Master of Health Administration
Encyclopedia
The Master of Health Administration (or Master of Healthcare Administration) is a master's
-level professional degree granted to students who complete a course of study in the knowledge and competencies needed for careers in health administration
, involving the management of hospitals and other health services organizations, as well as public health infrastructure. Programs can differ according to setting; although practitioner-teacher model
programs are typically found in colleges of medicine or allied health, classroom-based programs can be found in colleges of business or public health.
Accredited programs of study typically require students to complete applied experiences as well as course work in areas such as population health, healthcare economics, health policy, organizational behavior, management of healthcare organizations, healthcare marketing and communications, human resource management, information systems management and assessment, operations assessment and improvement, governance, leadership, statistical analysis and application, financial analysis and management, and strategy formulation and implementation. The degree program is designed to give graduates of health
disciplines (in particular) greater understanding of management
issues and prepare them for senior management roles, and is awarded by many American, European and Australian universities. The degree traditionally focuses on health administration at the local, state, and federal level as well as in the nonprofit sector. This contrasts with the general Master of Business Administration
or the Master of Public Administration
degrees.
In most countries, applicants are required to hold minimum a four year undergraduate degree and have a minimum period of professional experience in the health system. The curriculum, however, varies between universities.
have degrees with health administration content, only a minority have been accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
(CAHME), which is the only accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education
for these programs. In the same way the AACSB evaluates accreditation for MBA programs; CAHME accreditation requires programs to meet a set of standards related to areas such as program resources, faculty preparation, curriculum content, and post-graduation career success, and also helps to ensure that the programs are well integrated with the practice communities their graduates will work within.
Applicants to accredited programs are required to hold a four-year undergraduate degree prior to enrolling. Some universities offer dual MBA/MHA degrees with AACSB accredition, or MBA/HOM degree programs, which may be completed concurrently or sequentially. Some MHA programs do not require professional experience prior to enrollment; however most programs require work experience, such as internships or fellowships, as part of their graduation requirements. Some MHA programs use a blended lecture and online format, allowing people to continue working while they pursue the MHA degree. There are also a few universities, including many for-profit universities, that offer Master of Healthcare Administration programs completely online; however, these programs are not currently eligible for CAHME accreditation because of concerns about the effectiveness of online programs as an analog for developing interpersonal and team-based skills which are more typically face-to-face in their use in post-graduation professional roles.
Most Master of Healthcare Administration-equivalent graduate programs in the United States are offered by schools of public health, business, allied health or, less frequently, by schools of medicine. Programs in schools of public health or business tend to have a more 'traditional' structure; courses are typically taught by academicians and have a focus on theory as well as analysis. Programs housed in schools of allied health or medicine tend to have a more applied focus, with more courses taught by practitioners (healthcare executives) and may also offer more opportunities for students to gain practical work experience while completing their studies. In the United States, the official academic honor society for Master of Healthcare Administration graduates is Upsilon Phi Delta
.
of Health Service Management, and, depending on the outcome, diplomates may be permitted to continue to the second part which culminates in the Master of Healthcare Administration degree. Course structures, and may be either research or coursework based. The Master of Health Administration is considered the benchmark qualification by the Australian College of Health Service Executives http://www.achse.org.au/frameset.html. Unlike elsewhere, the Master of Healthcare Administration is not intended primarily for medical practitioners (who have courses provided by their professional organisations) but is open to graduates of any discipline wishing to pursue a career in health administration
. Owing to the wide variety of course nomenclature in Australia, some Universities offer the course as a Master of Business(Health Administration), abbreviated to MBus(Hlth).
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
-level professional degree granted to students who complete a course of study in the knowledge and competencies needed for careers in health administration
Health administration
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems...
, involving the management of hospitals and other health services organizations, as well as public health infrastructure. Programs can differ according to setting; although practitioner-teacher model
Practitioner-teacher model
-Creation:The modern history of the practitioner-teacher model dates back to 1972, when Rush-Presbyterian-St.-Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, established Rush University, a health sciences university that was designed to be a fully integrated subsidiary of the medical center...
programs are typically found in colleges of medicine or allied health, classroom-based programs can be found in colleges of business or public health.
Accredited programs of study typically require students to complete applied experiences as well as course work in areas such as population health, healthcare economics, health policy, organizational behavior, management of healthcare organizations, healthcare marketing and communications, human resource management, information systems management and assessment, operations assessment and improvement, governance, leadership, statistical analysis and application, financial analysis and management, and strategy formulation and implementation. The degree program is designed to give graduates of health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
disciplines (in particular) greater understanding of management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
issues and prepare them for senior management roles, and is awarded by many American, European and Australian universities. The degree traditionally focuses on health administration at the local, state, and federal level as well as in the nonprofit sector. This contrasts with the general Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
or the Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degrees.
General
MHA programs are intended to provide students with the essential knowledge required for senior managerial and planning work in the health services and systems. The objectives of the program are to develop graduates who are: competent general and financial managers, competent planners, knowledgeable about public health and the structure, organization and financing of health care systems, knowledgeable about society, law and ethics, and competent in quantitative skills.In most countries, applicants are required to hold minimum a four year undergraduate degree and have a minimum period of professional experience in the health system. The curriculum, however, varies between universities.
