Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)

MHA Online

Advocate for others as a healthcare administrator.

Ready to Get Started?

Innovative teaching strategies

Dedicated, expert faculty with real-world experience

Student-centered instruction

Healthcare Administration, M.H.A. Overview

The University of West Florida’s online Master of Healthcare Administration program strives to develop engaged, early healthcare professionals who use evidence-based strategies and applied skills to improve operations, quality of care, affordability and access. Our MHA program provides instruction in administration, finance, health economics, human resources, systems operation, quality improvement and organizational behavior.

Instruction in the MHA program embraces qualities essential to future healthcare careers, including ethical conduct, professionalism, diversity and inclusion, practitioner involvement and team-based learning. With your MHA, you could work in various environments including medical practices, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, government offices or rehabilitation centers.

This program is offered fully online, providing the convenience of learning and studying from anywhere with internet access. Our expert faculty provide student-centered curriculum that will help you achieve your career goals. Completing an internship as part of your education will give you hands-on experience to boost your résumé. For those with approved healthcare experience, a capstone project can be completed in place of the internship. Students are admitted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Note: This online degree may not be available in all states. If you do not reside in Florida, review State Authorization Status to confirm that the program is available in your state.

Federal and state regulations as well as most healthcare organization policies require employees to undergo a background check before hire. Background checking is also required prior to placement in an internship in UWF’s program. Please consider this when deciding on a major and career path.

Candidates for This Program Include:

Healthcare administrators or professionals seeking career advancement

You Will Be Able To:

Apply healthcare administration concepts, principles and practices to the operation of healthcare organizations in order to analyze and optimize quality, financial performance, resource utilization and strategic direction
Evaluate challenges in healthcare administration and propose solutions to improve organizational performance
Create professional, cogent administrative reports written in a clear, logical and grammatical manner on subjects related to healthcare administration
Assess ethical and legal theories to generate solutions to healthcare solutions

Courses and Requirements

Our MHA program is made up of a required core totaling 42 credit hours. You will study foundations of business, management, healthcare, finance, data analysis and organizational improvement. Last, you will complete an internship in healthcare administration.

: GEB 5871 - MBA Foundations: Managerial Economics
1.5 Credit Hours
MBA Foundations: Managerial Economics
A course in the Accelerated MBA Foundations Series in which students will gain an understanding of basic economics. Special emphasis will be placed on the determinants of supply and demand and the desirable properties of a competitive equilibrium; followed by the undesirable properties of markets with a monopoly and with externalities. Permission is required.
GEB 5872 - MBA Foundations: Financial Management I
1.5 Credit Hours
MBA Foundations: Financial Management I
A course in the Accelerated MBA Foundations Series in which students are introduced to the accounting process of analyzing, measuring, and reporting business activity. Explores the precise language, assumptions, concepts, principles, and logic patterns inherent in the analysis and measurement of business activity. Describes the form and content of major financial statements. Briefly introduces the recording and reporting process used by accounting systems and examines basic financial reporting issues.
GEB 5876 - MBA Foundations: Marketing Management
1.5 Credit Hours
MBA Foundations: Marketing Management
A course in the Accelerated MBA Foundations Series in which students are introduced to foundational concepts of marketing management processes. Provides students with intensive exposure to the basic philosophy, concepts and knowledge common to effective marketing management.
MAN 6156 - Management and Organizational Behavior
3 Credit Hours
Management and Organizational Behavior
Appreciation and understanding of the field of organizational behavior and its application in managing human and other resources. Emphasizes understanding individual behavior (motivation, self-awareness, leadership, etc.) and group dynamics (decision-making, group development and work) plus conflict, climate, learning styles, power, stress, process/content, human rights and quality. Utilizes experiential learning methodologies and other appropriate designs. May not be taken for credit by students having credit for INP 6397. Permission is required.
HSC 6106 - Health Delivery Systems
3 Credit Hours
Health Delivery Systems
This course explores health care delivery in the United States. Examines health care systems in other countries along with covering topics including American beliefs and values related to health care delivery, evolution of health services in the United States, health service professions, influence of medical technology, and the financing of health services.
HSA 6175 - Healthcare Finance
3.0 Credit Hours
Healthcare Finance
This course focuses on healthcare financial operations with emphasis on topics such as operating systems, cost classifications, staffing, and ICD-10 implementation.
HSA 6435 - Decision Making in Healthcare
3.0 Credit Hours
Decision Making in Healthcare
This course explores financial topics, theory, tools, and decision making in healthcare while analyzing cases. This course builds on topics covered in HSA6175 Healthcare Finance. Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in HSA6175. Prerequisite: HSA 6175
HSA 6425 - Healthcare Law
3.0 Credit Hours
Healthcare Law
This course provides an overview of laws most affecting healthcare practices. The legal basis for government involvement in healthcare is examined with an analysis of the laws controlling the provision of healthcare industry and professional regulations. This course provides and in-depth overview of healthcare law, allowing students to acquire skills to confirm their actions to legal requirements and ethically analyze daily healthcare situations. Although no prerequisites are required, HSC 6206 is recommended prior to taking this course.
HSA 6197 - Health Informatics
3.0 Credit Hours
Health Informatics
This course discusses the multifaceted, interdisciplinary nature of health informatics. Topics covered include computer applications in medicine, health data classification and coding and legal and ethical issues (including documentation, security and regulatory requirements). Additional avenues for further credentialing will be covered.
HSA 6752 - Quantitative Foundations and Data Analysis for Health Admin
3.0 Credit Hours
Quantitative Foundations and Data Analysis for Health Admin
This course will introduce the methods for description and analysis which provide healthcare professionals with useful tools for making sense from data. The course will cover how healthcare data is dependent on analysis, categorization, and management.
HSA 6707 - Current Issues in Health Administration
3.0 Credit Hours
Current Issues in Health Administration
Students will examine current issues in the dynamic field of healthcare and the implications for healthcare administrators and other health professionals. Topics include outpatient services and primary care; hospital facilities; managed care; long term care; healthcare concerns in vulnerable populations; cost, access and quality of healthcare; healthcare policy; and future of health services delivery in the US.
HSA 6436 - Health Economics
3.0 Credit Hours
Health Economics
This course evaluates health economic theories and tools and their application to current issues from the perspective of healthcare administrators. Prerequisites: GEB 5871 or its equivalent with a grade of C (2.0) or better. HSA 6752 or its equivalent with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
HSA 6385 - Quality Improvement Processes in Health Organizations
3.0 Credit Hours
Quality Improvement Processes in Health Organizations
This course provides an overview of methods to improve health care systems and healthcare delivery using quality improvement theories and frameworks to execute an improvement project. Students will learn to focus on identifying opportunities to improve processes, developing methods to identify factors that affect process, and using data to determine appropriate actions.
HSA 6342 - Human Resources in Healthcare
3 Credit Hours
Human Resources in Healthcare
This course applies the concepts and theories of human resources to the unique needs of the healthcare workforce. Areas of focus include recruitment and retention, training and development, performance appraisal, and employment law as it relates to healthcare employment. Students will acquire the skills needed to oversee a diverse healthcare workforce effectively.
HSA 6103 - Health Services Administration
1.5 Credit Hours
Health Services Administration
This course serves as the cornerstone course of the MHA program. It provides an orientation of UWF, the department of Health Sciences and Administration, and the MHA program. Also, it introduces essential concepts of health services administration which are applicable in professional practice and provide a baseline for further study.
Choose one:
HSA 6944 - Internship in Health Administration
3.0 Credit Hours
Internship in Health Administration
The internship program is intended to provide students with the opportunity to use and develop conflict resolution skills, integrate the theory and practice of conflict analysis and resolution, and network with professionals in the field to enhance employment opportunities. Students have the opportunity to take on leadership roles, gain new knowledge and skills, develop workplace competencies and connect theories from courses to the practical world outside of the classroom. As a student of conflict analysis and resolution, the combined internship and academic credit provide the occasion and space to reflect as you practice. Students should take this course close to the completion of the MHA program. Grades are provided on a satisfactory / unsatisfactory basis only.
HSA 6947 - Healthcare Administration Capstone
3 Credit Hours
Healthcare Administration Capstone
Designed to help students make the transition from theory to practice, this course focuses on sharpening analytical and intuitive leadership practices through interactive projects. The purpose of this capstone is to facilitate the integration and synthesis of content through critical thinking. Students demonstrate critical thinking skills in actively and skillfully conceptualizing information to inform executive decisions. The capstone is a total immersion experience in which students are challenged to use all of the tools and concepts learned to date to tackle a new venture for a healthcare organization.

