Author: tara.norton

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Day in the Life of an MBA student at UMass Boston

My name is Keerthi Chetty and I am pursuing my MBA full time at UMass Boston.

Keerthi

I am an international student from India and plan to pursue a mix of specializations in core and internet marketing.

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.’

An engineer who ended up in technology marketing in pursuit of her true professional calling, I have always had an unconventional take on life. And like Robert Frost’s eponymous protagonist, it has taken some enterprising courage to get so far.

A tepid academic performance in undergrad spurred me to look beyond a conventional career trajectory and I soon branched out of engineering after finishing college. I worked in hi-tech marketing for 3 years in India before the MBA and gained experience in corporate communications, brand and product marketing, digital marketing, account management and business development. I had also handled some part-time consulting projects in marketing strategy for technology startups in Mumbai. I used to primarily advertise to international clients across USA, Europe, and Asia and gradually realized that a North American MBA program with strong marketing focus was the next logical step!

I chose UMass Boston since the program offered excellent structure, flexibility and focused course options under various concentrations. I also work as a Research Assistant with the College of Management in the field of information systems.

The past 7 months have been nothing short of a dream coming true. The experience of settling into a new home in a new country, forging new relationships – on the professional as well as personal front – and taking in the new academic system has been exhilarating. I have never done so much homework before! The small class size, focused attention from course instructors and knowledgeable peers make for a very satisfying experience.

On the cultural front, I find myself liking the people around me. My peers at the university and Bostonians in general are always courteous. The fact that I get to interact with people of many nationalities on any given day never escapes my notice and always has me in awe. In fact this makes for some very unique collaborations in group assignments! I particularly remember my MBAMGT 650 project group wherein I had peers from 3 different countries in a 5-member group and it took us a couple of meetings to just get a hang of each other’s accents! But I later went onto growing respect to the very same people for their work ethics, subject matter expertise and geniality. The world is indeed a very interesting place and we stand to gain much from each other’s cultural perspectives.

My typical day starts with cooking and getting the house in order. I then try to catch some exercise either at the Beacon Fitness Center on campus or at a gym close to home. I live close to the Boston Harbor Walk and now that the winter shows signs of relenting, I plan to catch up on outdoors running!

I have taken 4 classes this semester, 3 on-campus and 1 online. The on-campus classes run Tuesdays to Thursdays every week and I also work on my research on these days. In short, I don’t get to catch my breath 3 out of 7 days every week. On a lighter note, this also affords me an extra-long weekend. All my classes are in the evenings, so I catch up on work in the afternoons and attend lectures in the evening. After-class hours are usually reserved for winding down and introspection. As digital enthusiast, I spend a lot of time surfing online.

I like to indulge in numerous personal hobbies, from travelling and photography to cooking and watching movies. I have also been able to travel extensively up the east coast and have covered Boston, New York, Washington DC and Philly in the past 7 months. The fact that Boston has a rich history thrills the traveler in me. I believe in living it up every day!

The marketing domain has suited my extroverted personality well and has provided a perfect outlet to exercise innate curiosity, dynamism, creativity, analytical abilities and aggression. By studying under a global faculty and by collaborating with international peers, I hope to gain the right kind of exposure and groom myself for the globalized workplace of tomorrow.

With a cohesive experience like this, the dots of my professional life will connect together and prepare me for the future. I expect the journey to mold me for future challenges.  It’s time to grow ahead. It’s time to get to better places career-wise with the UMass Boston MBA.

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Fall 2016 registration

Fall 2016 registration began last week. Many of you will experience errors when trying to enroll in a course on your own, if you receive any error, please submit the online registration request form

Check out the Fall 2016 schedule, please note this is an excel file and has tabs on the bottom for each department. If you would like to set up a time to discuss your course plan, you may contact your advisor. If your last name begins with A-M your advisor is Jeffrey.Masse@umb.edu, if your last name begins with N-Z your advisor is Tara.Norton@umb.edu

 

 

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Master Thesis Option Defense

” Investor Learning and the Abnormal Returns to a Fundamental Signal Strategy”

presented by John Dorey

Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 3:45pm

 UPDATED LOCATION:
Integrated Sciences Complex  (ISC)
4th Floor
Room 4310

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Tips and Strategies for taking the GMAT

THE GMAT EXPERIENCE: WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW

by Stefano Maffina and Marco Bellin

The GMAT, and the other standardized tests such as GRE and TOEFL, is an important step for every candidate in the process of applying for graduate school. If on one hand acing the exam is not easy, on the other hand it is not impossible. There are many myths about the test, so let us see what it takes to turn the GMAT experience from nightmare to a positive and successful process.

