompasses one of the largest residential universities west of the Mississippi. More than 80 percent of all students live on or near campus. In addition to the main campus, Washington State University offers courses of study at four campuses located in Spokane, Tri-Cities (Richland), Everett, and Vancouver, as well as a robust Global campus. In addition, the University maintains over 5,000 acres of farmland and eight agricultural research centers located at various points in the state.

Introduction

The information and policies contained in this handbook apply to students at Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine MHAL Students at Washington State University. WSU College of Medicine students are covered by the general policies of Washington State University, which apply to all students at the University.

This publication has the limited purpose of providing information concerning the MHAL degree offered at the College of Medicine. This publication should not be construed as an offer or contract between the College of Medicine or University and any person. The WSU College of Medicine and the University has the right to amend, add, or delete any information in this publication, including any course of study, program fee or regulation of the University. Policies and regulations listed in this handbook are subject to change at any time throughout the academic year. Announcements of such changes are made on a routine basis within the University and the College of Medicine. Students are responsible for staying up to date on the student handbook updates.

Mission & Vision

See how we’re solving problems in challenging health care environments and filling critical health care gaps across Washington state.

Office for Health Equity

We are committed to improving the health and well-being of all who call our state home. We aim to animate and sustain this commitment through initiatives that support current and future students, foster community engagement, and improve our understanding of how community conditions impact health. 

Military & Veteran Students

Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine is committed to providing a superior educational experience for our military and veteran students. We understand that the mission comes first. Should your duties prevent you from attending class or completing coursework, it is your responsibility to inform your instructor as soon as practical.  Additionally, we invite you to take advantage of the following resources and opportunities: For VA benefits and services, contact Penny Martinez 509-335-1234 or email veterans@wsu.edu.

Program Description

The Master of Health Administration and Leadership (MHAL) program at the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine trains current and future health care leaders. Designed for individuals seeking to advance in their health care careers, as well as professionals who are already in health care leadership positions, the stackable certificate program provides training in key leadership skills and business competencies necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving field of health care. Students will learn from experts who are active leaders in the health care sector themselves—WSU faculty who run complex hospital systems, lead academic institutions and drive research activities within health care systems.

The MHAL degree is a collaboration between the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the Carson College of Business consisting of three stackable certificates.

• Foundations of Leadership Certificate (12 credits)
• Essentials of Healthcare Certificate (12 credits)
• Business of Healthcare Certificate (12 credits)

Uniquely designed to be flexible to individual needs and interests, students can opt to complete one, two or all three certificates in any order. Completing three certificates (36 credits) and a capstone project (2 credits) for a total of 38 credits qualifies students to receive the MHAL degree.

All courses below are 3 credit courses unless noted (*)

• Foundations of Leadership: MHAL 501; MHAL 502, MHAL 503; MHAL 504
• Essentials of Healthcare: MHAL 505; HPA 506; MHAL 506; MHAL 507
• Business of Healthcare: ACCTNG 550; BA 501*; BA 502*; BA 504*; MGMT 593

Program Goals and Measurable Outcomes

Graduates from the MHAL program will be able to:

• Apply a range of individual and team leadership theories and skills that can be utilized to benefit others and their organizations.
• Assess, analyze and reflect on their own emotional intelligence, develop a personal growth and development learning plan and exhibit skills such as deep, mindful listening and coaching to individuals in the workplace and in their personal lives.
• Understand systems of change and apply frameworks for leading systems of change using analytic strategies and tools to assess effective and ineffective approaches in health care.
• Analyze, understand, apply and analyze, the principles of value-based care and apply principles of value-based care, patient safety issues and demonstrate the important underpinnings of quality improvement.
• Demonstrate use of LEAN production concepts applied to decrease waste and inefficiency in a clinical setting.
• Create a specific CQI project that can be applied to their organization.
• Apply tools to increase health equity and aid in reduction of the factors that cause them as well as utilize and develop interventions to meet the needs of different vulnerable populations.
• Apply basic financial, accounting, marketing, business strategies, data analysis, operations management, and productivity in managing the business of healthcare.

Course Sequence

The MHAL graduate degree is made up of three certificates. Students can take courses within any of the 3 certificates concurrently, if they are offered in a way to do so. Students need not complete 1 certificate in order to move onto the next certificate. Though there is not a specific order for taking the certificates, but within the Leadership certificate, courses will be offered in a prearranged order to ensure foundation skills are learned and built upon for an overall solid foundation of work.

WSU Graduate School Information

Graduate admission requirements, deadlines, forms, policies and procedures, and important program information are found on the Graduate School website.

Visit WSU Global Campus for information and resources.

