Master of Healthcare Administration (Professional Concentration)
The 100% Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree is specifically designed for working professionals with 3+ years of experience in a healthcare setting who aspire to advance into healthcare leadership positions.
Master of Healthcare Administration At-A-Glance
Master of Healthcare Administration Overview
The Online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree blends foundational business principles with a comprehensive healthcare perspective. Students obtain foundational knowledge in healthcare management through a curriculum that provides competencies specifically aligned with the healthcare industry. The program’s areas of focus include healthcare finance, population health management, strategic marketing and planning, and operational leadership, equipping students with a diverse skillset tailored to the unique demands of the healthcare industry.
This 13-course, 40-credit-hour degree program, in the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health, can be completed in as few as 16 months.
Why get your MHA at UIC?
UIC is a recognized leader in healthcare education and delivery, driven by a mission to advance health equity and reduce disparities in underserved communities. Through innovative research, community engagement, and partnerships with local healthcare providers, UIC works to address the most pressing health challenges.
The Online MHA program is in the School of Public Health to reflect this commitment by emphasizing that healthcare is fundamentally about public health. By focusing on the unique needs of all populations served, the program teaches students that true healthcare quality goes beyond business principles—it starts with people.
In the Online MHA program, the student community is composed of experienced healthcare professionals, fostering an environment for building lasting connections. Collaboration with peers, sharing real-world experiences, and engaging in meaningful discussions help students expand their professional networks. The program’s annual in-person networking event brings together students, alumni, faculty, and local healthcare executives—creating unique opportunities for career growth and staying at the forefront of the industry.
Tiles: Distinction
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People Focused Learn at a university that is a leader in healthcare.
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Collaborative Learning Gain insights from other experienced healthcare professionals.
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Real-World Problem Solving Make an immediate impact with industry-aligned knowledge and practices.
RFI MHA program page
MPA program page ping
Tiles
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Intersection of business and health Combine core business principles with specialized courses in healthcare and public health.
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100% Online Access course materials remotely at any time with asynchronous learning.
Master of Healthcare Administration Courses
The 13-course Online Master of Healthcare Administration for professionals in the healthcare industry equips students with the strategic and operational skills needed to lead in today’s dynamic healthcare environment.
The curriculum combines core business disciplines like leadership, finance, human resources, and strategic planning with specialized courses in healthcare and public health. Students gain a deep understanding of health economics, quality management, population health, and healthcare information systems, all tailored to the unique challenges of the healthcare industry. This balanced curriculum prepares professionals to lead with confidence at the intersection of business and health, culminating in a hands-on capstone project that applies classroom learning to real-world healthcare challenges.
Expert Faculty with Industry Insights
The online courses are designed, developed, and taught by the same faculty members who teach on campus, ensuring a consistent level of academic excellence. Many instructors are also seasoned practitioners actively working in healthcare management. Their professional experience enables them to provide insights into current industry trends and best practices.
This blend of academic rigor and practical expertise ensures students gain both a strong theoretical foundation and actionable skills applicable to real-world healthcare challenges.
Flexible and Accelerated Format
All courses are 100% asynchronous and offered in convenient, accelerated 8-week terms throughout the year, giving students maximum flexibility to take their classes when they want and from anywhere. Full-time students typically take two 8-week courses at a time, and part-time students complete one 8-week course at a time. Full-time students can complete the entire program in 16 months.
Interactive and Student-Centered Learning
The program prides itself on being student-centered and highly interactive. In each online class, students have the opportunity for active engagement through various channels like discussion boards, video contributions, and collaborative projects—fostering rich interactions between peers and faculty. These collaborative elements provide students with valuable opportunities to learn from one another’s diverse perspectives and practical experiences in the healthcare field.
Assessments are designed to reflect real-life healthcare management scenarios, enabling students to apply course concepts directly to challenges they may encounter in the workplace. These practical, authentic assessments ensure that the skills learned are tangible, easily applicable, and relevant to career advancement.
Inclusive and Accessible Learning
The course content is fully accessible and caters to diverse learning styles, ensuring an inclusive learning experience for all.
Master of Healthcare Administration Courses
Click the arrow below to view the Online Master of Healthcare Administration courses.
Online MHA Courses
| Course # | Course Title | Credit Hours | Course Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPA 410 | Health Organizational Leadership | 3 hours | Examines the roles, responsibilities, and impact of leaders of organizations in the health industry. Critical structures and techniques of effective organizational leaders are taught. |
| HPA 417 | Quality Management in Health Services | 3 hours | Surveys the development of quality management and theoretical basics and diverse perspectives of quality management and regulation. Presents relevant research and management methodologies. |
| HPA 419 | Public Health Foundations | 3 hours | Students will be introduced to key public health concepts, the history of public health and how the core areas of public health can be integrated to promote health at population level. |
| HPA 425 | Healthcare Human Resource Management | 3 hours | Develops the core human resources competencies needed to effectively manage and lead healthcare delivery organizations. Examines general human resources topics, applied within the healthcare delivery setting. |
| HPA 430 | Introduction to Health Policy | 3 hours | Explores the multiple influences on public health policy, such as politics and cultural and societal norms, and the impact that policy has had on population health. |
| HPA 451 | Health Care Finance I | 3 hours | Examines practical aspects of finance in health care and recent developments in financial management of health care organizations, and applications of financial management techniques to specific problems facing health care managers. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Graduate or professional standing and approval of the department. |
| HPA 460 | Introduction to the Economics of Health and Healthcare | 3 hours | Examines health, the healthcare sector, and healthy policy issues using economic theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence. |
| HPA 461 | Information and Decision Support Systems for Healthcare Administration | 3 hours | Introduces students to the role of information systems in healthcare and public health practices, the use of information systems for management control; information systems project evaluation, information technology personnel. |
| HPA 470 | Quantitative Methods for Healthcare Managers | 3 hours | Provides an understanding of how to use data analytics and other quantitative methods to facilitate healthcare decision-making. |
| HPA 505 | Strategic Planning and Marketing in Healthcare | 3 hours | Introduces the principles, methods and concepts of two primary aspects of strategic management as they relate to healthcare organizations 1) Strategic Planning and 2) Marketing. |
| HPA 525 | Population Based Healthcare Services Planning | 3 hours | Examines the roles that health care delivery organizations can play, and methodologies used, in developing programs specific to the needs of the community they serve. |
| HPA 546 | MHA Capstone | 4 hours | The MHA Capstone is the MHA program's major integrative experience based on a significant project in a healthcare organization. |
| HPA 552 | Health Care Finance II | 3 hours | Builds on the topics introduced in HPA 451. Specific emphasis will be placed on understanding project risk assessment, capital investments, debt, equity and lease financing and developing a long range strategic plan. |
Value of MHA degree
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Leadership Develop the leadership skills needed to lead teams and drive meaningful change in healthcare organizations.
