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Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)
Request InformationTransform the future of healthcare—and your career—with Walden’s Master of Healthcare Administration program.
Next start dates
- Course-Based Courses with a set schedule May 31, 2021
- Tempo Competency-Based Learning Go at your own pace May 03, 2021
Transfer Credits
- Up to 25 Credits
Walden is No. 1 in master’s in health professions graduates in the U.S.¹
In a rapidly changing U.S. healthcare climate, healthcare administration graduates are in demand. Walden’s MHA program prepares you with the industry insights and leadership skills to drive the transition to value-based healthcare and prevention.
Trust the leader
Walden is the leader in graduating students with master’s degrees in health professions.1
A degree on your terms
Choose our flexible, competency-based format designed to work around your busy schedule.
Aligned with NCHL
Aligned with the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) model, this MHA combines industry knowledge with practical competencies for outstanding healthcare leadership.
Program Savings
Tempo Competency-Based Learning™: Receive up to a $2,000 grant if you reside in the U.S. and start this program on May 3, 2021. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
Get Started NowTwo Ways to Learn
Choose from two degree completion options that are both designed for working nurses.
The course-based format may be a good option for you if you prefer an instructor-led approach and learning on a predetermined schedule.
Tempo Competency-Based Learning™ is an alternative way to earn your Walden degree. It’s different from our standard course-based learning because you can work at a pace that makes sense for you, and progress once you’ve shown you understand a subject. With Tempo Learning®, you have the flexibility of online learning, plus the ability to personalize and control the length, cost, and pacing of your program.
General Program
In the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) General Program, you will prepare to help your organization address the challenges of today’s changing healthcare landscape.
Course-Based Learning TempoLeadership and Organizational Development
In the Leadership and Organizational Development specialization, you will explore leadership and organizational theories, concepts, and trends in the healthcare setting.
Population Health
Build the core competencies and specialized professional and career skills you need to lead and manage complex, population-based healthcare initiatives and programs and drive healthcare innovations that can produce measurable clinical and economic values.
Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Designed for entrepreneurial professionals and students across all disciplines, coursework in this Walden MHA specialization covers a range of organizational activities and structures, including public, private, and nonprofit sector responses.
Systems and Policy
The Systems and Policy specialization gives you a solid understanding of systems and policy theories—and the ability to think critically and creatively about the big picture, a requirement of tomorrow’s healthcare leaders and managers.
Admission Requirements
Program Admission Considerations: A bachelor's degree or higher.
General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply. More information for international applicants.
Be a Healthcare Change-Maker
Opportunities in healthcare management and administration are growing. Seize a leadership position with an MHA from Walden. Coursework in this online program explores the trends, regulations, laws, and health policies that impact health systems. Examine the latest technologies and best practices in the field while developing the advanced business skills that today’s healthcare employers need.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of Walden’s online Master of Healthcare Administration program will be prepared to:
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and service recipients.
- Assess the components of the healthcare delivery system in the United States.
- Appraise delivery of healthcare strategies and solutions.
- Analyze environmental factors impacting the management of healthcare organizations.
- Analyze decisions that impact the healthcare delivery system such as laws, mandates, court decisions, and policies.
- Utilize professional ethics in managing and leading healthcare organizations.
- Analyze the responsibility and operations of a healthcare organization in patient care outcomes and business performance.
- Apply critical thinking skills in financial management, human resourcing, operational improvement, and strategic planning.
- Analyze managerial and leadership challenges in healthcare.
- Analyze healthcare marketing used to improve consumer experience and competitive advantage.
- Utilize evidence-based healthcare strategies that are culturally appropriate to improve population health outcomes.
- Apply critical time management skills.
What’s the Career Impact of Earning an MHA?
Unlock Your Leadership Potential
In today’s healthcare climate, employers want innovative leaders who can respond to community needs while elevating organizational performance. Jobs for medical and health services managers are expected to grow 32% through 2029, much faster than the national average for all occupations.2
As a healthcare professional with vision, you want to broaden your impact—and brighten your future. Trust Walden to help you achieve it. No other school graduates more MHA students.1
What Can I Do With an MHA?
A master’s in healthcare administration can prepare you to take on new responsibilities and advance to leadership roles. Depending on your specialization, you can pursue career options such as:
- Ambulatory surgery center director
- Compliance or business operations director
- Group practice administrator
- Academic program or departmental administrator
- Hospital or health services administrator
- Assistant administrator
- Materials management director
- Director of business functions such as marketing, operations, and planning
- Health information manager
- Director of managed care
- Director of managed care business development
- Director of patient access
- Medical and health services manager
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this MHA online program.
Increase Your Earning Potential
A Walden master’s in healthcare administration degree can potentially lead to higher earnings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $100,980 in May 2019.3 The median annual wages for medical and health services managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows in May 2019:3
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: $110,430
- Government: $111,520
- Outpatient care centers: $95,320
- Offices of physicians: $91,600
- Nursing and residential care facilities $86,820
Testimonials
Pursuing a degree from Walden is a commitment to efficiency and quality in healthcare.
Perry Ishmael Peralta MHA Graduate
Being a student at Walden University is one of the best things that has happened to me in my life. As a father, husband, and worker, I was able to navigate this triangular responsibility alongside my academic challenges.
Ogbeide Elijah MHA Graduate
I chose Walden University because many of my colleagues were alumni. They highly recommended Walden for the working professional who seeks outstanding professor engagement throughout all courses.
Jimmy Watson MHA Graduate
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FAQ About Walden’s Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) Program
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Healthcare administrators have a wide range of duties that require skills and experience across many disciplines, including:
- Finance: Healthcare administrators manage facility budgets, including payroll, the purchase of new medical devices, and even budgeting for expanded locations. They are responsible for controlling labor costs and ensuring all areas of need are met within the allocated budget.
- Human Resources: A critical component of any healthcare organization is having solid human resources practices. This includes hiring the right people, evaluating staffing needs, and making sure all roles are filled to provide necessary patient care.
- Compliance: Maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local laws is essential for all healthcare organizations—otherwise, they risk significant financial penalties. Compliance for billing, occupational safety and health, and privacy and security can all fall within the duties of a healthcare administrator.
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As a leader of a healthcare organization, you can make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients, doctors, and other staff members every day. With a master’s in healthcare administration, you can help guide lifesaving research, improve hospital safety, and lead public health policy.
In terms of what you will learn, coursework covers topics such as health policy, population health, marketing management, business communications, healthcare quality management, and much more. Once you complete your degree, you’ll have the knowledge and leadership skills that you need to excel as a healthcare administrator.
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The job outlook for Medical and Health Services Mangers is strong, and joining the field could be a positive career move. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Mangers have an expected 32% growth rate of employment from 2019 to 2029. As of May 2019, national estimates show both employment and wages on the rise. People in this field earn a mean hourly wage of $48.55. The median annual wage is $100,980, and people in the top 10% are earning $189,000.1
1Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
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There are plenty of job options for people who have earned an MHA degree, and having an advanced healthcare administration degree could be a job requirement for some positions. In-demand jobs include those in government as well as positions in general medical and surgical hospitals, physicians’ offices, outpatient care centers, nursing care facilities, medical and diagnostic laboratories, scientific research facilities, and more.
Questions about our Master of Healthcare Administration?
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