Admission

Admission to Washington State University is granted without regard to age, sex, race, religion, color, creed, disability, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or marital status. Graduates of Washington State University and other colleges and universities whose degrees are recognized by this institution and who meet the requirements for admission to the MHAL Program may be admitted.

Admission to the masters’ program is based on a variety of factors including GPA 3.0, letters of recommendation (for MHAL only), statement of purpose, and relevant work experience (resume). The GPA used for admission to masters’ programs is based on the cumulative GPA of the bachelor’s degree or the last 12 credit hours of a completed graduate degree or certificate. Applicants who do not meet the admissions standards may request an evaluation of the last 60 graded undergraduate credits (60 credits for semesters: 90 credits for quarters).  The GPA that is most in the applicants’ favor will be used for MHAL admissions purposes. International students will not be considered at this time.

Applicants for admission to the MHAL program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US university before the start of the semester for which they have applied to the MHAL program. Previous schools must be accredited by a recognized accreditation association. Applicants must have a 3.0 grade point average of graded undergraduate coursework, or from graded graduate coursework where there are 12 or more graded semester hours of graduate coursework taken after the bachelor’s degree. Students only pursuing either the Essentials of Healthcare or Foundations of Leadership certificates will accept a 2.75 GPA to apply.  Students with a professional degree (i.e., PharmD, JD, MD, etc.) do not require a bachelor’s degree and will be considered for admission with their earned professional degree.

Official transcripts are required for all applicants admitted to the MHAL program. These official documents must be received within the first semester at WSU. Official transcripts are those mailed directly from the registrar of the institution attended; transcripts that are not mailed directly or sent electronically from the registrar are unofficial. The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Graduate and Online Programs office will accept electronic transcripts from U.S. institutions via the official electronic transcript process of the registrar’s office of the institution. In such cases, the applicant should provide the registrar with the following email address for corresponding with the and Online Programs office regarding electronic transcripts:

All applicants must submit one set of official transcripts from the following:

• All accredited colleges or universities attended for any undergraduate coursework (including undergraduate coursework taken after the bachelor’s degree); and
• The accredited colleges or universities from which any bachelor’s degrees and/or graduate degrees have been granted or are expected; and
• The accredited college or universities showing any graded graduate level (including doctoral) coursework taken after the bachelor’s degree. If an applicant attended WSU, they do not need to submit transcripts from WSU as they are available to the College of Medicine Online Programs office. 

Official transcripts can be mailed directly to the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine or sent electronically; please find this information in your student portal. A student may be admitted and begin their first semester of courses while still awaiting final official transcripts. If the official transcripts are not received by the end of their first term of enrollment, an admissions hold will be placed to prevent further enrollment until we receive the missing material.

Specific Online MHAL Admission Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution.
• GPA: Min. 3.0/ (2.75 if applying for Essentials of Healthcare and Foundations of Leadership certificates only)
• Completed and signed application (online)
• Written statement addressing how you believe this program will prepare you to create solutions in the health care community. If you do not have any experience in a healthcare setting, please discuss what interests you about this program.
• Two-three professional references (from a work or volunteer supervisor or colleague) who will submit letters of reference for you that can speak to your leadership skills or potential. Note: two are required, three recommended.
• Resume

Graduate Certificates

Graduate certificate students who are not concurrently enrolled in a regular graduate degree program are classified as non-degree seeking students. Students may enroll in either Leadership Certificates with a 2.75 GPA from an accredited US university or college.

Students enrolled in certificate programs:

• Are expected to meet all course requirements, to fully participate in all course activities, and    to complete all assignments, exams, projects, and other requirements to earn credit and a grade;
• Are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement while enrolled as a part-time certificate student;
• May use such university services as the library, computing, and bookstore;
• Are not eligible for all services provided to degree students who pay comprehensive fees such as enrolling in independent study, research and project course credit, research/dissertation credits, final examinations and/or similar coursework designed for degree-seeking students (i.e., 700, 701, 702, or 800 credits);
• Are not eligible for graduate assistantships, fellowships, or scholarships; and
• Are not eligible for financial aid; applicants must check with the WSU Financial Aid Office to verify eligibility.

For more information, please visit the Grad School Policies and Procedures webpage.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition, fees, and other charges are subject to change each academic year and are effective when established by the Legislature of the State of Washington and adopted by the WSU Board of Regents. For the most up-to-date rates, visit Financial Aid website. Tuition is charged for the MHAL program at the program level unless a more expensive class is taken, then the charge for the class will be at the higher rate. Current tuition for MHAL is $950 per credit.

Payment of registration fees is due the Friday before courses begin.

LATE FEES: If tuition is not paid by the 5^th day of classes, a late fee of $150 will be assessed at 12:01 a.m. on the 6^th day on any amounts owing of $100 or more, and a hold will be put on registration for future classes. This will be true for each session where fees are not paid. This is in effect for Fall, Spring, and Summer every term in perpetuity.   

