Be a leader in health administration
Healthcare administrators are senior-level management professionals who must be highly trained to plan, direct and oversee the daily operations of medical centers, hospitals and health organizations. Purdue’s Master of Health Administration (MHA) will prepare you to become a healthcare administrator by helping you develop your healthcare business acumen, learn the healthcare industry’s regulatory framework and gain strategic-planning skills to keep organizations competitive in a changing market.
Download Program Flyer Course Overview Apply NowAs a healthcare administrator, you’ll play a prominent role behind the scenes in directing medical facilities and making decisions that improve the health of the populations you serve. Feel confident taking your next giant leap by pursuing your MHA at Purdue. As a leader in healthcare administration education, Purdue’s MHA program has achieved top rankings from onlinemastersdegree.com (2022) and edumed.org (2023).
#1
ONLINE HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION DEGREE PROGRAM
Edumed.org, 2023
Experience the Purdue difference in your online healthcare administration master’s degree:
- Comprehensive Curriculum: Master healthcare leadership, operations and quality improvement.
- Patient-Centric: Focus on healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
- Global Network: Connect with peers and experienced faculty.
- Flexible Learning: Complete your work 100% online — no GRE required.
- Fast credentials: Maximize your degree with stackable graduate certificates.
Program Quick Facts
Degree Type:
Master’s Degree
Format:
100% Online
Program Length: 6 semesters or 2 years
Weekly Commitment:
15-20 hours
Cost:
$30,000 (in-state) and $34,000 (out-of-state)
Who should enroll in the online MHA degree program?
This program is intended for early- and mid-career professionals looking to pursue administrative careers in health facilities. Classes focus on U.S. health systems and are relevant to a broad range of healthcare roles, including:
- Health service managers
- Nurses
- Healthcare IT/informatics staff
- Mental health workers
- Clinical staff
- Therapists
- Insurance managers
- Pharmacy staff
- Assisted living facility staff
- Quality assurance project managers
- Risk management employees
- Dentist office employees
- Ophthalmology specialists
- Home healthcare workers
- Radiology staff
- Emergency medicine staff
- Medical billers
- Finance and business managers
The curriculum also applies to government-run facilities such as the Veteran Administration hospital system and other government-funded health organizations.
The learning objectives include:
- Identify the main components and issues of organization, financing and delivery of health services and health systems in the United States.
- Demonstrate analytical and systems thinking to identify obstacles and opportunities in organizational processes and design.
- Demonstrate leadership skills by supporting individuals and teams through coaching and mentoring to improve human capital.
- Develop financial roadmaps by interpreting and communicating financial and accounting information, developing and evaluating program budgets, and strategically investing in long-term improvements.
Faculty
The Master of Health Administration and its graduate certificates are taught by leaders in the healthcare field and led by program director Cody Mullen.
View a complete list of department faculty.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a recalibration of the country’s healthcare system, infrastructure and policies. Healthcare administrators must keep pace with rapid advances in technology, patient care and regulations. Purdue prepares professionals to navigate the complexities of this changing industry and lead organizations into the future.
-Cody Mullen
Cody Mullen, PhD
Director, Master of Health Administration Program
Cody Mullen, PhD
Director, Master of Health Administration Program
Cody Mullen, PhD
Director, Master of Health Administration Program
Clinical Associate Professor, College of Health and Human Sciences
Research specialties:
Rural healthcare
Quality of care delivery
Advanced payment models
Office: Matthews Hall, Room 219B
Phone: 765-494-8310
Email: cjmullen@purdue.edu
FAQS
Is the degree program practice-oriented or theory-oriented?
Our faculty focus on skills that are grounded in proven health administration research. The courses are designed to teach skills for the workplace. The seminars and capstone are industry-focused. In addition, the seminar can be taken across cohorts that provide students with professional networking opportunities.
What is the difference between a Master of Health Administration (MHA), a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA)?
The Master of Health Administration degree focuses on skills in leadership, management and operations specific to healthcare systems, such as hospitals and clinics. An MHA prepares you to navigate these systems with knowledge of a broad range of healthcare-specific management, including accounting/finance, marketing, management, law, policy, operations and quality assurance.
A Master of Business Administration improves your business acumen in a broad range of industries. MBA skills transfer into anything from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Profit-driven industries benefit from the business knowledge people with their MBAs possess.
A Master of Public Health is specific to those who want to focus on work that improves the health of entire communities and populations. This includes an understanding of social and behavioral science, environmental health, biostatistics, epidemiology and health policy.
All three degrees help you move into leadership and management positions; however, the MHA and MPH are designed for those looking to become leaders within the health field. Those who earn their MBA can often work in industries that support healthcare but are not necessarily employed by the health systems directly.
How do online classes work? Do I have to be at my computer at a specific time?
As a Purdue student, you will be taking classes in an online environment. Instructors provide materials, lectures, tests and assignments that can be accessed at any time. Your lectures are not time-restricted, meaning you don’t need to be logged in to view your course materials at a specific time. However, all your course activities, assignments and exams must be completed by their due dates. You will need to view course lectures regularly to keep current.
How much time should I plan to spend on the program each week?
Students should expect a time commitment of approximately 15 hours per week.
How will I be graded?
Students are graded based on their performance in class. The courses we offer online will have various methods for grading depending on the specific requirements for a given class. You can expect to experience any combination of homework, graded exams, final projects, group work or graded reports. View the Purdue Grading Scale for more information.
Can I count the graduate certificate toward the Master of Health Administration?
Yes, students who complete one of Purdue’s online healthcare management graduate certificates can count the credits toward the MHA.
What will my diploma say?
Master of Health Administration awarded by Purdue University.
What is the frequency of starts for this program?
There are three starts for this program: fall (August), spring (January) and summer (May).