Online MHA Programs That Require Professional Experience
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 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.
“I would advise gaining some work experience before pursuing a master’s degree. There is so much nuance in a master’s education that can be challenging to fully grasp without practical experience.”
Melissa Edwards, MD, MHA, Chief Executive of PeaceHealth Medical Group
According to the U.S. News and World Report (2024), healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. This is due to many factors, including a rapidly aging population, advances in healthcare technology, and healthcare legislation that has allowed more people to have health insurance.
Healthcare administration professionals oversee the daily operations of hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other types of healthcare facilities. Graduates of online master’s programs in healthcare administration (MHA) can work for government agencies, for-profit organizations, and non-profit organizations.
A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level requirement for a role in healthcare administration, although most employers prefer a master’s degree. Not only can a master’s degree allow professionals to advance more quickly in their careers, but it can also help them transition into the field of healthcare administration from a different industry.
Most online master’s programs in healthcare administration (MHA) require the completion of 32 to 60 credits on the management and business side of healthcare. The average time to complete a program is two years, although a specific program could take longer or shorter depending on the student’s transferred credits and work experience and the program’s scope.
Many online MHA programs require between two and five years of previous work experience at the middle to senior management level. However, applicants may not be required to have experience in healthcare administration. Prospective MHA students should also expect to send letters of recommendation from their employers and college professors.
This guide explores several accredited online MHA programs that require previous work experience and the perspective of one accomplished professional and MHA graduate.
Online MHA Programs Requiring 2-4 Years of Experience | ||
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The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health | Online MHA (MHA@GW) | View Full Profile |
Texas State University | Master of Healthcare Administration - Executive Track | View Full Profile |
The University of Scranton | Executive Certificate in Health Administration | View Full Profile |
The University of Scranton | Master of Health Administration | View Full Profile |
Ohio University | Online Master of Health Administration (MHA) | View Full Profile |
Sacred Heart University | Online Master of Health Administration (MHA) | View Full Profile |
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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 112 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. |
Meet the Expert: Melissa Edwards, MD, MHA
Dr. Melissa Edwards is the chief executive of PeaceHealth Medical Group. An alumna of Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, she has a robust clinical practice and healthcare management background. In May 2020, she completed her master of healthcare administration (MHA) from the University of Scranton.
At PeaceHealth, Dr. Edwards has excelled as a leader, both in her support of the medical group and as the system Medical Director for Women’s Service Line. She is highly skilled in electronic medical record (EMR) implementation, strategic planning, and collaborating with physicians and clinicians. Her extensive knowledge and dedication to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency make her an invaluable asset to PeaceHealth.
MHAOnline.com: What is something people don’t know about being a healthcare administration manager?
Dr. Edwards: The most surprising aspect of healthcare leadership is its highly matrixed nature. You’ll never find yourself in a position where you have only one boss, nor will the people who report to you have just one supervisor. Everything is deeply interconnected, meaning that while you may report directly to one individual, you must develop the ability to work effectively with people throughout the entire organization. These colleagues may possess skill sets completely different from your own and may even approach their work with a different sense of purpose.
As a physician leader, it’s crucial to understand that not everyone has a clinical background—some come from IT, finance, or marketing. Learning to lead teams made up of individuals from various walks of life and educational backgrounds is both exciting and challenging.
MHAOnline.com: What is one piece of advice you would give to a prospective MHA student?
Dr. Edwards: Having observed many of my colleagues throughout the program, I’ve noticed two distinct paths: some of us entered the master’s program after gaining healthcare experience and leadership roles, while others transitioned directly from a bachelor’s degree.
I would advise gaining some work experience before pursuing a master’s degree. There is so much nuance in a master’s education that can be challenging to fully grasp without practical experience. Therefore, I recommend obtaining your bachelor’s degree, securing your first job—perhaps even your second—and then returning for your master’s. This approach ensures you will benefit far more from the master’s program because you will have the necessary context to fully appreciate the didactic learning.
Featured Online MHA Programs That Require Professional Experience
Healthcare professionals who are seeking leadership roles in administration or to change their career path are fortunate to have numerous online MHA programs available to them. Below are five well-known and reputable schools that offer this type degree. All five require incoming MHA students to have at least two years of professional work experience.
The University of Scranton was the first to gain full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) for its online MHA program. This accreditation is considered the gold standard in the healthcare administration industry.
This online MHA aims to provide students with strong skills in communication, analysis and critical thinking, ethics, and leadership. It requires students to complete a healthcare administration practicum towards the end of the curriculum, which includes 150 hours of fieldwork and counts for three credits. The core competencies that students can expect to study at the University of Scranton include ethics, financial management, health systems, law, operations, organization, and quality control.