NOTE: Overdue accounts owed to the University will prevent release of transcripts, diploma, and enrollment. Registration is not complete until all the student’s tuition and fees are paid.

Financial Holds: For any issues with tuition and fees, or financial holds, please contact student accounts or call (509) 335-112. If you are trying to enroll for future courses, you may call and request temporary removal of the hold, but you will be responsible for paying all tuition and fees prior to receiving your degree.

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar shows key dates that include late fees.

WSU Policies and Procedures

Academic Deficiency

The WSU Graduate School provides information regarding the minimum GPA requirements, academic probation, and reinstatement requirements:

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct

All members of the WSU community are responsible for maintaining and promoting the principles of truth and academic honesty. When an academic integrity violation occurs, it is not just against the rules, but against the greater philosophy of higher education. Academic integrity violations devalue a student’s college experience and preparation for the future. Academic Integrity issues at WSU are managed by the Office of Student Conduct. Also note the responsible research section on page 7. Washington State University’s academic policy is available online. Another rich resource is Graduate School Academic Integrity. These sources will give you guidance as a student and teaching assistant.

Academic Integrity Violations

All academic integrity (cheating) violations will be handled in accordance with the academic integrity procedures in the WSU Code of Conduct, WAC 504-26-415.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

Financial Aid

Students enrolled in the MHAL Program are eligible to apply for state and federal financial aid programs to admitted students. For specific financial aid information students may contact WSU Spokane Student Services.

Request for Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available for a student with a documented disability or religious observances. Students wanting to request reasonable accommodations must work through WSU Spokane’s Access Services.

Accommodations of Religious Observances in the Administration of Examinations

Washington State University is committed to providing people of diverse religious backgrounds access to education. In addition, law requires reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs and practices. Because religious observances do not always conform to state and university holidays, tests or examinations that fall on these religious observances require reasonable accommodation. The university will provide reasonable accommodation consistent with the fair, efficient and secure administration of its programs. When tests or examinations fall on one or two days objectionable to a student because of religious beliefs, the student shall provide the instructor with written notice 14 calendar days prior to the holiday. The written notice shall specify the date(s) and the reasonable accommodation requested. If the request appears to be made in good conscience, the instructor shall make alternate arrangements for administration of the examination or test, considering the integrity of the testing process and fairness to all the students. The instructor shall inform the student of the decision in writing within seven calendar days of the receipt of the request. Any student who believes that she or he has not been appropriately accommodated under this policy may seek review of the decision by sending a written request to the chairperson of the department offering the course, as soon as possible and no later than seven days after learning of the instructor’s decision. After the chair’s decision, the student or the instructor may appeal to the dean’s office.

Appeals to the dean’s office must be presented in writing within seven calendar days of the chair’s decision. The decision of the dean or associate dean shall be made within seven calendar days and is final. The University Ombudsman is available at any stage for advice or assistance in resolving requests for accommodation. Students should understand that fairness in the examination process is an important consideration in the educational process and that they do have a duty to cooperate in making alternate arrangements.

Retention and Remediation

WSU and the College of Medicine strive to assist students who may be performing poorly in the courses. Please reach out to your faculty right away; the New Programming Coordinator is also available.

Student Information

FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’, both current and former, educational records. Per the student rights outlined by FERPA, students have the right to inspect and review education records maintained by WSU.

• Learn how to request educational records through FERPA.
• Additional information about student rights can be found on WSU Graduate School.

Transfer Credits and Course Offerings

Students who desire to transfer credit for courses from other institutions must consult the Director of MHAL to facilitate the transfer process. Courses taken from other universities must meet the WSU and MHAL transfer requirements.

Most courses in the MHAL Program are only offered once a year. Therefore, planning your full academic program with the New Programming Coordinator is vitally important. Students who elect to drop a course may lengthen the time required to achieve their academic degree.

Withdrawal and Refund of Tuition and Fees  

Students who withdraw from the program may be eligible for a refund of tuition and fees. Students may contact the Registrar’s Office for more information.

A step-by-step guide to the academic integrity process can be found on the Center for Community Standards.

Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment

Students experiencing, witnessing, or having questions about discrimination and/or harassment at WSU, including sexual harassment, should contact WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights.

Department Policies and Procedures

Expectations with Respect to Electronic Communications

Faculty and staff are almost exclusively using electronic means to disseminate information to communicate with you. This information may be important and/or time sensitive. For all WSU correspondence, students are required to use their official WSU email address when corresponding with WSU faculty and staff. In addition, students should regularly check their WSU issued email account inbox and spam folder regularly in case email is inadvertently placed there.

