Curriculum Revision based on the Health Sector Needs: Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Health Services Management

Training competent and capable human resources in order to meet community needs is one of the most important challenges of higher education. This research aimed to revise the curriculum of the Master of Science (MSc) level in health services management in order to meet the needs of health sector.

This study was carried out using quantitative-qualitative method. The first stage was conducted in a comparative manner, while in the second stage, structured interviews were conducted with a sample population selected through non-probability quota sampling. The data of the first and second stages were analyzed using Bereday model and content analysis, respectively, with the help of SPSS software.

According to comparative study, similarities and differences of 24 universities from 15 countries were extracted and compared with Iran. Then, stakeholders were identified at three organizational levels. In addition to changing the titles of some major courses, 25 specialized courses and 28 optional courses were categorized in eight priorities according to their importance and necessity. 63.2% of the stakeholders did not agree the current career opportunities; while 73.3% agreed the professionalization. Finally, very influential factor, influential factors, and factors in need of improvement were identified.

The results of the comparative study indicate that in most cases, there are significant differences between the studied areas in Iran with world-renowned universities. Change in the specialized courses due to the adoption of similar disciplines, attention to optional courses in order to specialize and create tendencies, and apprenticeships and internships are emphasized as the opportunities to turn knowledge into skills. Separation of specialist training, and classification of education according to the occupation and educational level were among suggested methods for improvement.