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Milken Institute School of Public Health

 

Health Administration-MHA

 

Health Administration - MHA

 

 

 

Our MHA programs are ranked #7 in the nation by US News and World Report.

The mission of the GW Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is to train the next generation of leaders in the healthcare industry to improve health and health systems on a local, national, and global scale. Graduates will contribute to the improved efficacy of healthcare. They will use research and evidence to inform decisions about policies that affect diverse populations. In addition, the MHA coursework prepares students to become skilled executives in healthcare delivery systems. Attending a school situated in Washington D.C., the nation’s health policy and management epicenter ensures that graduates will become transformational leaders in healthcare. 

An MHA degree incorporates coursework in business and medical informatics training, knowledge of health care systems, management theory, finance, quality, law, policy, critical values in decision making and much more. At the George Washington University, we are proud to educate students who are committed to improving healthcare and health policy and engaging in and promoting improvements in programs and services. We emphasize these qualities in the MHA program because they are essential for future leaders in healthcare delivery. Students who graduate with a Master of Health Administration degree will be able to:

  • Effectively manage organizational change and promote organizational and clinical excellence.
  • Manage health services organizations under alternative financing mechanisms.
  • Lead and manage human resources in diverse organizational environments.
  • Manage information resources to assist in effective administrative decision making and clinical management.
  • Use statistical, quantitative, and economic analyses.
  • Utilize leadership skills to improve both business and clinical outcomes of health services organizations.

The only two prerequisites for matriculation into the MHA program are an undergraduate course in introductory accounting and an introductory course in statistics. Students must have earned a grade of B or better in both subjects to be considered for admittance into the Master of Health Administration degree program.

Located just blocks away from the White House and Lincoln Memorial

Map showing proximity of GW to White House and Lincoln Memorial

 

We also offer our Master of Health Administration (MHA) program online. Request information below about the Online format. 

MHA Requirements

HSML 6202 | Introduction to the US Health Services Delivery (2 credits) 
HSML 6203| Introduction to Health Management (2 credits) 
HSML 6204 | Quality & Performance Improvement (2 credits) 
HSML 6206 | Quantitative Methods & Epidemiology in Health Services (3 credits) 
HSML 6207 | Health Services Information Applications (2 credits) 
HSML 6208 | Medical Informatics (2 credits) 
HSML 6209 | Health Services Finance (2 credits) 
HSML 6210 | Health Services Financial Applications (2 credits) 
HSML 6211 | Health Economics (2 credits)  
HSML 6212 | Community Health Management & Advocacy (2 credits) 
HSML 6213 | Health Services Marketing & Planning (2 credits) 
HSML 6215 | Health Law for Managers (2 credits) 
HSML 6216 | Human Resources Management & Organizational Behavior (2 credits) 
HSML 6218 | Seminar in Health Services Management & Leadership (2 credits) 
HSML 6254 | Ethics in Health Services Management (2 credits)
PUBH 6080 | Pathways to Public Health (0 credits)*

* PUBH 6080 - Find FAQs on the Advising page here.

CORE TOTAL: 31 CREDITS

Health Policy Selective (choose one 2-credit course from list below)

PUBH 6012 | Fundamentals of Health Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6325 | Federal Policymaking and Policy Advocacy (2 credits) 
PUBH 6367 | Population Health and Public Health Care Reform (2 credits)
PUBH 6354 | Substance Use Disorder Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6356 | State Health Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6399 | Cost-Benefit Analysis in Health Care (2 credits)
PUBH 6399 or PUBH 6561 | Maternal and Child Health Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6370 | Medicare/Medicaid Law and Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6374 | Pharmaceutical Policy (2 credits)
PUBH 6378 | HIV Policy in the U.S. (2 credits)

 HEALTH POLICY SELECTIVE: 2 CREDITS

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

MHA Electives

Depending on which type of Field Experience is chosen, elective credits will vary.  Fellowship Students select 11 elective credits; Residency Students select 14 elective credits. 
See program guide for most current course offerings and suggested course sequencing. 

 ELECTIVES: 11-14 CREDITS

Field Experience

Field experience (3-6 credits). Select one of the following areas:

HSML 6274-6275 | Fellowship (6 credits) 

OR

HSML 6271 | Residency (3 credits)

FIELD EXPERIENCE: 3-6 CREDITS

Non-Academic Requirements

Professional Enhancement

Students in degree programs must participate in eight (8) hours of Professional Enhancement. These activities may be Public Health-related lectures, seminars, or symposia related to your field of study.

Professional Enhancement activities supplement the rigorous academic curriculum of the SPH degree programs and help prepare students to participate actively in the professional community. You can learn more about opportunities for Professional Enhancement via the Milken Institute School of Public Health Listserv, through departmental communications, or by speaking with your advisor.