Student’s responsibility to:

• Ensure they are connected to email and check it frequently (at least once daily on Mondays through Fridays).
• Maintain a WSU email account. All emails from faculty and staff to students will be sent directly to WSU email addresses (example: networkid@wsu.edu).
• Email communications from students to faculty and staff should bear a signature line at the end of the message giving the student’s full name and return WSU email address.
• Students may access myWSU to get a new email name and temporary password, as well as instructions on how to obtain a WSU email account and how to check their WSU email account.
• Electronic communication may be required as part of courses and rotations. The requirements are to be specified in the course syllabus. If these requirements pose a problem for a student, the student must contact the instructor of record to work out a solution.
• Email communications from faculty and staff to students and vice versa should include a concise description of the content of the email in the subject line so that recipients can gauge the urgency and importance of the message. Faculty and staff are expected to provide communications to students in a timely manner that will allow students adequate notice and opportunity to read and/or respond.

In short, the lack of access to electronic communication is not a valid excuse for failure to respond to a request, perform an assignment, or meet a deadline.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To uphold high academic standards, the Graduate School has established a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 program GPA for a graduate student to be considered in good academic standing.

No graded course of B- or below may be dropped from a program of study for an advanced degree nor can a course be repeated for a higher grade if the final grade is C or higher. Any course listed on the program of study for which a grade of C- or below is earned must be repeated for a letter grade, not on a Pass/Fail basis.

All grades earned by a graduate student in courses listed on the program of study, except for the first grade for a repeated course, will be averaged in the student’s GPA.

If a student is placed on probation or dismissed from the program due to academic reasons, Graduate School policies and procedures will be followed.

Conduct

Washington State University is guided by a commitment to excellence embodied in a set of core values. The university aims to create an environment that cultivates individual virtues and institutional integrity in the community. The mission of the university is supported when students uphold and take responsibility for the full scope of these values. The university’s core values are identified in its strategic plan. Under the terms of enrollment, students acknowledge the university’s authority to take disciplinary action for conduct on or off university property that is detrimental to the university’s core values. Students who violate the university Standards of Conduct are subject to discipline, which may include temporary or permanent removal from the university. (See the Standards of Conduct for Students.)

Penalty for Academic Dishonestly

Cases of academic dishonesty shall be processed in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy, as printed in the Student Handbook and the Faculty Manual and as available from the Office of Student Standards and Accountability.

Student Petitions for Exceptions to Academic Calendar Deadlines and Withdrawal Limits

 Students may, with the payment of a service fee, petition for exceptions to the academic calendar deadlines (e.g., withdrawal after the deadline) or petition for withdrawal from an individual course after the student has used the maximum number allowed. Petitions are considered only in the case of extraordinary circumstances.

Adjustment to Schedule

If there is an adjustment to the schedule needed, the student will contact the program by emailing medicine.leadershipeducation@wsu.edu.

Adding a Course

Students may add course enrollments through the third day of the session for online courses and by the fifth day for campus-based courses. It is advisable that students enroll prior to the start of the term as students who are prior are more likely to succeed.

After the third day of a 5- or 7-week session, students are not allowed to be enrolled into a class.

Dropping a Course

 A student may drop a course without record up to the end of the 3^rd day of class (Pacific Time.) 

Withdrawal from a Course

A student may withdraw from a course after the 3^rd day of classes up to the 10^th day of classes for a 5-week course and the 15^th day of classes for a 7-week course.   

• After the withdrawal limit is reached, a student may, in exceptional circumstances, submit a petition through my.wsu.edu.
•   If a grade has been entered for a course, the grade may not be changed to a withdrawal without the instructor’s consent.
• Withdrawals do not reduce tuition charges.
• For academic calendars that vary from the regular 15-week term, a prorated schedule will be used to determine the withdrawal deadline.
• The grade shall be marked W, and payment of the service fee shall be mandatory. Students that wish to request a course withdrawal after 30th day, must do so through their academic advisor or student support specialist, in the form of a petition, which will be reviewed by the registrar.

Cancellation of Enrollment

Students who wish to withdraw from the institution and dis-enroll from all their classes initiate the term withdrawal through my.wsu.edu > Manage classes > Withdraw from current term.  

• Students seeking to cancel their enrollment after completing one or more courses may petition for an exception to the academic calendar deadlines in the event of extraordinary circumstances through my.wsu.edu. 
• Students canceling their enrollment during the first four weeks of the semester will have their permanent records marked “withdrew (date).” (Individual course enrollments will not be recorded.)
• Students canceling their enrollment after the fourth week through the last day of instruction (end of the 15th week) will have their permanent records marked “withdrew (date),” and a grade of W will be recorded for each course enrollment.

