Online Masters in Health Care Administration Programs

MBA and Masters in Healthcare Management Degrees by Distance Learning

An online masters in health care administration or healthcare management program builds on your existing background in healthcare to help you transition into management and administrative roles. Most learners who pursue an online masters in health care administration already have a bachelors degree in healthcare and may already employed in the healthcare industry with a few years of experience in the field.

Program requirements for online masters degrees in health care vary based on the online school you choose. Some programs require you to have a health care-related degree, while other programs accept students who have a liberal arts bachelors degree. Most masters in health care administration distance learning degree programs can be completed in two while working a full-time job. You may also be required to complete up to one year of supervised administrative experience.

Many of the programs take a generalist approach to health care administration education. However, some programs do offer a health care management MBA program tailored to a specific work environment desire, such as hospitals, nursing care facilities or medical groups. If you know the type of facility in which you'd prefer to work, a program specializing in that facility environment can give you a competitive edge when landing a health care management job.

Online Colleges offering Masters in Health Care Administration Degrees

University of Phoenix offers the following online masters in health care administration and management degree programs:

• Master of Health Administration
• Master of Health in Administration/Gerontology
• Master of Health in Administration/Health Care Education
• Master of Health in Administration/Health Care Informatics
• MBA - Health Care Management
• MS in Nursing/Master of Health Administration
• MS in Nursing/MBA/Health Care Management
• MS in Nursing - Nursing/Health Care Education
• Master of Health Administration/Informatics
• Master of Health in Administration/Education

Capella University - offers the following online masters in healthcare administration and related health degree programs:

• MHA in General Health Administration
• MPH in Health Management and Policy
• MHA - Health Care Operations
• MHA - Health Policy
• MPH - General Public Health
• MPH - Social and Behavioral Sciences

A. T. Still University - is a nationally accredited distance education school and offers the following online masters in health care administration degree program:

• Master of Health Administration

Walden University - their online masters degree health care administration include:

• MBA in Healthcare Management
• MBA in Healthcare System Improvement
• M.S. in Health Informatics
• M.S. in Management - Healthcare Management
• Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.)
• Master of Public Administration - Health Policy
• Masters of Information Systems Management - Healthcare Informatics

University of Liverpool offers the following online masters in health care administration degree:

• Master of Public Health (Management of Health Systems)

Northcentral University Online offers the follwing online MBA in health care administration degree program:

• MBA in Health Care Administration

Strayer University Online offers the following online masters degrees in health care administration:

• Master in Health Services Administration
• MBA in Health Services Administration

Argosy University Online offers the following masters in healthcare management degree online program:

• Master of Business Administration- Healthcare Administration
• Master of Science in Health Services Management

American InterContinental University offers the following MBA in health care management online programs:

• MBA - Healthcare Administration
• MBA - Healthcare Administration Part Time Option

Masters Health Care Administration Degree - Education and Program Focus

The curriculum for an online masters in health care administration includes an education in managerial economics, legal responsibility and health care policy. Online graduate degree programs in healthcare management build on the day-to-day administration education acquired in a bachelor's in health care management program and incorporate the skills for long-term and managerial decision making. You'll also learn how to effectively manage a team of employees to meet your long-term goals.

The skills you'll learn in healthcare administration distance learning degree programs may include: how to apply modern theories of effective leadership and management, how to recognize opportunities for development of health care services, how to analyze financial data, how to mediate disputes and how to understand health care as an industry. You'll be prepared to determine the personnel and resource needs of a healthcare organization, and lead departments and personnel toward meeting the unified goals of a health care organization.

Health Care Degrees - Licensing and Certification

Every state has specific licensing requirements for nursing care facility administrators, which typically includes a minimum degree requirement, a licensing examination and a continuing education. Some states also have licensing requirements for administrators in assisted-living facilities. Other areas of medical and health services management don't typically require licensure.

Career and Salary Information for Healthcare Management and Administration Graduates

A health care management MBA program prepares you for leadership and management roles within the healthcare industry. Graduates who earn an online masters in health care administration may go on to careers in supervising health care facilities, managing teams of healthcare staff within a facility or planning and directing healthcare operations. Job titles might include: health care administrator, director of healthcare marketing, hospital administrator, health analytics director or healthcare finance manager.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of 2008, health services managers and high-level administrators earned a median salary of $80,240. The highest-earning employees in the field earned more than $137,800. General medical and surgical hospitals are the highest-paying employers, although they may also be the most demanding and stressful work environments.

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