Experiential Learning

Effective leaders and managers must know how to deliver on their ideas in a measurable way, clearly communicate with all stakeholders, and understand how their roles and decisions fit into the broader landscape of the health care field. To acquire these skills, there is no substitute for hands-on learning experiences that bridge learned theories and best practices.

AT HEINZ, YOU WILL:

• Experience the one-of-a-kind health care environment of Pittsburgh, which boasts two major health systems—UPMC and Allegheny Health Network—along with world-class hospitals, skyrocketing investment in new facilities and technologies, and start-up incubators that promote entrepreneurship. The city is also home to the Pittsburgh Veterans Engineering Resource Center, one of only four VERC centers nationwide, exposing our students to a unique and crucial aspect of the American health care system. Our students and faculty partner with these organizations to pursue groundbreaking health care research and innovation projects.
• Move beyond the classroom and gain tangible skills through work opportunities both on- and off-campus, including research and teaching assistantships alongside our faculty experts.
• Solve a real-world problem for a real-world client in your team-based Capstone Project, collaborating with our industry and government partners.
• Make meaningful connections through internships and apprenticeships, many of which lead to full-time job offers.
• Apply your newly earned knowledge from class to immersive activities, workshops, events, and student clubs.

Not only do these opportunities crystallize concepts and strategies learned in coursework, they add marketable industry experience to your résumé prior to graduation.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS

Most full-time Heinz College master’s students complete a team-based project, working in close collaboration with a real-world client. These projects fulfill an actual business or operational need for our partners, giving students an opportunity to have a measurable impact while still in school.

Recent MSHCA Capstone clients include:

• UPMC
• SAS Institute
• Veterans Health Administration (VERC)
• Wounded Warrior Project
• Shoptaki
• Allegheny County
• University Hospital of the West Indies

Work directly with Faculty

Our faculty are more than researchers and instructors. They are innovators and mentors who work to solve major problems facing companies, governments, and society. Most importantly, our faculty are uncommonly accessible and include students in their groundbreaking work.

As a Heinz College student, you have many opportunities to enrich your grad school experience by working closely with world-renowned faculty.

• Collaborate one-on-one with a faculty member on an independent research project
• Contribute to a faculty member’s work as a research assistant
• Get involved with faculty projects through a CMU research center, including Metro21 Smart Cities Institute, the Block Center for Technology and Society, the Digital Transformation and Innovation Center, and CyLab Security & Privacy Institute

Many classes at Heinz College focus on team-based experiential projects, advised by a faculty expert. These projects aim to solve an actual problem or fulfill a real need for a client organization. Courses with a focus on health care projects include:

• Healthcare Information Systems
• Designing Smart and Healthy Systems
• Consulting Lab

INTERNSHIPS

Most Heinz College master’s students are required to complete a 10-week, full-time internship during the summer between the first and second years.

Internships present you with the chance to apply what you've learned in your first year to real-life situations, gain exposure to your future field, build your résumé, and make lasting professional contacts.