Attendance

Military Service Attendance

Students who are members of the National Guard or a reserve branch of a military service are occasionally required to miss class for weekend drills, active duty, and related responsibilities. In such a case, instructors should not penalize students for the absences and should allow them to make up the missed work. In each instance, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of the duty before the absence and complete the missed work as soon as reasonably possible.

Flexible Attendance as an Access Accommodation

Due to certain disabilities or chronic medical conditions, flexibility with attendance may be regarded as a reasonable accommodation. In these situations, instructors will receive notification of approved accommodations and procedures from the Access Center. The Access Center also provides accommodations on a temporary basis for injuries such as broken limbs or concussions but does not provide accommodations for acute illnesses.

Other Absences

Students must sometimes miss class meetings, examinations, or other academic obligations affecting their grades due to personal circumstances. It is the responsibility of the student to provide a written explanation for the absence to the instructor as soon as it is reasonable to do so. When possible, students should provide appropriate documentation for their absence, but instructors cannot require written excuses from health care professionals.

As long as such absences are not excessive, it is recommended, but not required, that the instructor provide and document reasonable arrangements. Determinations regarding the acceptance of an absence are at the discretion of the instructor based on the attendance policy as stated in the class syllabus.

Students who attempt to gain advantage through abuse of this policy (e.g., by providing an instructor with false information) may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action.

Emergency Notifications

In the event a student is going to be away from class for an extended period, the student is responsible for notifying the instructor(s) and/or the program Director.

It is the responsibility of the student to contact their instructors as soon as possible to make arrangements for missed work. It is up to the instructor to determine what, if any, arrangements will be made for the student based upon the attendance policy as stated in syllabus.

Request for Consideration

The Office of the Dean of Students and/or the Office for Equal Opportunity may contact instructors on a student’s behalf when the student’s involvement in a matter implicating the WSU Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct, Executive Policy #15, is having a significant impact on the student’s academic progress. In such cases, the instructor is strongly encouraged to work with the student to address the student’s needs without compromising learning objectives.  It is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor to make these arrangements.

Students who are dissatisfied with the instructor’s arrangement regarding missed work may follow the Academic Complaint Procedure, Rule 104.

Leave Policies

The Graduate School requires graduate students to be continuously enrolled while pursuing their graduate education; however, there are various options for students to take leave from their studies including parental leave, internship leave, medical leave, and services such as Peace Corps or military. Leave status allows you to be away from graduate school for a specified period of time and return without having to re-enroll. Read about the different types of leave and Grad School policies.

Grades and Grade Points

Washington State University uses letter grades and the four (4) point maximum grading scale. The grade A is the highest possible grade, and grades below C- are considered failing. Plus (+) or minus (-) symbols are used to indicate grades that fall above or below the letter grades, but grades of A+ and D- are not used. For purposes of calculating grade points and averages, the plus (+) is equal to .3 and minus (-) equals .7 (e.g., a grade B+ is equivalent to 3.3 and A- is 3.7). A student’s work is normally rated in accordance with the following definitions:

(Incomplete.) An Incomplete “I” is the term used to indicate that a grade has been deferred. It is for students who, for reasons beyond their control, are unable to complete their work on time. All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and blank/no grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the degree.

Students have up to the end of the ensuing year to complete the course, unless a shorter interval is specified by the instructor. If the incomplete is not made up during the specified time or the student repeats the course, the “I” is changed to an F. Faculty are required to submit an Incomplete Grade Report (IGR) to the departmental office with every “I” given. The IGR must specify conditions and requirements for completing the incomplete, as well as any time limitations less than one year. Because college courses are offered on a set schedule, “I” grades can be completed at the next instance of the course offering by enrolling directly in the course via Bb Learn (not MyWSU) for access to course materials. Once an “I” grade has been completed, the instructor will need to fill out another Change of Grade form, with the new grade earned.

(Unsatisfactory.) Student work demonstrates unsatisfactory performance, failed examination, or unfulfilled requirements in courses numbered 702.

Retention of Final Examinations, Final Projects, and Final Papers

Final examinations, final projects, and final papers are university records, which must be maintained for one year after the end of the term, unless they are returned directly to the student. Department chairs or directors are responsible for identifying an appropriate storage location, which may include the instructor’s campus office. Both the chair or the director or their designees and the instructor shall have ready access to these final examinations, final projects, and final papers. All college work products are stored in the learning management system Canvas and will be destroyed within 2 years’ time.

Correction of Grade Errors

An instructor may not change a grade after the final grade deadline has passed and grades have posted to the transcript, except to correct a previously submitted grade, or to provide a grade for an I, X, or blank / missing grade. 

