Online Healthcare Administration Graduate Certificate Programs
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For the latest academic year, we have 170 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
“[These programs are] specifically designed for individuals seeking to advance their knowledge in healthcare administration—offering focused courses on key topics such as health services administration, finance and budgeting, healthcare marketing, quality and safety, and healthcare economics and policy.”
Christina Kim, MPH, Graduate Certificate Recipient, University of Arizona
As a result of an active and aging population, increases in the number and length of chronic conditions, expanding regulatory demand, and rising need for evidence-based accountability, the healthcare system is expanding and becoming more complex. As the system grows, more healthcare administrators will be needed to keep the healthcare system running, to keep care accessible to patients, and to ensure high quality of care at the most reasonable price point possible.
This systemic need is going to be so great that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025, the latest data available) predicts a 24 percent growth in jobs in medical and health services management between 2025 and 2035. This will produce 155,100 new positions nationally, for 795,500 jobs in the field. With a growth rate eight times higher than the average, medical professionals looking to grow in the medical industry have huge opportunities.
Medical administrators are non-clinical professionals who may be responsible for everything outside of patient care that keeps a healthcare organization running. Some medical administrators run entire hospitals, while others may be responsible for small clinics or departments within a larger institution. At any scale, medical administrators may be responsible for tasks like budgeting, hiring, scheduling, compliance, development, managing insurance contracts, streamlining operations, and more.
For professionals currently working in the healthcare field, online graduate certificates can be a quick, affordable, and flexible way to shift into healthcare leadership. Online graduate certificates in healthcare management allow students to learn at their own pace and generally require 18 months of commitment or less.
Graduate certificates are ideal for professionals who want to test out a school’s program before committing to a full master’s degree. Most graduate certificate programs allow for any courses completed toward the certificate to be used toward completion of a master’s in health administration (MHA).
Keep reading to learn more about graduate certificate programs in healthcare administration.
| Featured Graduate Certificates in Healthcare Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | Health Care Innovation (Graduate Certificate) | View Full Profile |
| MGH Institute of Health Professions | Health Administration Graduate Certificate | View Full Profile |
| Boston University | Health Informatics (Grad Certificate) | View Full Profile |
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For the latest academic year, we have 170 schools in our MHAOnline.com database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details. |
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Meet the Expert: Christina Kim
Christina Kim completed her master of public health (MPH) with a concentration in health services administration at the University of Arizona. She began her advanced studies in 2020 through a graduate certificate program and progressed to her MPH in 2023. Recently, she completed a health administration internship with UCI Health and is now actively seeking an administrative fellowship.
Initially drawn to nursing, Kim’s brief experience in the field shifted her focus toward improving healthcare processes, enhancing patient outcomes, and creating better work environments for clinicians. Her diverse background spans retail, healthcare, and education, with experiences that have taken her from the Chicagoland area to Arizona, South Korea, and California. She aspires to become a healthcare leader dedicated to transforming patient care, optimizing clinical workflows, and driving organizational efficiency.
She graciously spoke to MHAOnline.com in 2024.
MHAOnline.com: What is something you wish the public understood about healthcare administration graduate certificate programs?
Kim: I wish the public understood that while healthcare administration graduate certificate programs are not equivalent to a master’s degree, they are highly valuable for professionals pursuing careers in this specialized field. This program is specifically designed for individuals seeking to advance their knowledge in healthcare administration—offering focused courses on key topics such as health services administration, finance and budgeting, healthcare marketing, quality and safety, and healthcare economics and policy.
Through this program, graduate students gain both academic and practical knowledge in areas within healthcare administration, allowing them to explore different aspects of this field. The healthcare administration graduate certificate program is an excellent start for individuals interested in pursuing a postgraduate education, as these credits will count towards a master’s degree in the future.
MHAOnline.com: What advice would you give to aspiring healthcare administration graduate certificate program students?
Kim: I would advise aspiring healthcare administration graduate certificate program students to create, build, and maintain rapport with their professors and graduate staff. My professors and graduate advisor have played significant roles throughout my graduate studies, guiding me through challenges, writing letters of recommendation, and providing the best support system. These relationships have helped me at every step of my graduate endeavors, and truthfully, they have become significant people in my life.
Featured Graduate Certificates in Healthcare Administration
The executive certificate in health administration is an online Jesuit health leadership program offered through the Panuska College of Professional Studies at the University of Scranton. This graduate certificate is best suited to experienced professionals interested in making an immediate impact in healthcare by learning leadership and decision-making skills through an American College of Healthcare Executives-aligned curriculum.
Students enrolled in the five-course, 15-credit certificate program take three core courses and can choose two electives from the full master’s in health administration program. Coursework includes healthcare organization and administration, healthcare financial management, health services and systems, hospital administration, and medical practice administration.
Students can choose to transfer completed coursework credits into the MHA program should they decide to transfer to the degree pathway. While no GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply, this certificate program is for experienced professionals. A minimum of three years of full-time professional or supervisory experience is required to apply.
- Location: Scranton, PA
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Expected Time to Completion: Ten months
The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare innovation designed to help graduates become change facilitators in the healthcare industry. The Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation was ranked No. 51 in the nation for master’s programs by the U.S. News and World Report.
Faculty teaching in the online program include Fullbright Senior Scholars and recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Leadership Award in Caregiving and the Ruth B. Freeman Award from the American Public Health Association.
