Not long ago, pursuing a Master’s in Healthcare Administration degree was difficult. Many professionals in healthcare and life sciences have noted the challenges involved in earning a graduate healthcare administration degree while also working in a full-time role. However, the convenience and flexibility of online learning degree programs have changed the landscape of higher education.
Today, graduate students typically focus on the goal of becoming leaders in healthcare, as well as finding a graduate degree program that best prepares them for their future careers. Among these programs, the Boston College Master of Healthcare Administration stands apart from the rest in many ways.
The Demand for Healthcare Administrators
Online healthcare administration degrees have opened the door for more people to gain the required education needed to become a healthcare administrator. The return on investment is high for those who do so. Demand is rising for healthcare administrators. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 20% increase in the number of “medical and health services managers” by 2026. They also report that the mean annual salary nationwide in May 2018 was $113,730.
Massachusetts is among the top five states in the country in terms of the number of healthcare administrators employed. The state also ranked third for mean annual pay for healthcare administrators at $133,900. Boston ranks third among all metro areas in the country in the employment of healthcare administrators. They earn a mean annual salary of $140,700, among the highest in the nation.
Advantages of a Master’s Degree Program
The following offers an overall look at the advantages of earning an online healthcare administration degree, with some specifics from the Boston College MHA program:
Flexibility
In the Boston College MHA program, students can enroll at three points during the year, so they can begin when it works best for them. Because some of the work is self-paced, students can take as long as two years or as little as one year to complete their master’s degree.
Competency-Based
The Boston College MHA program is a competency-based education (CBE) model. The CBE model enables students to build on what they already know from past professional experience, demonstrating mastery at their own pace within a given term. This allows students to focus on developing their expertise in the areas that are most important to expanding their knowledge base.
Industry-Aligned
Industry alignment is an important facet of any quality online master’s degree program. The idea behind a program like the Boston College MHA is to offer students the chance to learn the latest theories in healthcare administration and the practical knowledge needed to apply them to real-world situations. Given that most online graduate students are working professionals, these new skills can be applied immediately to their current job. Industry experts contribute to curriculum design in the Boston College MHA program, meaning students learn the skills employers want right now, not five years ago.
Strong Support
Online students receive personalized attention, with the Boston College MHA program providing access to an executive coach. The coach works with students to support them with career advice in the form of resume development/refinement, assistance with writing cover letters, developing networking techniques, and job search strategies, among other career coaching activities.
Networking
Graduates from the program become part of the 180,000-member network of Boston College graduates around the world, which provides strong professional connections.
Innovations in technology and more sophisticated learning programs from universities have made online learning a smart choice for today’s students—and pursuing an online healthcare administration degree from Boston College provides an enriching and flexible online experience plus great potential for career growth.