Sacred Heart University Online Master of Health Administration (MHA)

Sacred Heart University (SHU) offers an online master of health administration (MHA) program that can be completed in two years with no campus visits required. The program prepares graduates to be effective leaders of change and improvement in healthcare delivery. Notably, the interdisciplinary curriculum is designed for healthcare professionals working in both clinical and non-clinical healthcare settings.

Core courses cover topics such as healthcare leadership and management, marketing, finance and economics, healthcare policy and ethics, informatics, data analytics, and global health management. Students then tailor three electives toward their career goals. Electives include topics such as human resource management, conflict resolution, organizational change management, project management, non-profit grant management, emergency planning, communications, crisis management, and disaster operations response.

A capstone research or work project culminates the program and can be completed within a healthcare facility under faculty supervision. Students address a real-world problem through the integration of learned knowledge in a real-world setting.

Graduates of the Master of Health Administration program may go on to careers in various healthcare settings such as hospitals and multi-hospital health systems, clinics and clinic systems, national associations, insurance companies, research facilities, pharmaceutical companies, state health departments, assisted living centers, federal programs, home health agencies, and long-term healthcare facilities. Job titles may include Hospital Administrator, Nursing Home Administrator, Healthcare Consultant, Clinical Research Manager, Healthcare Operations Manager, Director of Patient Safety, Hospital Chief Financial Officer (CFO), or Hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The SHU 37-credit MHA is offered part-time with eight-week courses and 100 percent online coursework. Start dates land twice each in the fall, spring, and summer. Two years of healthcare work experience is required. Those without a healthcare background must take The Language and Culture of Healthcare and complete an internship in addition to the outlined coursework. No GRE or GMAT is required. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and submit a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and a resume or CV with their application. Accepted students may transfer up to six credits of approved coursework.

Sacred Heart University delivers courses asynchronously through Blackboard Learn, an online Learning Management System (LMS). Courses may include recorded lectures, readings, case studies, interactive assignments, projects, discussion boards, and assessments. An online Blackboard orientation precedes the beginning of the program to ensure that students know how to use the LMS.

MHA students should expect to spend approximately 12 to 15 hours per week on each course. SHU student services include admissions counseling, financial aid advising, academic advising, faculty office hours, an online bookstore and library, career counseling, and technical support.

Online MHA core courses include Management of Healthcare Organizations; Professional Development; Strategic Management and Marketing in Healthcare Organizations; Healthcare Informatics; Health Policy, Law, and Ethics; Leadership in Healthcare Environments; Healthcare Finance, Accounting, and Economics; Healthcare Data Analytics; Populations and Global Health Management; and Capstone.

Students then choose electives to fit their career goals: Introduction to Human Resource Management; Project Management for Healthcare Administrators; Healthcare Operations and Quality; Negotiations and Conflict Resolution; Innovation and Organizational Change Management; Project Management for Healthcare Administrators; Fundraising for Non-Profits; Disaster Operations Response and Recovery; Non-Profit Grant Management; and Communications and Crisis Management.

The MHA program curriculum and outcomes align with Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) standards, and SHU is currently seeking CAHME accreditation. Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, Connecticut, and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).