– Practice makes perfect. Take enough time to prepare. I took a few weeks off work, and I prepared for 6-7 weeks. If it is not possible and you only have weekends, it might take at least 3-4 months to prepare thoroughly for the test.

– There are two main parts: quantitative and verbal sections. Definitely work longer on the section that you are less familiar with, or that you feel less confident with, but do not forget to prepare for the other section as well.  For instance, given my background I felt extremely confident in the verbal part already, while I was struggling with the quantitative section. As a result, I spent 70% of the time preparing for the quantitative part, but I still spent 30% of the time to get used to the way questions were asked in the verbal part, and the topics that were covered. This is important, because in the end, while I was given an average grade in the quantitative part, the fact that I was in the 99% percentile in the verbal part allowed me to achieve a pretty high grade. Indeed, since the final grade is single, it is not divided between the two sections; it does not matter where you received the majority of your points.

– It is extremely important to get used to the formal appearance of the questions. All these tests, such as GMAT, TOEFL, GRE, tend to have repetitive patterns and extremely similar types of questions. Despite the topics being different, if you are already used to answering questions asked in the same manner and fashion, it becomes way easier, almost automatic, to be able to answer to them quickly and effectively.

– Do not fear to repeat the test. It is expensive, but I have friends who have repeated it twice, and every time they have consistently improved their grades. This is because the first time, despite a long preparation and training, you are still not entirely able to pace yourself, or to envision how a 5-hour-long exam would require in terms of attention and effort.

– It might sound trivial, but definitely go to the restroom just before starting the test, and during the break. Also, carry with you some snack or energy bar, and a bottle of water, to be eaten and drunk during the break.

– You can find several books online that will help you prepare for the test. Use them. I recommend the Kaplan New GMAT Premier, since it is full of complete and to-the-point explanations, and hundreds of questions. Additionally, the official GMAT Review book is also valid, possibly with its two companions for Verbal Review and Quantitative Review.

Good luck!

Stefano and Marco are second-year MBA students in the College of Management.

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Tips and Strategies for taking the GRE

Tips and Strategies for Taking the GRE

By Maggie Batista

If you are currently planning to apply to graduate school, one of the first steps is to take either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). While both tests are usually acceptable for admission, you MUST check to see which test your program requires. The GRE is the most commonly required admission test for graduate school. The following is an overview of the GRE itself with corresponding tips from registering, to preparing for the exam, to test day!

The Purpose of the GRE

The GRE is designed to access your general skills and readiness for attending a graduate program. Not only are your scores required as part of the application process, they are also often used to consider the grants of fellowships and financial aid. Do not worry! The GRE is a computer-based standardized test that is both reliable and predictable. If you learn to recognize the “traps” within the questions designed to trip you, you can score well!

The Breakdown of the GRE

Length: 4 hours (including some short breaks- 1 minute between each section, 10 min after third section)

Number of Sections: 6 sections, including an experimental research section (unknown to the test taker, it is not part of the score)

Scoring: 130-170 (Verbal and Quantitative), 0-6 (Analytical Writing)

Verbal Reasoning: Two 30-minute sections with 20 questions each

Quantitative Reasoning: Two 35-minute sections with 20 questions each (online calculator available)

Analytical Writing: One section with two 30-minute tasks- analyze an issue and analyze an argument

Tips- Verbal Reasoning

Let us begin with the basics of vocabulary- you must begin studying word groups, roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Make flash cards! It can be a timely and daunting task. However, knowing the root or prefix of a word choice, or even simply its tone or context, can help you determine what the word actually means. I will get you started- the top twelve words used on the GRE include: anomaly, assuge, enigma, equivocal, erudite, fervid, lucid, opaque, placate, precipitate, prodigal, and zeal. Break out the dictionary!

Text Completion Questions

There are approximately six text completion questions in each verbal reasoning section, in which you should only designate about 1-1.5 minutes each. Each question will have one to three blanks replacing words in each sentence. You are tasked with choosing the correct words from the choices provided to fill in each blank.