Admission Requirements

The committee factors prior healthcare experience strongly in the admission process. Most admitted students are employed and continue to work in healthcare during their studies. This experience is valued because course projects often assume current employment.

Undergraduate major GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited institution

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission into the University of West Florida. Review application deadlines. The department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the following criteria are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:

Submission of a resume or CV documenting current healthcare experience.
Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies
Submission of a personal statement written by the applicant, which outlines their current professional experience and future career goals in healthcare administration and how the degree will help them to achieve the goals. Additional contents of the statement include the applicant’s academic preparation, work history, volunteer experience, activities, and honors or awards received.
Submit healthcare experience and/or potential as noted in two letters of recommendation (required from applicants with less than 3.5 GPA from the bachelor’s degree-granting institution; letters of recommendation are optional for applicants with a 3.5 or higher GPA)

Completing the graduate admissions test is an optional component of the application process. Applicants who wish to bolster their other academic credentials with these types of scores should request that their scores be submitted to UWF.

Costs & Financial Aid

Component	Cost	Total*
In-State Tuition	$384.60 per credit hour (based on 30 credit hours)	$15,576.30
In-State Tuition with Maximum Transfer Credits (Up to 10, but rarely done)	$384.60 per credit hour	$11,730.30
Full Out-of-State Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$42,291.72
90% Out-of-State Tuition Waiver	$478.83 per credit hour	$19,392.62

Tuition waivers cover up to 90% of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online campus programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted. This program takes up to 24 months to complete, depending on transfer credits.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. For more information and to verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar.

Active Duty Military

All active-duty members of the U.S. military who are residing or are stationed outside the state of Florida shall have all (100%) out-of-state fees waived by the university. Contact the Military & Veterans Resource Center to apply for the Active Duty Military Out-of-State Waiver.

UWF Short-Term Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida provides eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan.

Military Students

UWF is a Military FriendlyⓇ School proudly serving active-duty U.S. military members and veterans. As UWF has been a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program since 2011, you could be eligible to receive free tuition with your military benefits.

See How We Can Serve You

Financial Aid

Funding your college education should not empty your wallet. We offer various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students.

Learn More About Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Questions

: You may either contact your enrollment counselor or log into your MyUWF account to view the status of your application.
: No, you may be enrolled part-time and be eligible for financial aid. Different awards have different enrollment criteria. For example, federal direct loans require at least half-time enrollment. All students are awarded assuming full-time enrollment. If you change enrollment plans, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships must be notified immediately, and we will revise your award if necessary.
: UWF will only accept credits from institutions whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies, and the amount of transfer credits allowed depends on the program. For detailed information, visit our Transfer Students page.
: Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates for more information.