MHA@GW - Online Master of Health Administration - The George Washington University

The No. 11 ranked¹ Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University (GW) offers an online Master of Health Administration degree, named MHA@GW. The program is broken up into eight 10-week modules covering topics such as: Health Care Management and Strategy; Law and Policy; Community and Public Health; and Systems Thinking and Learning. Graduates are prepared to: manage and promote organizational change; analyze data and finances to make effective management decisions; engage in ethical decision-making; and improve quality of care.

MHA@GW students attend a total of four immersions, three of which take place on the GW campus in Washington, D.C. The fourth immersion takes place at an off-campus health organization in the U.S. or globally. Past immersions have taken place in London, San Antonio, Jerusalem and New York City. During the immersions, students discover their leadership style through simulations with peers and health care leaders. Students then present their organizational research project at the fourth immersion to fellow students and a panel of health care professionals.

MHA@GW comprises 50 credits including four immersions and a final research project which may consist of a business plan, literature review, or the evaluation of a healthcare organization. The program can be completed in as little as two years full-time, and is also offered on a part-time basis. Start dates land four times per year, in January, April, July and October.

Courses are delivered synchronously through streaming video in weekly, live class sessions. The virtual classroom dynamically accommodates the structure of each course, and features face-to-face breakout groups, live chat, and polling. Students can interact with faculty during one-on-one office hour sessions, and collaborate with peers on group projects and assignments.

Prerequisites to MHA@GW include Financial Accounting and Introduction to Statistics, in which students must earn a grade of B or higher. In addition, students must have two years of healthcare experience or three years of general work experience and must currently be employed in the healthcare industry. Finally, students must earn an overall GPA of 3.0 and complete a leadership portfolio in order to graduate.

Courses for MHA@GW include: Health Care Management and Strategy; Medical Informatics and Decision Management; Health Economics and Quantitative Methods; Quality and Performance Improvement; Systems Thinking and Learning; Health Care Financial Management; Community Engagement; and Organizational Research Project I-II. Immersions include Leadership and Ethics I-II; Health System Analysis; and Organization Research Project and Portfolio Presentation.

The George Washington University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

1 – Best Public Health Schools, U.S. News and World Report (2023)
2 – Best Health Care Management Programs, U.S. News and World Report (2019)