The University of Missouri’s nationally ranked Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree program prepares professionals to meet the challenges of a changing health-care industry. You can complete the degree in a traditional, in-person format, or hybrid format.
Residential MHA
Our traditional, on-campus MHA program has been continuously accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) since 1968 and is nationally ranked. The program prepares professionals to meet the challenges of a changing health care industry. The curriculum is competency based (modified NCHL model), focusing on ensuring students obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful in the dynamic health care market through the incorporation of educational methods shown to be successful with adult learners. Students have the option to pursue dual degrees with Business (MBA), Industrial Engineering (MS), Law (JD), and Public Affairs (MPA).
Executive MHA
Our executive MHA program is accredited (CAHME) and nationally ranked. The executive program offers learners the quality and content of our traditional program, but it’s delivered in a hybrid on-campus/online format following a cohort-based model designed for experienced healthcare professionals. The curriculum is competency-based (modified NCHL model), focusing on ensuring students obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful in the dynamic healthcare market through the incorporation of educational methods shown to be successful with adult learners.
Graduate Certificate in Informatics for Public Health
As an MHA student, you may simultaneously earn a graduate certificate.
Mission statement
Mission: Our mission is to provide graduate health administration education augmented by a health informatics perspective that is designed to prepare capable leaders to meet the administrative needs of diverse health care organizations.
Vision: To be a leader in creating the future of early and mid-career leaders in health care administration for a challenging and changing healthcare arena. Our graduates will transform individual and population health.
Guiding principles and values
Value – Create value through knowledge about health organizational processes using evidence-based decision making to achieve the highest level of population-based health. Achieve broad cultural competence in order to work effectively in collaborative and diverse work and community environments.
Knowledge – Develop learning partnerships among the faculty, students, staff, and health professionals for creating, disseminating, and applying knowledge to achieve high levels of performance of health care organizations.
Leadership – Foster a learning environment in which faculty, staff, and students envision the future and develop strategies for change.
Technology – Use advanced information technology to improve organizational performance and individual and population health outcomes.
Quality – Create an environment for excellence in quality and for quality improvement in all educational, research, and health services delivery processes.
Proud member of AUPHA
The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals and organizations dedicated to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education. Its mission is to foster excellence and drive innovation in health management and policy education and promote the value of university-based management education for leadership roles in the health sector. It is the only non-profit entity of its kind that works to improve the delivery of health services – and thus the health of citizens – throughout the world by educating professional managers. AUPHA’s membership includes the premier baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in health administration education in the United States, Canada, and around the world. Its faculty and individual members represent more than 300 colleges and universities.
Frequently asked questions
The residential and the executive MHA programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
We operate on a rolling admission which means that we accept applications until the program begins August for residential students and January for executive students, or until the cohort is full. To receive priority for potential financial support within the department, residential program applications should be submitted prior to March 1.
There is no set length for the statement of purpose, but here are some ideas or key points to address in the statement:
- Your professional plans and career objectives
- How you became interested in health administration/health informatics and how your prior training and experience would help your career
- Specific issues and problems in health care you consider challenging and why
- Indicate if you intend to apply to the traditional (residential) on-campus degree program or the distance education (executive) format
The minimum TOEFL/IELTS requirement for international students is a score of at least 100 on the internet based exam. The minimum IELTS requirement for international students is a score of 7.
The GRE and GMAT exams are not required.
We recommend that our residential students apply for fellowship positions during their second year of study. While many students do accept fellowship positions after graduation, many students select job positions as well. The average fellowship salary for recent residential MHA graduates in the U.S. is $56,600, ranging between $45,000 and $70,000 per year, according to ACHE.
No, with the exception of Statistical Analysis, we build the prerequisite courses into the plan of study if you have not previously taken them in the past. However, we highly recommend enrolling in the prerequisite courses if you can before beginning the program.
If you are an Executive applicant you can complete some of the prerequisite materials via independent study through our website after acceptance to the program.
Yes, all executive students are required to attend all scheduled weekend on-site sessions. You will know the weekends you are responsible for being on campus for the entire two-year program on acceptance.
The letter of support for the executive program needs to be a short note from your employer stating that they understand you are applying for the program and that they support you in doing this.
Yes, your letter of support can also be used as a letter of recommendation. Just be sure that your employer states in the letter that they both support and recommend you.
Each MHA course is worth 3 credit hours, unless otherwise stated.