MHA stands for a Master’s of Healthcare Administration. An MHA degree prepares administrative and management-level professionals in healthcare organizations to handle the changing face of the healthcare industry through current best practices and by establishing and reinforcing the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to excel in a leadership role in healthcare administration. This guide will help you understand what an MHA degree is, explore what an MHA in healthcare entails, and explain why it matters.
Understanding the MHA Degree
Healthcare Administration refers to the operations, management, and financial administration of any organization in a healthcare setting or industry. What is a Master of Healthcare Administration? A Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA) is a specialized graduate program designed to help students master the complexities of the healthcare industry.
Unlike a general business program such as an MBA, an MHA degree is laser-focused on the unique challenges and opportunities within healthcare systems. From navigating healthcare policies and ethics to understanding patient-centered care and operational management, an MHA equips you with the tools to lead and innovate in this vital field.
The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree is designed to prepare you for the day-to-day and long-term management of healthcare organizations, such as hospitals, clinics, long-term care, and other facilities. With an MHA, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge of how healthcare systems operate, as well as the leadership skills needed to tackle challenges in areas like budgeting, compliance, staffing, and patient satisfaction.
Starting my MHA with over 20 years of healthcare experience, I was ecstatic to be able to apply my practical experience and refine my knowledge to enhance my professional presence within my organization. I look forward to the advancement opportunities that may come with completing the master's program.
– Shannon Hunnicutt, Bellevue University MHA student
What You’ll Learn in an MHA Program: Core Curriculum
What will you learn? An MHA degree program develops a specific set of skills critical for contributing to the viability and success of organizations within the healthcare industry.
The Master of Healthcare Administration curriculum at Bellevue University is specialized, focusing entirely on the healthcare industry. One of the features that sets it apart is a curriculum that incorporates the knowledge and skills identified as critical by the Healthcare Leadership Alliance for ensuring quality healthcare delivery within a dynamic industry. You will take core courses that emphasize the unique challenges and opportunities in healthcare management, including, but not limited to:
- Health Information Technology and Data Management: Learn to integrate and apply health information technology (HIT) for improved outcomes.
- Healthcare Leadership and Team Development: Develop the skills to lead teams in hospitals, clinics, and other care settings.
- Legal, Ethical, and Compliance Issues: Examine the regulatory environment and learn how policies shape patient care.
- Quality Management: Understand strategies for improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Healthcare Finance: Develop skills in management control processes, financial statement analysis, and capital management.
- Operations Management for Healthcare Organizations: Find the best processes and systems for managing complex organizations.
- Human Resource Management: Examine how changing workforce demographics, work design, technologies, and employment regulations impact healthcare.
Other specialized courses delve deeply into healthcare economics, ethics, and system design, ensuring graduates are fully prepared to manage healthcare organizations effectively.
Bellevue University’s expert faculty consists of industry experts from notable backgrounds, including military health professionals, experts in long-term care and dementia, national consultants, and more. They guide students through integrated, applied learning, engaging and supporting them with open communication channels, ongoing discussions, and constructive feedback to ensure success.
Why Is This Degree Important? Benefits of Earning an MHA
If you are already employed in the healthcare industry, earning a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree can give you the advanced leadership skills required to take the next step in your healthcare career. While a more traditional business management degree such as an MBA offers a broad overview of business administration and management, an MHA allows you to hone in on the healthcare industry and its specific demands. Compare the two in our related article, MBA vs. MHA: What is the right path for you? By earning an MHA, you may seek a variety of mid- to advanced-level careers in healthcare.
Career Growth Potential: While an advanced MHA degree can help your resume stand out, it’s important to research specific careers or roles in healthcare administration to determine job market demand. Seek to understand what salary and benefits you can expect in the locale you want to work. Salaries are often dependent on region, urban or rural setting, size of organization, and demand in the area.
Networking and Development: Healthcare administration offers numerous networking and professional development opportunities for professionals to grow and learn from one another and the experts.
Intangible Rewards: Ultimately, if you are passionate about what healthcare administration entails, and enjoy the evolving and fast-paced world of healthcare, your contribution to improved healthcare systems and patient outcomes can bring great rewards, both material and personal.
Nebraska hospital leaders look for individuals who have the knowledge and skill set to lead their hospitals into the future. A leader’s ability to understand how their behaviors and influence affect the outcomes of the hospital and the people within their walls, patients, and staff, is critical to their success.
– Dr. Mike Freel, Program Director, Bellevue University Master of Healthcare Administration
Career Paths with an MHA
What can you do with an MHA? An MHA degree qualifies you to work at mid- to advanced-level positions doing the following kinds of work:
- Develop and work on multidisciplinary teams in a healthcare environment
- Make business decisions based on legal, ethical, and compliance issues
- Conduct an internal or external analysis of a healthcare organization’s performance
- Make recommendations for marketing and financials and find opportunities for improved performance
For instance, you could qualify for roles such as:
- Administration Supervisor
- Healthcare Administrator
- Patient Care Coordinator
- Operations Manager
- Clinical Manager
- Director of Radiology
- Vice President of Patient Services
Your Questions, Answered By The Experts
- Q: How long does it take to earn an MHA degree?
A: Most students complete a master’s degree in 2-3 years, depending on several factors, including how many credits you take per term and how many are required (part-time students may take longer). Bellevue’s MHA program requires 36 graduate credits. The unique cohort delivery format of Bellevue University’s program means you enroll once for the entire program and take one 4-credit class at a time. At a pace of 2 courses per term, it is possible to finish in 5 terms (3 terms per academic year), or about 1 1/2 years if you are continuously enrolled and progress according to the cohort degree plan. - Q: What are the requirements to enroll in an MHA program?
A: Depending upon the school, you may need to submit scores from the GRE or GMAT exam. (Bellevue University does not require test scores.) You will typically be required to 1 ) Apply, 2) submit all official transcripts from previous accredited colleges, and 3) submit grades from your most recent 60 credit hours from a conferred bachelor’s degree or from a completed master’s degree. 4) Some programs may require a resume, letter of recommendation, or other documentation.
See Bellevue University’s degree-specific admission requirements for the Master’s in Healthcare Administration. - Q: Are there any additional certifications that complement an MHA?
A: Though the Bellevue University MHA does not currently lead directly into the pursuit of additional certifications, business and healthcare students may consider pursuing a Certificate of Completion in Healthcare Finance, one of several Project Management certifications, or a Certified Professional in Human Factors in Health Care (CPHFH) credential. - Q: Can I earn an MHA online?
A: Yes, you can earn an MHA online. The Bellevue University Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) is offered entirely online, in a cohort-based format that allows for engagement with the faculty and peers in the program. - Are there scholarships available for MHA students?
A: Yes. Graduate students are eligible for various scholarships and federal student aid.
Apply for scholarships here.
Explore an MHA Degree at Bellevue University
An MHA (Master of Healthcare Administration) degree is specifically for professionals seeking leadership roles in healthcare, preparing students like you with healthcare experience to navigate health industry complexities.
Bellevue University believes the best method of building the critical skills you need for healthcare administration is to integrate hands-on, applied learning with theory, engaging you in heightened interaction throughout your learning experience. Strengthen your leadership skills and become a leader who can guide your organization through whatever changes the future holds.
Learn more about the Master’s in Healthcare Administration today.
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Is An MHA Degree Worth It?
MHA vs. MBA: What Are the Differences
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