What is an MHSA Degree? Healthcare Leadership Explained

The MHSA degree curriculum encompasses various courses covering healthcare leadership, policy, finance, human resources, law, ethics, and operations. 

In addition to coursework, students can expect to complete practical experiences, such as internships or residencies, to meet graduation requirements. These hands-on experiences allow you to apply the public health skills and knowledge you’ve gained throughout the program to real-world situations.

Many MHSA programs also require a capstone project or an independent study. These projects create an opportunity to delve into a specific area of interest in health services administration.  For example, your project could be analyzing how a recent health policy (e.g., Medicaid expansion) affects hospital reimbursement or access to care. You’ll likely work with a faculty member to develop a plan, conduct research, and present your findings in a final report or presentation. 

MHSA students often study alongside Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Master of Business Administration (MBA) peers throughout their program in a concept known as interprofessional education (IPE). IPE gathers students from different health professions to learn about, from, and with each other to foster collaboration and enhance patient outcomes.

As you search for MHSA programs, you want to ensure they hold a specific accreditation called the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAMHE). CAHME-accredited programs have met specific criteria and standards that ensure students are well-prepared for leadership roles in the healthcare industry.

Health administrators are in high demand, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting a 29% job growth rate by 2033.² MHSA graduates can work in various industries, such as public health departments, medical facilities, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and pharmaceutical companies.

With a healthcare administration degree, your role will be more about managing a system rather than working within it. Instead of delivering care, you’ll be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility, such as hiring and training staff, meeting compliance requirements, and ensuring patient satisfaction.

Here’s a look at the most common healthcare jobs and salaries for an MHSA public health degree:

An MHSA can also help you pursue leadership roles, such as Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) within hospitals, health systems, and other healthcare organizations. Further, it can be a stepping stone on the way to public health doctorates, like a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree or a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA).

Although MHSA, MHA, and MPH programs all fall under the umbrella of healthcare management and healthcare administration, they ultimately serve different sectors and employ varying types of professionals. Here is a quick rundown of the differences.

An MHA degree is similar to an MHSA degree, focusing on healthcare management and organization. However, while the MHSA degree strongly emphasizes public health, healthcare policy, and delivery of care, an MHA program is more business-oriented, with a stronger focus on the operations and leadership within private healthcare networks.

An MPH program prepares students to become public health professionals in areas like health promotion, disease prevention, global health, and health policy. These programs help students learn how to analyze population-level health trends, plan and implement interventions, and work to address community and global health issues. In contrast, MHSA programs tend to focus more on managing healthcare systems that can support those efforts.

If you are interested in public health but want to learn more about the management side of the industry, a master’s degree in health services administration is probably the best program for you.

MHSA programs can vary widely in both format and duration, depending on whether they’re designed for full-time students or working professionals.

In terms of timing, full-time programs typically take around two years, while executive tracks for working professionals can extend up to five.

As for formats, programs are typically delivered online, on-campus, or in a hybrid format. Online MHSA programs may be synchronous (live classes) or asynchronous (self-paced), while in-person, on-campus programs typically follow a cohort model, meaning that you learn with the same classmates. Regardless of your chosen format, you want to ensure the program is CAHME-accredited to get the best learning experience.

Below are two notable MSHA university programs to take note of:

• University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Residential MHSA Program

  • Incorporates 21 months (four semesters) of on-campus core classes, online electives, a summer internship, and a 9-12 month Administrative Residency.

  • Ranked #1 among healthcare management programs.⁶

• University of Arizona’s Online Master of Healthcare Management

  • Offers concentrations in healthcare innovation, healthcare leadership, and healthcare informatics.

  • Ranked in the top 1% of all higher education institutions.⁷

If you want to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration, it’s crucial to understand the admissions requirements that you’ll need to meet.
To give you an idea of what they might look like, here are the graduate admissions requirements for the University of Kansas’ MHSA program:

Many schools no longer require GRE scores as part of the admissions process. 

The cost of tuition varies between programs, with public universities like the University of Kansas costing around $27,000 for in-state students.⁸ On the other hand, private universities like Saint Joseph’s can cost about $44,000.⁹ Fortunately, many schools offer financial aid, scholarships, or employer tuition reimbursement that can help lower these costs. 

While the upfront costs are significant, the return on investment for this degree is fairly strong. MHSA graduates can quickly move into mid-to-senior level healthcare management roles with salaries ranging from $70,000 to $120,000.¹⁰ That being said, consider the total cost of graduate school alongside potential career growth when researching programs.

Here are a few factors you should consider when reviewing master's degree programs in healthcare management:

There are plenty of MHSA programs available around the United States. Here are just a few that will give you an idea of what they look like and offer:

If one or more of these programs piques your interest, contact the program’s director or admissions officer for more information.