A master’s degree in healthcare administration (MHA) prepares individuals for leadership positions within the ever-changing healthcare field. This advanced degree gives graduates the skills to move into management roles to ensure their abilities to deliver medical services efficiently.
Top Online Healthcare Administration Graduate Programs
Online programs offer exceptional flexibility for learners at any stage in life and career. The course content is typically available 24/7, accessible from nearly any device, and many schools allow students to work at their own pace. This will enable individuals to take classes on a full-time or part-time basis that fits their schedule.
The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CHAME) recognizes a few educational institutions that they feel meet their stringent guidelines for accreditation and are top schools for a master’s degree in healthcare administration.
University of Southern California, Price- USC Price offers an Executive MHA from a top-five ranking school of public health for the last three years. This school has also been recognized as a top business graduate school for medical executives.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus– Offers a Master of Health Administration in Health Policy and Administration. Their online program is based on 25 years of experience with their residential program and requires 49 credits for completion.
George Washington University– Offers an online MHA program that is “designed for driven professionals.” This program has been recognized by S. News and World Report as one of the best graduate schools in health care management in 2019.
Perdue University Global– This program requires 12-15 hours per week of dedicated time for studying, and courses are limited to ten-week terms. To graduate with an MHA for this school, you must complete 52 credits.
Affordable Online Programs For An MHA
Midwestern State University– This school offers an online MHA program at the lowest cost found. The courses offered through this program are available at a tuition rate of $214.00 per semester credit hour, with a total of 45 semester hours for program completion. This program can be completed in 5 semesters as a full-time student or within 2-3 years on a part-time basis while continuing to work.
Oklahoma State University– OSU offers its MHA program as an in-person or online program and requires completion of 32 credit hours. This nationally-ranked program can be completed full-time or part-time with no prior health care experience required. The cost per credit hour for the online program is $360.00.
Louisiana State University, Shreveport- LSUS offers an entirely online program that consists of 10 courses that can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis. Their rate per semester hour is currently $416.00 and you can achieve your MHA degree in as little as ten months.
Joseph’s College of Maine– This school not only offers low tuition rates, but they are the only online MHA program in this country to be accredited by the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB). St. Joseph’s offers several different options for completing an MHA, and they state that students can complete their program in two years if they take two courses per term. Another advantage is that this school has no application fee and does not require GRE or GMAT scores.
MHA Requirements
There are many different colleges and universities across the United States that offer online degrees in public health, and the course work for an MHA may vary from school to school. However, some standard requirements apply to most online programs. These requirements include the following:
All schools will require that you complete an application for admission and include a fee for processing. Each school has different deadlines for application and admission that may range from one time per year (fall admission) to a rolling admission (monthly).
An MHA program may or may not require GRE test scores for admission into their program. If they do, most require that these exam scores be no more than five years old and that the scores are in the 50th percentile or higher, with an analytical writing score of 3.5 or greater.
An undergraduate degree of a BS is required with a minimum GPA of 2.75-3.0. Not all schools will state what type of BS is necessary, but some schools may prerequisite course lists. In addition to an undergraduate degree, some schools will require paid or volunteer work experience in the healthcare field or clinical training at a bachelor’s level.
To complete online courses, you will need the proper equipment, reliable internet access, and knowledge of programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The more experience you have using various online programs and applications, the easier it will be for you to navigate through the course material and exams.
Once excepted into a graduate program, you will need to complete a required number of courses or a total number of credits that can include a combination of general and core courses. These courses will be available to you online so that you can access them when and wherever you wish, but specific deadlines must be met to stay within program requirements. Each school has established a set curriculum and timelines.
When choosing an online master’s in healthcare administration program, be sure to do your research. The program you ultimately select needs to meet your needs. This list of requirements might include cost, program reputation or ranking, course selection, and completion requirements. It is also essential to select a school that is nationally accredited. That way you can assure that your money and time are well spent.
Tracy Everhart
Master of Science (M.S.), Complementary Alternative Medicine| American College of Healthcare Sciences
Master of Science (M.S.), Nursing| Yale University
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Microbiology| Hampshire College
October 2019
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