Master of Healthcare Administration

Degree Overview

The rapid growth and change within the healthcare system have created demand for health services managers. As a health administrator, you can lead dynamic organizations and make a difference in patient care by finding creative solutions to complex issues. Health administrators may be responsible for services, facilities, programs, budgets, staff, and relationships with other organizations as well as the public.

Bellevue University offers the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) online. The online MHA program prepares professionals who are seeking leadership roles within:

• Hospitals
• Medical group practices
• Long-term care organizations
• Home health
• Public health administration

The online MHA program will help you develop the decision-making and other advanced skills the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA) has defined for ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare. The MHA degree is recognized in the healthcare field as an important credential for assuming a position of significant authority in hospital administration or healthcare management.

The online MHA cohort degree program allows you to progress from start to finish with a tight-knit group of peers who each contribute unique professional backgrounds and experiences, along with guidance from faculty with real-world industry expertise. Integrating hands-on, applied learning with theory, all Bellevue University degrees are designed to deliver a transformative learning experience that is flexible to accommodate your personal and work life.

Program Outcomes

The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree will help prepare you for a leadership role within healthcare organizations with the relevant skills to advance your career. Graduates will learn to:

• Communicate effectively to facilitate organizational goals.
• Assess the use of health information within their respective healthcare organizations.
• Apply human resource management principles within various healthcare organization systems.
• Improve managerial practices in a healthcare organization.
• Develop strategies to address leadership issues in healthcare.

Prerequisites

To begin the Bellevue University MHA, students applying for admission to the MHA degree program must meet specific, minimum criteria in order to enroll. See the Curriculum page for requirements, or talk to an enrollment counselor at 1.800.756.7920.

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Major Requirements & Course Descriptions: (36 credit hours)

Unless noted, all courses are 4 credit hours.

•   MHA 649 Leadership and Team Development (4 Credits)

  The critical role that leaders face in dynamic and complex healthcare organizations is a focus in this course. Students will be exposed to knowledge, skills and behaviors that are critical to effectively leading positive outcomes for healthcare organizations. In this course, the development of multidisciplinary teams within the healthcare environment is examined. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 603 Health Information Technology and Administration (4 Credits)

  This course introduces students to the integration and application of health information technology (HIT) for improved organizational and patient outcomes. The course focuses on current changes for state and federal mandates for HIT, leadership and administration of HIT, as well as specific HIT applications for individual healthcare organizations and patient care modalities. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 632 Quality Management (4 Credits)

  A general systems perspective and introduction to the administrative skills necessary to integrate quality management strategies are explored in this course. The course examines best-practice research and practical methods for assisting organizations with responding to healthcare quality challenges. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 627 Legal, Ethical, and Compliance Issues (4 Credits)

  This course examines the multitude of laws, legal entities and compliance issues associated with administration within healthcare organizations. The complexity of ethical issues, both administrative and biomedical, is discussed in various applied medical settings. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 628 Organizational Design and Delivery Systems (4 Credits)

  This course provides students with a foundational view of healthcare delivery systems in the United States. Students discuss the formal structure of healthcare organizations and how costs, access and quality impact the delivery of care. Emphasis is placed on healthcare as a system of care delivery. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 662 Healthcare Finance (4 Credits)

  An introduction to healthcare finance, including management control processes, financial statement analysis, ratio analysis, variance analysis, and capital structure is the focus of this course. Students will receive a foundational background of the economics of today’s healthcare environment. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 672 Operations Management (4 Credits)

  This foundational course is about finding the best processes and systems for the management of complex healthcare organizations. Operational planning issues include process design, systems theory, project management, facilities and supply-chain management, and health information systems throughout multi-level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 674 Strategic Management for Healthcare Organizations (4 Credits)

  The application of strategic management principles for leading healthcare organizations is the focus of this course. Emphasis is placed on aligning resources with strategic organizational outcomes. Students will conduct an internal and external analysis of their healthcare organization in order to make recommendations regarding its competitive position and opportunity for improved performance. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.

•   MHA 677 Human Resource Management (4 Credits)

  An overview of human resource management practices in healthcare organizations are provided in this course. The course examines how changing work force demographics, work design, emerging technologies, and employment law and regulations impact the role of healthcare administrators. Prerequisite: Cohort courses must be taken in order.