Master of Health Administration degree online
A.T. Still University’s College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS) offers a fully online Master of Health Administration (MHA) program for those ready to lead the healthcare industry and make a difference in the future of healthcare. With an entirely online curriculum taught by expert and highly qualified healthcare faculty and industry professionals, future healthcare leaders can gain the knowledge needed to advance in their profession.
The MHA degree culminates in the completion of a capstone project that provides students the chance to directly apply discussed theories and knowledge gained in the program. Through developing a real-world solution to an ongoing problem in health administration, students better understand the complexities of healthcare delivery systems, building alliances within and outside of the healthcare industry, and strategic decision-making. Students are supported in their integration of theories and knowledge gained throughout the MHA program in order to apply systems-based approach to a project in the MHA Capstone course.
Master of Health Administration concentrations
The Master of Health Administration degree program at ATSU-CGHS offers a traditional track as well as two specialty concentrations. The traditional MHA degree concentration requires 14 courses and the capstone project. The specialty concentrations offer applied focus in the following areas.
The Digital Health concentration is composed of 14 courses that center around developing competency for innovative interoperability of healthcare information systems, consumer digital health products, and the use of distance medicine.
The Quality and Patient Safety concentration includes 14 courses that provide operational and leadership competencies to direct effective quality improvement and safety initiatives within the healthcare environment. Students who complete this degree concentration are eligible to sit for the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) exam.
MHA graduates earn DHA advanced standing
Following completion of the MHA degree through ATSU-CGHS, a student may apply to the Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) program and transfer 12-15 credits toward the DHA degree, depending on which MHA track is completed. For motivated students interested in pursuing a terminal degree in the health sciences, this bridge opportunity emphasizes a continuous and evolving academic plan that is cost-effective and accelerated.
Candidate status is an indication that a program in healthcare management has voluntarily committed to participate in a plan of self-improvement and is actively progressing toward the status of accreditation. Candidate status is not accredited status and does not guarantee eventual accredited status.
100% Online
Flexibility
customizable:
3 specialization
tracks
Graduate in
2 years
gain dha advanced
standing
customizable
capstone
4 start dates
per year
Program essentials
Master of Health Administration curriculum overview
The online Master of Health Administration degree program prepares students for leadership in the healthcare field. Graduates earn their online health administration masters degree and enter a fast growing segment of the U.S. labor market. The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow by 22 percent from 2010 to 2020. The online masters degree in health administration program integrates web-based instruction, directed readings, email, and synchronous interactions between students and faculty.
Academic areas of focus include:
- Healthcare law
- Healthcare leadership
- Human resources management
- Healthcare strategic planning and marketing
- The financing of healthcare
- Health information systems
- Operations Management
- Project Management for health administrators
- Data Analytics and Decision Making
- Quality and Safety in Healthcare
Career Advancement
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the healthcare field is predicted to grow by 2.4 million jobs by 2029; that is more than any other industry.
- Hospital Administrator
- Practice Manager
- Clinical Director
- Long-term Care Administrator
- Health Services Director
- Corporate Healthcare Manager
- Group Practice Administrator
- Government Healthcare Consultant
Requirements
Application requirements for the Master of Health Administration program include:
- Application:
- Completed and signed admissions application along with a nonrefundable application fee.
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Academic:
- An accredited bachelor’s degree from a university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Applicants who received their qualifying degree from a university outside the United States will have to provide a degree equivalency evaluation.*
- Official transcript from the qualifying degree-granting institution. For students using VA benefits transcripts for all institutions attended are required.
- Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) at the qualifying degree institution.
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Elements of Success:
- A current resume
- Completion of an essay
- English Proficiency **
- Meet technology requirements***
*Applicants who have graduated from a foreign college or university should submit acceptable evidence of U.S. degree/course equivalency. All course work taken at the foreign institution must be evaluated for American institution equivalence by one of the following services:
- World Education Services P.O. Box 5087 Bowling Green Station New York, NY 10274-5087 p: (212) 966-6311 f: (212) 739-6139 info@wes.org
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. P.O. Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 (414) 289-3400
- American Assn. of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 520 Washington, DC 20036-1135 (202) 293-9161
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. International Education Consultants 7101 SW 102 Avenue Miami FL 33173 p: (305) 273 -1616 f: (305) 273 -1338 info@jsilny.com
- Intl. Education Research Foundation, Inc. PO Box 3665 Culver City, CA 90231-3665 (310) 258-9451
**Applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to A.T. Still University’s College of Graduate Studies. Written and spoken proficiency in the English language may be demonstrated by one of the following options:
- Option 1 - English is your first language.
