The MGH Institute seeks applicants who are passionate about advancing the field of healthcare, even if they don’t have previous health-related work experience.

The online Master of Health Administration program is designed to provide current and aspiring healthcare administrators with the essential skills and knowledge required for successful leadership in the complex and dynamic healthcare industry. As a student, you will be equipped to lead financially sustainable healthcare organizations that deliver high-quality care and maintain compliance with legal and ethical standards.

The MHA’s comprehensive curriculum covers six key areas of study that will result in a well-rounded skill set in advanced healthcare leadership and management: 

• HA 610N Healthcare Administration & Human Resource Management (3 credits)

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  This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental principles of healthcare administration, including the role of human resource management in healthcare organizations. The course covers a range of topics related to healthcare administration, such as the structure and organization of healthcare systems, healthcare finance, healthcare law and ethics, healthcare marketing, healthcare information technology and healthcare quality improvement.

• HA 615N Financial Management in Healthcare (3 credits)

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  The Financial Management course is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the economic principles and financial management techniques essential for effective healthcare decision-making. The course covers various topics related to healthcare finance, such as healthcare payment systems, financial management, budgeting, cost analysis and revenue cycle management. Students will also learn about different payment systems used in the healthcare industry, including fee-for-service, capitation and value-based payment models.

• HP 001 Power, Privilege & Positionality (non-credit-bearing but mandatory)

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  The MGH Institute Power, Privilege and Positionality (PPP) orientation is offered every semester. It is designed to build foundational knowledge for all incoming IHP students and the broader IHP community in common languages such as justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, power, privilege, positionality, racism, oppression and intersectionality.

• HA 620N Strategic Planning and Marketing in Healthcare (3 credits)

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  This course will cover the importance of strategic planning in healthcare organizations, including developing mission and vision statements, SWOT analysis and goal setting. Students will learn how to analyze healthcare markets, identify key stakeholders and develop strategies for meeting the needs of patients, healthcare providers and other partners. Students will also learn about the challenges and opportunities of marketing and planning in the rapidly changing healthcare industry, such as the impact of new technologies, changing consumer demographics and evolving healthcare policies. Additionally, this course focuses on developing and implementing effective marketing strategies in the healthcare industry. The course covers marketing principles and their application to healthcare, which include market research, targeting, positioning and branding. Further, students will learn how to develop a marketing plan, set goals, create a budget and select appropriate marketing channels.

• HA 625N Health Policy (3 credits)

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  Students will learn how policy is made through forays into the policy process. Students will become acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of healthcare generally, specifically American healthcare, that contribute to market failures and suboptimal policy outcomes. In the process, they will learn what makes for effective leadership and management within the healthcare realm, like factors that maximize administrative success at the level(s) of hospitals and physician practices.

• HAH 630N Healthcare Ethics and Law (3 credits)

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  This course provides students with an understanding of the ethical and legal issues that arise in healthcare management. Students will examine the role of healthcare professionals in upholding ethical and legal standards and the consequences of ethical and legal breaches in healthcare. Students will learn how to make informed decisions that promote the best interests of patients and healthcare organizations. The course covers a wide range of topics, including the role of healthcare managers in promoting ethical behavior, the legal and ethical issues surrounding patient care, privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, medical malpractice, and healthcare fraud and abuse. In addition, students will gain an understanding of regulatory bodies that oversee healthcare organizations and legislation that governs the provision of healthcare services.

• HA 635N Organizational Behavior and Management Theory (3 credits)

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  This course examines the structure of healthcare organizations, and the impact of individual and group behavior in these environments to better understand how organizations can be effectively managed. Topics covered include motivation, rewarding behavior, stress, conflict and resolution, power and politics, leadership, decision-making, communication, and organizational change and development. In addition, students will also study managerial functions and theory as they relate to planning, organizing, implementation, evaluation and staffing.

• HA 640N Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 credits)

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  This course provides students with the fundamental principles and techniques of healthcare quality improvement (QI) and research methods. The course will cover various topics, including the principles and methods of healthcare QI, the use of data for decision-making, process improvement strategies, the role of leadership in QI, and the use of technology to support QI efforts. Additionally, the course will cover research methods, such as study design, sampling, data collection and statistical analysis.

