Program Overview

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Master of Health Administration in Health Policy and Administration

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) in Health Policy and Administration is a 49-credit online program designed to prepare students for challenging leadership positions in health care. The program combines a strong business management education with health-related work experience, providing students with the tools to lead change and solve problems in the dynamic health care environment.

Program Summary

The online MHA program is a collaboration between Penn State World Campus and the Department of Health Policy and Administration in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) and is designed to provide students with a fundamental understanding of management and health services.

Two Management Intensives

The program includes two in-person management intensives, which provide opportunities for students to engage with classmates, faculty, and health care administrators and leaders. The intensives focus on key areas such as change leadership, strategic management, performance improvement, organizational design, and collaboration.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the program is April 1, with classes starting on August 24.

Credits and Costs

The program consists of 49 credits, with a cost of $1,037 per credit.

CAHME Accredited

The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), ensuring that students receive a high-quality education that meets the standards of the health care industry.

Enhance Your Leadership Capacity

The program is designed to enhance students' leadership capacity, providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to develop solutions to health care problems, implement change, lead ethically, and communicate effectively.

Online Courses

The program offers online courses from a nationally recognized program, providing students with a flexible and convenient way to earn their degree.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes courses in areas such as:

• Financing health care
• Clinical issues for health services management
• Quality improvement in health care
• Health care marketing
• Health economics
• Health law
• Information systems in health services administration

Semester Structure

The program is structured over seven continuous semesters, with students completing an integrative online independent study and two face-to-face management intensives. The 49 credits are designed to be completed within 28 months, with an online orientation preceding the first semester of courses.

Semester 1

• HPA 447: Financing Health Care (3 credits)
• HPA 520: Introduction to Health Services Organizations and Delivery (3 credits)
• HPA 853: Leadership Ethics in Health Services Organizations (3 credits)

Semester 2

• HPA 503: Health Services Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
• HPA 835: Financial Management in Health Institutions (3 credits)

Semester 3

• HPA 527: Managing Health Care Operations (3 credits)
• HPA 524: Management of Health Services Organizations (3 credits)

Semester 4

• HPA 805: Change Leadership in Health Services Organizations (3 credits)
• HPA 854: Population Health and Quality Management in Health Services Organizations (3 credits)
• HPA 896: Individual Studies (Capstone 1) (1 credit)

Semester 5

• HPA 545: Introduction to Health Economics (3 credits)
• HPA 897: Special Topics (Capstone 2) (1 credit)
• HPA 897: Special Topics (Project Management for Health Services Organizations) (3 credits)

Semester 6

• HPA 460: Human Resource Management in Health Services Organizations (3 credits)
• HPA 850: Health Care Marketing (3 credits)
• HPA 897: Special Topics (Capstone 3) (1 credit)

Semester 7

• HPA 836: Health Law (3 credits)
• HPA 855: Information Systems in Health Services Organizations (3 credits)
• HPA 897: Special Topics (Capstone 4) (1 credit)

Career Opportunities

The program provides opportunities for career advancement for working professionals, with graduates able to obtain administrative, management, or executive positions in health care-related organizations.

Job Titles

Possible job titles for graduates include:

• Clinical Director
• Health Care Facility Administrator
• Health Services Administrator
• Health Services Director
• Medicine and Health Service Manager

Employment Outlook

The employment outlook for medical and health services managers is strong, with a projected growth rate of 28.5% over the next 10 years.

Career Services

The program provides career services to help students achieve their career goals, including opportunities to connect with employers, career counselor support, occupation and salary information, internships, and graduate school resources.

Costs and Financial Aid

The program offers a range of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and payment plans. The cost of tuition is $1,037 per credit, with a total of 49 credits required to complete the program.

Technical Requirements

The program has technical requirements, which can be found on the Tuition Information site.

Management Intensives

The program includes two management intensives, which provide opportunities for students to engage with classmates, faculty, and health care administrators and leaders.

Onboarding Intensive

The Onboarding Intensive is a week-long immersive experience that sets the foundation for the program. Students meet other members of the cohort, program faculty, and staff, and complete a three-credit course.

Capstone Intensive

The Capstone Intensive is the culminating experience of the MHA program, where students prepare and deliver a formal presentation of their capstone project.

Study and Network with a Cohort of Peers

The program allows students to study and network with a cohort of peers from diverse health care settings, providing opportunities for collaboration and professional development.

An MHA Program That Works for You

The program is designed to be flexible and convenient, allowing students to earn their degree while maintaining professional and family responsibilities.

Who Should Apply

The program is designed for early to mid-level career professionals seeking to change positions in the health care industry or advance within their own organizations.

Priority Consideration

Priority consideration is given to students with three or more years of full-time professional work experience, preferably in health care.

Convenient Online Format

The program is offered in a convenient online format, allowing students to study from anywhere and at any time.

A Trusted Leader in Online Education

Penn State has a history of more than 100 years of distance education, and World Campus has been a leader in online learning for more than two decades.

How to Apply

To apply to the program, students must submit an application, including official transcripts, test scores, and references. The application deadline is April 1, with classes starting on August 24.

Application Instructions

The application instructions can be found on the Penn State Fox Graduate School website.

Admissions Help

Admissions help is available for students who have questions about the application process.

Contact Us

For more information about the program, students can contact the World Campus Admissions Counselors or the Department of Health Policy and Administration.

Learn from the Best

The program is taught by experienced faculty from the Department of Health Policy and Administration, who have a strong background in health care administration and research.

Faculty

The faculty includes:

• Chris Calkins
• Christopher S. Hollenbeak
• Ronald J. McConnell
• Carol Mills
• Troy A. Phillips
• Kristi Pintar
• Yunfeng Shi
• Richard E. Smith Jr.
• Vicki L. Wertz

News

The program is featured in news articles, including "Health and nursing programs help students achieve career success" and "Health Administration program prepares students to tackle COVID-19 challenges."

Testimonial

A student testimonial states, "I returned to school to get an Master of Health Administration degree because I want to enhance my knowledge and skills to make a difference in the lives of my patients."