- Option 2 - Graduated from a regionally accredited four year college/university in the United States with a BA/BS or graduate degree.
- Option 3 - You are demonstrating your English proficiency by submitting acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Accepted test types for CGHS are:
The Computer Based Test (CBT), Internet Based Test (iBT), or the Paper Based Test (PBT) are accepted. The following are the minimum required score based on test type:
- CBT - minimum total score of 213
- iBT - minimum total score of 80
- PBT - minimum total score of 550
The TOEFL is administered by TOEFL/TSE Services, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ, 08541-6151, USA 609. 771.7100. A.T. Still University’s institutional code is 0339. Please be sure to include this information when you submit your application packet. TOEFL Educational Testing Services P.O. Box 6151 Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, 609.771.7100
***ATSU technology requirements
Year 1
Year 2
Digital Health Concentration
Quality and Patient Safety Concentration
Tuition
Review tuition and fees for the Master of Health Administration program. Please note tuition and fees are subject to change.
Financial Aid
Federal financial aid is available for qualifying students. For more information visit Enrollment Services or contact them at 660.626.2019 or by email at enrollmentservices@atsu.edu.
Robert Clegg, PhD, has nearly 20 years of on-ground and distance learning (online) university-level curriculum development and academic instruction focusing on healthcare management, public health, and nursing. He also possesses over 18 years of progressive healthcare management experience, including program development, organizational leadership, operating and capital budget development, implementation of cost controls, risk management, quality, and regulatory and corporate compliance.
Dr. Clegg began with ATSU as Chair of the Health Administration programs in March 2021. His areas of research primarily consist of patient safety, quality of care, hospital accreditation and compliance, public health and health promotion. Prior to his academic/teaching career, Dr. Clegg spent nearly a decade as the Patient Safety Officer at a large acute care hospital and in various leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector in the State of California. Philanthropically, Dr. Clegg proudly volunteers his time, talent and treasure on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and serve on the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation, Inc., for Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State).
Academically, Dr. Clegg earned both his Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Public Health at Fresno State, and a Doctorate in Human Services with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration (graduation with distinction) from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN. Furthermore, he is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
Associate Professor
Lihua Dishman, DBA, MBA, earned a master of business administration in finance, business, and economics from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich., and a bachelor of science in statistics and economics from Shanghai University of Finance & Economics in Shanghai, China.
She has nearly 27 years teaching experience with traditional and non-traditional graduate and undergraduate degree programs in managerial finance, statistics, research methodology, and more. Ms. Dishman has delivered courses in 100 percent online, residential, and hybrid modalities. In addition, she has nearly two decades of global financial management experience. Her expertise includes global corporate treasury, global capital markets, and more.
Ms. Dishman led the structure and issuance of multi-billion dollar asset-backed securities within a global treasury group. As lead auditor for a multinational corporation, she successfully completed high profile and strategically critical international assignments. She was a consultant of global corporate finance with a Fortune 10 company for nearly five years following more than six years in private investment banking and institutional asset consulting.
As a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Detroit, her research interests include financial impact of healthcare reform on healthcare providers, healthcare cost effectiveness of promoting health well-being at workplaces, and how to invest donor assets prudently in not-for-profit healthcare systems.
Associate Professor
John Fick, EdD, FACHE, is an associate professor at ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies. He received his Doctor of Educational Leadership with a focus on higher education administration from Argosy University, Sarasota, Fla., in 2007, and an Master of Science degree with a specialization in community health services from the School of Medicine, Wayne State University (1983). He joined ATSU as an adjunct faculty member in 2007 and in 2009 became a full-time faculty member in the Health Administration program. At ATSU, has served on the curriculum committee and currently serves on the new faculty hiring committee.
Dr. Fick’s research interests include adult learners and online learning. He is board-certified in healthcare management and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has served as a fellow of ACEHSA (now CAHME) and was recently awarded the 2010 Distinguished Faculty Award by ACHE Regent in Mich., as well as nominated in 2010 for Faculty of the Year by students in the Master of Health Administration program at ATSU.
Dean
Marisa Hastie, EdD, MS, ACSM-EP, PN-1, FACSM is the Dean of the College of Graduate Health Studies at AT Still University. Dr. Hastie received her doctor of education from George Fox University (2013), her master of science in exercise and sport science with an emphasis in biomechanics from the University of Oregon (2003), and her bachelor of science in exercise science from Gonzaga University (2001). She is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is a certified Exercise Physiologist.
