Advance Your Career
The Appalachian Master of Health Administration program is an online program designed to meet the needs of working professionals. Graduates will have the knowledge and ability to be strong leaders of health care organizations throughout western North Carolina, the state, and nation.
About the MHA Program
Testimonials from Students of the MHA
Online Program
The program is offered online through App State Online making it available to working professionals desiring to advance their careers. With health care management faculty teaching in both the undergraduate and graduate programs, the rigor and quality for which the baccalaureate health care management program is known is carried forward to the MHA program. Working professionals will earn a master of health administration degree while still working full time from an institution with forty years of experience educating health care management students.
The courses are designed with the working professional in mind including a theory to practice perspective that incorporates authentic projects and assignments in an active learning environment. The use of digital technologies allows students to meet and interact when convenient yet simulates the face-to-face classroom. Most of the coursework is completed asynchronously (with no set class meeting times). Some online courses require a limited number of synchronous class meetings (set meeting times in an online classroom) throughout the semester. These meetings would take place between 6:00pm and 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST). Students who are unable to join synchronous meetings are required to contact their faculty member for accommodation. Many professors record their classes, but the greatest value and learning will be gained by attending live sessions when offered.
All students are encouraged to attend the all-day Annual MHA Gathering event on campus on a Saturday at the start of the fall semester. This annual live gathering provides an opportunity for our online students to strengthen their bonds with the program faculty and their fellow students by connecting "in real life". It includes an active learning experience using simulations designed to allow students to practice strategic thinking, communication and leadership skills. These gatherings also facilitate Interprofessional team building skills by inviting graduate students and faculty from other programs at the Beaver College of Health Sciences and Walker College of Business to participate in Gathering activities. Developing these interprofessional team skills allow participants to understand the varying perspectives of the other health related disciplines and view the simulations through an expanded lens.
Part-time or Full-time
The 46 credit hour program offers part-time and full-time enrollment. Students enrolled full-time can complete the program in two years. The flexibility of the program allows part-time students to complete the program in three years. The program is designed around a flexible schedule that enables busy health care professionals to balance work and personal life with a strategic investment in their career.
Curriculum & Concentrations
This degree embodies Appalachian’s mission by preparing students to lead purposeful lives as engaged health care executives who are eager to acquire and create knowledge, promote a spirit of inclusion, communicate effectively and think critically. As a graduate, you will be prepared to advance your management career in a variety of health care organizations, including, but not limited to, hospitals, long-term care, urgent care, research facilities, mental health, bio-tech organizations and medical health equipment companies.
In addition to a strong core curriculum in general health administration, this program, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), offers you two possible areas of focus: health care leadership and health informatics.
Core Courses
Below are listed the course requirements. For the full plan of study please visit the Plan of Study
- HCM 5210 Foundations of US Health Care System
- HCM 5570 Financial Management for Health Organizations I
- HCM 5680 Management & Human Resources in Health Organizations
- HCM 5270 Organizational Development & Behavior in Health Care
- HCM 5575 Financial Management for Health Organizations II
- HCM 5910 Health Law & Policy
- HCM 5220 Statistics for Health Administration
- HCM 5240 Health & Disease
- HCM 5700 Health Care Informatics
- HCM 5590 Performance Improvement & Operations Management
- HCM 5610 Health Economics
- HCM 5950 Strategic Management in Health Care
- HCM 5800 Executive Skills
- HCM 5960 Cases in Health Care Management
Concentrations
Health Care Leadership
- HCM 5740 Marketing in Health Care
- HCM 5730 Leadership in Health Care
Health Informatics
- HCM 5720 Data Analytics in Health Care
- HCM 5725 Health Information Project Management
For More Information
For more information on the Master of Health Administration program and other programs in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, contact Courtney Lane.
To Apply
Application information is available from the School of Graduate Studies.
News
Kelly Scaggs Awarded 2022-2023 GCHEG Scholarship
Base on her outstanding GPA of 4.0 and very positive letter of nomination from program faculty detailing her leadership, service, and research activities, Kelly was selected for induction into Appalachian’s Cratis D. Williams Society of Outstanding Graduates of the Graduate School. This recognition is only awarded to the top 2% of students in each graduating class, so it represents an achievement about which we are very proud of Kelly for accomplishing!
“I am truly humbled by this recognition. I feel fortunate to have learned so much from the faculty and my fellow students. The connections I made while at App have been a highlight of my career journey. I will email you a photo and would be honored to be included in any post you’d like to create.”
India Sympson's Experience
How do you think your AppState MHA education and degree has or will impact your career growth?
It impacted my growth by exposing me to other facets of health care. My concentration is information systems. So, the courses for the information systems track really sparked my interest in IT development and systems coding. The skills I’ve learned in my other courses have really given me the confidence that I need to solve complex issues within my workplace and the confidence to take on additional projects.
What are your thoughts on the quality of the faculty and the education that you received?
I believe the education I received was exceptional. The faculty has been extremely helpful and inspiring. Whenever I needed assistance or had questions about an assignment, they were very prompt to respond to emails, especially on the weekend. Dr. Spaulding, was very helpful when I was confused or had questions, he would schedule zoom meetings to make sure I understood the assignment and that I was doing it correctly.
I think that the faculty were accommodating during the pandemic, taking everyone’s needs and schedules into consideration when working with students.
What, if anything would you tell future student about the AppState MHA program?
Highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to further their career or attain higher education. The professors understand that many of us are working professionals – they schedule lectures at convenient times and the workload is manageable and relevant to what you are doing in the working world.
My favorite aspect of this program is that there were so many different people from different area of health care and a lot of our assignments were completed in groups, giving us the opportunity to learn about others perspectives.