In the case where a grade is being corrected, the chair of the department is notified when the request is submitted. Grade changes must be submitted within one year following the end of the term when the course was taught.  In extenuating circumstances or when prompted by an academic integrity violation, exceptions to the one-year limit may be considered by request to the Registrar’s Office

Graduate Student Grades

On a program leading to an advanced degree, graduate students must attain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 on their graduate programs and a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in all 300-400-level and graduate courses. No grade below C is accepted in any course for graduate credit.

Student’s Scholastic Average

A student’s scholastic average is determined by adding the grade points earned in all WSU course work and dividing by the total number of hours in which the student has been enrolled at WSU. I, W, S, P, U, and X grades are disregarded.

Academic Complaint Procedures

A student having complaints about instruction or grading should refer them first to the attempt to resolve those issues directly with the instructor.  If that fails, the student should send an email to the instructor using his or her official WSU email account no later than 20 business days following the end of the semester. This email should briefly outline the complaint and be copied to the chairperson of the academic department. 

If the complaint is not resolved with the instructor within 20 business days of sending the email, then the student may work directly with the chairperson of the academic department in which the course is offered. The chair’s decision shall be rendered within 20 additional business days.

After the chair’s decision, the student or the instructor may appeal to the academic college Dean’s Office. Complaints must be presented in writing to the college dean within 20 business days of the chair’s decision. The written statement should describe the complaint, indicate how it affects the individual or unit, and include the remedy sought from the college dean. The decision of the college dean is the final step and shall be made within 20 business days. 

The University Ombudsman is available at any stage for advice or assistance in resolving academic complaints. 

Note: Though chairs and college deans (and program leaders and campus chancellors) may resolve complaints about instruction and grading, they may not change a final grade without the consent of the instructor, except as provided by Rule 105.

Administrative Changes to Final Grades

• Chairperson Acting in Lieu of Instructor: In the extraordinary circumstances when an instructor is not available or has failed to respond to the student or chairperson using his or her official WSU email account within 20 business days according to Rule 104, then the chairperson of the department may change a final grade.
• University Grade Appeals Board: If a chair, dean, Graduate School Dean, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or designee, or University Ombudsman determines that a change of a final grade is warranted for any reason other than academic dishonesty, any one of them may refer the case to the chair of the University Grade Appeals Board for review. The case must be referred to within one semester of the posting of the grade (excluding summer term).
  • The University Grade Appeals Board shall have jurisdiction over decisions of any instructor and/or administrator on matters of University course grading appeals. The decision of the board is final and not subject to further appeal.
  • Note: Students may not take a grade appeal directly to the board but should follow the academic complaint procedures, as presented in Rule 104.
• Procedure for academic integrity violations: Allegations of academic integrity violations are processed through the procedure established in WAC 504-26-404. A final grade may be changed at any time because of this procedure.

Graduation

Student Responsibility for Graduation

The student has the ultimate responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements. The student plans the program of study (i.e., study plan) each semester in consultation with the advisor. The degree requirements listed in the catalog and in the advisement, report is binding. Colleges may substitute or waive college-level requirements for individual students. Departments may substitute or waive departmental requirements for individual students.

Requirements for Master’s Degrees

• The College of Medicine MHAL Program has no residency requirement.
• All outstanding incomplete work (including grades of I, X, and no/blank grade) must be completed and posted to the official transcript prior to the conferral of the master’s degree. Once a degree is conferred and posted to the official transcript, no changes will be allowed to the academic record that predates the degree.
• The award of a master’s degree and/or diploma requires the student’s good standing in the university and satisfaction of all University graduation requirements. “Good standing” means the student has resolved any acts of academic or behavioral misconduct and complied with all sanctions imposed as a result of the misconduct. The University shall have the sole authority in determining whether to withhold the degree and/or diploma in cases where the student is not in good standing due to acts of misconduct, has not resolved any acts of academic or behavior misconduct, or has not complied with all sanctions imposed as a result of misconduct. The University shall deny the award of a degree if the student is dismissed from the University based on his other misconduct. Neither diplomas nor transcripts will be sent until students have resolved any unpaid fees and resolved any acts of academic or behavioral misconduct and complied with all sanctions imposed as a result of misconduct. (See Rule 45 and the Standards of Conduct for Students.)
• To complete a master’s degree, a student shall earn no fewer than the specified number of hours as required in section “College of Medicine MHAL Program Requirements.”

Appendix A — Catalog of Course Descriptions

Foundations of Leadership Certificate

Introduction to Leadership and Self-Assessment, (3 credits), Course 501 

• Students will understand, analyze, critique, and apply a range of leadership theories.
• Compare and contrast various types of leadership and analyze values associated with them.
• Exhibit fluency in their own strengths and how to utilize them to the benefit of others in their organizations.
• Develop a personal strategy and goals for personal improvement.
• Explain and analyze models of leadership including dyad, triad and teams.