With regards to “one blank” questions, read the sentence and look for clues. Without looking at the choices provided, predict an answer. Then, select the choice that most closely matches your prediction! Be sure to check your answer. For questions with more than one blank, start the process with the easiest blank first. Additionally, look for positive words as signs that indicate there is no contrast, such as “thus,” “similarly,” or “therefore.” On the other hand, note negative transitional signs that do indicate contrast, such as “despite” or “however.” Overall, you should read what is directly implied as opposed to a creative interpretation of the sentence. How do the blanks interact? If a sentence is long or complex, paraphrase it into your own words to gain a better understanding.

Sentence Equivalence Questions

There are approximately four sentence equivalence questions in each verbal reasoning section that you should only designate with about 1 minute each. The questions consist of a single sentence with a missing word, and you must choose two correct words from the choices provided that could complete the sentence.

Firstly, read the sentence, look for clues, and predict an answer without looking at the choices provided. Similarly to text completion questions, select the two choices that most closely match your predicted answer. Check your answers by reading the sentence (with both words inserted) to yourself! Once again, look for your “positive” and “negative” word signs, like “since” or “while.” However, be sure to consider all of the answer choices- you must look beyond synonyms for traps the GRE is setting for you. Avoid the traps by paraphrasing the question, or considering the prefixes, suffixes, and roots of the words.

Reading Comprehension Questions

There are ten reading passages between two sections of reading comprehension. You should take about 1-3 minutes to read each passage, as well as 1 minute to answer each corresponding question.

Firstly, read the passage strategically and actively! Quickly identify the topic, scope, purpose, structure, and main points. Is the tone of the passage persuasive, or simply informative?  For example, if the passage is from a social science piece, it will most likely argue a side. Conversely, if the passage regards art or literature, it might assert an interpretation. Secondly, analyze the question stem and research relevant text from the passage. Make your own prediction before evaluating the answer choices for the question! Overall, it might help to express the main idea in your own words by focusing on retaining the main ideas, not necessarily the facts. Be sure to concentrate on only using what the passage has given you, and try not to get distracted by the variations on standard questions.

Tips- Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning sections will test you on every mathematical concept from number properties, to geometry, to radicals. Here are a few overall strategies to consider when approaching the quantitative reasoning sections: skip time consuming questions and concentrate on your strengths. At the end of each section, use your review screen to go back over the questions and be sure to make a guess or estimate on any unanswered questions. The GRE is not like the SAT’s- it considers any unanswered questions to be wrong!

Quantitative Comparison Questions

This is the most commonly used question format in the quantitative reasoning sections. The question asks you to indicate a relationship or comparison between two quantities. The four answer choices are always as follows: (A) Quantity A is greater, (B) Quantity B is greater, (C) The two quantities are equal, and (D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. The key factor to remember here is to compare, not calculate!

The first step is to analyze the centered information and its quantities. Then, you can choose a strategic approach to determining the relationship between the two. One strategy is known as the “Picking Numbers” strategy, in which you can pick a number for the unknown values in the question and apply it in order to test the answer choices. Be careful- you should pick permissible, manageable numbers and you should test one of each of the following for each question: a positive number, a negative number, a fraction, 0, and 1. The picking numbers strategy is advised for questions regarding undefined values, number properties, and percents. Other comparison techniques include adding or subtracting the same value from both sides, or squaring both positive sides. If a diagram is involved, be skeptical unless it is drawn to scale!

There are a number of traps that the GRE will present within Quantitative Comparison questions! I recommend to be especially aware of how to convert units properly, how to convert quantities into percentages, how to use simplification procedures such as “FOIL,” the rules for inequalities, the properties of zero, and simply knowing when to use the correct formulas.

Problem Solving Questions

The standard method for problem-solving questions is simple- study your mathematical rules, methods, and formulas! Once you do, all you have to do is read the question, identify the task at hand, strategically solve the question, and confirm your answer. You can also utilize two strategies here- the picking numbers strategy discussed earlier, and the “Back solving” strategy. The back solving strategy begins with selecting choice (B) or (D) and plugging in the value. If the value does not work, then you can eliminate that answer choice and move either up or down the choices based on how the value you tested worked out. Now you can simply test the next choice to identify the correct one. Ideally, you will only have to calculate two choices, saving you time! Back solving is a recommended strategy for encounters with word problems that have answer choices with numerical values, or when dealing with difficult algebraic problems.

