Drexel University's online MS in Quality, Safety, and Risk Management in Healthcare prepares you to lead organizational efforts that improve and monitor quality metrics, improve safety for both patients and staff, and manage risks in a dynamic healthcare environment.
This interdisciplinary patient safety and healthcare quality master's program is designed for healthcare professionals seeking to develop essential competencies to assess, monitor, and improve healthcare outcomes in community-based care delivery settings, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations.
Mission
The mission of this program is to educate the next generation of leaders who will advance quality in healthcare. Through a focus on the core values of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, data-driven decision making, inclusion, and equity, the program prepares students to influence change and improve care across the continuum. The current landscape in healthcare requires preparation for interdisciplinary collaboration to support optimal outcomes. The program’s curriculum provides students with interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities that support development of knowledge and skills needed to collaboratively solve complex issues in healthcare and improve outcomes.
Vision
The QSRM program aspires to expand our national and international reputation as a leader in quality and patient safety education. The program aims to produce highly skilled, innovative individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve the quality and value of healthcare, preparing them to lead in a demanding and dynamic healthcare arena.
Values
Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Innovation, Data-Driven Decision Making, Inclusion, and Equity.
Drexel’s online masters in healthcare quality improvement program will prepare you to apply a legal and ethical framework of healthcare deliver to help further the role of the quality, safety and risk management professional in the healthcare system. Upon graduation, you will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in decision making and leadership skills in the development of outcome-based standards of care and practice-based health policy issues. While integrating multiple technologies and relevant theories into the organization, you will have the ability to synthesize health data to care patients, families, and communities. In addition, you will learn to evaluate and modify the quality and effectiveness of care based on current research findings, standards of care, and patient outcomes.
Quality assurance, risk management, and patient safety are some of the most critical areas of focus in healthcare. Earning your master’s degree in healthcare quality will help prepare you for these types of jobs within hospitals, clinical settings, insurance companies, government agencies, and other healthcare related roles. After earning your degree, your newfound knowledge and skills may prepare you to pursue some of the following types of jobs:
Upon completion of this program, you will have gained the skills necessary to:
| Year Admitted | Graduation Rate (Years to Program Completion) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2.7 years |
| 2018 | 2.8 years |
| 2019 | 2.3 years |
| 2020 | 2.2 years |
| 2021 | 1.7 years |

For more information on the QSRM program competencies, please visit the QSRM page on the College of Nursing and Health Professions website.
While salary can vary greatly by geographic location, position type, experience, and healthcare setting, the BLS suggests that professionals in the occupational health and safety specialists field are earning an average salary of $83,910. This drops to $58,440 for technician roles.
Learn more about this and other nursing programs from our previously recorded online open house webinar series.
For application related questions:
enroll@drexel.edu
For program related questions:
College of Nursing and Health Professions Program Team
CNHPGraduateDivision@drexel.edu
Drexel University offers a variety of Graduate Minors that can be added to any master's degree program.
State restrictions may apply to some programs.
This program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year (as opposed to the traditional two semester system) which means you can take more courses in a shorter time period. One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.
Graduate students who utilize student loans (FAFSA) must maintain a minimum enrollment of 4.5 credits per term.
| Core Courses | ||
| IPS 502 | Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care | 3.0 |
| IPS 503 | Confronting Issues in Contemporary Health Care Environments | 3.0 |
| IPS 544 | Quality and Safety in Healthcare | 3.0 |
| RSCH 503 | Research Methods and Biostatistics | 3.0 |
| RSCH 504 | Evaluation and Translation of Health Research | 3.0 |
| Major Courses | ||
| IPS 584 | Analysis of Performance Standards in Healthcare Quality | 3.0 |
| IPS 585 | Science of Safety, Human Factors, and System Thinking | 3.0 |
| IPS 587 | Safety Culture in Healthcare | 3.0 |
| IPS 601 | Quality, Safety and Risk Management Capstone | 5.0 |
| LSTU 551 | Compliance Skills: Auditing, Investigation & Reporting | 4.0 |
| LSTU 600 | Health Care Rules and Regulations | 4.0 |
| LSTU 601 | Health Care Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Management | 4.0 |
| LSTU 602 | Patients and Privacy: HIPAA and Related Regulations | 4.0 |
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
With multiple ways to submit documents, Drexel makes it easy to complete your application. Learn more by visiting our Completing Your Application Guide.
An admissions interview may be required
For the academic year 2025-2026, students enrolled in an online graduate academic program will be charged a graduate online program fee of $125 per year.
2025-2026 Academic Year
Term
Classes Begin
Classes End
Exams Begin
Exams End
Fall 2025
September 22, 2025
December 6, 2025
December 8, 2025
December 13, 2025
Winter 2026
January 5, 2026
March 14, 2026
March 16, 2026
March 21, 2026
Spring 2026
March 30, 2026
June 6, 2026
June 8, 2026
June 13, 2026
Summer 2026
June 22, 2026
August 29, 2026
August 31, 2026
September 5, 2026