Online MHA Programs That Do Not Require Professional Experience

Working adults who have decided to pursue an online MHA must first select a school to complete their program. An online master’s degree program allows students to continue working and tend to other responsibilities while earning their credentials. Below are five schools that offer online MHA programs and do not require previous professional experience in healthcare to apply.

This MHA degree offers students the option to choose between a general healthcare administration focus and three specialty concentrations in acute care, long-term care, and service organizations. Additionally, MHA students can choose any four courses under leadership electives to customize their degrees further to meet their career goals. The program is designed to be completed entirely online. Students have four virtual residencies throughout the program. The program is divided into three primary dimensions: the continuum of care, leadership, and management.

Students complete 21 credits of core courses, 12 credits of leadership specializations or additional electives, and a three-credit capstone project. In the core curriculum, students learn about healthcare accounting practices, healthcare systems, and ethical and legal issues. Students take electives that focus on their specialty of choice, or if they opt for the general track, they take general electives on fraud management and detection and economics of healthcare policy.

Students in all programs study actual cases in healthcare, complete relevant projects, and participate in active learning formats, all of which take place online. Admissions requirements include submitting official transcripts from previous colleges, three letters of recommendation, and proof of a minimum 3.0 GPA in previous college coursework. In addition, the school recommends professional work experience but does not require it.

• Location: Utica, NY
• Duration: Two to three years
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Grand Canyon University offers an online master’s degree in healthcare administration (MSHCA), including an option to specialize in healthcare quality and patient safety.

Courses include an introduction to graduate studies in the healthcare professions; implementation and change management; foundations of quality improvement and patient safety; project management in healthcare; and healthcare administration practicum. The specialization includes a 16-week practicum.

• Location: Phoenix, AZ
• Duration: Two to three years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions offers an online master of international health management (MIHM) in four tracks: health economics, health informatics, hospital management, and quality improvement in healthcare. This program was developed in partnership with the University of New South Wales.

Courses include instruction in healthcare management and finance and comparative health systems and electives in each track.

• Location: Indianapolis, IN
• Duration: One to two years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Although the coursework for this program is all online, as part of the curriculum, students must travel to Mason’s Virginia campus for the annual Health Policy Institute. This includes meeting policymakers, viewing congressional hearings on Capitol Hill, taking institute classes, and participating in panel discussions with fellow students and federal healthcare policymakers. GMU divides the courses required for its MHA degree program into two phases of seven and eight classes, most of which are in an asynchronous online format.

This program is appropriate for students pursuing a variety of healthcare career applications. Students take courses such as an introduction to the American healthcare system, healthcare leadership and organizational behavior, and health economics. In the second phase, students take classes in statistics in health services management, quantitative skills, and quality improvement in health services.

In addition to the requirement to spend one week in Washington, DC, MHA students complete a field practicum in health systems management. Students must have a bachelor’s degree to apply for the program, but it does not need to be in the healthcare field. Please note that the admissions committee does consider prior work experience when evaluating applicants, but it is not an official requirement for the program. No GMAT is required to apply.

• Location: Fairfax, VA
• Duration: Two to three years
• Accreditation: Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

MHA students at Southern New Hampshire University will appreciate that it has one of the lowest tuition rates for online master’s degree programs in the U.S. This program, targeted toward entry- to mid-level healthcare managers, offers courses in biostatistics, healthcare quality and improvement, strategic human resources management, healthcare informatics, global health and diversity, healthcare marketing, finance and economics, law and several others. The school also offers a similar master’s degree in management in healthcare administration.

Graduates of these programs can expect to learn how to obtain leadership positions in healthcare. Prospective MHA students do not have to take the GMAT or show proof of previous professional work experience in healthcare. The admission process at SNHU requires students to submit an application, official transcripts from other colleges, and an application processing fee. It takes two to four weeks for an admissions representative to review each application.

• Location: Manchester, NH
• Duration: 15 months
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

Purdue Global’s MHA program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the healthcare industry. The 52-credit curriculum covers various topics, including healthcare finance, human resources, quality assessment, organizational development, healthcare law, leadership, and healthcare administration. The program is 100 percent online, with no campus visits or internships required.

Graduates of the program will be equipped with the professional, leadership, and management skills necessary to succeed in healthcare administration. Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Previous work experience is not required, but a background check may be required for admission.

• Location: Indianapolis, IN
• Duration: 18 to 24 months
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Maryville University’s online MHA program is designed for working professionals. The 100 percent online program can be completed in as little as two years, with no campus visits required. Four concentrations are available: health informatics and analytics; healthcare leadership; population health management; and senior services.

Admissions requirements include a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Personal letters of recommendation and an understanding of basic statistics are also required for admission into the program. The MHA program at Maryville University is an excellent option for working professionals who want to advance their careers in the healthcare field.

• Location: St. Louis, MO
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

The MHA program at Capella University’s School of Business, Technology, and Health Care Administration offers four concentrations: healthcare informatics; healthcare leadership; and healthcare operations. Students in these tracks can tailor their skills and expertise to work in management, information technology, and operations roles in healthcare settings.

Applicants to the MHA program must provide the following information: A bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or from an internationally recognized institution with official bachelor’s transcripts, with a minimum grade point average of 2.3 or higher. In addition, a valid, government-issued form of photo identification and a $50 nonrefundable application fee are required at the time of application to cover transcript requests, transcript evaluation, and other administrative costs. GRE/GMAT are not required for admission.

• Location: Minneapolis, MN
• Duration: 14 months
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

The University of Cincinnati’s MHA program is a professional, third-person program that values a conception of the health systems leader as a true health professional rather than a simple manager. The program strongly supports the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Code of Ethics, focusing on the healthcare manager’s responsibilities to the profession, patients or others served, the organization, and employees.

Students applying to the program must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. In addition, applicants must provide official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. The MHA program is 100 percent online, with a fast track or extended program available through the College of Allied Health Sciences.

• Location: Cincinnati, OH
• Duration: Five to eight semesters
• Accreditation: Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

The MHA program at Regis College is taught by staff who work in healthcare administration. It introduces students to view healthcare administration from a business, patient, and policy point-of-view. This program is a good option for students from different backgrounds. Therefore, the school only requires previous work experience or GMAT scores.

Whether students are interested in an entry-level or executive position, they can acquire many valuable skills, such as healthcare accounting and financing, interpersonal and professional communication, strategic planning, organization in a healthcare environment, and critical thinking. In addition, students who complete the field experience need 36 credits—while those who waive the field experience only need 33—in concepts in health administration, research methods for the health professions, and healthcare quality management. Admission requirements for this program include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, official transcripts from previous schools, application form and fee, current resume, statement of purpose, and two letters of recommendation.

• Location: Boston, MA
• Duration: 24 months
• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)