Master of Health Administration (MHA)

Program Location	Distance Education/Online
Program Credits	36 Credits
Program Length	3 Trimesters, 48 Instructional Weeks or 6 Trimesters, 96 Instructional Weeks
Time to Complete	12 Months or 24 Months

_{WCU distance education programs may not be available to residents in all states.}

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code: 11-9111.00

A total of 36 semester credits are required to earn the Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree.

Program Mission: The mission of the Master of Health Administration program at West Coast University is to provide recent graduates, early to mid-careerists, and working professionals from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds with the qualities of leadership and managerial tools required to become leaders who effect change within health care provider organizations and firms.

The MHA program provides a strong foundation in the core functional areas of Business Management with a focus on the health care industry and interprofessional education. The program prepares graduates with multidisciplinary skills required for entry-level managerial positions in hospitals, long term care facilities, medical group practices, and other health care facilities.

We deliver our program through highly qualified faculty who work within the health care field and who engage in scholarship and research, professional development, and service. The MHA program strives for student success through a community of learning enriched by professional development experiences, leveraging our relationships with local organizations, international internship partners and our alumni network.

Program Objective: The Master of Health Administration degree provides students with a strong foundation in the core functional areas of Management with a focus on the Health Care industry. The program prepares students with the multidisciplinary skills required for the supervisory and managerial positions to meet the challenges facing the health care industry and the significant social impact it has on the economy.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation students will be able to:

Evaluate the culturally diverse health care environment.
Develop plans within the health care environment.
Analyze ethical and legal practices within a health care setting.
Analyze the inter-professional relationships within a health care setting.
Demonstrate core business knowledge to develop viable health management solutions.
Assess leadership models and apply selected applications to health care management practices.
Promote innovation and entrepreneurship within a health care setting.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the Master of Health Administration must:

Have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution recognized by the United States Department of Education with a cumulative grade-point average (CGPA) of 2.7 or higher.
1. Applicants with an undergraduate degree cumulative grade point average of 2.69-2.30 may be admitted on a probationary status. Applicants admitted on probationary status must:
  1. Provide a letter of intent.
  2. Receive approval through an interview.
  3. Satisfy program prerequisites and achieve a grade of “B” (3.0) or better on all first semester (two terms) of coursework attempted.Probationary status will be removed after earning a "B" (3.0) or higher in all coursework or the student will be dismissed from the program.
2. Applicants submitting non-U.S. or non-English transcripts will be required to have their coursework evaluated by a transcript evaluation service to determine the equivalency to a U.S. degree/coursework.If the transcript evaluation is unclear as to the equivalency to a U.S. degree/coursework, the Program Dean will review the transcript (translated if necessary) and transcript evaluation to determine if a minimum of 3 academic years of undergraduate coursework has been met for admission.
3. Applicants submitting advanced degrees will be reviewed by the Program Dean to determine if a minimum of 3 academic years of undergraduate coursework has been met for admission.
4. Official transcripts must be received prior to the end of the add/drop period of the first term.

Health Administration Transfer Credit Evaluation: Only graduate level courses in which a grade of “B” (3.0) or better was received, taken in a program similar to the Master of Health Administration will be evaluated for transfer credit. A maximum of nine (9) credit hours will be considered for transfer and must reflect the same content and course credit as the course for which transfer credit is requested.

Health Administration Curriculum

Health Administration Core Courses

A minimum grade of a “C” will be required to receive course credit in the MHA Program. Should a student receive a “C-“grade or lower, it will not be considered a passing grade for the MHA program and the student will be required to retake the course. The earned grade will be counted into the student’s CGPA and will be replaced once the course is repeated with a passing grade. The student will be placed on an academic action plan to repeat the course and meet with the program Chair.

Total Credit Hours:

36.0

Health Administration Core Courses beginning Summer II 2016

HA 500	Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care Management	3.0
HA 505	Information Systems for Health Care Programs	3.0
HA 520	Financial Management for Health Care Managers	3.0
HA 525	Marketing Management for Health Care Professionals	3.0
HA 530	Managerial Epidemiology	3.0
HA 535	Health Research Methods	3.0
HA 540	Strategic Planning in Health Care Organizations	3.0
HA 545	Hospital Administration and Management	3.0
HA 550	Leadership Models for Health Care Managers	3.0
HA 555	Project Management	3.0
HA 560	Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Health Care Industry	3.0
HA 565	Capstone Course: Cases in Health Care Management	3.0
Total Credit Hours:		36.0

MHA Program Costs

For program costs, please see the Graduate Tuition and Fees section.