Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Master of Applied Science in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
Online, USA
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: The Master of Applied Science in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is a fully online, part-time interdisciplinary programme run with the Schools of Medicine and Nursing and the Armstrong Institute. It focuses on evidence-based protocols and systems approaches to reduce preventable patient harm and improve clinical outcomes.
Career Outcomes: Graduates move into leadership roles in healthcare quality, safety and risk management. Common titles include Director of Quality Management; Patient Safety Officer; RN Director of Clinical Quality Improvement; Risk/Quality Improvement Director; Consultant. They work in hospitals, health systems, government, consultancy and academia.
The Master of Applied Science in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality is a fully online, part-time interdisciplinary degree offered by top-ranked schools within Johns Hopkins University.
It is a first of its kind collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. It combines coursework from JHU’s top-ranked schools with the Armstrong Institute’s pioneering advances in patient safety.
The program is designed to educate students in the transformative mechanisms and evidence-based protocols that reduce preventable patient harm and improve clinical outcomes.
Year 1
First Term
- Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH
- Seminars in Public Health
- Science of Patient Safety
- Essentials of One Health
Second Term
- Case Studies in Quality and Patient Safety
- Introduction to Quality of Care for Practitioners
Third Term
- Professional Development: Writing for Results
- Introduction to Epidemiology
Fourth Term
- Statistical Concepts in Public Health 1
- Leadership for Change and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
Year 2
First Term
- Statistical Concepts in Public Health 2
- Quality Improvement Tools
Second Term
- Intermediate Epidemiology
- Seminars in Public Health: Advanced Topics
Third Term
- Infection Prevention in Healthcare Settings
- Measurement and Evaluation in Quality and Safety
Fourth Term
- Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality integrative Activity
- Measurement Lab in Quality & Safety
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the program, students should be able to:
- Describe several frameworks and theories for assessing and improving the quality of care
- Describe current key policy and programmatic areas in quality of care
- Describe how to assess quality of care for a medical condition
- Describe key elements of published quality assessment and improvement studies
- Articulate how to develop a workable quality improvement and evaluation plan
- Recognize the extent of problems in patient safety in medical care
- Describe the role of various systems and factors in creating safety and causing errors and adverse events
- Discuss problems and issues in measuring and reporting safety
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basics of conducting an incident investigation and disclosing an adverse event
- Design solutions to improve patient safety
- Articulate the ethical, legal, and regulatory implications related to patient safety
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the school website for more information
The concepts of patient safety and health care quality appeal to, and could benefit, a wide range of busy health care professionals. This career path focuses on a vital aspect of health care administration. A few job titles within the patient safety workforce include:
- Director of Quality Management and Patient Safety Officer
- Medical Director & Patient Safety Officer
- RN Director of Clinical Quality Improvement
- Risk/Quality Improvement Director
- Director or VP of Quality Management
- Director or VP of Quality Outcomes/Assurance/Patient Safety
- Director or VP of Performance Improvement
- Patient Safety Officer or Consultant
- Ensure all tools and applications are properly installed
- Troubleshoot any component that may not work properly
- Experience the online tools for peer-to-peer and instructor communication
- Become familiar with the coursework structure and learning management system
The course takes between 1-4 hours to complete, depending on your skills working online. With the notable exception of one LiveTalk, you can do the class work on your own schedule.
