SPH Offers New Executive Programs in Healthcare Administration

(July 23, 2009) — The University of Minnesota’s highly ranked Master of Healthcare Administration (M.H.A.) degree is now available in a flexible online format for health care executives, physicians, and other health care professionals.

“We are responding to a need expressed by healthcare managers and clinical professionals for education in executive leadership, strategy and finance, while remaining on the job,” said Daniel Zismer, Ph.D., director of the M.H.A. Executive Studies program and an associate professor at the School of Public Health. “We think it is important to provide two pathways to the highly desired degree.”

Program can be completed in 25 months

The Executive M.H.A. can be completed in 25 months and requires students to be on campus for only seven days each August and four days each May. The rest of the curriculum is delivered online.

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health’s Master of Healthcare Administration program is ranked second in the nation among similar programs by U.S. News and World Report. The program has been in existence since 1946. Minnesota M.H.A. alumni occupy leadership roles in hospitals and health systems throughout the U.S.

Two certificate programs also offered

In addition to the new Executive M.H.A. degree, two post-baccalaureate certificates in executive healthcare studies were also approved recently by the University’s Board of Regents.

The first — Management Fundamentals in Healthcare Organizations Certificate — provides the core courses of the Executive M.H.A. but is for individuals who want to learn the fundamentals of managing in health care organizations, but do not desire a full M.H.A. degree.

The second certificate — Leading Integrated Health Systems: Organizational Design, Strategy, Finance, and Management Certificate — provides coursework in integrated health systems and is intended for executives and clinical professionals moving into leadership positions in health care systems that bring hospitals and physician practices together in the same business model.

More information on the Master of Healthcare Administration Executive Studies program can be found at www.sph.umn.edu/execmha.