About the Master in Health Services Administration (MHA)
The Master's in Health Services Administration (MHA) degree program prepares you to advance in your career as a healthcare administrator. You’ll gain the comprehensive planning, organizational and regulation-responsive toolkit needed to become a manager within one of the nation’s fastest growing and most complex economic sectors. The MHA can be completed in 20 months.
Program Highlights
Career Advancement
Gain the skills necessary to advance from a clinical or administrative role to a management position in your health care services organization. The MHA can also set you up to teach in your field.
Flexible Class Options
Earn your MHA degree completely online, on campus or in a blended format that combines online coursework with face-to-face, interactive learning on our Chicago or Tampa campuses. Campus-based modalities also include a bi-weekly option (i.e. twice a month) and a weekend option (once a month).
Real-Time Application
Use challenges and opportunities from your current work environment as case studies in class. Immediately apply skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to your job.
Health Services Expertise
Learn about developing trends in health services from faculty with real-world experience in the health care industry. Become an expert in this fast-evolving field.
Leadership Skills
Develop your communication and management skills to effectively influence team members and lead across an organization. Learn how to manage projects, solve problems, and empower employees.
Financial Advantages
NLU's Accelerated MHA program offers you a graduate degree in 12 months for $16,500. Get ahead in your career without breaking your bank.
Accreditation
The Graduate School of Business and Leadership has received specialized accreditation for its business program(s) through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11960 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas, USA. For a list of accredited programs please view our IACBE member status page
AY 2022-23 IACBE Public Disclosure of Student Achievement
Credit by Credential
At National Louis University, your professional experience and knowledge may be worth college credit. Colleges and universities often refer to this knowledge as prior learning. Current Credit by Credential options for the M.S. Health Services Administration (MHA) program may provide course credit to students who have demonstrated knowledge and application of knowledge in alignment with program and industry standards. For more information, please contact the PLA office or David SanFilippo, Associate Professor, M.S. Health Services Administration (MHA).
The M.S. Health Services Administration (MHA) offers a concentration in Long-Term Care Administration. Students who have passed the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB)’s Core of Knowledge Exam for Long Term Care Administrators (CORE) exam and Line of Service exam (LOS) Nursing Home Administrators (NHA) are eligible for Credit by Credential for the four (4) Long-Term Care Administration courses that are part of the M.S. Health Services Administration (MHA) concentration in Long-Term Care Administration (12 SHs).
M.S. in Health Services Administration Concentrations
The concentrations of the Master of Health Services Administration (MHA) program are:
- Fundamentals of Design Thinking (3 courses)
- Long-Term Care Administration (4 courses)
- Public Health Leadership (4 courses)
What You Will Learn
The MHA program offers a practical, applications-oriented curriculum that builds leadership skills and knowledge that managers can implement in real time in their working environments. Students' own professional environments and challenges provide case study contexts for class learning, in addition to course materials. Highlights of what you’ll learn in the program include:
Management and Organization
Management strategies and organizational design theories; Project management; Resource allocation, supervision, and evaluation; Managing change and empowering employees; Problem solving.
Public Policy and Regulations
Current health care delivery models and systems; Governmental and non-governmental regulation; Trends in public policy; Policy cycles; Balancing access, quality, and cost.
Business Operations
Patient registration, billing, and insurance; Supply chain management logistics; Developing a business operations plan; Budgeting and cash flow; Financial analysis for decision making; Administrative accounting techniques.
Ethical and Legal Issues
Legal theories associate with health care; Right and duties of a health care organization; Employer and employee rights; Occupational safety, patient safety, and environmental issues.
Communication and Marketing
Academic writing and research; Presentation skills; Health care marketing strategies; Analysis of business markets, buying behavior, and competitors; Forecasting market demands; Marketing to physicians, health care groups, and third party payers.
Career Outlook
With a Master’s in Health Services Administration degree, your job prospects are strong. Employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow by 32 percent between 2019 and 2029,* much faster than the average for all occupations. This means approximately 133,200 new medical service management positions will open over the next ten years. Moreover, compensation for these positions is high, as the median salary is $100,980.* The expansion will be greatest in settings outside traditional hospitals, including self-standing clinics, Internet-based environments, and other independent sites where resourceful management skills will be in high demand.
With an MHA degree, you’ll be prepared to advance in a wide range of management positions, including:
- Clinical Director
- Hospital Services Manager
- Program Manager
- Medical Office Manager
- Health and Social Service Manager
- Director of Nursing
- Medical Records Manager
- Mental Health Program Manager
- Practice Administrator
- Long-Term Care Administrator
*https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm
