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Online Classes: Master of Health Administration

Master of Health Administration

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Designed to prepare aspiring and existing healthcare professionals for healthcare leadership roles

The Master of Health Administration program is fully online, with the exception of the required practicum experience for students with less than one year of healthcare leadership experience. The health administration master's program is designed to prepare aspiring and existing healthcare professionals to serve or advance in healthcare leadership roles. Students will be encouraged to demonstrate an understanding of evidence-based decision making within a context that values diversity and is sensitive to the ethical implications of healthcare delivery. The program provides a broad base of knowledge so that graduates are prepared to lead in the value-based healthcare environment.

Health Administration Practicum

  • Students having one-year or more of healthcare leadership experience (by the end of semester IV), are not required to take the practicum course, but will have the option to participate in the practicum experience in a varying credit hour format (1-3 credit hours).
  • Students with no prior or less than one-year of healthcare leadership experience (by the end of semester IV), will be required to take the practicum course (3 credit hours – 120 contact hours).

Program Overview

Mercy College is called to prepare healthcare leaders for changing times. Healthcare leaders need knowledge/tools to lead change within diverse healthcare delivery settings. Health administration master's students will contribute to the body of knowledge related to the design, organization, delivery, evaluation, and overall leadership of health and healthcare systems.

An undergraduate student who is pursuing Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BSHCA)/Healthcare Administration (HCA) Minor or Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging (BSMI) at the College may be granted permission to take one or more (maximum of six credit-hours) 500 level graduate courses if the student meets all the following conditions:

  1. The student must have senior status at the time they take graduate coursework.
  2. The student must have a College GPA of 3.5 or higher at the time of request.
  3. The student must complete the Graduate Course Request form and obtain permission from their academic advisor, undergraduate program director, and the graduate coordinator or director of the course requested.
  4. Only the following courses will be considered: HCA 525, HCA 535, HCA 545, and HCA 550.
  5. Graduate coursework can only substitute for eligible program prescribed coursework as listed below.
  6. All other course pre-requisites and conditions apply.

The student may apply up to six credit-hours of graduate-level credit to satisfying the requirements for both degrees only when the grade received is a “B” or better. Graduate coursework earning a “C” can only be applied toward bachelor’s degree requirements. Graduate coursework at a “C” or lower will need to be repeated and a “B” or better must be earned for graduate program credit to be awarded. Completion of graduate coursework does not imply acceptance into a graduate program, all other program admission requirements apply. Graduate coursework taken by undergraduate students must be utilized to meet program specific requirements for the undergraduate degrees associated with HCA, BSMI, and the HCA minor.

Undergraduate students taking graduate courses will be charged the undergraduate tuition rate.

Sample program of study for Master of Health Administration.

Curriculum effective Fall 2021. For students enrolled prior to Fall 2021, please reference the Mercy College catalog.

The mission of the MHA program is to provide individuals with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to lead and serve dynamic healthcare organizations.

Health Leadership Graphic

Upon completion of the Master of Health Administration program, the graduate will be able to:

  1. Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment: Explain the legislative, regulatory, political, and consumerism impact on the environment of healthcare and the components of healthcare delivery systems in the United States.
  2. Essential Business Literacy: Demonstrate the essential business principles required for the stewardship of healthcare organizations.
  3. Ethical Practice, Diversity, and Inclusion: Evaluate the professional and ethical standards of decision-making within the management and delivery of healthcare, including inclusion and diversity within employee and patient populations and other related complex health issues.
  4. Population Health and Evidence-Based Decision Making: Analyze population health management strategies in the delivery of value-based healthcare, utilizing health information science, technologies, and analytics to drive evidence-based decisions in the management of care.
  5. Communication and Relationship Management: Demonstrate effective communication and human resource practices in the management of healthcare organizations.
  6. Health Leadership: Inspire individual and organizational excellence and successfully lead change to attain the healthcare organization’s strategic initiatives.

Attend an MHA Program Online Information Session

part of Healthcare Worker Wednesday at Mercy College

Learn more or sign up for the next online session

Career Outlook

Employment Growth

Employment of medical and healthcare managers is projected to grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, there should be increased demand for healthcare services.[Bureau of Labor Statistics]

This means greater needs for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare facilities, and therefore greater needs for managers who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff. There should also be increased demand for nursing care facility administrators as the population grows older.

Employment is projected to grow in offices of health practitioners. Many services previously provided in hospitals will shift to these settings, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management is projected to grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex.

Candidates with a master’s degree in health administration or a related field will likely have the best prospects.

The Master of Health Administration at Mercy College of Ohio provides a graduate-level education supporting one’s overall career ladder and advanced professional objectives.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the MHA program must complete the following:

  • Submit a completed graduate program application with required documents and any fees.
  • Submit official transcripts from the bachelor’s degree granting higher education institution and all graduate-level transcripts.
    • An applicant with less than 40 credit hours on the bachelor’s degree granting transcript will be required to provide additional transcripts.
    • An applicant must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally-accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA(on a 4.0 scale).*
  • Submit a current professional resume or Curriculum Vitae and a statement of purpose. The statement of purpose (750-1000 words) should state education and career goals as well as the reason for seeking this degree.
  • Provide three professional references using the MHA Reference Form. References may include employers, previous instructors, or healthcare professionals with whom the student has worked who can speak to professional/leadership experience and capacity for successfully completing the MHA program.

Provisional Admission Status for graduate studies applicants only applies to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs. Applicants may be granted Provisional Admission Status for the MHA or MSN if either of the following conditions exist:

  1. Applicants graduated from a regionally-accredited institution but earned a minimum 2.3 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in their baccalaureate degree, which do not meet the required 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
  2. Applicants graduated from a nationally-accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in his/her baccalaureate degree.