MHA Program Director – Open Rank Tenure-Track Faculty Position

The University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health invites applications for an open rank tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Health Services Policy and Management (HSPM) to serve as the next Director of our Master of Health Administration (MHA) Program. We seek an experienced faculty member who shares our vision of a world in which health care is accessible, affordable, effective, and equitable for all, who is passionate about conducting rigorous research that informs policy and practice, and who takes seriously the responsibility of training the next generation of health care administrators, public health practitioners, and health services researchers. In addition to overseeing and managing all aspects of the MHA program, the successful candidate will be expected to provide visionary leadership consistent with the requirements of a CAHME-accredited program, liaise with community partners to ensure placement of students in graduate assistantships and residency locations, develop or sustain an independent extramurally-funded research program; teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in the department; advise students; mentor students in residency projects or research activities; and provide service to the University, profession, and community. The MHA Program Director supervises an Academic Programs Specialist who provides programmatic and student services support. The MHA Program Director also serves as the faculty advisor to HSPM’s student-led Healthcare Leadership Association, which gives students interested in healthcare leadership opportunities to participate in professional development, networking events, and educational seminars. This 9-month faculty position is fully supported by state funds and includes a substantial start-up package and administrative supplement. The MHA Program Director is also expected to perform job duties during the summer, supported by a mixture of teaching, extramurally-funded research, and departmental funds.

About the Department and the School of Public Health

HSPM is home to 15 full-time faculty who are actively engaged in research to address public health and health care challenges in areas such as rural health, behavioral health, infectious disease, health economics, primary care, maternal and child health, health insurance and hospital care. Our faculty lead or co-lead four major centers on campus: the Rural and Minority Health Research Center, the Big Data Health Sciences Center, the South Carolina Center for Effectiveness Research in Orthopedics, and the Patient Engagement Studio. Our location in the state capital near government agencies and an array of non-profit organizations facilitates collaborative community-engaged partnerships focused on public health priorities important to the people of our state and nation. Our faculty teach courses in the undergraduate public health major, and we also offer three fully-accredited graduate degree programs: a Master of Health Administration, a Master of Public Health, and a PhD in Health Services Policy and Management. HSPM is a full Graduate Member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. 

Our MHA program prepares tomorrow’s health care leaders by exposing students to the core public health disciplines and equipping them with competencies in health care management, accounting, finance, information technology, quantitative methods, leadership, planning, and evaluation. Two-thirds of our instructors are nationally known experts in their fields who are also current practitioners. The program has been continuously accredited by CAHME since 1991. Our graduates are active, visible and valuable members of their communities working hard to improve health and health systems. We offer two tracks: a full-time traditional track and an executive track for experienced health service professionals that meets in person one weekend per month allowing them to advance their career without disrupting it. Students in the traditional track gain hands-on experience from day one by working in a health care setting through a graduate assistantship, which provides in-state tuition and a stipend to help offset living expenses. Students in the executive track enjoy a unique capstone experience, traveling during the summer to visit and learn from health care organizations abroad. Recent destinations have included Dubai (UAE), Switzerland, and Spain.

HSPM is housed within the Arnold School of Public Health at USC—the state’s public flagship university.

The Arnold School hosts a rich portfolio of extramurally funded research totaling more than $59 million last year. The school ranks 5th nationally in National Institutes of Health funding among all public schools of public health, and offers numerous resources for faculty engaged in research, including generous salary release and indirect return policies. 

Columbia is a lively and diverse city with a reasonable cost of living, an excellent quality of life, and a wide variety of things to see and do. Jogging and walking paths line the downtown and riverfront greenway, with parks scattered throughout the rest of the city, and the popularity of downtown living has sparked the growth of independent restaurants, coffee houses, wine bars, breweries, galleries, boutiques, and street fairs. Other Columbia highlights include: the Columbia Museum of Art with continuous high-profile traveling exhibits; the Nickelodeon art house cinema; the South Carolina State Museum with its planetarium, observatory, and 4-D movie theatre; the nationally recognized Riverbanks Zoo and Garden; and Lake Murray. Columbia has a lively local music scene and national entertainment tours that visit the Colonial Life Arena and the Koger Center for the Arts. Known for its college athletics teams as a member of the SEC, the city also hosts a minor league baseball team (the Columbia Fireflies). On top of that, our central location means you are just a few hours (or less) from world-class beaches, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and popular urban destinations such as Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, and Charleston, SC. 

Required Qualifications  

• Applicants must have a doctoral degree (PhD, DHA, DrPH, or JD) in health policy, health services research, health care management, business, health economics, public policy, law, or a closely related field by the employment start date.
• Applicants at the rank of Assistant Professor must have a clear research agenda with high potential for both extramural funding and excellence in teaching and a minimum of 4 years of experience in rank by the employment start date.
• Applicants at the rank of Associate or Full Professor must have an established record of securing extramural funding, publishing research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, impactful teaching, and years of relevant experience commensurate with rank and academic policy.

To apply 

Interested candidates should submit: 1) a cover letter outlining their research and teaching interests and experience, their interest (and any experience with) directing an academic degree program, and their ideal vision for a master’s program in health administration; 2) curriculum vitae; and 3) contact information for three references. Submit your application using the following link: 

https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/177129

If you have questions, please contact Bankole “Banky” Olatosi, PhD, Search Committee Chair at olatosi@mailbox.sc.edu. Review of applications will begin November 25, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for these positions is August 16, 2025.

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations. The University of South Carolina and the Department of Health Services Policy and Management seek to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and community. Thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates whose research, teaching, and/or service align with this commitment.