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Analytical & Financial Master analytical and financial skills to make data-driven decisions and optimize healthcare operations.
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Strategy Learn to craft and execute strategic plans that align with the evolving landscape of the healthcare industry.
MHA Learning Outcomes
Students learn the skills they need to excel in healthcare. The learning outcomes, listed below, for the Online Master of Healthcare Administration degree, are based on the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) healthcare leadership competencies.
- Develop and enhance future-ready skills that equip healthcare leaders for success in a continuously evolving industry.
- Translate the overarching vision and strategy of an organization into actionable steps that determine successful outcomes.
- Drive inclusive change for healthcare improvement through creation of processes that improve health quality, efficiency, and access.
- Understand operational and business frameworks in healthcare, along with the dynamic external factors that influence organizational performance (e.g., community, competitive, human resources, financial, legal, policy, and environmental).
Healthcare Growth & Career Outcomes
The Online MHA opens doors to advanced leadership roles in healthcare organizations and equips graduates with the expertise to excel in diverse, high-impact positions. Career outcomes typically include roles, like the ones listed below, that involve strategic decision-making, operational management, and innovative leadership in healthcare.
Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow by 29% over the next ten years (2023-2033), much faster than the average for all occupations (4%).
Administrative and Management Roles
- Hospital or Health System Administrator: Manage departments, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve patient care quality in hospitals or health systems.
- Practice Manager: Oversee operations and staff in outpatient practices or specialty care clinics.
- Director of Operations: Focus on process improvement, workflow optimization, and resource management in healthcare facilities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers have a median pay of $110k. The median annual wage for health financial managers was $156,100 in May 2023.
Consulting and Advisory Roles
- Healthcare Consultant: Advise organizations on strategic planning, operational efficiency, or compliance with industry regulations.
- Management Consultant (Healthcare Focus): Work for consulting firms specializing in healthcare to tackle organizational challenges and optimize performance.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for management analysts and consultants was $99,410 in May 2023.
Specialized Leadership Roles
- Director of Population Health: Develop strategies to improve health outcomes and manage care for specific populations.
- Director of Quality Improvement: Lead initiatives to enhance care quality, patient safety, and organizational performance metrics.
- Director of Health Informatics or IT: Manage implementation and optimization of electronic health records (EHRs) and other healthcare technologies.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for clinical data managers and scientists was $108,020 in May 2023.
Academic and Research Leadership
- Healthcare Faculty or Educator: Teach future healthcare leaders in academic settings.
- Healthcare Research Director: Conduct and oversee research on healthcare delivery, outcomes, and innovation.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics medical scientists was $100,890 in May 2023.
Top-Ranked and Accredited for Quality and Excellence
UIC’s Online MHA program combines top-tier national rankings with the distinction of CAHME and CEPH accreditation, ensuring quality education and industry-ready graduates.
- The degree is ranked in the top 30 programs nationally by US News and World Report.
- UIC’s School of Public Health is ranked #18 (out of 213) by US News and World Report.
UIC’s Online MHA degree is accredited by both the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) and the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). It is the only MHA degree in the Chicago area that has this dual accreditation.
Why Accreditation Matters
Accreditation confirms that a program meets rigorous academic and professional standards, ensuring students receive a quality education that is continuously assessed and updated to stay aligned with the evolving healthcare landscape. For students, this means they are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for complex leadership roles. Employers often prefer graduates from accredited programs, recognizing that they are prepared to meet the high standards and demands of the healthcare industry.
Master of Healthcare Administration Faculty Voices
In Healthcare Organizational Leadership course, students reflect on their leadership style and develop skills for fostering team collaboration and effectiveness, addressing employee health equity, and making evidence-informed decisions to succeed in their complex roles.
| Clinical Associate Professor
Today, more than ever, healthcare leaders need cost accounting and disciplined financial modeling skills to meet the complexity of today’s healthcare environment. The course, Healthcare Finance II, focuses on the application of financial theory enabling students to have a practiced set of skills to apply in analytics, budgeting and financial modeling.
| Adjunct Lecturer
Disclaimer
The Online Master of Healthcare Administration is a Full Cost Recovery Program and is not eligible for tuition waivers by University of Illinois employees.