Data Interpretation

Data Interpretation questions require that you make a numerical entry into a box, based on a question regarding a diagram or graph- there are no choices this time! There are several types of graphs that you might encounter, including tables, bar graphs, line graphs, or pie charts. If the answer to a question is a fraction, then you must convert it into a decimal. If the answer requires a negative sign, you may use a hyphen.

When you read the question, be sure to read the title and all labels, as well as identify the representation type that is being provided with its corresponding units. I recommend decoding the question- is the question asking about amounts, changes, or percents? Look at the graph or table in depth, in order to focus on the relevant information to the question before determining your answer.

Tips- Analytical Writing

You will be asked two write two analytical essays and will be given only 30 minutes for each. For each essay, I recommend taking the issue or argument apart, selecting the points you wish to make, and organizing an outline of the essay within the first 8-10 minutes- that will leave you 20-22 minutes to write and proofread your essay.

The first essay is an “Issue” Essay, in which you will pick a side of the issue presented and defend it. It does not matter which side you pick to defend, as long as you support only one side! The second is an “Argument” Essay, in which you discuss both sides of the argument presented. In the argument essay, you should discuss all questions involved, the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, any assumptions being made, and any flaws in the evidence provided. Overall, you should keep the Argument Essay simple by putting the complexities of the arguments into your own words! Remember- do not pick a side for this essay.

Each essay is graded on the following criteria: your response to the prompt, your interpretation and analysis of the passage, the organization and structure of your essay, your use of examples from the text, and of course, your spelling and grammar skills.

GRE Preparation Courses

These were just some of the methods and strategies I received when taking a Kaplan GRE Preparation Course. If you want to be as prepared as possible for the GRE, I highly recommend taking a prep course- they are usually only to four to six weeks long and can help to boost your scores immensely! GRE prep courses are available at almost every university. Here is the link for information regarding GRE prep courses available here at UMass Boston:

https://www.umb.edu/academics/caps/testprep/gre

Test Registration

I recommend first obtaining a copy of the GRE Information and Registration Bulletin from the following link:

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/bulletin/

This contains information on pricing, schedules, repeat testing and cancellation policies. The GRE test is offered all year round! You can register online at www.gre.org, by phone at 1-800-GRE-CALL, or by completing the Authorization Voucher Request Form in the GRE Information and Registration Bulletin and mailing it with the fee to the address provided on the voucher.

The Day Before Test Day

I cannot stress this enough- do not study the day before the test! You have prepared well enough, I assure you. Take the day to relax and give your mind a break. You will need your mental stamina for test day. Be sure to eat well, drink plenty of water, and go to bed early so that you may get plenty of rest.

Test Day

On test day, eat a hearty, healthy breakfast. Before leaving your home, make sure that you have your GRE voucher for admission and an acceptable form of ID (see http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/id/). I recommend that you leave yourself plenty of time to arrive at the testing site in order to minimize stress. You should arrive at least 30 minutes early to complete all check-in procedures. Once you sit down to take the exam, you will have the opportunity to automatically send your scores to several schools free of additional charge. Be sure to select to report your score to UMass Boston. You will be saving yourself the money of sending the report later on!

If you perform poorly on a section, do not despair! It could have been the experimental section that does not count towards your scores. Remember- the GRE makes for a long, grueling day. Maintain your stamina through confidence and a positive attitude!

 

After Test Day

Did you get a lower score than you wanted? No problem- you can retest! According to www.gre.org:

“You can take the GRE revised General Test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days). This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously. If you take the paper-delivered GRE revised General Test, you can take it as often as it is offered.”

You may cancel any scores you wish, but do not worry about any low scores that are “out there” for prospective universities to see. Admission offices usually only consider your best scores, and multiple testing can show your efforts to perform well! It should also be noted that GRE scores are valid for five years after the year in which you tested.

