Health Law
Courses
For course descriptions not found in the UC San Diego General Catalog, 2012–13, please contact the department for more information.
Required Courses (from UC San Diego)
HLAW 201. Introduction to Medical/Health-Care Practice (3)
This overview for the nonmedical professional examines the environment in which the medical practitioner must manage the patient relationship and deal with legal concerns. Topics include patient safety and privacy, medical technology and research, pharmaceutics, and economics. Cases are used. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of instructor.
HLAW 207A. Principles in Health Law and Policy A (6)
This course presents a comprehensive view of modern issues at the intersection of health care and law, with an emphasis on improving understanding and synergy between the professions. The course stresses foundational understanding of how health law and policy is formulated and the application of health law and policy in current practice. A portion of the class is devoted to group work where students select and study issues in depth to build a framework for resolving enduring challenges in the field. A variety of timely topics on the health law system and procedures/processes, such as Medicare and MediCal coverage, are introduced to reinforce understanding. Students who have taken HLAW 202A–C, HLAW 203A–C, or HLAW 204A–C may not receive credit for HLAW 207A. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of department.
HLAW 207B. Principles in Health Law and Policy B (6)
This course presents a comprehensive view of modern issues at the intersection of health care and law, with an emphasis on improving understanding and synergy between the professions. The course stresses foundational understanding of how health law and policy is formulated and the application of health law and policy in current practice. A portion of the class is devoted to group work where students select and study issues in depth to build a framework for resolving enduring challenges in the field. A variety of timely topics on the health law system and procedures/processes, such as Medicare and MediCal coverage, are introduced to reinforce understanding. Students who have taken HLAW 202A–C, HLAW 203A–C, or HLAW 204A–C may not receive credit for HLAW 207B. Prerequisites: HLAW207A, MAS health law student, or consent of department.
HLAW 209. Global Health Policy (2)
Students will learn that the global health concerns are legion. Approaches to address these concerns require an understanding of the process of public policy integrated with the reality and specifics as to the geopolitical concerns in a global context. Prerequisites: admission to MAS in Health Law program, or consent of department.
HLAW 210. Applied Health Law and Policy (3)
The course focuses on legal issues from the viewpoint of the administrator or chief clinical officer, including the patient record/HIT/HIPAA. The course gives emphasis to practical application and knowledge/skills to prepare the students for job search or career transition. Prerequisites: admission to MAS in Health Law program, or consent of department.
HLAW 296A. Independent Study Project Proposal (2)
As part of preparing for the independent study project, each student must prepare a proposal based on a topic of research interest directly relevant to health law. The proposal will consist of an integrative literature review and a proposal for an applied research project based on the chosen topic. Prerequisites: admission to the MAS in Health Law Program or consent of the department.
HLAW 296B. Independent Study Project in Health Law (4)
The independent study project is the cornerstone of the MAS Program. Students will be involved in a high-level applied research project that integrates what they have learned in their formal course work. The project will be an independent and creative scholarly activity in an area of health law related to one or more of the topics covered in the formal curriculum. Students’ work will be evaluated by a committee of faculty and may also include industry advisers when appropriate. Prerequisites: admission to the MAS in Health Law Program or consent of department; HLAW 296A.
HLAW 298A-C. Health Law Research Forum (1-1-1)
This course series focuses on developing students’ research and scholarly writing skills for their Independent Study Projects (ISP). Topics include refining the research question, collecting/analyzing data, understanding research methodology, forming the ISP committee, and producing a viable ISP proposal. Prerequisites: admission to MAS-HLAW program or consent of instructor.
HLAW 299. Independent Study Project in Health Law (3)
Students will be involved in a high-level applied research project. The project will cover an area of health law related to topics covered in the formal curriculum. Students’ work will be evaluated by a committee of faculty and may include industry advisors when appropriate. Prerequisites: HLAW 298A-C; admission to MAS-HLAW program or consent of instructor.
Prescribed Electives (from UC San Diego)
HLAW 205A. Bioethics Seminar—Clinical Focus A (2)
This seminar examines bioethical concerns and considerations from a clinical perspective. Using medical literature and case law, topics such as bioethics principles, informed consent, technology and reproduction, surrogacy, fetal rights, and the right to die are presented and discussed. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of instructor.
HLAW 205B. Bioethics Seminar—Clinical Focus B (2)
The seminar broadens the focus on the patient/doctor relationship and medical ethical issues in health-care policy at the national and global levels. Topics include allocation of scarce medical resources; compulsory public health measures; clinical research in the developing world; and cross-cultural medical practice. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of instructor.
LHCO 205. Modern Health-Care Organizations (4)
Describes and analyzes the dynamics responsible for the change in health-care delivery and effects on development of modern health-care organizations. Describes actions taken by employers, insurers, consumers, and government, and analyzes the effects on physicians and provider organizations. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of instructor.
LHCO 206. Topics in Financial Management/Decision Making in Health Care (2)
Presents real-life applications in health-care provider organizations of financial management and decision making. Topics include budgeting, uses of financial reports, development of long-range forecasts, benchmarking, business plan development, and actuarial analysis in projecting health-care delivery costs. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of instructor.
LHCO 213. Financial Accounting and Analysis (2)
Students will learn the use of financial information within a health-care organization. Topics covered will include capital structure, working capital and cash management, the time value of money, and capital budgeting. Students who have taken LHCO 208 may not receive credit for LHCO 213. Prerequisites: admission to the MAS in the Leadership of Healthcare Organizations Program or consent of department.
HLAW 208. Influencing Public Policy (2)
Students will learn the basic policy framework in the U.S. (i.e., the “legal process”) and points at which this framework can be influenced to formulate public policy in health care. Prerequisites: MAS health law student or consent of department.
General Electives
Varies. Refer to list of elective courses from UC San Diego and California Western School of Law.