Accredited Online DHA Degree Programs - Coursework & Tuition
MHA Search
Healthcare is an extremely complex and ever-changing system that requires strong leadership with an understanding of both business and healthcare. These leaders are required to make decisions and implement policies that have a sound financial basis in order to improve the quality of care provided—all while adhering to institutional and governmental standards and policies. While some of the experience needed can be gained with on the job training, a doctor in healthcare administration (DHA) is the top degree program of choice for those in this field.
In a DHA program, students learn to become executives prepared to lead healthcare organizations to success. Coursework includes instruction in leadership, ethics, regulation, sustainability, cross-cultural awareness, finance, and information management aimed at crafting well-rounded students who can take on numerous healthcare leadership roles. Graduates of a DHA program can land prestigious titles such as chief nursing officer, heath systems president, long-term care executive director, chief medical information officer, and medical director, among others. Many programs also require internships or residencies which give students unparalleled hands-on learning experiences.
With these prestigious titles also comes a lucrative salary. According to PayScale (2020), DHA graduates earn on average $93,000 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2019) categorizes DHA graduates as medical and health services managers and estimates salaries at $99,730 per year. This profession is currently undergoing tremendous growth as the demand for quality healthcare increases. The BLS estimates that there will be an 18 percent increase in jobs in this field between 2018 and 2028—over 71,000 new jobs that DHA graduates can fill.
Admissions to DHA programs typically require students to have already completed a master’s degree. A master of healthcare administration (MHA) or a related degree is preferable, although there are some programs, such as the one at Walden University profiled below, that offer students the opportunity to enroll with any master’s degree.
Taking the time to pursue a doctorate is not an option for everyone. However, here are seven programs, and profiles on three outstanding professors, that allow students the convenience to pursue their DHA degree through online learning, at their own pace, and without having to relocate.
| Featured Doctoral Degrees in Healthcare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University | DHA - Operational Leadership (Qualitative Research) | View Full Profile |
| Grand Canyon University | DHA - Operational Leadership (Quantitative Research) | View Full Profile |
| The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences | DHSc - Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education (Clinical Track) | View Full Profile |
| The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences | DHSc - Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education (Education Track) | View Full Profile |
Featured Online DHA Programs
At Grand Canyon University, students can earn a doctor of education in organizational leadership with an emphasis in healthcare administration. This 60-credit program places a strong emphasis on developing an understanding of all the different facets of healthcare including public, non-profit, for-profit, and government structures.
Students learn how to be strong leaders and develop research methods that will assist them in planning and decision making once in a senior healthcare role. Classes are offered completely online or on-campus in the evenings to allow for the most flexibility.
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three-and-a-half to five years
- Estimated Tuition: $670 per credit-hour
Students who enroll in Walden University College of Health Sciences DHA program benefit from a multidisciplinary curriculum that blends business strategy, theory, research, and leadership. Graduates are trained to be excellent communicators, use data to drive decision making, and implement best practices founded in quality research.
This program accepts students who have completed a master’s in any field. Two required face-to-face residencies allow students to network with faculty and fellow students, while the rest of the course work is completed online.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three to eight years
- Estimated Tuition: $590 per credit hour
The doctor of behavioral health degree in management (DBH) from Arizona State offers students much of the same curriculum as traditional DHA program, with an added emphasis on the intricacies of behavioral health in primary care.
This 84-credit program is completely online with both live classes and asynchronous coursework. Students gain a keen understanding of behavioral health systems, healthcare business entrepreneurship, and performance measurement. As part of the program, students must complete 240 internship hours gaining invaluable hands-on experience.
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three to five years
- Estimated Tuition: $19,784 per year
Healthcare professionals with clinical or administrative work experience will find the DHA program at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions to be an excellent choice to further their career. This program requires students to not only have completed a post-baccalaureate degree but also have extensive work experience.
With an understanding that the success of healthcare organizations is linked to quality leadership, this program emphasizes evidence-based decision making with a clear understanding of an ever-evolving population and workforce. Students complete the required 54 credit-hours as a cohort blending online education with some required face-to-face meetings.
- Location: Charleston, SC
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three years
- Estimated Tuition: $10,290 per term
At Central Michigan University’s Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, the DHA program prepares students with a strong theoretical foundation, critical thinking skills, and practical experience to become sought-after healthcare administrators.
The rigorous curriculum consists of 63 credit-hours delivered in 15 online courses, six in-person two and a half-day seminars, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation with an oral defense. Students are also offered the opportunity to study abroad in countries such as Belize, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
- Location: Mount Pleasant, MI
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three to five years
- Estimated Tuition: $850.00 per credit-hour
The DHA program at Franklin University College of Health and Public Administration promises to teach students to become the next generation of influencers who will deliver innovation to all aspects of healthcare administration including governance, policy, and economics.
The program prepares students to not only identify areas of improvement, but also gives them the skills to drive the implementation of new ideas. Offered completely online, this curriculum can be tailored to each student’s interests through extensive elective courses.
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three years
- Estimated Tuition: $748 per credit-hour
Graduates of the DHA program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Health Related Professions will be prepared to assume healthcare leadership roles in clinics, hospitals, academia, and government agencies.
Students are required to take a varied courses ranging from ethics to epidemiology to health policy and more. Coursework is completed online with a few mandatory on-campus face-to-face sessions. During the last year of study, students will complete and defend a dissertation on their area of administrative focus.
- Location: Jackson, MS
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Three years
- Estimated Tuition: $560.40 per credit-hour
Professors to Know in Online DHA Programs
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Nailya DeLellis, PhD, MPH
Central Michigan University Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions
Dr. Nailya DeLellis earned her master’s in public health from the Kazakhstan School of Public Health and her PhD in health services organization and research from Virginia Commonwealth University.
She is an associate professor at CMU and teaches courses in health economics, strategic planning, and quantitative analysis in healthcare. Her research interests include the intersection of quality and efficiency in healthcare and how to identify quality and efficiency in said care. Her most recent work, published in the International Journal of Health Sciences, examines how changes in a healthcare system can affect the health of a population. -
Jessica H. Bailey, PhD, RHIA
University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Health Related Professions
Dr. Jessica H. Bailey serves as the dean of the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Health Related Professions. Her doctorate is in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
With experience as the director of information at a regional hospital and director of the fellowship program at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Bailey has a varied professional and academic background. She is also a registered health information administrator (RHIA). Her most recent published research work includes examining methods of cohort studies and technological innovations in the classroom setting. -
Jillian Harvey, PhD
Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions
Dr. Jillian Harvey is not only an associate professor at MUSC, but she is also the director of the DHA program. She received her bachelor’s in healthcare administration and master’s of public health in health management and policy from Oregon State University. She went on to earn her PhD in health policy and administration from Penn State University.
Prior to pursuing her MPH, she worked as an administrator for a nationwide healthcare system. Her academic interests lie in telehealth and healthcare costs and access. She is a prolific researcher and has been an author on over 20 articles in the past three years.
