MHA or MBA - or Both?

Students preparing for leadership positions in the health care industry sometimes wonder whether they should earn a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) or Master of Business Degree (MBA).

The University of Minnesota offers the MHA degree through the School of Public Health, and a MBA degree with a medical industry focus through the Carlson School of Management. The University also has a three-year, dual degree program for those interested in earning both degrees.

Distinguishing Features

MHA

• Provides a deep understanding of the operational aspects of health delivery organizations.
• Extensive use of cases focused on the organization and management of health care firms faced with the delivery of life-saving and enhancing medical care.
• Facilitates early career access to professional associations and networks for mentoring by senior health care delivery leaders through post-graduate fellowship programs.
• Incorporates public health aspects including impact of population health, health promotion/prevention strategies on health care organizations.
• Promotes collaborative learning and socialization opportunities through interactions with health students and researchers in related health professions programs.
• Offers opportunity for more extensive course preparation and access to careers in long term care, health policy, hospital and consulting services, managed care (including disease management firms), medical malpractice, international health, health care reimbursement by public and private insurers, health care quality and treatment outcome measurement, and medical group practice.

Medical Industry Focus MBA

• Creates a pathway for careers in investment banking or consulting through medical industry practices with these firms.
• Develops core business skills in finance, marketing, accounting, strategy, operations, information systems and management.
• Offers a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship, new product development and technology management.
• Provides exposure to a broad array of business cases that enable the cross-fertilization of effective management innovations and business practices between the medical industry and other areas of the economy.
• Develops capacity to see a broad view of the entire medical industry—one of the most regulated and interconnected—from the development of care to the delivery of care.
• Prepares for career opportunities across multiple industries including the medical industry.

Learn about the MHA/MBA dual degree program.

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MILI is the acronym for the Medical Industry Leadership Institute. Located in the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, the Medical Industry Leadership Institute provides cutting-edge management research and leadership education for the health care supply chain, including medical device, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, health insurance and health care delivery firms. Through the Institute, the Carlson School recruits the best and brightest students and prepares them for successful and rewarding leadership careers in the medical industry.

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