United States
Although many colleges of business, public health, and/or health sciences in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
have degrees with health administration content, only a minority have been accredited through the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education is the accrediting body for graduate degree programs related to healthcare management in the United States and Canada....
(CAHME), which is the only accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
for these programs. In the same way the AACSB evaluates accreditation for MBA programs; CAHME accreditation requires programs to meet a set of standards related to areas such as program resources, faculty preparation, curriculum content, and post-graduation career success, and also helps to ensure that the programs are well integrated with the practice communities their graduates will work within.
Applicants to accredited programs are required to hold a four-year undergraduate degree prior to enrolling. Some universities offer dual MBA/MHA degrees with AACSB accredition, or MBA/HOM degree programs, which may be completed concurrently or sequentially. Some MHA programs do not require professional experience prior to enrollment; however most programs require work experience, such as internships or fellowships, as part of their graduation requirements. Some MHA programs use a blended lecture and online format, allowing people to continue working while they pursue the MHA degree. There are also a few universities, including many for-profit universities, that offer Master of Healthcare Administration programs completely online; however, these programs are not currently eligible for CAHME accreditation because of concerns about the effectiveness of online programs as an analog for developing interpersonal and team-based skills which are more typically face-to-face in their use in post-graduation professional roles.
Most Master of Healthcare Administration-equivalent graduate programs in the United States are offered by schools of public health, business, allied health or, less frequently, by schools of medicine. Programs in schools of public health or business tend to have a more 'traditional' structure; courses are typically taught by academicians and have a focus on theory as well as analysis. Programs housed in schools of allied health or medicine tend to have a more applied focus, with more courses taught by practitioners (healthcare executives) and may also offer more opportunities for students to gain practical work experience while completing their studies. In the United States, the official academic honor society for Master of Healthcare Administration graduates is Upsilon Phi Delta
Upsilon Phi Delta
Upsilon Phi Delta is the national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration in the United States. The organization was formed in 1965 to further the profession of health administration and the professional competence and dedication of its members...
.
Australia
In Australia the Master of Health Administration may be divided in two parts; the first part awards a postgraduate diplomaPostgraduate diploma
A postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate qualification awarded typically after a bachelor's degree. It can be contrasted with a graduate diploma...
of Health Service Management, and, depending on the outcome, diplomates may be permitted to continue to the second part which culminates in the Master of Healthcare Administration degree. Course structures, and may be either research or coursework based. The Master of Health Administration is considered the benchmark qualification by the Australian College of Health Service Executives http://www.achse.org.au/frameset.html. Unlike elsewhere, the Master of Healthcare Administration is not intended primarily for medical practitioners (who have courses provided by their professional organisations) but is open to graduates of any discipline wishing to pursue a career in health administration
Health administration
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems...
. Owing to the wide variety of course nomenclature in Australia, some Universities offer the course as a Master of Business(Health Administration), abbreviated to MBus(Hlth).
See also
- Upsilon Phi DeltaUpsilon Phi DeltaUpsilon Phi Delta is the national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration in the United States. The organization was formed in 1965 to further the profession of health administration and the professional competence and dedication of its members...
- American College of Healthcare ExecutivesAmerican College of Healthcare ExecutivesThe American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional association of healthcare executives Its central offices are located at 1 N. Franklin Street in Chicago, Illinois, USA. ACHE is one of the healthcare industry's top professional associations...
- Master of Public HealthMaster of Public HealthThe Master of Public Health and the Doctor of Public Health are multi-disciplinary professional degrees awarded for studies in areas related to public health....
- Master of Business AdministrationMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
- Master of Public AdministrationMaster of Public AdministrationThe Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
- Doctor of Health AdministrationDoctor of Health AdministrationThe Doctor of Health Administration or D.H.A. degree was started in the U.S. in the late 1990s at the Medical University of South Carolina as an advanced professional doctorate in health leadership. The founding director and chief architect for the degree was Dr. James A. Johnson. Prior to this the...
External links
- Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). - The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) has been granted formal recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. CAHME is the only organization recognized to grant accreditation to individual academic programs offering a professional master's degree in healthcare management education in the United States and Canada. The list of CAHME accredited programs can be found here: Accredited Programs : By Name.
- The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). - The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a not-for-profit association of university-based educational programs, faculty, practitioners, and provider organizations. Its members are dedicated to continuously improving the field of healthcare management and practice. AUPHA's membership consists of the 160 best programs in healthcare management. Membership in AUPHA is tied to the pursuit of program accreditation at the graduate level and undergraduate certification at the bachelors degree level. Thus, AUPHA can ensure that its members represent the premier programs in the world.
- Upsilon Phi Delta. - The national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration. It is administered by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in the United States.
- Masters Degrees in Health Administration. - Commercial Guide to programs mostly in the United States by predominantly for-profit schools who pay for the listing and whose programs do not have CAHME accreditation.
- - US News and World Report Health Services Administration Rankings. - Rankings of the Nation's Best Graduate Schools in the discipline of Health Services Administration according to US News and World Report.