Last Advice

Do not get discouraged! Studying for the GRE is a large commitment, but one that is vital in determining your willpower for attending graduate school. Think of the GRE as less of a burden, and more as a preparation for both the trials and rewards that graduate school will offer you. You have already made the difficult decision to apply for graduate school and advance your career possibilities- that choice in itself is something to be proud of! Good luck!

Author’s Note: Most of the testing strategies discussed here are Kaplan methods obtained from a Kaplan GRE Preparation course.

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Student Ambassador Council

Student Ambassador Council

Dear Students,

 

Perhaps after MLK Day, it is most appropriate to begin my proposal with “I have a dream.” However, I’m going to go above and beyond. I want to begin with “I have a vision,” “for us.”

 

Whether you’re an American or international, regardless of your country of citizenship, gender, religion or sexual orientation, I have some really good news for you. I invite you to carefully read on to see the amazing achievements of just some of our diverse UMass Boston graduates:

 

  • Tom Menino was an American politician who served as the 53rd Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1993 to 2014. He was the city’s longest-serving mayor.

 

  • Joseph Patrick Kennedy II is an American businessman, Democratic politician, and a member of the Kennedy family. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 8th congressional district of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1999

 

  • Denise Simmons is the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, having served her first mayoral term during the 2008-2009 term, and she was the first openly lesbian African-American mayor in the United States.

 

  • Roderick MacKinnon is a professor of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics at Rockefeller University. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003.

 

  • Amsale Aberra is an Ethiopian-born American fashion designer and entrepreneur. Her main field of design is in couture wedding gowns, and her flagship store is located on Madison Avenue in New York City.

 

  • Joseph Abboud is an American-Lebanese menswear fashion designer and author.

 

  • Paul M. English is the CEO and co-founder of Blade, LLC, a Boston-based consumer technology foundry. English was previously the CTO and cofounder of Kayak.com in Concord, Massachusetts.

 

  • Dana White is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the President of the Mixed Martial Arts organization Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

 

  • Zhu Xiao Di is a very successful Chinese-American writer. He authored the novel, Tales of Judge Dee.

 

  • Joe Rogan is an American commentator, television host, former actor, and stand up comedian.

 

  • Jovita Fontanez was the first Hispanic woman to serve as head of the Boston Election Commission and the first Hispanic woman to be a member of the Electoral College of Massachusetts.

 

  • Bill Bratton is an American law enforcement officer and businessman, and the current New York City Police Commissioner, the second time he has held that position.

 

Are you smiling? Are you feeling that rush, that warmth in your heart? Maybe that feeling of pride? You now know that you’re sitting in the very same classrooms that these people once have attended: In the very same rooms, maybe on the very same chairs.

 

Now I invite you to think about this question.

 

How many people out there know about all of these great connections to UMass-Boston? How many people in Boston truly know about UMass Boston’s great merits and its members’ success stories?

 

Unfortunately, the answer is not too many.

 

Is it fixable? Could we be in people’s daily conversations, in newspaper headlines and academia associations as much as Harvard, MIT, NEU and BC are?  Could we pull ourselves up the ladder to achieve similar reputation and recognition as these neighbor universities?

 

Absolutely!

 

Who can fix it? Us and only us.

 

Together with you, I envision a far brighter future for our beloved school. You and I are the only people who truly care and are willing to put our resources together. It is on us to show UMass-Boston to the world out there. It is on us to go out in the community and proudly shout the name “UMass Boston.” It is on us to be involved and get others involved.

 

Student Ambassador Council (SAC) will be launched this semester. Its mission is to get involved in the community by launching community service days and organizing fundraising events for charity organizations. Meanwhile, SAC would like to reconnect with our alumni to create new touch points between us and the world out there. We will go beyond existing relationships and reach out to other organizations (such as Harvard, MIT, the Big Four companies, etc.).

 

In order to accomplish our mission, we seek three key characteristics in our members:

 

Enthusiasm: Members should truly believe in our mission and be optimistic about us. They should realize the importance of SAC in our college, and they should be willing to help it grow.

 

Relentlessness: Members should be persistent in what they’re doing. They should be comfortable with potential rejections along the way while promoting the SAC and the school, continually value our overall goals.

 

Resourcefulness: Members should generously leverage their resources and networks to help SAC through its mission.