• HA 645N Population Health Management (3 credits)

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  This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of population health management principles, strategies and practices. The course covers various topics like epidemiology, biostatistics, healthcare systems, health policy, health promotion, disease prevention and quality improvement. Students will learn how to use data and analytics to identify health disparities, implement evidence-based interventions and evaluate the impact of healthcare programs on population health outcomes. They will also explore the social determinants of health and learn strategies to address them through cross-sector collaboration. The course emphasizes the importance of leadership, communication and teamwork in population health management.

• HAH 650N JEDI in the Healthcare Environment (3 credits)

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  This class focuses on identifying and disrupting systemic oppression in healthcare environments, focusing on clinical and organizational aspects of healthcare. Students will learn about structural barriers to healthcare equity and how to use liberatory practices to reduce them. They will be encouraged to self-reflect on their own positionality and biases to develop a grounded sense of self as a change agent. Individually and collectively, the class will envision more liberatory healthcare practices and find creative ways to make them a reality. Students will develop their own frameworks for advancing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and lives.

• HAH 655N Interprofessional Leadership Development (3 credits)

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  Renowned faculty members from various healthcare systems nationwide and with extensive experience and expertise in healthcare administration lead this course. They will cover various topics essential for healthcare administrators. Students will learn about the latest trends and best practices in healthcare administration and how to apply these concepts in real-world settings.

• HA 700N1 and HA 700N2 Integrated Practicum (3 credits each)

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  In this course, students will work closely with their faculty advisor and peers to develop and execute a comprehensive project that applies healthcare management principles to real-world healthcare challenges. Students will synthesize and integrate their prior learning to develop, design and execute a capstone project as a culmination of their studies. Throughout the course, students will engage in discussions with peers and faculty advisors, sharing insights and receiving feedback on their work. Additionally, students will be able to examine emerging healthcare administration trends and issues. By the end of this course, students will have a polished and professional project demonstrating mastery of previously learned skills and their application to healthcare administration.

Drive Organizational Success and Advance Your Career

Gain the advanced management skills and valuable professional connections you need to compete for leadership roles in healthcare. Request information and a member of our admissions team will get in touch.

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A complex world calls for flexible learning designed for your needs. In the online Master of Health Administration program, you’ll find an intuitive platform, comprehensive support and top-notch education designed for real people with real lives.  

With a graduate degree in health administration, you can pursue various career opportunities in healthcare management and administration. You can work as a hospital administrator, healthcare consultant, healthcare policy analyst or healthcare information manager; or, you can work in healthcare finance, operations or strategic planning roles. 

The MGH Institute’s online MHA program will equip you with the advanced leadership skills and valuable professional connections you need to compete for top roles and lead ethical, sustainable healthcare organizations that deliver high-quality care. You’ll have access to networking and mentorship opportunities through the Institute’s affiliation with Mass General Brigham. 

The MGH Institute of Health Professions, which is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), continues to be a leader in delivering innovative educational experiences to help aspiring professionals advance their careers.

While you are enrolled in the MHA program, you will also have the opportunity to pursue discounted or no-cost healthcare certifications and memberships which can help you stand out in a competitive field. Our academic and industry partnerships include:

Demand for healthcare leadership roles continues to grow — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 29% growth in the employment of medical and health services managers from 2022 to 2032.¹

Healthcare administrators and leaders also typically earn higher-than-average salaries. In May 2023, the median annual wage for medical and health services managers was US$110,680,² and the median annual wage for chief executives in the healthcare and social assistance industries was US$194,280.³ Salaries may vary based on factors such as location, sector and experience.

The MGH Institute offers a 100% online Health Administration Graduate Certificate which enables you to develop valuable healthcare leadership competencies in a shorter time than pursuing a master’s degree. This 12-credit program can be completed in one semester (15 weeks full time). 
Through four courses, you will gain expertise in financial management, strategic planning, health policy and human resource management. If you later choose to pursue your MHA from MGH IHP, you can transfer all certificate credits into the MHA program.

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1. Medical and Health Services Managers: Job Outlook. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 30, 2024. ↩︎
2. Medical and Health Services Managers: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 30, 2024. ↩︎
3. Top Executives: Pay. (2024). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 30, 2024. ↩︎