Students will take 12 credits of foundational courses in organization and administration, financial management, statistics and research methods, and services and systems. They also take 32 credits of core courses in human resources management and healthcare policy. A three-credit elective and the practicum round out the degree.
Admission requirements include transfer credits, a satisfactory academic record, three letters of recommendation, a professional resume, a letter of intent, three years of supervisory experience in the healthcare field, and a background check.
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Format: Online
- Program length: 47 credits over 2.5 years
The Milken Institute of Public Health was ranked in the top 20 graduate programs in healthcare administration in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report. Graduates of the program have obtained positions in clinical administration, healthcare planning and management, and non-clinical operations. This program requires students to complete eight online ten-week modules. Each module focuses on a different set of core skills needed for success in a healthcare administration career. Examples of coursework include community health and quantitative methods, finance and economics, information technology and decision science, law and regulation, and leadership and ethics. Outside of the rigorous coursework, students must complete four immersion experiences and an applied research project.
For admission, students must have at least two years of experience in healthcare or three years in any other sector. They must also submit official transcripts from an accredited bachelor’s program, a statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation, and a professional resume. They are not required to complete the GRE or GMAT for admission. However, applicants need to participate in a live interview with an admissions manager via web camera. The MHA program starts in January, April, July, and October.
- Location: Washington, District of Columbia
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health
- Format: Online with four on-campus immersions and at healthcare facilities in the U.S. and abroad
- Program length: 50 credits; two to four years
This online MHA program requires students take 12 three-credit courses. All students begin the program with an introduction to the healthcare delivery system in the U.S. and progress through other classes such as information systems for health services, research methods for health services, health policy, healthcare financing, and healthcare law. It prepares students for numerous exciting roles in healthcare administration, such as analyst, director, nurse manager, and CEO.
Admissions requirements for this program include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school with a minimum 3.0 grade point average, two years of recent full-time work experience in a healthcare system within the U.S., and excellent English writing skills. Some students may need to submit scores for IELTS or TOEFL.
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
- Format: Online
- Program length: 36 credits; two years
As a participant in the American College of Healthcare Executives’ Higher Education Network (ACHE), Queens University of Charlotte focuses on five core competencies in its online MHA program: business expertise, communication, healthcare knowledge, leadership, and professionalism. The college designed its curriculum to meet today’s most pressing healthcare needs and provides students with practical knowledge and skills that they can apply to their current and future healthcare roles.
Courses in this 36-credit program focus on the school’s “learn it today, use it today” mentality and include health services organization and delivery, organizational behavior in healthcare organizations, financial management, management and human resources of healthcare organizations, and quality improvements in healthcare organizations. Admission requirements include having a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a 3.0 or better grade point average, two letters of recommendation, at least two years of work experience in a healthcare organization, official transcripts, professional resume, and a career statement.
- Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Format: Online
- Program length: 36 credits; two years or more
The University of Cincinnati’s EMHA 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
- Accreditation: Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- Format: Online
- Program length: Five to eight semesters
USC designed its online executive MHA degree program for management and mid-career clinical professionals. Coursework is all online, although students must attend two five-day residencies on the college’s main campus in Los Angeles, California. Over six semesters, students take classes in healthcare economics, operational efficiency processes in healthcare organizations, and quality of care.
The degree is ideal for those seeking a career as an executive director, health service or medical manager, senior manager, or vice president of a healthcare facility. In addition to a grade point average of 3.0 or better in previous college coursework, students need to submit a transcript from each school attended, three letters of recommendation, a professional resume, a personal statement of purpose, and proof of a minimum of five years of professional work experience.
Admission requirements include transfer credits, a satisfactory academic record, three letters of recommendation, a professional resume, a letter of intent, three years of supervisory experience in the healthcare field, and a background check.
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Format: Online with two five-day on-campus residencies
- Program length: 36 credits over six semesters
Career & Salary Outlook for Medical and Health Services Managers
The career outlook for edical and health services managers from 2022 to 2032 is highly favorable, reflecting the increasing complexity and expansion of healthcare services. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024), employment in this field is projected to grow by 28 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations (3 percent). This surge is driven by the need to manage and improve healthcare facilities, adapt to new regulations, and implement advanced technology.
The salary percentiles for medical and health services managers are as follows (BLS May 2023):
- 10th percentile: $67,900
- 25th percentile: $86,080
- 50th percentile (median): $110,680
- 75th percentile: $157,640
- 90th percentile: $216,750
By comparison, in August 2024, PayScale.com reported that the median annual salary for medical and health services managers is approximately $73,689, with salaries varying based on experience, education, and location.