 

You might be thinking: “Why should I put my time into this? I’m graduating in two semesters.” I would tell you that you’d be getting a great return on your investment. This is a win-win action plan. Here are some tangible benefits:

 

  • You would be gaining experience in organizing events and launching workshops, etc.
  • You would be expanding your networks, beyond imagination, within academia society, UMass Boston Alumni (potentially even maybe with people enlisted above), and Boston’s community.
  • If you are looking to continue your education, land a summer internship or apply for that first job after graduation, you’d be putting yourself in a much higher position by putting your alma mater (UMass Boston) in a higher position.

 

We are having a kick-off meeting on Thursday, February 4th at 5 p.m. in the Accounting & Finance Conference Room, M-5-211. We will discuss the structure and mission of SAC in greater detail. Although we are still developing the strategy for SAC, we believe it’s important to have your insights and opinions. We aim to create our finalized strategy based on the collaborative work of all our members. Please come with ideas, excitement, and some thoughts about the below points that we would like to discuss during our kick-off meeting (among other topics about which you might want to discuss):

 

  • What is missing in UMass Boston College of Management’s strategy when it comes to creating relationships and networks with outside successful and prominent individuals, organizations, and community? Look at the other competitors (MIT, Harvard, NEU, BC) network strategy and action plans. Look at their success stories and find out how we can improve.

 

  • How can we get more involved in the community? What kind of events could we launch that benefit both SAC members and our peers at UMass Boston College of Management?

 

  • What are some potential organizations or individuals that we’re looking to partner with? What kind of people in the business world would we like to be associated with? And how are going to be associated with them?

 

  • How can we get more students involved in SAC?

 

  • Who do we want to present us? What kind of characteristics are we looking for in SAC members?

 

For the purpose of better organizing, please RSVP by emailing me at Fargol.fotoohibar001@umb.edu by Friday January 29th. You can also let me know if you’re interested but cannot make it to the kick-off meeting, and I will follow up with you. However, it is strongly advised that you be present in the first meeting since we’re going to decide on important issues.

 

 

Sincerely,

Fargol Fotoohi

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Bayside Campus Open House

This fall, the College of Management expanded its classrooms and many accounting courses and the Professional MBA courses are held at the Bayside Campus location.

We would like to invite you to visit the space on Monday, October 19th, 4:00pm-5:45pm. Bayside Campus is located at 150 Mount Vernon Street, the Open House will take place in the Lower Level- Suffolk Room (click here for an interactive map and directions).

We hope to see you there, light refreshments will be served.

bayside

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Masters Thesis Defense: Bjoern P Stengel

Title: Corporate responses to Rana Plaza: a comparative case study

Members of the defense committee

Professor Alessia Contu (Adviser/Chair, Dept. of Management and Marketing),

Professor  Atreya Chakraborty (Reader/MTO program director)

Friday, July 17, 2015 at 2 PM

McCormack Building – 5th floor – Room 614 Deans Conference Room

Abstract: The thesis deals with corporate responses to the Rana Plaza building collapse and compares the efforts that have been made within the two major frameworks that emerged after the event: the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. It is designed as a comparative case study, which aims to provide a deeper understanding regarding what has been done by Western companies, local manufacturers, labor unions, and the Bangladeshi government until today and what still needs to be done in order to create sustainable change in working conditions in the clothing industry in this area.

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Healthcare Informatics

The College of Management recently launched a graduate certificate in Healthcare Informatics. This fall we are offering 2 courses (see below for more details). The courses will apply as elective courses for students in the MBA program, functional area IS and specialization in IS and Healthcare Management. The courses will also apply as elective courses for students enrolled in the MSIT program.

If you have questions regarding how the course(s) will apply to your degree requirements, you may email Tara.Norton@umb.edu. For more information and specific details about the courses, you may contact Professor Noushin.Ashrafi@umb.edu

 

MSIS632 (online)

This course provides an overview of relevant concepts in healthcare information technology. This introductory course assumes that students have little knowledge about terminologies about healthcare, information technology, and affiliation between the two. The course provides core definitions and concepts of healthcare and healthcare informatics. Attributes and functions of Electronic Health Records (EHR). Health Information Technology (HIT) systems from a variety of settings as well as functional aspects of interoperability within and between systems are examined.  The concepts of usability, consistency, and reliability in regards to HIT systems and how each contributes to, or detracts from, effectiveness will be presented. An overview of the concepts of privacy, security, and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI) in relation to HIT systems will be presented.  Patient-centered care will be defined and explained. We conclude the course with a focus upon future directions for HIT.  New areas of research and development in HIT will be examined.  Students will gain a foundational understanding of these areas and will debate appropriateness and feasibility of new HIT development areas.

