Health Administration, M.H.A.

Program Overview

Modern health systems require leaders who understand that medical management extends far beyond the corporate bottom line. The online Health Administration, M.H.A. from the School of Public Health is the premier professional credential designed for experienced healthcare and clinical professionals looking to transition into senior leadership. The comprehensive curriculum focuses deeply on the organization, delivery, and financing of health services and public health infrastructure. The program accommodates working executives by offering full- and part-time tracks, asynchronous coursework, and an employer-aligned internship option that lets you solve real problems within your current organization.

Influence Health Systems

Acquire the specialized administrative capabilities and systemic insights required to oversee complex health systems, medical groups, and public health departments.

• Professional Network: Leverage strong connections with industry leaders to build your professional network and gain real-world perspectives.
• Faculty Mentorship: Gain a career ally through a professional mentor program that pairs you with a faculty member sharing your specific healthcare interests.
• Active Engagement: Connect with peers and lead community-focused initiatives through the Student Association of Public Health, a student-run organization focused on professional development and regional health initiatives.
• Experience Credit: Check if you qualify for a professional experience waiver, which allows eligible applicants with significant healthcare backgrounds to waive up to 5 credit hours.

What You’ll Learn

The curriculum instills core institutional competencies rooted in professional excellence, equity, and civic engagement.

• System Oversight: Manage the delivery, operational structures, and financial frameworks of diverse healthcare networks.
• Community Engagement: Collaborate directly with public health stakeholders and communities to improve local healthcare delivery.
• Operational Excellence: Apply advanced administrative frameworks to ensure high-quality care across rehabilitation, long-term, and acute settings.
• Inclusive Leadership: Direct multi-disciplinary personnel using an equitable, socially responsible framework that values diverse perspectives.
• Continuous Learning: Evaluate emerging healthcare management literature to implement innovative institutional policies and achieve organizational goals.

Featured Courses

Explore some of the options you can pursue to build your competitive edge in health administration:

Please note: Students without any knowledge of the U.S. health sector and/or with no background in accounting, finance or healthcare data, may be required to take the following course(s) in their first semester.

• HPML 502: U.S. Healthcare Organization and Delivery (3 credit hours) - This course introduces graduate students to critical concepts in the organization and delivery of healthcare services in the United States.
• ACCT 201: Principles of Accounting 1 (3 credit hours) - This course introduces basic concepts of financial and managerial accounting with emphasis on how accounting reports are used by internal and external users.

Tuition, Fees, and Aid

Cost per credit hour is listed on each program page. Rates are reviewed annually and subject to change.

Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies, and living expenses. Please visit WVU’s Estimate Costs and Aid website for how to plan for other potential expenses.

Careers and Employment

The online Health Administration, M.H.A. program prepares you to lead and manage health services organizations and public health systems. Healthcare administration is a critical component of the industry, responsible for ensuring patients receive high-quality care. By working in this field, you can make a real difference in people’s lives by improving care quality and operational efficiency.

This program will give you expertise in healthcare finance, policy, law, ethics, and project management, and complete an internship for hands-on experience and networking opportunities. The healthcare industry is growing rapidly, creating abundant job opportunities, competitive salaries, and room for advancement. You will be prepared for varied career paths in hospitals, clinics, public health, insurance, and government agencies. These roles require interdisciplinary knowledge across business, law, and healthcare delivery.

What can I do with a Health Administration, M.H.A. degree? Explore potential careers, employment environments, and academic pathways:

• Executive and administrative leadership: VP for Financial Policy, CFO, Director of Business Development, Senior Director
• Healthcare operations and quality: Practice Outcomes Manager, Quality Analyst
• Government and non-profit: Public Health Analyst (CDC/NIOSH), Business Operations Coordinator (American Red Cross)
• Administrative Fellowships
• Program Manager
• Line Manager
• Project Manager
• Consultant
• Health Policy Expert