Teamwork and Team Building, (3 credits), Course 502

• Demonstrate knowledge of theories and research on skillful team development and create teams based on this knowledge.
• Analyze and apply team development techniques.
• Apply a consultative perspective and analyze team health and make recommendations.
• Describe best practices in team cohesion, including trust, psychological safety, and skillful debate and conflict.
• Explain and apply skills in skillful followership.
• Compare and contrast different organizational structures, including matrix organizations and their effects on team behavior.

Emotional Intelligence and the Healthcare Leader, (3 credits), Course 503

• Describe research and implications of EQ in the workplace.
• Analyze, critique, and apply EQ in case analysis and in personal reflection.
• Demonstrate self-assessment their EQ and develop a personal learning plan for growth.
• Exhibit skills in deep listening, mindful listening, and coaching.
• Exhibit fluent analysis in writing discussion and in essay form.

Leading Through Transformational Change, (3 credits) , Course 504

• Describe elements, risks and opportunities of systems change. 
• Describe and apply frameworks for leading systems change. 
• Analyze strategies and tools for maintaining focus and priorities during change. 
• Compare and contrast effective and ineffective approaches to leading change.
• Apply skills and techniques to change opportunities in clinical care. 

Essentials of Healthcare Certificate

Value-Based Leadership: Incorporating the Triple Aim, (3 credits), Course 505

• Create a plan related to a specific CQI project.
• Describe and analyze common patient safety issues/ adverse events and methods used to assess them.
• Apply principles of value-based care.
• Describe common quality measures used in clinical practice and how to apply them.
• Define and describe the important underpinnings of quality improvement.
• Demonstrate use of LEAN production concepts to decrease waste and inefficiency in a clinical setting.

Healthcare Policy and Politics, (3 credits), MHAL 506

• Identify, describe, and compare important pieces of health policy legislation.
• Recognize and assess the impact of conflicting interests on the legislative process, particularly with extreme polarization.
• Describe and discuss the lifecycle of legislation, the challenges it faces along the way and apply knowledge to engage in legislative change.
• Consider new health legislation especially around COVID and political contexts apply knowledge on how to utilize them in one’s own role.
• Develop an approach for assessing policy, including an understanding of how to judge information sources.

Health Equity, Advocacy and Their Impact on Healthcare, (3 credits), MHAL 507

• Define the various forms of advocacy and describe components of effective advocacy.
• Demonstrate knowledge of health equity and apply tools to aid in its reduction.
• Compare and contrast the needs of the different vulnerable populations and develop an approach to intervention.
• Describe and analyze the origins and effects of structural bias as it relates to health, wellness and healthcare access.
• Describe population health and analyze how its use can lead to improved healthcare.

US Health Systems: From Micro to Macro, (3 credits), Course 508

• Analyze and critique the effectiveness and cost of the US Healthcare system. 
• Analyze and critique current and historic efforts to improve outcomes and control costs of the US Health System. 
• Apply learning in order to describe opportunities and/or actions that will improve outcomes within the US healthcare system. 
• Analyze and discuss the external issues that constrain healthcare delivery including healthcare economics and the US insurance environment. 
• Analyze how population health and informatics can innovatively approaches to health in the future.

Managing the Business of Healthcare Certificate

Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting, (3 credits), ACCT 550

• Fundamentals of financial and managerial accounting
• Describe various concepts that govern financial accounting.
• Describe the nature and purpose of the basic financial statements of an entity.
• Compute several ratios for financial statement analysis.
• Use accounting information for various decision-making purposes.
• Describe the purposes of cost assignment and apply various techniques for cost allocation.
• Compare and contrast traditional and activity-based costing systems.

Foundations in Marketing, (2 credits), BA 501

• Understand and use basic marketing terminology and concepts.
• Understand the basics of marketing planning, including the ability to identify the basic elements of a marketing plan.
• Appreciate and understand the role of the customer in marketing planning, target marketing, and positioning strategy.
• Understand the environment in which organizations market their products, including the competitive, socio/cultural, natural, political/legal, economic, and technological environments.
• Describe the elements of the marketing mix, how these elements are integrated in the marketing strategy, and how these elements affect an organization’s ability to compete in the marketplace.
• Consider the ethical and global marketing environments and their impacts on marketing strategy.

Foundations in Operations Management, (2 credits), BA 502

• Foundation topics in operations management for MBA students.
• Start with your natural sense of operations management and begin to map the more formal principles and core concepts of operations management onto parts of your personal experience.
• Understand the key conceptual issues in operations management.
• Develop an analytical toolbox to address typical problems faced by an operations manager.

Foundations in Finance, (2 credits), BA 504

• Understand the goals and governance of corporation.
• Be familiar with financial markets of the corporation.
• Understand and apply the concept of time value of money.
• Value stocks and bonds
• Use discounted cash-flow analysis and other method to make investment decision.
• Be familiar with the concept of risk and return.
• Calculate the weighted average cost of capital.