Prior to joining ATSU, she was a Professor of Exercise Science and Program Chair for the Exercise Science Program at Lasell University (Newton, MA). Dr. Hastie also served as the Faculty Fellow for the Fuss Center for Research on Intergenerational Education and Aging and received the deWitt Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from Lasell University. Dr. Hastie served as Faculty Chair of the University’s governance system.
Dr. Hastie has served in several leadership roles at the regional and national level of the ACSM, which include her current roles on the Professional Education Committee at the national level and as the President-Elect for the New England chapter. Her research interests have included exploring the connection between lifelong physical activity and long-term health outcomes, the relationship between exercise training and cognition, and the effects of discrimination experiences on health-related coping behaviors.
Dr. Hastie has extensive experience in online program development, teaching, and assessment. She developed an online Master of Science in Nutrition for Human Performance program and has 18 years of experience in both synchronous and asynchronous teaching formats. She became an educator because she strongly believes in the development of the whole student as a crucial responsibility of higher education institutions.
Chair, Department of Health Administration
Robert Clegg, PhD, has nearly 20 years of on-ground and distance learning (online) university-level curriculum development and academic instruction focusing on healthcare management, public health, and nursing. He also possesses over 18 years of progressive healthcare management experience, including program development, organizational leadership, operating and capital budget development, implementation of cost controls, risk management, quality, and regulatory and corporate compliance.
Dr. Clegg began with ATSU as Chair of the Health Administration programs in March 2021. His areas of research primarily consist of patient safety, quality of care, hospital accreditation and compliance, public health and health promotion. Prior to his academic/teaching career, Dr. Clegg spent nearly a decade as the Patient Safety Officer at a large acute care hospital and in various leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector in the State of California. Philanthropically, Dr. Clegg proudly volunteers his time, talent and treasure on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and serve on the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation, Inc., for Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State).
Academically, Dr. Clegg earned both his Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Public Health at Fresno State, and a Doctorate in Human Services with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration (graduation with distinction) from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN. Furthermore, he is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
University Catalog
Read the University Catalog to learn more about the Master of Health Administration online program and university.
A.T. Still University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 800.621.7440 | Fax: 312.263.7462
Email: info@hlcommission.org
Master of Health Administration degree faculty
The Master of Health Administration degree online program offers a challenging, interdisciplinary educational experience that enables intellectual and professional advancement for health administration masters degree students. ATSU College of Graduate Health Studies (CGHS) faculty and staff are dedicated to your success, and comprehensive student services are available, including advising, tutoring and technical support.
ATSU’s College of Graduate Health Studies instructors have diverse academic and working backgrounds in management and healthcare fields, and 90% hold doctoral degrees. Their academic areas of interest include healthcare law, the economics of medical care, organizational theory and its effect in the health industry, health policy, the financing of healthcare, effectiveness/cost-benefit analysis in the healthcare industry, health information systems, quantitative methods and management science.
Faculty Forums
Application
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For additional information contact an Enrollment Counselor:
877.626.5577 or cghsonlineadmissions@atsu.edu
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Submit an inquiry for more information on your program of interest.
Missouri Campus
800 W. Jefferson Street Kirksville, MO 63501
877.626.5577
cghsonlineadmissions@atsu.edu
MHA Program Mission, Vision, and Values
MHA Mission Statement
Our mission is to engage with diverse online students to prepare them for leadership roles in health care administration. Our curriculum is designed for early to mid-career health care professionals who aspire to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the ever changing health care industry. Emphasis is placed on competency-based education, the osteopathic tradition of whole person health care, and the ATSU focus of serving underserved populations. This is accomplished with practice-integrated learning assessments that promote active learning and discourse.
Graduates are prepared for early-to-mid-careerist positions in a variety of health care organizations including hospitals, outpatient centers, physician offices, and other health care-related organizations. They serve in a number of leadership roles including policy, clinical, and operations.
Our scholar-practitioner faculty are educated and experienced in their fields of expertise, and through service, scholarship, and professional development stay attuned to emerging trends in health care, education, and online teaching. They actively engage with students through web conferencing, telephone, and other technologies.
Program Vision
The ATSU Health Administration program will be recognized as the leading innovator in learner-centered online health administration education, with students, alumni, faculty, and administration working together to prepare students to lead health care organizations and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the population.
Program Values
Leadership – We value modeling and mentoring strong leadership skills and inspire individual and program accountability and excellence.
Integrity – We value strong ethical principles and fairness in our individual actions and our program decision making.