Students must submit a completed Professional Enhancement Form to the student records department [email protected].

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training

All students are required to complete the Basic CITI training module in Social and Behavioral Research prior to beginning the practicum.  This online training module for Social and Behavioral Researchers will help new students demonstrate and maintain sufficient knowledge of the ethical principles and regulatory requirements for protecting human subjects - key for any public health research.

Academic Integrity Quiz

All Milken Institute School of Public Health students are required to review the University’s Code of Academic Integrity and complete the GW Academic Integrity Activity.  This activity must be completed within 2 weeks of matriculation. Information on GWSPH Academic Integrity requirements can be found here.

Graduation Requirements
  1. Graduate Credit Requirement: 50 graduate credits are required.
  2. Grade Point Requirement: A 3.0 (B average) overall grade point average is required.
  3. Time Limit Requirement: The degree must be completed within five years.
  4. Transfer Credit Policy: Up to 12 graduate credits that have not been applied to a previous graduate degree may be transferred to the Master of Public Health program.  External credits must have been earned from an accredited institution in the last 3 years with a grade of 3.0 (B) or better.  SPH Graduate Certificate students can transfer as many credits as meet program requirements, up to 18 credits, to the MPH.  Graduate Certificate students wishing to transfer to a degree program may apply to do so via the online change of concentration petition after completion of 3 or more courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.  A grade of B or better is required for a course to be eligible for transfer.  
  5. Residency or Internship Requirement: Successful completion of a nine credit residency or three-credit internship.
Program Guides

Past Program Guides

Students in the MHA in Health Administration program should refer to the guide from the year in which they matriculated into the program. For the current program guide, click the "PROGRAM GUIDE" button on the right-hand side of the page.

 

There are numerous opportunities for MHA degree program graduates as new healthcare programs and providers expand. Master of Health Administration degree graduates are in high demand at healthcare providers such as hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, and mental health organizations. In addition, health sector organizations focusing on pharmaceutical and biotechnology, health insurance organizations, and healthcare policy groups are in need of employees with MHA degrees. Our graduates with an MHA  find careers in leadership, research, and consulting.

Click on the map below to explore the organizations at which our graduates have obtained fellowships. Best viewed on a computer or tablet.

Students pursuing an MHA have access to a world-class faculty with relevant expertise and diverse experience in nonprofit, governmental, and clinical settings. The many areas of interest and research experience for professors and lecturers in the Master of Health Administration degree program include finance, policy design and evaluation, compliance, economics and policy, and public relations.

We’re pleased to introduce you to these MHA faculty members:

Robert Bonar, Program Director

Leonard Friedman

Melissa Goldstein

Elizabeth Gray

Lorens Helmchen

Leah Masselink

Wayne Psek

Joy Volarich

The Milken Institute School of Public Health residential Master of Health Administration (MHA) is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).  It is the only CAHME accredited MHA in the nation's capital and is ranked 12th in the U.S. News & World Report 2016 graduate school rankings of healthcare management programs.

Program Parameters, Information, and Outcomes

  2020-21    2021-22 2022-23   
Total Cost of Degree $91,250  $91,250    $90,180 
Program Completion Rate 100% 100% NA
Placement within 60-90 Days of Program Completion 100% 100% NA

 

What types of positions do our graduates take?

   2020-21 2021-22
Management 15 26
Administrative Staff 4 9
Additional Fellowship 7 0
Not Placed 0 0

 

How well are our students compensated for fellowships/residencies? What are their starting salaries following this training?

  2020-21 2021-22
Fellowship/Residency $63,000 $60,000
Median Starting Salary $80,500 $86,000

 

How likely are our graduates to recommend our program to a friend or an acquaintance looking to advance their career?

Rating 2020-21 2021-22
0 (not at all likely) 0 0
1 1 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
4 0 0
5 (neutral) 0 0
6 0 0
7 0 4
8 3 7
9 11 4
10 (extremely likely) 11 9
Net Promotor Score 81 54

 

If our graduates had to do it all over again, would they still choose our program?

  2020-21 2021-22
No 1 2
Yes 25 22

 

MHA Student Association
MHA Student Association

President – Chris Bott

Vice President – Andrew Levine 

Communications Chair – Jasmine Chien 

Recruitment Chair – Yasmine Osman 

Professional Development Chair – Conor Wedel 

Networking Chair – Beth Keenan 

Alumni Relations – Brooke Thadeus 

Treasurer – Tyler Morgan 

Diversity & Inclusion Chair – Annie Carilli 

 

Milken Institute School of Public Health

 

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Washington, DC 20052

Phone  (202) 994-7400
Fax  (202) 994-3773

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