University-College Healthcare Programs
Master of Health Administration (MHA)—also Master of Healthcare Administration— is a graduate professional degree that focuses on knowledge and competencies needed for careers involving the management of hospitals and other health services organizations. Programs can differ according to setting; although practitioner-teacher model programs are typically found in colleges of medicine or allied health, classroom-based programs can be found in colleges of business or public health.
Although many colleges of business, public health, and/or health sciences in the United States have degrees with health administration content, only a minority have been accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which is the only accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education for these programs. CAHME accreditation requires programs to meet a set of standards related to areas such as program resources, faculty preparation, curriculum content, and post-graduation career success, and also helps to ensure that the programs are well integrated with the practice communities their graduates will work within.
Applicants to accredited programs are required to hold a four-year undergraduate degree prior to enolling. Some universities offer dual MHA/MBA degree programs, which may be completed concurrently or sequentially. Some MHA programs do not require professional experience prior to enrollment; however most programs require work experience, such as internships or fellowships, as part of their graduation requirements. Some MHA programs use a blended lecture and online format, allowing people to continue working while they pursue the MHA degree. There are also a few universities, including many for-profit universities, that offer MHA programs completely online; however, these programs are not currently eligible for CAHME accreditation because of concerns about the effectiveness of online programs as an analog for developing interpersonal and team-based skills which are more typically face-to-face in their use in post-graduation professional roles.
Most MHA-equivalent graduate programs in the United States are offered by schools of public health, business, allied health or, less frequently, by schools of medicine. Programs in schools of public health or business tend to have a more 'traditional' structure; courses are typically taught by academicians and have a focus on theory as well as analysis. Programs housed in schools of allied health or medicine tend to have a more applied focus, with more courses taught by practitioners (healthcare executives) and may also offer more opportunities for students to gain practical work experience while completing their studies.
Master of Health Administration (MHA)—also Master of Healthcare Administration— is a graduate professional degree that focuses on knowledge and competencies needed for careers involving the management of hospitals and other health services organizations. Programs can differ according to setting; although practitioner-teacher model programs are typically found in colleges of medicine or allied health, classroom-based programs can be found in colleges of business or public health.Although many colleges of business, public health, and/or health sciences in the United States have degrees with health administration content, only a minority have been accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which is the only accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education for these programs. CAHME accreditation requires programs to meet a set of standards related to areas such as program resources, faculty preparation, curriculum content, and post-graduation career success, and also helps to ensure that the programs are well integrated with the practice communities their graduates will work within.
Applicants to accredited programs are required to hold a four-year undergraduate degree prior to enolling. Some universities offer dual MHA/MBA degree programs, which may be completed concurrently or sequentially. Some MHA programs do not require professional experience prior to enrollment; however most programs require work experience, such as internships or fellowships, as part of their graduation requirements. Some MHA programs use a blended lecture and online format, allowing people to continue working while they pursue the MHA degree. There are also a few universities, including many for-profit universities, that offer MHA programs completely online; however, these programs are not currently eligible for CAHME accreditation because of concerns about the effectiveness of online programs as an analog for developing interpersonal and team-based skills which are more typically face-to-face in their use in post-graduation professional roles.
Most MHA-equivalent graduate programs in the United States are offered by schools of public health, business, allied health or, less frequently, by schools of medicine. Programs in schools of public health or business tend to have a more 'traditional' structure; courses are typically taught by academicians and have a focus on theory as well as analysis. Programs housed in schools of allied health or medicine tend to have a more applied focus, with more courses taught by practitioners (healthcare executives) and may also offer more opportunities for students to gain practical work experience while completing their studies.