Diversity – We value the ideas and beliefs of all of our stakeholders, and work to foster an inclusive environment that respects the dignity of all.
Innovation – We value creative approaches to teaching, learning, and application.
Lifelong Learning – We value the continual pursuit of knowledge that enhances the personal and professional development of all stakeholders.
MHA Program Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Recruit and retain a student body representative of the nation’s racial, ethnic, and gender composition.
Objective 1.1: The MHA program will exhibit at 1 conference each fiscal year.
Objective 1.2: 80% of all students will be retained during an academic year.
Objective 1.3: 70% of students will graduate within five years of matriculation.
Objective 1.4: 25% of students will be an underrepresented minority.
Objective 1.5: 50% of students will be female.
Goal 2: Provide a challenging learning environment that facilitates scholarship of application, integration, and discovery.
Objective 2.1: 80% of students will report they gained practical knowledge from a course.
Objective 2.2: 95% of faculty members will report the MHA curriculum is rigorous enough for the level of the academic degree.
Objective 2.3: 80% of students will demonstrate sufficient proficiency to earn a grade of A or B in every course.
Goal 3: Provide instruction responsive to the needs of the health administration workforce.
Objective 3.1: At least one currently-employed health administrator will be a representative on the MHA program Advisory Committee.
Objective 3.2: At least one currently-employed health administrator will be a representative on the MHA Curriculum Committee.
Objective 3.3: Of the students who complete the graduate culminating project, 90% will achieve a grade of 90% or greater on the project.
Objective 3.4: Of the students who graduate from the MHA program, 90% will achieve an “excellent” or “good” rating on each of the program’s competencies.
Objective 3.5: 80% of respondents to the alumni survey will report the MHA curriculum prepared them for the health administration workforce.
Goal 4: Provide a quality, diverse faculty and staff committed to life-long learning.
Objective 4.1: 100% of full-time faculty members will have or be working toward earned doctoral degrees.
Objective 4.2: 90% of academically or professionally qualified adjunct faculty members will currently work or previously worked primarily in health administration or a health administration-related field.
Objective 4.3: All MHA full-time faculty members will participate in one continuous improvement or professional development activity each year.
Objective 4.4: 50% of MHA full-time faculty members will be female.
Objective 4.5: 30% of MHA full-time faculty members will be of a race other than Caucasian.
Objective 4.6: 75% of MHA staff members will be female.
Objective 4.7.: 15% of MHA staff members will be of a race other than Caucasian.
Goal 5: Engage faculty and students in scholarly research to advance health administration learning, teaching, and practice.
Objective 5.1: The MHA program full-time faculty will generate scholarly activity resulting in 2 professional or scholarly presentations annually.
Objective 5.2: The MHA program full-time faculty will generate scholarly activity resulting in 2 submissions to peer-reviewed publications annually.
Objective 5.3: The MHA program faculty will generate scholarly activity involving students as researchers resulting in 1 submission to a peer-reviewed publication and/or 1 scholarly presentation annually.
Goal 6: Provide service to the health administration community in practice, teaching, and research.
Objective 6.1: 100% of MHA full-time faculty will maintain membership in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Objective 6.2: 30% of MHA full-time faculty will maintain membership in at least 1 committee serving the American College of Healthcare Executives, either nationally or locally.
Objective 6.3: 50% of MHA full time faculty will participate in at least 1 community service activity annually.
Objective 6.4: 50% of MHA full time faculty will maintain membership in the Academy of Management’s health care group.
Objective 6.5: 30% of MHA full time faculty will provide service to the Academy of Management.
Objective 6.6: The MHA program will retain membership in the Higher Education Network of the American College of Health Care Executives.
Objective 6.7: The MHA program will retain membership in the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.
Objective 6.8: The MHA program will host a chapter of the Upsilon Phi Delta honor society of AUPHA.
Objective 6.9: The MHA program will continue to pursue accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Management Education (CAHME).
Goal 7: Provide service to A. T. Still University and the College of Graduate Health Studies.
Objective 7.1: 100% of full-time faculty will provide service to University level committees, such as the ad hoc alternate track faculty committee, the Faculty Senate, assessment committees, etc.
Objective 7.2: 100% of full-time faculty will provide service to College level committees, including the Faculty Council and its committees, Curriculum Committees, Admission Committees, Faculty Hiring Committee, etc.
Wondering if the MHA is the perfect fit for you?
ATSU-CGHS offers a variety of master's programs that meet your professional needs and career goals.