 

The main objective of this introductory course is to introduce the principal concepts in healthcare informatics and create a foundation for learning the remaining courses offered by the certificate. At the completion of this course students should have an understanding of:

 

  1. History of Modern Healthcare in the US,
  2. Health Information Systems and Health Informatics
  3. Electronic Health Records  and Clinical Decision Support Systems
  4. Common elements of the HIT system.
  5. Working with Health IT Systems:
  6. Patient-centered care and suggest HIT-enabled solutions/strategies to enhance patient involvement in health and healthcare.
  7.  The effectiveness of HIT systems in supporting patient-centered care.

 

 

There is no text book required for this course. Course materials consists of audio and video presentations as well as interactive technology made possible by a team of medical and IT professionals at John Hopkins University.  These materials are supplemented by case studies, articles, and have been customized to fit the structure and design of online certificate. All materials will be available to students, at no cost, on Blackboard Learning System (BLS).  Detailed instructions will be provided as how and where to access the course materials for each session.

 

Required Resources:  Computer, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Flash player (free download), mp3 player (free download), Learning Management System.

 

MSIS633 (online)

The course emphasizes the values and principles of quality healthcare via integration and access to reliable patient and transaction information. There is a general consensus that, “having ready access to timely, complete, accurate, legible, and relevant information is critical to health care organizations.”  Delivering quality health care requires the integration of patient health information from many different sources; the  health providers must be able to readily access and use the right information at the right time and  patients should be able to access their health information in order  to self- manage their conditions. There are substantial barriers, however, to the exchange of health information through electronic interoperability. Such an exchange would require extended technical and political processes and involve standardization and modification of current information systems. Electronic exchange of health information also raises questions about policies and procedures regarding confidentiality, security, and identity management. The success of interoperability between healthcare computer systems depends on implementation and deployment of appropriate standards, such as Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) and Health Level Seven International (HL7). As the nature of healthcare is evolving due to advances in technology, health information exchange is taking an important role to improve the quality of healthcare.

 

The course is designed not only to help students understand the HIE as a catalyst for deployment of HIT, but stimulate their thinking process in terms of utilization of information technology in health care. This objective is met through a variety of assignments:

  • Reading the text book helps students understand the concept and basics of Health Information Technology (HIT).
  • Reading supplementary materials that include published articles, government and industry reports, and real world case studies help students understand the practical aspect of Health Information Exchange (HIE).
  • Students are introduced to data transport and application programming interface (API) via simple examples using XML and Web services.
  • Term papers, online discussions and encouraging students to find additional materials help students think analytically while searching, sorting, and selecting relevant  and meaningful information

 

Course Materials for the course includes a text book: Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management, 2e, K. A. Wager, F.W Lee, and J.P Glaser, Wiley Paperback, 2009. Also available in e-book, a collection of printed and online documents supplementing course chapters and lecture topics for each week are provided. The source of these documents varies from academic papers to government reports and industry reports. Powerpoint slides are provided containing the highlights of weekly lecture topics and a series of questions on the relevant topic. Videos are collected from online sources for each topic and made available to students via links. All class materials will be posted on the course management system.

 

Required Resources:  Computer, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Flash player (free download), mp3 player (free download), Learning Management System.

 

 

About the Professor

Professor Ashrafi is teaching both courses online. She is a professor of information systems and started her work on the technology side of healthcare in 2010. The three times Winner of Fulbright grant, ashrafi has collaborated with universities abroad extensively. She is two times winner of IBM Academic Initiative and Analytics Talent Initiative and works closely with IT industry nation-wide. She was the Chair of Executive Committee of Faculty Council at UMB for six consecutive years. She has conducted workshops and seminars on various IT- related topics in Europe, Russia, Mexico, and China. She is ISO9000 certified and the author of “ Object Oriented System Analysis and Design” published by Pearson inc.

 

For more information about her, please see: http://www.umb.edu/academics/cm/faculty_staff/faculty/noushin_ashrafi

 

 

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