 Managerial Leadership and Productivity, (3 credits), MGMT 593

• Managerial Leadership and Productivity Organizational behavior and human motivation in the workplace: organization and leadership theories, studies, projects, and models leading to improved productivity. 
• Recognize their own leadership strengths and weaknesses.
• Influence coworkers through motivation, office politics and persuasive communication.
• Form and lead effective teams.
• Create an organizational environment that increases employee satisfaction and productivity. 
• Apply ethical frameworks.

Additional Courses

Data Analysis for Managers, (2 credits), BA 500

Course Prerequisite: Admission to the MBA program. Descriptive statistics, probability, common, discrete, and continuous distribution functions, sampling and estimation, and statistical inference.

Managerial Economics for Decision Making, (3 credits), ECONS 555

Optimal economic decision making for business in a global environment.

Eligibility to waive these two courses:

Students who do not have an undergraduate in business or cannot otherwise demonstrate by their transcript the completion of an introductory statistics course, micro-economics and macro-economics will also be required to take these courses.

Appendix B — Academic Regulations

Washington State University and its various colleges reserve the right to change the rules regulating admission to, instruction in, and graduation from Washington State University and any other regulations affecting the student body. Such regulations shall go into effect whenever the proper authorities may determine and shall apply to prospective students and to those who may at that time be enrolled.

Below are the Academic Regulations relevant to the college program. For a full list of unedited rules, see the full WSU Catalog.

CREDIT FROM INSTITUTIONS WITHOUT REGIONAL ACCREDITATION: Students who have taken college-level, academic work at institutions that are not regionally accredited but are nationally accredited may petition for transfer of appropriate credits. Petitions may be filed after the student has completed a minimum of one semester (minimum of 15 credits) of satisfactory work at Washington State University. To receive credit, a student must have earned a minimum grade of B in the course for which he or she is requesting transfer credit. Petitions are reviewed and approved first by the Department Chair and then by the College Dean from the unit that offers courses in that discipline. The Vice Provost or designee reviews and approves petitions in cases where there is no equivalent WSU unit. Following approval by the Department and College (or Vice Provost or designee), the petition is then forwarded to the Chair of the Admission Subcommittee for review and approval. Students may contact the Office of Admissions for more information. 

Please note that the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine allows only 6 credits, which must be taken from an AACSB or EQUIS accredited institution to count towards electives.

Credit

CREDIT DEFINITION: Academic credit is a measure of the total minimum time commitment required of a typical student in a specific course. For the WSU semester system one semester credit is assigned for a minimum of 45 hours. The expected time commitment may include: 1) time spent in scheduled course activities organized by an instructor (lectures, discussions, workbooks, videotapes, laboratories, studios, fieldwork, etc.); 2) time spent in group activities related to course requirements; and 3) time spent in reading, studying, problem solving, writing, and other preparations for the course. The minimum in-class time commitment, based on a 15-week semester and a traditional format, should follow these guidelines: 1) lecture—1 hour of lecture per week for each credit hour; 2) laboratory—3 hours of laboratory per week for each credit hour; 3) studio—2 hours of studio work per week for each credit hour; 4) ensemble—4 hours of ensemble work per week for each credit hour. The minimum time commitment for independent study is 3 hours of work per week for each credit hour. Courses taught in different time frames than the 15-week semester or in a different format need to define how the time commitment leads to the achievement of stated course goals. Achievement of course goals may require more than the minimum time commitment. As part of the initial approval process for new courses, the Catalog Subcommittee reviews course syllabi for adherence to credit and minimum time commitments. For ongoing adherence to credit and minimum time commitments, colleges review the schedule of classes each term to check a judgment sample of scheduled courses.

REPEAT COURSES: Students may repeat a course in which they have received a grade of C- or below, or a withdrawal (W), or when a course may be repeated for additional credit. Students may enroll more than once in the same course in any given term (fall, spring, or summer) provided that the particular periods of enrollment do not overlap and that other conditions for allowed repeats are met.

In the College of Medicine program, students will remain in a deficient or probationary status if the C- or lower grade causes their overall GPA to fall below a 3.0 until such time as the grade is replaced.

Repeating courses graded C- or below. To attempt to improve the cumulative grade point average, a student may repeat courses in which a C- or below was received. When such a course is repeated, only the last grade contributes to the grade point average and total hours earned. Students may repeat a course graded C- or below one time at WSU. Additional repeats are allowed at WSU by special permission of the academic unit offering the course. For the purpose of deficient grades, when a C- or lower grade is repeated and a higher grade is earned, the C- or lower grade still counts toward the total number of deficient grades allowed.