Students enrolled in the 15-credit, five-course program complete four core courses and one capstone course. Coursework in the program includes innovation and the individual, systems thinking in a complex environment, outcomes evaluation, and innovation methods. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply, and there is no minimum work experience requirement. Applicants with an academic background in any health-related business, social science, hard science, healthcare practice, or technology field are encouraged to apply.
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
Combining coursework from the College of Allied Health Sciences and the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, the University of Cincinnati offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare administration designed to prepare participants for leadership in the healthcare organizations of tomorrow. In addition to being completely online, the certificate is taught by expert professors who have active roles in health administration.
The 12-credit graduate certificate requires participants to complete four courses: two core courses and two electives of their choosing. Core courses include health systems management: organization and delivery and healthcare marketplace: health economics. Examples of electives include health quality: evidence-based decision-making and global health systems. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply. While no work experience is required, applicants are encouraged to highlight experience in healthcare on their resume or CV.
Graduates will be ready for roles such as chief executive officers, chief operations officers, facilities managers, group practice administrators, hospital administrators, nurse managers, operations managers, and program managers.
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months or less
The credits earned in Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s online graduate certificate in healthcare administration can be applied toward several SMUMN’s graduate programs, including the master of arts program in health and human services, accredited by the Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators. Other options include the MS in project management, MA in organizational leadership, MA in human resource management, MS in business intelligence and data analytics, and master of business administration (MBA) program. SMUM also offers healthcare analytics certificate and MBA programs.
Graduates of this 12-credit program will develop the budgeting, strategic planning, leadership, and management skills they need to succeed. Coursework includes financial practices in the health and human services sector, health and human service systems, advanced health policy and ethics, and health and human service administration.
Designed to be completed in just one year, this graduate certificate does not require GRE/GMAT scores to apply. Admission requirements include an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.75, a written statement, two professional references, and a current resume.
Graduates can prepare for leadership and management roles in healthcare settings like pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, and long-term care facilities.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
The graduate certificate in health care quality offered by the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences is designed for current professionals who wish to become leaders in high-quality patient care. Students will develop skills in health care leadership, developing quality and patient safety improvements, planning organizational changes, and assessing information technology.
Students enrolled in the four-course, 12-credit program will complete three core courses and one elective of their choice. Coursework in the program building a quality culture, patient safety systems, and moving quality improvement from theory to action. The electives include health information quality and outcomes, and leadership development in health care systems.
Enrolled students who elect to switch to the full master’s of science in health science (MSHS) in health care quality can apply completed graduate certificate credits to their degree. No GRE or GMAT scores are required to apply. While no minimum threshold of work experience is specifically delineated for acceptance into GW’s graduate certificate program, previous healthcare experience is preferred.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Professions offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in health administration. It’s designed to prepare graduates for managing healthcare facilities, upholding ethical standards, and ensuring legal compliance with the organization.
Students are taught by faculty who are professionals in healthcare fields and can provide real-world experience and insights. They may enter the 12-credit program in the fall, spring, or summer. Students choose four courses from topics like the following: healthcare administration and resource management, financial management in healthcare, strategic planning and marketing in healthcare, quality improvement in healthcare, and interprofessional leadership development, among others.
Graduates may transfer all their credits from the certificate program to MGH’s MHA program. All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent, and submit official transcripts, a personal statement, and a recommendation letter. Work experience and GMAT and GRE scores are not required. Applicants who have not completed previous programs in which English was the language of instruction must demonstrate English language proficiency in order to be admitted.
- Location: Boston, MS
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: 15 weeks
The health informatics graduate certificate offered by Boston University is available fully online and on-campus. The goal of the program is to familiarize students with modern health information technology, including the generation and storage of electronic medical data in healthcare and public health organizations.
The 16-credit curriculum includes biomedical sciences and health IT, health informatics, health information systems, and advanced health informatics. The course work includes case studies and real-word projects which provide practical experience with current technologies. All students have access to BU’s health informatics research lab, which focuses on collaborative research and developments in health informatics, bioinformatics, and clinical research.
Graduates will gain an understanding of the American healthcare system, the IT needs of healthcare providers, knowledge of best-practice deployment of healthcare IT, proficiency in managing, processing and analyzing healthcare data, and the ability to design, implement, and manage advanced solutions. Credits earned in the certificate program may be transferred to master’s degree in health informatics.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent, official transcripts, proof of English proficiency if applicable, and a current resume/CV. Work experience and GMAT and GRE scores are not required.
- Location: Boston, MS.
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); the certificate program shares courses with the master’s degree program, which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Expected Time to Completion: Eight months
The certificate program is now part of the healthcare project management program, and has also been incorporated into the master’s in healthcare promotion program.
The School of Professional and Extended Studies at American University offers a 100 percent online graduate certificate in healthcare management. The program is designed to help professionals in the healthcare industry understand and implement a values-based financial model of healthcare and to improve processes and care delivery through technology integration.
The graduate certificate requires participants to complete 12 credits over the following four courses: data-driven decision-making, standards and systems in U.S. healthcare, principles of health information technology and innovation, and evaluating new models of care payment and delivery. While on-campus participation is not required, American University’s certificate program students can participate in an optional on-campus immersion for the data-driven decision-making course.
Those enrolled in the graduate certificate program can apply for credits from the certificate program to American University’s fully online master of science program in healthcare management, should they choose. Applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to apply, and while no work experience is required to apply, the program is designed for experienced professionals. GMAT or GRE scores are not required for admission.
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Expected Time to Completion: Nine to 15 months
